Season of Love

by Jill Sanders

  “What else? The money.”

  “Can he do that?” Corey asked.

  “I don’t know. Triggs wants you down at his office first thing.”

  Corey glanced down at the clock. It was a quarter to eight. Glancing up at Lilly, who hadn’t moved an inch, he sighed. “Tell him I’ll be there at nine.” He hung up.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, still hugging the blanket to her chest.

  “My old man is trying to get legal.” He walked over to her and placed a kiss on her lips. “Let’s forget about it for now. Come shower with me. Let me enjoy your naked wet body next to mine before I have to go deal with the SOB.” He smiled down at her as his hands ran up and down her sides.

  Smiling, she dropped the blanket and rubbed her body next to his. “Think you’ll have enough time?” she purred.

  At five before nine, he walked into Triggs’s office. He was happy to see a different legal secretary sitting at the reception desk. He hadn’t thought about how he was going to deal with Reece yet.

  “Corey Miller to see—”

  “Yes, Mr. Miller,” the older woman interrupted him, “Mr. Triggs is expecting you.” She motioned to the double doors and then punched a button on the phone and said clearly, “Mr. Miller is here.”

  “Thanks.” Earl Triggs’s voice sounded muffled.

  When Corey walked in, he didn’t expect to see his father sitting there, next to a very overweight man in a suit that appeared two sizes too small for him.

  Corey stopped just inside the door and took a couple of cleansing breaths.

  “Corey.” Earl stood up and motioned him over to the chairs. “This is your father’s lawyer, Daniel Steller.”

  Corey shook the man’s hand but ignored his father, whose eyes narrowed and watched him.

  “We were just going over your grandfather’s will again,” Triggs said, sitting back down.

  At that moment the older secretary walked in. “I’ve got those files.” She handed a stack of folders to Earl.

  “Thanks, Yvonne,” Earl said dismissively. The woman quickly disappeared.

  “Here you go.” Earl handed them to the other lawyer. “As you’ll see, everything is in order. Cecil Miller’s latest will wasn’t his first. There are over a dozen of them, all leaving his son, Calvin Miller, out. About the only thing that did change over the years was the nature of assets he left his two grandsons.”

  The other lawyer scanned through the papers in the top folder.

  Corey was surprised at the news that their grandfather had never included their father in any of his wills. That the man’s plan all along had been to leave everything he’d worked hard for in life to Carter and him.

  It made his throat a little raw as he sat in the silent room. His eyes returned to his father, who looked sober for once.

  “I hope you’ll understand if I take some time to go through all of this, for my client’s sake,” the other lawyer said.

  Earl nodded slowly. “Take your time. My clients have established residence out of state and will be returning there before the next week. Assets are in the process of being liquidated, but—”

  “What?” Corey’s father slammed his fist down. “You mean they can sell all that shit without—”

  His father’s lawyer laid a hand on his arm, silencing him.

  Earl’s gray eyebrows were raised as he waited for the floor again.

  “Continue.” Daniel Steller motioned for Earl.

  “As I was saying, some of the assets are being liquidated; however, there will be detailed reports as to what items and the exact amounts. There are, as well, donations that Corey and Carter have agreed to supply—”

  “Giving money away!” His father sprang to his feet. Corey could tell that no amount of persuasion from the other lawyer would calm his old man down now. “What the shit! How dare you give my money away.”

  “Mr. Miller,” Earl began, only to be yelled over as his father went on a tirade. His father’s lawyer quickly gathered the papers up and excused them, pushing his father out of the office with his bulk.

  “That went well,” Corey joked once the room was silent.

  Earl sighed. “As I said before, your grandfather’s will is solid.” He leaned back. “This is just a last-ditch effort by your father.”

  “Do you know anything about my mother leaving him?” he asked.

  Earl’s eyebrows shot up again. “No, but I can find out.” Corey nodded, then glanced at the door.

  “New secretary?” he asked.

