by Kayla Perrin
“Are there no other family members coming?” Lorraine asked the lawyer—anything to keep from concentrating on Hunter. Oh, shoot. She’d already asked that, hadn’t she?
“No. Hunter is Douglas’s only family member named in the will.”
The lawyer must have thought she was a dimwit. Still, she pressed on, more to avoid talking to Hunter than anything else. “And he didn’t want to leave everything to his son?”
Why, oh why hadn’t she told the lawyer’s secretary that she didn’t want whatever had been left for her in the will? Why had she agreed to come to this meeting? Her cheeks were burning and her chest was tight. All she wanted now was to flee.
“Apparently, you made quite the impression on my father,” Hunter commented dryly, and the look he gave Lorraine had her thinking that he was really speaking about the impression she’d made on him during their night together.
“Douglas Holland didn’t have much family left,” Joseph explained. “His wife died some years back, and a daughter passed away when she was young. So Hunter’s the only immediate family he had. There were other family members, but he was estranged from them. If you’re concerned that someone else might come forward to contest the will, you needn’t be.”
Oh, good Lord. That’s the last thing she wanted Hunter thinking. That her concern was for herself and no one contesting what Douglas had left her. “Actually, I’m just...curious. Most people have more than one family member.”
“I understand that you’re surprised. Maybe even questioning why you’d be included in the will.” Joseph smiled. “Douglas was adamant about changing his will to include you. He told me that during his last days, you were like family to him, Lorraine.”
Lorraine glanced Hunter’s way. She felt as though she were some sort of specimen under a microscope the way he was looking at her.
“You greatly impacted his life in a positive way,” Joseph went on. “He specifically told me that you made him feel so much better about facing death and brought some purpose and meaning to his life.”
“He said that?” Lorraine asked, her forehead scrunching as she looked at the lawyer.
“Yes.”
Tears sprang to her eyes as a wave of emotion washed over her. “Thank you for telling me that,” Lorraine said. She dabbed at her eyes with her fingertip. “That means a lot.”
Then she glanced at Hunter, caught the none-too-subtle eye roll.
“He really appreciated you,” Joseph said. “Felt you went above and beyond with him.”
“I did what any nurse would do,” Lorraine said, wishing that her voice wasn’t so stilted. If only Hunter wasn’t sitting across from her. Any other person, and she could get through this.
“Your modesty is exactly what he found endearing,” Joseph said.
“Just how close were you to my father?” Hunter demanded.
At the question, Lorraine’s eyes flew to his. He raised an eyebrow, and she got instantly what he was trying to imply. Her stomach bottomed out. The mere idea was horrifying.
“We spent a lot of time talking,” she said tersely. “I read him books. He loved mysteries. I used to help him walk outside with his walker. When he was too weak to walk, I took him outside in his wheelchair. He loved feeling the sun on his skin.” Lorraine met Hunter’s hard gaze and quickly kept speaking. “He was alone. No family ever came to visit.” Now she was the one to give Hunter a pointed look. “I felt bad for him.”
“I was in Nevada,” Hunter quickly said, the defensiveness in his tone clear. “And heck, I didn’t even know he was dying.”
“I’m not making a judgment against you. I’m just explaining.” But Lorraine wasn’t being entirely truthful. Hunter hadn’t been in touch with his father enough to know that the man was dying. What answer could be good enough to explain that?
But she wasn’t about to mention that to him, because she didn’t want to irritate him. She wanted to get out of this meeting unscathed and move forward with her life.
“I was there for your father because it broke my heart to see him sad and alone,” Lorraine continued. “It’s very hard, working in a hospice. People are understandably depressed. I do whatever I can to help brighten their day.”
“I’ll bet you’re great at that.”
Lorraine’s cheeks burned, and she only hoped that her pale skin wasn’t red enough for the lawyer to notice that she was blushing violently. Hunter’s meaning was clear. What did he think she was? Some kind of woman who slept with random men from a bar and her dying patients? A vixen trying to dupe his dad into including her in the will?
“A regular Little Miss Sunshine,” he mumbled.
Lorraine’s back stiffened. She glanced at the lawyer, but he was flipping through the pages in front of him and seemed oblivious to Hunter’s verbal assault.
Lorraine needed to get out of here. She’d made a horrible mistake coming to this meeting. She cleared her throat, then spoke. “You know, I came to this meeting because I felt it was the right thing to do out of respect for Mr. Holland. However, sitting here it’s just hit me that it’s inappropriate for me to be here. I’m not his family. I have no desire to receive any gift from him. Whatever he intended for me should go to his son.”
Lorraine pushed her chair back and stood. She secured her purse under her arm.
“Hold on,” Joseph said before she could take a step. “Please, sit. I realize this may be uncomfortable for you—that’s perfectly normal. Especially when you didn’t expect it, and when—as you say—there’s a family member who’s a rightful heir. But let me allay any concerns. First of all, Hunter is not questioning—nor contesting—his father’s will. I explained who you were and that Douglas wanted to honor you in his will, and Hunter seemed quite happy that someone had brought some comfort and peace into his father’s life during his final days.” The lawyer looked at Hunter, nodding, as if to solicit an affirmative response from him. Though Hunter’s lips were pulled tightly together, he did nod.
