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Brooke wiggled her feet inside the confining heels With a broken pinky, pinching heels and her wounded pride, she hurt everywhere A few days ago, she was planning a wedding Now, she had no plans at all beyond getting through today
“I don’t think Lucas is going to make it,” she said
“If Lucas was co, he’d be here,” Zach added with coplike frankness
“A few er” The quiet steel of Mei Clayton’s voice drew every eye to her round, delicate face Of all her kin, Brooke understood Mei the least As she’d grown older Mei had pulled away from all of the Claytons except her adopted brother, Lucas
“What makes you think he’ll show?” Zach asked
Mei sat up straighter in the cushioned chair, quietly insistent Her glea softly around her Asian features “If he’s needed, my brother will come”
The lawyer cleared his throat “I’m sorry, everyone I have another appointesture Brooke found overdramatic, the attorney pointed toward a flat screen “If I may direct your attention to the TV Mr Clayton himself would like to address you first, and then I have the task of setting out the rules of the will”
Brooke exchanged frowning glances with her brother What in the world? Zach lifted an eyebrow but offered no response Whatever his thoughts, he’d keep them to himself until all the evidence was on the table
The screen flickered to life and the face of Grandpa George appeared, looking a little too hearty to have been buried a few hours ago Dressed in his usual dark business suit, he was seated behind the desk at his law offices An uncomfortable hush fell over the five assembled Claytons
“If you’re watching this, I’e chuckled at his own ed you back here I haven’t been the best grandfather I haven’t always done right by you, or by anyone, for that ed everything, ere a family Not as close as we should have been, but we spent Christether”
“Then because of issues I hope you never know about, I lost hter, too Kat won’t even speak to randkids have scattered across the country Clayton, Colorado, ht not be much, but it’s your home, your history My daddy started this town My wife started the church Claytons belong here” He pointed a bony finger toward the ca here”
The cousins exchanged unco the sa a dead man point at you eird
“I want you to come home,” Grandpa said “All six of you—for at least a year Be a fa town Find your hearts and souls right here where you left them”
Zach pushed up from his chair and paced to the
“Sit down, Zach You always did pace like a tiger when upset” Grandpa George chuckled “If you didn’t get up, you wanted to”
Zach returned his attention the video, arms folded, mouth quirked in wry amusement Goose buht be “Never let ’e Grandpa George’s video bordered on creepy
“You e went on “But I know a thing or two about your present Mia but bad memories for you Clayton and this county need you Even dead, your old grandpa can pull a few strings, and you’d do hty fine as Clayton County sheriff Think about it, Zach”
Zach as county sheriff? Now there was an outrageously interesting and laughable idea After what Zach had been through in Clayton? No way
“As incentive, because I know none of you illingly coe paused Brooke refused to even ponder an inheritance The old miser had probably left them all a pile of debts just for orneriness “Two hundred fifty thousand dollars each, plus five hundred acres of Colorado real estate right here in Clayton County”
A clamor broke out in the room