do that, boss lady. There’re guests arriving in two weeks, and you haven’t one sweet clue how to deal with them.”
Before she could catch her breath, he caught her by the shoulders, pulled her close and brought his mouth down over hers in a mouth-consuming, breathtaking kiss. Drawn full length against his body so fast she didn’t have time to conjure a response, her instincts took over…and she kissed him back, full mouth, tongue to tongue.
“Vehicle.” He pushed her out at arms’ length, head tilted, listening. “Probably the lawyer.”
He turned and strode out to meet the newcomer. As the door slammed shut behind him, Allison collapsed against a counter.
Wow! Oh, good lord, no! Not wow. Definitely not wow.
****
Matthew Chamberlain was a tall, handsome, gray-haired man, well groomed and professional. He took the place Allison indicated at the head of the dining room table, declined the sandwiches, accepted a cup of black coffee, then opened his brief case and took out his reading glasses.
As the attorney began to sort through the papers inside his satchel, Allison, seated on his right, took the opportunity to narrow her eyes and purse her lips at Heath, seated across from her. He responded with a syrupy smile that made her blood pressure surge.
“Ah, here it is.” Matthew Chamberlain drew out a document and opened it on the table. “There is, of course, the usual sound mind, etc., preamble, which I’m sure you’re both familiar with and so I’ll leave it unread. Then Jack—Mr. Adams—goes on to mention a particular salmon rod, one with some special significance to you, I believe, Mr. Oakes.” He paused and looked at Heath over his glasses.
“Yes.” He leaned back in his chair, looking smugly vindicated.
“Well, it’s yours.”
Allison stifled a sigh of relief. The rest of the estate would be her mother’s inheritance.
“Now, here it gets a bit involved.” The lawyer settled deeper into his chair and adjusted his glasses. “Mr. Adams was adamant that his real estate, namely this area known as the Chance, be maintained as pristine wilderness and an educational area to enlighten future generations to the need for preservation of it and all places like it. As well…” Matthew Chamberlain raised his gaze from the papers and looked sharply at first Heath and then Allison.
Yes, yes, go on! Get to the point .
“Mr. Adams wanted the Chance to remain in his family in perpetuity. With this in mind, he left forty-nine percent to his granddaughter, Allison Armstrong, and…”
“Fifty-one percent to his daughter, Myra,” Allison finished and leaned back in her chair, lips drawn firmly into a smug smile.
“Good.” Heath started to rise. “I know Myra will do the right thing by this place.”
“A moment, please.” The lawyer gestured Heath back into his chair. “You’re both mistaken. Mr. Adams did not leave the remaining fifty-one percent to Mrs. Armstrong.”
“What? But you said he wanted the Chance to stay in the family!”
“And, according to his thinking, it will, Ms. Armstrong.” The attorney glanced briefly over at her before turning to Heath. “He left another forty-nine percent to his acquired son, Heath Oakes.”
“Acquired son?” Allison was on her feet, her breath coming in outraged, incredulous gasps. “What in hell does that mean? You can acquire a new dress, or a new car, but not a son!”
“It’s merely the adjective Jack Adams chose to explain his relationship with Mr. Oakes.” Matthew Chamberlain remained unruffled. “He never legally adopted him, but he’d come to regard him as his own child.”
“I don’t believe it! Gramps must have been ill or on medication when he made that will. Otherwise, he’d never have left almost half of the place he cherished to a…a jailbird!”
She was on her feet, leaning across the table toward Heath who’d remained stone silent since the announcement of his inheritance.
“If you’re referring to Mr.
Before she could catch her breath, he caught her by the shoulders, pulled her close and brought his mouth down over hers in a mouth-consuming, breathtaking kiss. Drawn full length against his body so fast she didn’t have time to conjure a response, her instincts took over…and she kissed him back, full mouth, tongue to tongue.
“Vehicle.” He pushed her out at arms’ length, head tilted, listening. “Probably the lawyer.”
He turned and strode out to meet the newcomer. As the door slammed shut behind him, Allison collapsed against a counter.
Wow! Oh, good lord, no! Not wow. Definitely not wow.
****
Matthew Chamberlain was a tall, handsome, gray-haired man, well groomed and professional. He took the place Allison indicated at the head of the dining room table, declined the sandwiches, accepted a cup of black coffee, then opened his brief case and took out his reading glasses.
As the attorney began to sort through the papers inside his satchel, Allison, seated on his right, took the opportunity to narrow her eyes and purse her lips at Heath, seated across from her. He responded with a syrupy smile that made her blood pressure surge.
“Ah, here it is.” Matthew Chamberlain drew out a document and opened it on the table. “There is, of course, the usual sound mind, etc., preamble, which I’m sure you’re both familiar with and so I’ll leave it unread. Then Jack—Mr. Adams—goes on to mention a particular salmon rod, one with some special significance to you, I believe, Mr. Oakes.” He paused and looked at Heath over his glasses.
“Yes.” He leaned back in his chair, looking smugly vindicated.
“Well, it’s yours.”
Allison stifled a sigh of relief. The rest of the estate would be her mother’s inheritance.
“Now, here it gets a bit involved.” The lawyer settled deeper into his chair and adjusted his glasses. “Mr. Adams was adamant that his real estate, namely this area known as the Chance, be maintained as pristine wilderness and an educational area to enlighten future generations to the need for preservation of it and all places like it. As well…” Matthew Chamberlain raised his gaze from the papers and looked sharply at first Heath and then Allison.
Yes, yes, go on! Get to the point .
“Mr. Adams wanted the Chance to remain in his family in perpetuity. With this in mind, he left forty-nine percent to his granddaughter, Allison Armstrong, and…”
“Fifty-one percent to his daughter, Myra,” Allison finished and leaned back in her chair, lips drawn firmly into a smug smile.
“Good.” Heath started to rise. “I know Myra will do the right thing by this place.”
“A moment, please.” The lawyer gestured Heath back into his chair. “You’re both mistaken. Mr. Adams did not leave the remaining fifty-one percent to Mrs. Armstrong.”
“What? But you said he wanted the Chance to stay in the family!”
“And, according to his thinking, it will, Ms. Armstrong.” The attorney glanced briefly over at her before turning to Heath. “He left another forty-nine percent to his acquired son, Heath Oakes.”
“Acquired son?” Allison was on her feet, her breath coming in outraged, incredulous gasps. “What in hell does that mean? You can acquire a new dress, or a new car, but not a son!”
“It’s merely the adjective Jack Adams chose to explain his relationship with Mr. Oakes.” Matthew Chamberlain remained unruffled. “He never legally adopted him, but he’d come to regard him as his own child.”
“I don’t believe it! Gramps must have been ill or on medication when he made that will. Otherwise, he’d never have left almost half of the place he cherished to a…a jailbird!”
She was on her feet, leaning across the table toward Heath who’d remained stone silent since the announcement of his inheritance.
“If you’re referring to Mr.
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