by Lea Hart
Sherry stomped her foot and let out a cry of frustration. “He promised me more.”
“Was that before or after you screwed him to death?” Ivy asked.
Mr. Small pressed a button on his phone. “Ms. Walsh, can you have Tyrone come in and escort Ms. Lane out of my office?”
“Certainly,” the woman responded.
Garret stood and crossed his arms. “Ms. Walsh has a packet of information for you regarding the distribution of funds.”
The door opened and a large man entered. “Ready when you are, Ms. Lane.”
“Thanks, Tyrone,” Garret said. “Please make sure that Ms. Lane gets safely to her car.”
“Will do.”
Red faced, Sherry Lane gathered her things and then gave them a parting shot. “This isn’t over.”
Tyrone held the door and rolled his eyes as he followed the angry woman out of the office.
“Thanks, Tyrone,” Garret called as the door closed. “Went better than I expected,” he said as he sat in his chair.
“At least Daddy was consistent. He had a string of them for the last ten years,” Ivy said, as she straightened her dress.
“Bill had a soft spot for that one. Not sure why. When he came in to add her to his will, I was surprised. Maybe he had a premonition that he was mortal. He’d never done it with any of the others,” Garret said, as he restacked the papers in front of him. “Are you kids ready to hear your daddy’s last words?”
Colin slumped in the chair and shrugged. “Sure, why not? It’s not like I heard a lot from him in the last couple of years. Though he did call me when I was signed with the Rangers. Apparently, having a son who was about to play professional baseball finally made him take notice.”
Ivy patted his hand. “Eventually, you and I are going to learn that we don’t have to earn love and affection. Our daddy was a failure in the parenting department, but we were lucky that we had good mamas.”
“What he couldn’t do in life, he did in death,” Garret said, as he slipped his glasses on. “Not that money makes up for being a crappy parent, but it was all he knew how to do.”
Ryan cleared his throat and stood up. “Should I stay for the reading of the rest of the will?”
“It’s up to Ivy and Colin. I have no objections.”
Ivy glanced at Colin. “Do you mind?”
Colin shrugged. “It’s fine by me. Maybe we’re going to hear something that’s going to give us a clue about who took a shot at you.”
Garret sat up and studied Ivy. “Darlin’, what happened? I hadn’t heard anything about it.”
“I only got grazed by the bullet. After the funeral last week, I went over to Daddy’s house in Austin, and as I stood inside the gate, someone took a shot. The place is surrounded by trees, so the person could’ve been anywhere. I’m guessing someone followed me from the reception and decided to try to get rid of me. Or warn me away. There were a lot of people at the funeral who reminded me of sharks.”
“Have the authorities come up with anything?” Garret asked.
“I haven’t heard anything, so I think whoever did it is long gone.”
“Unfortunately, the disposition of your daddy’s company is going to make the list of suspects a long one. Oil in Texas isn’t something to fool with.”
“Based on the house in Austin, I’m guessing that Daddy was on the high part of the oil roller coaster. I didn’t go inside the house, but the place looked like it was worth a lot of money.”
“I was there about six months ago,” Colin said. “It sits on Lake Austin, and it’s about the nicest place he’s ever had. It made the house he had up in Fort Worth look like a shack.”
Ivy whistled. “Damn.”
Garret sat back and shook his head. “He didn’t tell either one of you how good things have been going for him down in Midland?”
“No!” Colin laughed. “He never talked about business. The only way I could tell how well things were going was by the car he was driving. He’d show up every once in a while with one of his gals and take me to dinner, but that was it.”
“Sorry son of a bitch,” Garret said. “Your daddy was a friend, but I never understood the way he treated the people in his life.”
“It’s old news,” Ivy stated with little emotion.
Shoving his glasses on his face, Garret cleared his throat. “Let me tell you what you two were left.” He spread several papers out and then glanced up. “I’m not going to read this word for word. I’ll give you the highlights now. Once you’ve both absorbed the information, we can go over the details.”
Ivy and Colin nodded and Garret began. “Bellows Energy Resource has land rights to over forty-two thousand acres in the Barnett Shale Field. The drilling is all but done up there, and your daddy got out in time. He made enough to retire, but he decided to invest in drilling new rigs in the Permian Oil Basin down in Midland. He’s got about three hundred fifty thousand acres down there with around twenty wells. What he learned up in Denton has served him well down in Midland. All those lean years taught your daddy a lot, and he made the most of those lessons. He was conservative with the drills he put into play up in Denton, so when prices dropped, he didn’t get caught with a lot of debt. He learned to start small and not mortgage his future, and it’s paid off. Your father bought out his partner a year ago, and Bellows Energy is now solely owned by the two of you.”
“What does that mean?” Colin asked quietly.
“It means that the two of you are in the energy business and filthy rich.”
“Fried potatoes,” Ivy muttered.
Ryan leaned over and asked, “How are you doing?”
She stared at him with big eyes and shrugged. “He never paid Mama any support after he left, and she quit chasing him for child support after a couple of years. Bea Bellows took care of me from the moment he walked out of the door. Mama and I paid for college and graduate school. All of this now…feels…I don’t know.”