Joseph smiled kindly at Lorraine. “I suppose you’ve never been to one of these before. You seem extra nervous. I just want to assure you that this is standard, and you’re going to be very happy at the end of this meeting.”
That was impossible! She might just have a heart attack before this meeting was over!
Nonetheless, Lorraine slithered into her seat again.
“Anyway,” the lawyer continued, “let’s get right to it. Douglas Holland had a personal home, and the house is to be left to his son.” He flipped through some of the papers in his folder. “He also had two rental properties. One of them, however, is currently co-owned with his brother, Damien, with whom he was estranged. There is a current legal dispute initiated by Damien regarding one of the properties, however. We can discuss that later, Hunter, but essentially your uncle claims money is owed to him.”
Hunter nodded.
“He had a portfolio of stocks and bonds,” Joseph continued. “These are the documents...”
Lorraine tuned out the lawyer’s voice as he went through stocks and bonds. She heard something about a pickup truck and other assets all bequeathed to Hunter. In fact, it seemed as though all of the assets were being left to Douglas’s son, and rightly so. Why was Lorraine even here?
“And lastly,” the lawyer said and faced her, “Mr. Holland has left you a store.”
Lorraine’s head shot up, then she narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me?”
“Apparently, you spoke to him about your desire to open a health-food store and hopefully a medical clinic. He was moved by your vision to help people before disease strikes, and provide nutritional advice that can possibly offset disease. He absolutely wanted to help you achieve this dream. So, to that end, he purchased a store for you on Keele Street, 1437 Keele Street, to be exact. The building is currently vacant, so it’s ready for you to start working on
it. He also left money for you to do the required renovations.”
Lorraine’s eyes blurred as she stared at the lawyer. She blinked, trying to get him into focus, but he remained a haze. “I’m sorry. I—I—” She couldn’t form coherent words.
“Wait a minute,” Hunter said. “My father left her a store?”
Lorraine didn’t look at him. She was trying to process what she’d heard. Douglas had bought her a store? Free and clear?
“Are you sure?” she asked.
Joseph smiled at her. “Absolutely.” He produced a folded sheet of paper from the folder and passed it to her. “This is the floor plan. The building is twenty-six hundred square feet, so it’s quite spacious.”
Lorraine unfolded the paper. The floor plan was a rectangular shape, longer than it was wide. But it would give her lots of room to put shelves for products, and to have an office at the back where she could have a dietician working.
“I...” She looked at the lawyer. “I own this?”
“There are documents that you’ll need to sign to transfer the ownership from his name, but, yes. I wanted him to set this up differently before he passed, but he really wanted this to be a surprise for you. He said—and I quote—‘I know she’ll be sad when I die, and I want this gift to put a smile on her face.’ There’s even money to take care of the taxes.”
Lorraine sucked in a sharp breath, her head swimming. She gripped the edge of the table. She couldn’t believe this news.
“I—I need to sign this today?” To her own ears, Lorraine sounded as though she was confirming whether or not she was going to be beheaded.
“I have a number for the real estate lawyer you’ll need to deal with. Pierce Muldoon. His office is in this building on the fifth floor. So, no, you don’t have to sign the paperwork immediately. Please feel free to review it. But you do get to have the key now along with the legal papers.” He placed the key on top of a manila envelope with the paperwork and slid the envelope across the table to her. “You’re welcome to check out the property before you contact Pierce, but effectively the store is yours. Signing the paperwork will make it official.”
This was all so overwhelming. Lorraine glanced at Hunter before meeting the lawyer’s gaze again. “So you’re saying this is a done deal? Finalized?”
“Everything, even all the legal costs associated with the transfer of title. All you have to do is sign the paperwork. Whenever you’re ready. I understand that it’s a lot to take in.”
Lorraine lifted the key and held it between her fingers, the metal cool against her skin. Was this really happening? This key would unlock her dream, a dream that Douglas believed in. Warmth filled her heart. It was wonderful knowing that he’d cared so much. Maybe she could do this. To honor Douglas, to—
She glanced at Hunter, and her heart stopped. His jaw was tight, his eyes narrowed. His disapproval was clear. How could she accept this gift?
Lorraine looked away and cleared her throat. “Pierce Muldoon,” she said, reading the name on the card that was attached to the envelope with a paper clip.
“He’s expecting your call.”
Lorraine nodded. “Am I free to leave now? There’s nothing else?”
“That concludes the meeting, yes,” Joseph said. “Do you have any questions for me?”
“No, nothing. Not right now.” Lorraine pushed her chair back and stood hastily. “Honestly, I just need some time to process this. It’s so unexpected. Overwhelming. I’m sure you probably have business with Douglas’s son, so I’ll just leave so that you two can speak in private.”
The lawyer gave her an odd look. She could only imagine that other people who’d been bequeathed substantial gifts in this office expressed jubilation. But she wasn’t most people. And especially not in this situation...
