Justified Love (The Southern Gentleman Series Book 1)

by Hite, Nicole

  “It’s ok. If your Dad asks, we’ll just tell him a bee stung your face or some other bullshit,” Harley chimed in.

  “I love you guys. No matter what, I can always count on you bitches to pull me through it,” I said giving them a giant hug.

  “I think at this point. We are more than friends; we’re sisters,” Skye said.

  “But not one of those sisterhoods of the traveling vagina’s, right? I don’t do chick flicks. You two know me better than that,” Harley squawked.

  “How bout this. Harley and I will go out and get a bunch of junk food; we can stay up and watch movies and stuff our faces? Just like our sleepovers as kids.”

  That actually did sound pretty good to me.

  “No dramas or romance or any of that bullshit,” I said wiping my face.

  “Horror,” Harley broke through.

  “I can do that,” I said trying to sound a little better than before.

  Just as we were settling our plans, I heard the familiar crunch of gravel in the driveway. Shit! I forgot Colt said he was coming by.

  “Oh, hell no,” Harley said running downstairs.

  “This douche is going to get a piece of my mind,” she charged. Sitting on the top of the staircase with Skye, we watched Harley open the door and lean on the doorframe.

  “What the fuck do you want? Come to mess with my girl again? I told you what would happen if you hurt her,” she said simulating cocking a shotgun chamber.

  Why do I need Daddy, when I have Harley to bust men’s balls? It was quite entertaining if you ask me.

  “I just need to talk to Carr for a second,” he said trying to take a step forward. Harley jammed her foot into the doorframe stopping his advances.

  “Fuck that! You’re not going anywhere near my girl. You’ve already done plenty of damage,” Harley defended.

  “I just need a chance to explain. It’s not at all what it looks like,” he pleaded.

  A part of me wanted to tell Harley to back down her bark, but then again, another part of me didn’t want to hear it. I loved Colt, but sometimes love isn’t enough. He sounded genuine, which is what broke my heart. What could he possibly say that could make up for the inexcusable actions he had done today? Watching Harley give Colt a hard time for about ten minutes was enough. I stood up from the stairs and walked down to meet them.

  “Harley, I can handle this,” I said with disappointed in my voice.

  “Thank God, baby. I just need you to listen to me for five minutes. This is all a big misunderstanding,” he pleaded.

  “Colt, you lied to me,” I began. Before allowing him to speak I held up my hand silencing him.

  “There are some things in life I can deal with and some things I can’t, and lying is one of them,” I started.

  “But I didn’t lie about anything. I’ve always been truthful with you,” he pleaded his case.

  “So you mean to tell me you had no idea that your father and his company were trying to take away our family farm? That he wants to build a shopping mall right where we are standing? Colt, I took my first steps on this porch. My Granny used to braid my hair for school on that swing. Now, that might not mean anything to your father or even you for that matter, but it sure as hell means something to me. This is all I have to remember my mother by, and if you take that away I will never forgive you,” I said with tears flooding down my face. I wanted so badly to run into his arms to make it better, but I needed to stand my ground. I will not let anyone hold me back.

  “This is killing me right now seeing you cry like this,” he said choked up.

  “How the hell am I supposed to stand in front of a courtroom tomorrow knowing that the love of my life is the reason we are standing there in the first place? I won’t be able to stand there and hold my composure, especially seeing you sitting next to your father. It’s going to kill me,” I said letting the tears fall freely now.

  “You won’t have too. I quit today when I found out what was going on,” he said wincing and holding his hand.

  “What do you mean? Oh my God, Colt? What did you do?” I said looking at his bruised and bleeding knuckles.

  “I hit the son of a bitch,” he said with disappointment.

  “But, why?” I said moving closer to him examining the damage.

  “Well, the day didn’t start quite as I expected it to.

  “Warning! Warning. It’s your father calling!” my cell phone echoed through my bedroom.

  Pick up on the third ring, “Colt, get your ass to the office, now!” Oh shit!

  “Dad, calm down. What’s going on?”

  “Where are the blueprints, and property line enlargements I asked for?” he yelled.

  “Dad, can you calm down so we can talk about this rationally?” I pleaded.

  “I needed those done!” he screamed not listening to a word I said.

  “No, Dad. What you said was you needed them by Monday. It’s Sunday you know the day of the Lord?” trying to make him feel sorry.

  “I don’t care. Office. Now!” he shrieked. What’s with the dramatics? I’ve never heard him so angry before.

  “Fine, Dad. I’ll be there in twenty,” I said casually. “Ten is more like it,” he pushed.

  Pulling up to the office, Dad was already on the curb waiting for me. Before I had a chance to get out of the truck, he tossed the documents into the passenger seat of the cab.

  “I told you not to fuck this up and, as usual, you did,” he said with no remorse walking away. What the hell? I have got to find a way to get the fuck out of here. I can’t work for him anymore. It’s too difficult. Soon as this deal is done, I’m outta here.

