“Yeah,” he mutters, “tomorrow is good.” There’s a wistfulness in his voice and I almost ask if he wants me to come over right now, but I hold myself back. Barely.
“See you then.” I hang up quickly and my eyes snap to Gemma who is bouncing on her toes and clapping silently.
The moment she notices me looking at her, she puts her hand up and, not wanting to leave her hanging, I give her a high-five. The whole thing has me cackling.
“I can’t believe I just did that,” my voice is filled with disbelief.
“I’m so proud of you,” she gushes. “Tomorrow you’ll get your man,” she says breezily while heading out of my kitchen without looking back.
Because she knows I would have glared at her for it if she had stuck around.
Tomorrow.
I don’t know if it’ll end up helping him with his grief, but I hope so. Either way, I get to spend some time with him which feels precious in a way I’m not sure how to process.
As I look around my kitchen, I know it’s time to get moving and actually get some work done. I should make something special for Rook. Don’t cookies solve just about every problem?
I can only hope.
CHAPTER 4
ROOK
I’ve only stepped foot inside of my grow building just enough to keep things going since the funeral. I don’t have another choice. I refuse to see everything I’ve worked at fall to the wayside. Not now.
But a pang of grief hits me every time I step inside. Because I wanted it to be so much more while Grandpa was still alive; I still don’t know if he would have really been proud of me for what I’m building. I wish he had told me.
But the man didn’t emote very much.
I think it was a generational thing because he was able to find ways to show his pride and love for me. Still, it would have been nice if he said the words.
Today, whenI step inside the building, I want to make sure I can bring Meadow in here later to show her some of the extractions I was working on before Grandpa passed away. They were for her, knowing she would start planning her fall bakery menu soon.
She’s passionate about everything she bakes and the seasonal menus she puts together. It’s something I understand because her drive matches my own.
Being in here, inviting her over to talk about what she needs, and pretending like everything is the same makes me feel like a fraud. Especially considering the conversation I had with Mr. Holden.
I felt wrecked before I even walked through that man’s door. He took one look at me and took a deep breath. “I’m going to cut to the chase and tell you what you need to know. Then,” he paused and waited to make sure I was really listening to him, “we’ll go back and I’ll go through all the legal mumbo jumbo and fill in any details you need to know.”
The breath that came out of me was almost embarrassing and I felt the knot in my gut loosen just slightly. Meeting with my grandpa’s lawyer could go so many different ways. My family’s farm was on the line, and I didn’t know how it was all going to work out or what was in his will.
Which was the scariest part.
I tried to ask Grandpa once, but he brushed me off and said there was plenty of time.
“I appreciate that,” I rasped.
“You have a trust. I don’t know why he never told you about it before now, but I’m aware he kept it to himself. You can access it in five years, when you’re 35.” Something shifted on his face for a moment, but then it was gone. I probably should have latched onto it, but it barely penetrated at the time. “You are also being given all of the personal family accounts and whatever is left over after any debt and funeral expenses are taken out. You are the beneficiary on his life insurance policy payout also.”
I swallowed hard, but the lump in my throat only got bigger. Maybe I nodded? I’m not sure.
“We’ll get all of those things signed over,” he assured me.
“Okay,” I croaked out.
“Now,” he paused and the moment felt never-ending, “Sherman Farms, the business and the land is another matter.” My heart dropped. “The will stipulates that it goes to the youngest, married relative.”
The words echoed around the room. They made no fucking sense.