Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 51744 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51744 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Fuck Grady overhearing. A half million dollars?
I plunk back onto the couch. “My God…”
“That half mil was pennies to him, and that’s not all. We got another fifty thousand each year we stayed away.”
I rub my forehead where a headache is trying to erupt. “Jesus.”
“Plus he paid for all your hospital bills. For Grady.”
“He knew about Grady?”
She nods. “He was Jonathan Bridger. He had all kinds of resources. Of course he knew about Grady.”
“But Chance…”
Mom shakes her head. “Resources can keep you from knowing about something as well.”
I’ve been with Chance the past few days, and it’s blatantly obvious he knows nothing about Grady. About the letter. About anything.
“God. Jonathan Bridger made sure Chance never found out he had a son.”
“He did.”
“And you went along with all of this? All this time? Why, Mom?”
“I had no choice at that point. I was in too deep. I’d already taken his money and used it to get an education. To get you an education.”
“It’s been years since then.”
“That money will get Grady an education when the time comes. He’ll be able to go to any college he wants.”
“I can pay for college for him. I have a job. A good one. Sure, he’ll need scholarships, but I don’t need—or want—that money touching Grady in any way.”
“It already has,” she says forlornly.
It’s true. That money has put a roof over his head. Paid for his birth. Paid for him being a secret.
“And the aunt story?”
“Jonathan made it clear I couldn’t tell you or anyone where the money had come from. The dead aunt story was his idea, and frankly, I couldn’t think of anything better.”
“Fuck…”
She takes my hand again, rubs my palm with her thumb. “There’s something else, Avery.”
“Oh, God. What else could there possibly be?”
She clears her throat. “Part of my agreement with Jonathan was that you would never go after Chance. I had to make sure you stayed put.”
“You didn’t have to do much. No way was I going to go anywhere near Chance after that letter Jonathan forged.”
“Honey,” she says. “It was my responsibility.”
“And I’m saying—” My eyes widen at what she laid down. “No. Mom, no.”
She closes her eyes, and two tears squeeze out. “I didn’t have any other choice, baby.”
“Jonathan Bridger didn’t write that letter.”
“No, baby. I did.” She shakes her head, a sob choking out of her throat. “It was cruel and it broke my heart to be so nasty to you, but I had to make sure you ’wouldn’t try to go back. And that’s not even the worst part.”
I swallow down the nausea that threatens to force itself up my throat. “What else? Nothing can possibly surprise me now.”
24
CHANCE
* * *
I’ve never been to Arizona. I’ve seen pictures. Know all about the cactus and the dry heat. Well, hell. It’s nothing like they said.
Austin flies the corporate jet into a private airfield outside of the big city. We left Carly and Sadie back home. Both have to work and we aren’t lingering.
Once the attendant lowers the stairway, I make my way out onto the tarmac and wonder if the soles of my boots will melt.
It’s a dry heat. Right?
It has to be at least a hundred degrees and not a tree in sight. Rugged orange and brown mountains are all I can see in the distance.
“Holy fuck,” I say as Austin and Miles flank me.
“Shit, it’s hot,” Miles offers.
“Who can live in this?” Austin glances at the sky. “I thought the sky was blue in Montana, but this? I’m used to rain. All the time.”
“We’re not staying,” I tell them. “If I wanted to become a snowbird, I’d pick Hawaii.”
“Good choice,” Austin adds. “This togetherness thing is really fucking weird.”
Our father’s will requires us to remain together for the entire year, including travel. If I came to Arizona solo, the will’s rules would be broken and we’d forfeit the billions.
We went to Seattle with Austin when his mom was hurt and when that asshole she hired stole flights from their seaplane company. We didn’t stay more than a day because that was when Carly fell over Joey Hopkins’s dead body.
There aren’t going to be any dead bodies on this trip, and we aren’t sticking around. Sweat is already dripping down my back. I’m getting Avery and getting the hell out of here.
We stride to the tiny terminal and find an SUV waiting for us as arranged. Shankle is good for something. I take the driver’s seat, Miles takes shotgun, and Austin sits in the back.
“Crank that AC,” Austin says.
Miles is already fiddling with the buttons while I start the engine. We don’t close our doors until the air is pumping out nice and cold.
I use my phone to map out the directions to Avery’s house and pull out. I’m watching the road as we talk.
“At this point, after all the fuckery that’s been going on, I shouldn’t be all too surprised about the payout.”