  Walking up to the printers I rolled out the documents to see what needed to be enlarged. I knew Dad had a big case he was working on, but he seemed to be pretty uptight about these documents. What’s so important that he needed them right now? Glancing at the curled corner, I recognize the name, Mason. What the hell? Unraveling them completely, the documents were blueprints of Carrington’s farm, along with the adjoining property where Ole’ Man Johnson’s property was. The blueprints were for a shopping mall to be built directly on top of her farm. You have got to be kidding me. This doesn’t even make sense. How can my father even do this?

  Looking at the other documents, I saw Grandpa Corbin’s will. Leave it to Dad to capitalize on someone’s death even his own father. Papa’s will stated the land in the document belonged to the Wilson family. These documents were nearly forty years old. Seems pretty weak for the validity to hold up in court. There have to be more current records then these. It doesn’t make sense that Papa wouldn’t have updated them, even after all these years. Papa was my best friend growing up; he would have updated these. I know he would have. I knew him better than he knew his own son - my Dad. Papa was smarter than that.

  Deciding to confront Dad, I called our former family attorney first to get a copy of Papa’s will drawn up for my reference. Something seemed off to me, and I needed to get down to the bottom of this before they try to close on Friday. Our old family attorney, William Tully must know something. Grabbing the documents, I headed to William Tully’s office to pick up a copy of the will. Walking in, I was on the verge of going off on “Bill”. He must have had a hand in this. “Hey Bill,” I said ringing his desk bell over and over trying to get his attention. “Colton, geez, one would have sufficed,” he said coming around the corner of the counter. Handing over the manila envelope, he didn’t release it at first, but only stared at me.

  “Really think about what you’re doing here, son. This could rock the boat in your family, and ultimately destroy your relationship with your father,” he said concerned.

  “If this document says what I think it says, I have no problem rocking that boat, sir. In fact, I’ll make the fucking waves,” I said snatching the documents away.

  Racing into the parking lot of the office, I busted through Dad’s door.

  “Colton, can’t you see I’m in the middle of something,” as h
e excused himself from his attorneys.

  “I don’t give a fuck what you’re doing right now,” I said with anger raging in my voice.

  “What the hell are you trying to do? Are you trying to destroy this town and my relationship with Carrington? I saw the blueprints and the will, Dad,” I said fuming.

  “I’m surprised it took you so long to actually read the documents I was having you copy and enlarge. Really shows me you aren’t worthy of this company,” he confessed.

  “Go ahead Dad, say what you’ve been trying to say for years,” I looked with desperation.

  “Wanna do this here? Right now?” he asked with an egotistical look upon his face. Just staring at him with my arms cross, I raised an eyebrow waiting for him to blow.

  “We didn’t even want you when we found out your mother was pregnant with you. If it weren’t for your decrepit grandfather, you wouldn’t even exist right now. He insisted we keep you in order to carry on the family name. I thought after high school you would actually make something of yourself in college, and then the NFL. I had such high hopes for you, but yet again, you were a disappointment,” he spewed venom from his lips.

  Not wanting Dad to know I had a copy of the will I just got from Bill, I tucked it back in my back pocket. He still thinks he has the upper hand.

  “You know, Dad,” I started “I’m the one who’s disappointed. I’m disappointed I allowed you to treat me like this for so long. I’m disappointed in myself for staying here trying to make you happy. I can’t take it any longer. Dad, fuck you! Oh, and I quit. Find another monkey to train,” I laid it all out.

  “Son,” he began before I cut him off. “Do. Not. Call. Me. Son,” I said enunciating every last word.

  “Colton, you have nothing. I have every right to take away that trust fund you were counting on,” he said with triumph in his voice.

  “Fuck it, I don’t need it. All I need is Carrington, and I’ll be fine,” I piped up.

  “You think that she’s going to want you after all this is over? She probably already knows and thinks you are the captain of this ship,” he said with conviction. Backing up to depart, I was prepared to leave it alone and walk out until his mouth got him into trouble once again.

  “Good! Walk out. Your nothing but a poor, white trash, bum, just like your girlfriend,” he said with a shit-eating grin on his face. He could talk shit about me all he wanted, but he wasn’t going to talk about Carrington that way. Rearing my arm back, I nailed him right in the face. Watching the blood spill from his nose was my personal victory. It never felt so good. No one talks shit about my girlfriend.

  “You were defending my honor?” I said with a small smile.

  “I would do anything for you, baby. I don’t know how to tell you so you’ll listen to me,” he said half smiling back.

  “I swear I didn’t know anything. I think Dad had me working on other things so I wouldn’t notice. Too bad. When he flipped out and made me go to the printer that’s when I looked at the documents carefully. As soon as I figured it out and noticed what he was trying to do, I went to the office and confronted him. He didn’t deny anything, and also didn’t give a shit. I was prepared to walk away when he disrespected you. I couldn’t hold it back any longer,” he explained.