“Shitty,” Colin said, as he bounced his foot and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I have the same story. His decision to leave all of this to us feels like a last shot at trying to do the right thing.”
“So, how much is the company worth?” Ivy asked dispassionately.
Garret studied the papers in front of him. “Current revenue for the company is two hundred million, and the total assets of the company are around eight hundred million.”
“I guess you can buy a couple more pairs of those fancy shoes you like,” Colin said sarcastically.
“Maybe you want to upgrade that condo you just bought with your signing bonus.” Ivy shook her head and laughed. “I would’ve traded all of this to have a daddy who was part of my life.”
“Yeah, me too. All this money doesn’t make up for what an asshole he was when he was alive,” Colin responded.
“This is a lot to take in,” Garret said. He stacked the papers and placed them carefully in the folder. “There are the two homes and other personal items that are worth around twelve million. Also, there is a trust that he set up for each of you to be made available when you turn thirty.” He looked down at the documents. “Ivy that gives you one more year before you will have access to the trust and Colin you have nine years. Why don’t you both take some time and let this sink in? We’ll meet in a couple of days and I’ll give you the particulars.”
“Anything we need to do about the company right away?” Ivy asked.
“There is a solid team of people running it, so I don’t think you have to go down now. Your dad called me last month and told me he was having some problems with sabotage at some of the wells. Small incidents that were disrupting production. He characterized it as annoying, but I had a feeling it was more than that. It might be wise to employ the company you work for to run an analysis before you go down and meet everyone. That way you know what you’re walking into.”
Leaning back in his chair, he laced his hands behind his head. “Your daddy updated his will about eight months ago an
d then again two months ago. He wanted to make sure that there were no loopholes and nobody could get their hands on what he had after he was gone. I thought it was strange at the time because it wasn’t like him to acknowledge his mortality, much less the possibility of it.”
“Do you think he felt threatened, or was he just being his paranoid self?” Ivy asked.
“Hard to say,” Garret responded. “He was a man who held his cards close to the vest.”
Ivy looked over at her brother. “Let’s take a week and analyze the company. That way we know what we’re dealing with.”
I don’t want to be in the oil business,” Colin stated.
“Neither do I,” Ivy responded.
“Nothing has to be done right away.” Garret stood and went around the desk. “I know he could be a mean SOB, but in his way he loved you both.”
“I guess nothing says ‘I love you’ like an eight-hundred-million-dollar company,” Ivy said sarcastically.
“I would’ve much preferred to have him in the stands at one of my games,” Colin added.
Ivy took her brother’s hand and squeezed. “I guess we get what we get and don’t throw a fit.”
She shook the attorney’s hand. “Thank you for everything. We’ll talk and then get together later in the week.”
Colin stood, shook hands, and then stalked out of the office. “I’ll meet you guys downstairs.”
Ryan shook the attorney’s hand and grabbed his card. “We’ll keep you updated.” He placed his hand on the small of Ivy’s back and led her out of the office. “Time for a margarita?”
“Or five,” she responded. “This is hard on Colin. His mama was a sweet woman, but she didn’t know how to protect him from Daddy’s rejection. I was lucky because my mama is strong as flint and she was always in my corner. This money must feel like a crappy last swing at the fence.”
“At least he has you,” Ryan replied.
“Yeah, he doesn’t always see that as a positive. He complains when I tell him what to do. His mama died when he went to college, so I’ve tried to be there as much as I can. I know he wishes I was a little less interested in his life.”
“Maybe that’s what he’s telling you, but deep down he appreciates it.”
“Real deep. We’d have to use some of those fracking techniques that Daddy used to get oil out of rock to get Colin to admit he likes my nosy ways.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked as he took her hand.
“Not that different than Colin. The company is a sad replacement for all the time he never gave us.”
Ryan pushed the button for the elevator and encircled his arms around Ivy. When she leaned into him and let out a breath, he knew that this was a lot harder than she was letting on. The road ahead of them was littered with land mines, and her life had just become complicated, no matter what they decided to do with the company.
CHAPTER NINE
Monday Evening
Ivy opened the door to the guest room slowly and called out Ryan’s name. “Are you asleep yet?”
“No. What’s wrong?”
He sat up, the sheet fell away, and Ivy saw his massive, glorious chest. The light from the hallway illuminated him perfectly. Lord, he was sexy. “I can’t sleep. My head is filled with a million thoughts.”
“You want to watch a movie or something?”
“Or something.” She turned off the light in the hallway, walked over to the bed, and climbed in. “Maybe you can tell me a story about your glory days, or tell me what you did last week at work.” She lay down next to him and fixed the covers and her pillow. The exhaustion of standing strong was starting to wear her down, and she wanted to curl into Ryan’s solid chest and fall asleep. The kiss he’d given her after dinner made her think that he wouldn’t kick her out, so here she was.
He raised his arm and lifted her so that she was lying against his chest. His skin was as hot as the midday sun, and it felt delicious to be lying against him. “Are you naked?” she asked.
“Run your hand on down and find out for yourself.” He laughed.
