Somebody Like You by Lynnette Austin

Author:Lynnette Austin
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781455528370
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2012-12-03T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Vivi wants to do what?” Cash sprang from his chair. He’d been worried when Gideon had asked him to stop by his law office. But this beat all.

“She’s filing papers to legally change the name of the ranch, and I’m not violating any client privileges by telling you this. She specifically asked me to. She wants you to know.”

“She’s gonna rename the ranch Vivi’s Valley?”

“Now settle down.”

Cash rested his hands on Gideon Crain’s cluttered mahogany desk. The gray-haired, bespectacled man had been his grandfather’s lawyer from the time he’d graduated law school. Leo Hardeman had been his first client.

“Settle down? Settle down? I don’t think so. Tell me she can’t do this.”

“I’m afraid she might be able to. Since the ranch will be split fifty-fifty, she’ll have as much say as you. This arrangement’s pretty dicey.”

Cash sputtered and paced the small room.

“You’re the only one who can stop this nonsense.”

Cash halted mid-step and glared at the elderly lawyer. “Don’t lay this on me. Grandpa created this fiasco.” He pointed a finger at the lawyer’s chest. “How could you let him do this?”

Gideon shook his head. “Believe me, I tried like hell to talk him out of it. He wouldn’t listen. Your grandpa could be a stubborn old cuss.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“Because of lawyer-client privacy laws, I couldn’t tell you what he planned to do,” Gideon said. “I figured, given time, he’d come to his senses and change it.”

“But he ran out of time.”

“Yes, he did.”

A deep sadness settled over Cash. “You know, as hard as it’s been, as hard as it is not having Gramps here, maybe that heart attack was the kindest thing that could have happened. The way his mind was going—hell!” He stuffed his hands in his jean pockets and wandered over to the window. “What am I gonna do?”

“I can’t answer that for you, Cash.” Gideon peered over the bridge of his glasses. “Tell you what, though. I sure am glad I’m not in your boots. Hell of a pickle Leo put you in.”

Cash rested his fists on the windowsill and looked out over Main Street. Henry Foster and Walt Johnson headed into Sally’s Place. They were running late today. They generally met for lunch. In fact, they’d been there the first time he’d laid eyes on Annie.

Annie. His chest tightened.

Life went on.

Not for Leo Hardeman, though. Why had the old man felt the need to orchestrate things after his death? If he’d simply left the ranch to his widow, it would have been easier to swallow. But dangling Whispering Pines in front of him—well, it didn’t go down well. And it was totally out of character for his grandfather.

“Never could figure out what Leo saw in that woman.”

Cash raised a brow. “Sure you did.”

Gideon laughed. “Okay, okay. Guess I did. But why didn’t he settle for playing sugar daddy?”

“Wish I knew the answer to that question. My take on it is Gramps was too much the gentleman for that.”

“Damned shame.” Gideon carried his mug over to the coffeepot and poured a fresh cup.

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