“Ah. Here we are.”
Carolina’s breath caught as she waited, although she didn’t know for what. She felt nauseated. She hadn’t realized in coming here that she wasn’t just delivering the awful news of her great-uncle’s passing, but apparently, she’d just put the final torch to the plans to expand the boys ranch. She’d assumed, when she’d read the letter requesting her great-uncle’s presence in Haven for the anniversary party, that informing Bea and the other leaders of the boys ranch about Uncle Mort’s death would simply put an end to any obligation he might have had in the matter. She’d never dreamed this information would create what now appeared to be an insurmountable difficulty to the whole process.
Harold picked up a letter opener from his briefcase, made a neat slice across the top of the manila envelope and then pulled out a single sheet of paper. He leaned his hip against the side of the desk and shook the paper to open it fully.
“I was instructed to open and read this letter in the case of this particular—er—contingency,” he said, flashing Carolina an apologetic look. “It’s addressed to next of kin. Would you like to read it, Carolina?”
Carolina shook her head. She couldn’t yet find her voice, much less control her emotions. “No, thank you. This letter involves everyone here. Please read it to all of us.”
Harold nodded gravely. “Of course.”
He cleared his throat and began.
I, Cyrus B. Culpepper, being of sound mind and in front of witnesses, add this addendum to my will. It occurs to me that one or the other of the four fellows I’m requiring to be at the seventieth-anniversary party might have gone to meet their maker even before I do. Should you discover that to be the case, then I hereby declare that the next of kin may represent the family legacy at the celebration, assuming the next of kin is willing to attend the party.
Yours,
Cyrus B. Culpepper
Silence shrouded the room as each person ruminated over the new contingency. Then all eyes lifted and turned expectantly to Carolina. Would she stay and represent the Mason family?
“The next of kin would be Morton’s wife, yes?” Bea asked.
Carolina shook her head. “Unfortunately, my aunt Martha died just a few weeks after Morton. Since my parents have also both passed away, I believe I am all that’s left of Uncle Morton’s legacy.”
She didn’t know whether to be relieved or alarmed.
On one hand, she was pleased that she would be able to help keep the boys ranch going and that she hadn’t been delivering a literal death blow.
On the other hand, that meant she had to stay in Haven. It was the beginning of February, which meant she was looking at two months, before the party in March. If things went downhill between her and Wyatt, which well they might, she wouldn’t have the option to pack up and be on the next bus out of town, away from Haven and away from Wyatt, for good.
As tempting as the idea was of cutting out of town without having to deal with Wyatt at all, there was no question about her staying. Not really.
It wasn’t enough that she didn’t have anywhere else to go. She couldn’t leave the boys ranch in the lurch. She simply couldn’t. It meant too much to too many people, especially all the boys it had helped over the years—and would assist in the future, especially if they were able to keep the larger facility.
Seventy years of helping young men find a better way. She couldn’t put her own needs and desires over something as amazing as that.
But more than that, when she stopped to truly examine her feelings, she knew in her heart that she couldn’t leave without allowing Wyatt to get to know his son. Merely thinking about staying was more frightening than anything else she’d ever experienced—even reluctantly coming to the decision to leave town alone and pregnant three years ago.
She would have to own up to her choices. All of them, both good and bad.
She’d realized as soon as she’d seen the brokenhearted look on Wyatt’s face that she’d been wrong to keep Matty’s existence a secret from him. Matty was as much his son as he was hers.
He deserved to know his child. And now he would.
In a way God had made the decision for her, which was probably good, because her record in the decision-making department was deplorable of late.
She had to stay. So she would give Wyatt these two months to get to know Matty, to spend time with him and possibly build a bond as father and son. After that, only the Lord knew what would happen.
She came out of her thoughts to realize the others in Bea’s office were still waiting for her answer. She took a deep, cleansing breath and dived in without knowing just how deep the water was.
“Okay. I’ll stay.”
Copyright © 2017 by Harlequin Books S.A.
ISBN-13: 9781488018145
The Lawman’s Secret Son
Copyright © 2017 by Lorraine Beatty
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