“No way. If I do that and find you without any boxers on, then I may lose control. I’m not ready to do that yet.”
“Anything I can do to help get you ready?”
“Don’t you tempt me, Ryan Cordell.” He held her hand and moved it slowly down his stomach. Holding her breath, she felt the top of his boxers and let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, you.”
“Gotcha.”
“That was a good one. I don’t mean to play with fire by crawling into bed with you, but I don’t want to sleep alone. I’m sorry if I’m giving you mixed messages.”
“Whatever made you crawl into bed is fine with me. I’m a grown man and I’m not going to jump you.”
“You are that. A rare species and one not often sighted. Many women consider you a mythical being. Much like a unicorn.” His rich laughter filled the room and the sound of it allowed her to relax.
“We’ll just think of this as a date, a way we get to know one another.”
“A date in our underwear.” Ivy laughed.
“We’re jumping right into the good stuff. We could be on to something here. If we’re not compatible in bed, then a hundred dinner dates are not going to make a difference.”
“You’re right. Since we’re on a bed date, tell me what did you last week at work.” Curling into him, she rested her head against his chest and breathed in his scent. The combination of his soap and skin were making her rethink the control she was holding onto. Filling her lungs on a deep breath, she settled in. “I heard you were on an extraction op last week. What happened with the girl who was kidnapped?”
“We located her in the Juniper Prairie Wilderness area and pulled her out. The team got lucky and we found her in time.”
“So, how do you like working at SAI?” His large hand ran slowly up and down her back, and she felt her mind quiet with each stroke. Maybe sleep would be possible. “Do you think it’s a good fit for you?”
“I respect the hell out of the company that Max started, and Joel is a top-notch commander, as is Grady. The rest of the guys are solid as well, so, yeah…it’s a good fit. My only concern is that I may not want to end up in Florida.”
“Where do you think you want to settle down?”
He lifted her chin and dropped a small kiss onto her lips. Ryan’s mouth against hers was the sweetest, sexiest thing that had happened to her in ages. No way around it. He was the real deal, and it might be about time she recognized that fact.
“I’m not sure yet. I guess it depends on a certain curvy brunette. I have a feeling that what happens next is going to help me decide.”
Boom. Her head and heart exploded. No man had ever uttered anything close. The fact that he was the type to do what he said only made it sweeter. “I’m going to make you pancakes in the morning.”
“What did I do to earn pancakes?”
“Nothing in particular. I just appreciate all of your support. It’s made a horrible day okay.” She kissed his chest and closed her eyes as her body finally gave in to exhaustion. As she fell asleep, his arm tightened, and she knew that he was someone worth considering.
CHAPTER TEN
Tuesday
The early morning light crept through the blinds, and Ryan opened an eye and then shut it quickly. He figured he was dreaming and he didn’t want it to end. He was wrapped around Ivy, and the only thing that was separating them was their underwear and her T-shirt. His hand was wrapped around a nice, soft breast, and he figured he was pretty much in heaven. Or was at least knocking on its door.
When Ivy had crept into his room last night, he’d felt like shouting a loud hooyah. When she slipped into bed and snuggled up, it took everything he had not to pump his fist in celebration. Ivy Bellows was quickly becoming the girl of his dreams. That is, if he ever had any dreams about the type of woman he wanted to end up with. Snuggling closer, he kissed her shoulder. The damn woman had turned out to be his type after all
. All the stories he told himself in that bar in Florida were just a bunch of lies. Lies to keep him from wanting something that he wasn’t sure he deserved.
He must’ve woken her, because she was moving around, and her curvy behind was pressing against his morning wood. Sweet torture—that’s what this was.
It was time to plan a date. It might be challenging, considering what was going on, but it wasn’t impossible. Maybe he could ask Colin where Ivy liked to go around here. She’s said something about dancing at Mercer Hall in town. Maybe he could take her before too long.
As he moved his mouth along her warm skin, he realized for a woman who could have just about anything, she sure was interested in the simple things. Ice cream cones, dancing, and margaritas at a dive bar had been the only things she’d asked for. Other than that, she was easy.
Easy like a sudden summertime tempest. Ivy was disturbance and tumult in human form. At least, she was for him. All his plans had changed on a dime when he walked into SAI and saw her standing there. They were put in the same place for a reason, and he meant to find out what that reason was.
“Ryan, why are you holding on to me like I’m a lifeline in the pool?”
Moving his nose along her neck, he kissed behind her ear and felt her shiver. “I wanted to hold on so I didn’t fall off the bed.” He moved his fingers over her nipple, and it hardened under his touch. “I haven’t slept this well in ages.”
“Me either. Turns out having a big ol’ man in bed was just what I needed. I’ll have to keep that in mind the next time I can’t fall asleep.”
“There won’t be a next time, because I’m going to be wrapped around you from here on out. This is it.”
Squirming out of his hold, she rolled over and buried her face in his chest. “You’re kind of bossy.”
“Takes one to know one. I’m it, honey. I hope you like the frog you kissed, because you’re stuck with me as your prince.”
“Fine. I guess you’ll do.” Her laughter erupted as she rolled over and snorted.
“Are you laughing and snorting?”