How was Hunter Douglas’s son? She was embarrassed seeing him here like this after their hot night together, but she didn’t appreciate his attitude toward her. How dare he be so harsh with her when he hadn’t been there for his father in his final hours? What a jerk.
“If you have any questions, please, don’t hesitate to call. If you want to discuss anything with me before calling Pierce, I’m happy to answer any questions.”
“Absolutely.” Lorraine palmed the key and lifted the envelope with her other hand. “Thank you,” she said, then abruptly started for the boardroom exit. Somehow, she managed not to sprint. Barely.
Until she was safely in the hallway. Then she took off, as if the very devil were chasing her.
Chapter 7
Hunter watched Lorraine leave. The way she jerked out of her chair so quickly and damn near tripped over her feet as she hurried to the exit, she was acting like a guilty woman trying to flee a crime scene.
The crime in this case—manipulating a vulnerable, dying man.
Why else would Hunter’s father leave her in his will, and such a significant gift at that? Just because she’d talked with him and pushed him outside in the sunlight?
It wasn’t that Hunter wanted that asset for himself. It was the idea that his father had likely been deceived when he’d been at his weakest point. In some part of his subconscious, he knew that he was focusing on his anger toward Lorraine in order to help push away his own nagging feelings of guilt.
Hunter heard the lawyer’s voice, but his words sounded garbled to him. Suddenly, the depth of Lorraine’s deception hit him full force.
She’d given him a fake name. Because she’d known who he was all along? Was that night in the bar some sort of twisted game for her? Convince a dying man to leave her in his will, then bed his son?
Though the concept sounded incredible, Hunter went with it. He wouldn’t put it past her. After all, some people were insane. They got off on exactly this kind of subterfuge. Maybe she hated men, and this was some sort of inside joke for her. A way for her to stick it to the opposite sex.
If she’d had nothing to hide, why give him a fake name? He curled his hands into fists. Yes, the true picture of Lorraine was coming together in his mind, like a painting being revealed. She had duped his father and him. Why else would she make love with him and then take off?
“Hunter?”
The firm tone of the lawyer’s voice penetrated his subconscious. Hunter quickly met the man’s curious gaze. “Sorry. What were you saying?”
“She did seem quite overwhelmed, didn’t she?” Joseph asked, clearly assuming that Hunter was deep in thought over Lorraine.
“Very,” Hunter said. “Makes me wonder why.”
“She was probably worried that you were going to be upset with her. Possibly object to the property your father left to her. You can’t begin to imagine the amount of squabbles I have to deal with in this office between family members, let alone someone who’s not a part of the family. And in your case, because you’re strangers—I can understand her wariness.”
Heat clawed at Hunter’s throat. Strangers. That word was no longer appropriate. He and Lorraine had become very familiar with each other’s bodies, with every erogenous zone.
“Are you upset about this?” Joseph asked.
“I’m...confused,” Hunter answered honestly.
“Any questions you have, ask. I can give you perspective on what your father was thinking, allay any fears about his frame of mind.”
Oh, yes, Hunter had questions. But the truth was, the person with the answers was the woman who’d just left the boardroom. Hunter pushed his chair back and stood. “Give me a moment? I’ll be back in five.”
“If you’re planning to go talk to Lorraine, I have to advise against—”
But Hunter was already out of the boardroom. He darted down the hallway.
As he stepped into the reception area, he could see out to the bank of elevators through a clear sliver in the frosted glass. The hem of Lorraine�
�s skirt disappeared into the elevator.
Hunter hurried out of the office, but the elevator closed just as he reached it.
“Damn,” he uttered. Then he spun around, his eyes searching for the exit sign. Quickly spotting it, he headed in the direction indicated, down the hallway. He pushed open the door to the stairwell and raced below, hoping to get to the first floor when the elevator did.
His dress shoes skidded on the first floor landing, but he didn’t break stride. He pulled open the door that led to the building’s main floor foyer. His eyes flitted from left to right as he raced toward the bank of elevators.
That’s when he saw her. She was pushing through the revolving door leading to the street.
Hunter quickly changed direction and charged after her. There were more people going through the door, so he made the split second decision to use the manual one to its right.
Lorraine was walking toward the left, her gait noticeably more relaxed. “Lorraine,” he called.
She stopped dead in her tracks, as if momentarily paralyzed by his voice. And then she shot a glance over her shoulder, her eyes filled with worry. The worry turned to fear when her gaze connected with his. Turning, she quickly started down the street.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Hunter mumbled, and he immediately gave chase.
Lorraine started to run, and a second later, the manila envelope and her purse fell from under her arm. Her frustrated outburst was none too subtle. She bent to scoop up her belongings, but she would never be able to escape him fast enough now.
Hunter dropped on to his haunches and picked up the envelope as she scooped up a lipstick and compact that had spilled from her purse. Lorraine’s wide eyes met his, full of panic. Something inside of him clenched. He didn’t like her looking at him like that, as though she was afraid of him.
But she did owe him some answers, and he intended to get them. Trying to keep his expression cool, he passed the envelope to her. “Here.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled. She stood tall and snapped her purse shut.