  “Reece didn’t show up today,” Earl answered. “Yvonne is my backup.”

  Corey debated telling the man what his secretary had been doing on her free time with his grandfather, then decided to keep the knowledge to himself.

  “I’d better get back…” He stood up.

  “I heard from the local PD that your father broke a vase?” Earl asked. “The Ming?”

  Corey winced. “So, it was a Ming?”

  “A copy.” Earl smiled. “Your grandfather paid a pretty penny for it still, but…” He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a paper. “Sign this. The insurance will cover the cost. It will be deposited into the new account under your and Carter’s names.”

  Corey walked over and looked at the insurance forms. “He paid that for a copy?” He motioned to the amount.

  “It was still over a hundred years old.” Earl nodded, and Corey signed the paper.

  “I’ve got my expert going through the place now.” He thought of Lilly and how she’d persuaded him to let her stay and work while he came into town for the meeting. “She’ll have a list emailed over to you by the end of today of items she thinks should go in the auction. Everything else can go with the house.”

  “After I have my own appraiser go through the place.” Earl nodded. “Not that I don’t trust your person, but…”

  Corey nodded. “We’ll be out of there tomorrow morning.” He turned. “Oh.” He snapped his fingers. “I’ve changed the locks and security codes. I’d prefer they remain between us only.” He glanced towards the doorway.

  “I’ll walk the appraiser through the place myself.” Earl nodded.

  Corey handed him the piece of paper with the new codes on it. He’d spent a few minutes that morning changing them with the security firm, creating a separate one for the lawyer. He could check in on the security app to see when it was used.

  “Thanks.” He nodded, then walked out. His father and his lawyer were still arguing in the parking lot, and Corey gritted his teeth. His father watched him slide into the BMW, and Corey smiled slightly as his father’s face heated. He knew it was childish of him, but he couldn’t help peeling out and burning a little rubber as he pulled out of the parking lot.

  15

  Other than seeing another woman naked, this weekend was shaping up to be one of the best in her life. Their second night there, they sat in the hot tub and swam in the indoor pool, watching a light dusting of snow fall. Now they were watching movies and eating junk food.

  “Tomorrow, we’re back on a healthy diet,” Corey said, taking another brownie and setting it on his plate.

  “Right,” she agreed. “Back to pizza and donuts.” She giggled. They were on their second bottle of champagne and had moved up to the living room to watch a movie on the massive flat screen TV.

  Corey laughed as he poured her more. “Okay, so I’ll start running again on Monday.” He turned to her. “We should run together.”

  This time it was her who laughed. “I am not running on Monday.”

  “Why?” He frowned over at her.

  “Because…” She rolled her shoulders, having difficulty thinking of a reason. “I’m moving in less than a week.”

  “So?” He waited.

  Her head was spinning so she made a funny noise as her response. He chuckled.

  “Chicken? Afraid I’ll run circles around you?” he teased.

  “I know you will.” She motioned with her now full glass. “Have
you seen your body? You’re lean, sleek, fast, and sexy as hell, which means you could probably run circles around the Flash.”

  He reached up and kissed her. “You’re a nerd.”

  She nodded, sloshing some of the champagne onto her jeans. Rubbing it in, she set the glass down and wrapped her arms around him. “Do you really want me to move in with you?”

  “Yes,” he answered quickly. “Why do you hesitate?”

  “I always thought…” She shook her head.

  He moved her over him so that she straddled his hips. His hands rested just above her butt. “Tell me,” he urged.

  “I thought I’d get married first. My parents lived together beforehand…”

  “And it turned out well for them,” he added with a smile.

  She rolled her eyes. “I know, but…”

  “What?”

  She shrugged. “It’s just, I thought I would be different.”

  She watched his eyes go dark as if he was thinking deeply about something. “Okay, we can get married first,” he shocked her by saying.

  “W…what?” She shook her head. “I guess I’ve drank too much.” She glanced back at the empty bottle.

