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“How could he have had that much money?”

“I thought he was broke”

“I can’t believe this”

Mark Arrington lifted a long hand “Ladies Zach There are stipulations to the inheritance You need to hear the rest”

Vivienne rolled her thickly lashed blue eyes “Stipulations That figures”

The clamor subsided, but Brooke’s heart clattered wildly in her chest until she could barely hear her grandfather’s voice A quarter of ashe wanted to If she knehat that was

“Arabella”

Her cousin jumped How many times in the past randfather’s bidding?

“You’re the only one who’s stuck with your old Grandpa That’s why I’ as your cousins cooperate and stick out their year With out you, I wouldn’t have made ives s I’ve done, perhaps this legacy of good I’ behind will make a difference”

Arabella dabbed at her eyes She’d worried a tissue into a raggedand pulled out a handful of tissues, offering them to her cousin without a word

“So there you are, children,” Grandpa George said “An inheritance that can change your lives if you choose to accept it But the will is ironclad No exceptions All of you have to spend a year in Clayton And you have to come home by this Christmas Hear that, Lucas?” He rapped twice on the desk “No later than Christmas

“This is ood one—for the town that bears —too little, too late—but I ask that each of you look in your hearts and find one happy ht be reluctant, but you’ll find at least one And maybe it’ll help”