  “He told me he was taking back my trust just out of spite. I told him to go fuck himself,” he said with a smile.

  I couldn’t help but laugh myself; I’d love to see the look on Shep Wilson’s face when he said that.

  “He must have been so pissed at you.”

  “Well, he didn’t give me roses, that’s for sure,” he said with a soft smile.

  “What about your after school program? You were counting on that money,” I said upset.

  “It’s ok babe, we’ll figure it out,” he said with a smile.

  “We will figure it out?” I said looking at him hopefully.

  “You’re my better half. I can’t imagine doing this without you. Just as long as you’re ok with me being with a broke, jobless, bum,” he said half expecting me to turn him down.

  “Yeah, we will. Just as long as you don’t mind being with a homeless chick if we lose this thing,” I responded.

  “I can’t imagine my life without you in it,” he said coming toward me, breaking the barrier between us. Giving me a hug was exactly what I needed, but more than that I need his lips on mine. I’ve never yearned for a kiss so much in my life reaching for him. He tasted so good on my tongue, like strawberries.

  “Colt, I don’t know how to win this case. I went to the historical society, and the property lines look legitimate. Without a discrepancy with the blueprints I don’t know what to do,” I said disheveled.

  Taking my hand, “I think I have the solution. Looking at the documents Dad gave me, I noticed something seemed a little strange. My grandfather, Corbin ‘Papa’ Wilson was always on top of things. He never missed a beat. Looking at the will Dad had me copy, I noticed the will was from forty years ago. Papa would never let that happen. I called our previous family attorney and had him pull a copy of the last will Papa drafted. You are never going to believe what I found,” he said waving a manila envelope in my face.

  Chapter 21

  Getting ready for court the next day, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. I never got nervous, but there was so much riding on today. Gathering my briefcase and bags, I plopped them in the foyer waiting for Daddy and Granny. A silent knock startled me as I tried to get myself into fighting mode. Opening the door, the most beautiful man stood in front of me.

  “Hi, baby. You ready?” he asked leaning down and giving me a supportive kiss.

  “Not really, but I guess I have to be,” I confessed. Pulling me in for a hug, he kissed me, immediately allowing my body to relax. Colt always had this amazing ability to calm me down. I’m so glad he would be there to support me. I need his strength.

  “You’re going to knock it out of the park, killer.”

  “I hope you’re right, Colt.”

  “I know I’m right. I have faith in you.”

  ●

  Walking into the courtroom, I was shocked at the amount of people that were there. What shocked me the most was the amount of people sitting on my side of the courtroom. I guess Shep had pissed off a lot of people in Avery. Walking up to take our seats, Colt grabbed me for a good luck kiss.

  This was going to be good. Colt’s dad is finally going to get what he deserves. He may be a father, but he wasn’t Colt’s anymore. He had burned that bridge, and there was no going back. Although I loathed his father these days, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the man that he had become. From what Colt tells me, over the years he had become bitter and resentful. He didn’t need to take it out on Colt though.

  Sitting down in my seat, I could see Shep giving me and Colt a glare that ensued daggers in our chests. I knew he was ruthless, but I had no idea the depth of his hatred towards life and Colt. All Colt ever did was try to make him proud, but no matter what he did he could never please him.

  Trying to pretend I wasn’t peeping, I leaned back in my seat listening to the faint conversation between Colt and Granny Bird.

  “Colt, I hear you’ve taken quite a fancy to my granddaughter,” Granny asked.

  “Yes, ma’am. I love your granddaughter, and I’m so incredibly proud of her.

  I could hear the smile on Granny’s face, “I love my granddaughter very much too, but if I hear you’ve broken her heart or wronged her in any way, I will harm you. I know how to hide a body.” Seriously! Granny scares the shit out of me! “I’m just joshing you, silly.”

  “Somehow I doubt you are, Granny. Even if you are just kidding, I would never hurt your granddaughter,” he said.

  Giggling to myself, I could see Harley and Skye walk in with Chuck and Wyatt, laying a hand on Colt’s shoulder as they took a seat behind me.

  Leaning over the bench to great my girls Skye chimed in.

  “Look how many people are here,” Skye said a
s we all looked around the room.

  “I guess you’re Dad didn’t just fuck over Carr’s family, but this whole town,” Chuck said patting Colt on the shoulder.

  “Look over there,” Skye pointed.

  “It’s Paisley and her mama,” she said while we looked at them taking a seat behind Colt’s Dad.

  “Figures she would sit over there, especially since her bank did the loan for Carr’s dad.

  “She’s a crazy bitch,” Harley added.

  “She’s more than a crazy bitch,” Wyatt interjected.

  “She’s the most egotistical person I’ve ever met. I can’t believe your Dad made you go on a date with a monster,” Chuck said with a grimace.