  “You heard me.” He quickly moved, setting her down on the sofa and then kneeling at her feet. Taking her hand in his, he smiled up at her. “I was going to wait, find the right time, the right place.” He looked around and shrugged. “But you are kind of forcing my hand here.”

  “I…” She frowned. “I’m what?”

  He chuckled. “God, you look sexy when you’re pissed.”

  She jerked her hand away, but he reached for the other one. “Lillian Aurora Stevens.” Her heart skipped at his use of her full name. “I fell hard and fast in love with you that day in the alley and just knew that you were the woman for me when you slipped on a banana peel.” He smiled, and she giggled. “Will you marry me and move in with me, so I can spend the rest of my life waking up to your soft body next to mine and your hair in my face?”

  She tilted her head. “You’re joking.” She relaxed slightly, but he pulled her up until they were standing, the firelight and the glow from the forgotten TV their only light.

  “No,” he said, his green eyes searching hers. “I’m dead serious. I love you. I’ve been in love with you for a while now.” He rested his forehead against hers. “You’re the family I’ve always wanted, always dreamed about.” His eyes moved back to hers as he leaned back. “I want to start a family with you, find a home we can call our own, spend every day making you laugh and smile.” She smiled as tears filled her eyes. “Just like that.” He used his thumb to brush a tear from her cheek. “And even though I really became aware of how I felt that day in the alley, it had started before that.” He smiled. “I’d always heard people talk about love at first sight but didn’t think it was a thing until you walked into Baked that first day.” He ran a finger over her blonde curls. “Brunette, blonde, it doesn’t matter, you knocked me on my ass.” He leaned in and kissed her. “Marry me,” he said again.

  She couldn’t help it, tears rolled down both of her cheeks. “Yes,” she said softly. “I love you, too.” She hugged him and kissed him until they fell backwards onto the sofa.

  Their clothes hit the floor once more and, just like the night before, Corey carried her up the stairs and gently laid her in the bed, crawling in beside her. She fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat, the feeling of his chest rising and falling under her head, as her blonde curls fanned out over his chest.

  They both woke to loud pounding.

  “What now?” Corey groaned and rolled out of bed.

  She was surprised to see that it was still dark outside.

  “Should I call the cops?” she asked as Corey searched around in the dark for his jeans. “They’re downstairs,” she supplied. “Your other ones are in the bathroom.” She was already heading in there for her other jeans as well.

  They dressed quickly, then rushed down the stairs.

  They saw a dark figure outside and she shivered.

  “Stay here,” he said and flipped on the hall lights. She stood at the base of the stairs.

  Corey walked to the door and then sighed loudly. “It’s my mother.”

  “What?” she asked, moving closer. “Should you let her in?” She glanced over to the clock on the wall. “It’s one a.m.”

  “Keep your cell phone handy.” She nodded as he opened the door.

  “Oh…” His mother turned and sighed. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She glanced between them.

  “Corey,” Corey supplied. “I’m Corey.”

  “I know,” his mother said quickly, but clearly the woman hadn’t known. “Can I come in? It’s snowing.”

  Sure enough, when Lilly looked out front, she could see in the floodlight beams that white snowflakes were still falling.

  Corey stood back slightly. “Just in here.” He stopped her from making her way into the living room.

  “I’m Kimberly Miller,” his mother held out a hand for her, but Lilly just nodded.

  “Yes,” she said quietly.

  Kimberly dropped her hand and glanced around. “Is your brother here?”

  “No,” Corey added. “He’s back home, running our business.”

  The woman’s eyebrows shot up. The two boys looked like their father, but that move reminded Lilly of both Corey and Carter. Kimberly was shorter than Lilly—she gauged around five two—and looked like she weighed less than a hundred pounds. Lilly could imagine that the woman’s sandy blonde hair had at one point been a warm honey color, but now it was peppered with gray and dull hues.

  “Why are you here at one in the morning?” Corey asked.

  “You may have heard, but I left your father.” She turned back towards him.

  “We did,” Corey answered. Even now, Lilly thought, he included his brother in every aspect of his life.

  “Well, I was hoping…” His mother looked around again.

  There was a slight pause, then Corey laughed. “Hell, no.” He shook his head. “Was this his idea? Play the broken couple? Poor homeless mother, down on her luck, left the abusive husband after all these years only to run into the arms of her rich children, gain their trust, then rob them blind?” He sighed. “Won’t work.” He moved to the front door and opened it. “Out, go back to Calvin. You two deserve each other.”

  Kimberly’s spine had stiffened the moment Corey laughed. Her eyes narrowed, and Lilly watched as the woman’s entire demeanor changed. She went from helpless broken woman to pissed off child who hadn’t gotten the toy she wanted.

  “You think this is a game?” His mother moved over and stopped in front of him. The top of her head hit Corey in the middle of his chest, which made her attempt to project dominance over him almost funny. “You two brats never were good for anything. Always ruining everything along the way. You were the reason we lost it all, had to file bankruptcy, the reason Calvin lost his jobs—”

  “I’ll stop you there.” Corey held up a hand. “We were your kids. Your job was to take care of us, not the other way around. Calvin lost his jobs because of his… habits. If we were bad kids, it’s because you were terrible parents.” He opened the door wider. “Out.”

  The woman’s eyes turned to Lilly. “Talk some sense into him. I’m sure you would never talk to your mother the way he talks to me.”

  Lilly walked over and wrapped an arm around Corey. “My mother wouldn’t have tried to lie to me like you just did. She never treated me like I was a nuisance or abandoned me for a bottle of pills.” She held up her chin. “I think it’s best you leave, before we call the cops.”

  It happened so fast. One-minute Lilly was standing next to Corey, and the next she was sprawled out on the floor. Her left cheek burned with the unseen punch the frail woman surprised her with.

  “Damn.” Lilly shook her head. “Should have seen that one coming.”

  Corey had his mother pinned much like he’d pinned his father. “Now you’ve done it,
” he growled out. “Are you okay?” he asked Lilly.

  “Yes, just bruised my pride.”

  “Go ahead and make that call,” he said to her. He turned to his mother and smiled. “Looks like you’re spending the night in the same jail cell your husband did last night.”

  While Lilly called, his mother cursed until her lips almost turned blue.

  The same two officers showed up, and this time they told them they would hold his mother and charge her, since Lilly’s face was still bright red from the punch.

  Pictures were taken of her face, and they had to drive into the station to officially file a report. By the time they walked back through the front door, the sun was up, and they were both wired.

  “What do you say to getting out of here?” Corey pulled her into his arms. “Shower first.”

  “Shower, breakfast, then hit the road.” She nodded. He touched her cheek lightly. She stopped herself from wincing. “Does it look bad?” she asked.

  “No.” He shook his head. “No one from my family will ever lay a finger on you again. I promise.”

  She smiled and went up on her toes to kiss him. “I hope that’s not the case. I plan on you laying lots of fingers on me.” She wiggled her eyebrows, making him chuckle. She stepped away and took his hand. “Let’s go shower. I’m dying to get behind the wheel of that car.”

  Two hours later, after having a bagel and coffee, she sat behind the wheel. They had to wait almost a full hour for the ferry to take them across Puget Sound, and when they finally pulled onto I5, it was to be stuck in Seattle traffic.

  Another hour later, they finally hit the open road, and she had never enjoyed driving a car more than she did the BMW i8. The car hugged the road and purred like a kitten.

  Corey let her drive until they pulled over to fill up on gas and a grab a few snacks for lunch. Then he took over driving, and she leaned her seat back and closed her eyes. He woke her a few hours later when they pulled off I5.

  “I figured since we only had Pringles and soda for lunch, we’d stop for an early dinner. Sound good?” he asked after filling up the tank again.

  “Sure, there’s this great Mexican restaurant along the river.” She gave him directions.