Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Orris, ever the peacemaker when tempers flared and clients became irrational, tried to calm everyone down. “There may be a middle ground here. What if we offer McKay a visitation scheme? If he’s currently a rancher in Wyoming, she could be in line to inherit a spread in Wyoming.” He turned to me and lifted an eyebrow in inquiry.
“Devon McKay doesn’t own the ranch,” I admitted. “It’s my understanding he just works there.” Not that there was any indication of formal employment like a W-2 or payroll records. Which meant he was most likely getting paid under the table.
Orris’s white eyebrows came together. “A Yale graduate works at a ranch he doesn’t own? What in the world does he do there?”
Pastor Scott threw up his hands. “See? He never did make good, even with a Yale scholarship. Do we even know if he graduated? There’s no way on god’s green earth that low-life is getting my money. Or my granddaughter,” he added.
I thought back to the man I’d met at Katie’s house. To Dev’s inky-black curls and the striking hazel eyes that seemed to carry a lifetime’s worth of pain in them. He’d skimmed his hands along my skin as if worshipping it with tenderness. Not only had he been quiet and kind, but he’d also been generous. By giving Katie the ability to have a child with no strings attached, he’d shown himself to be selfless and thoughtful. I hadn’t realized he was the “old friend” Katie had asked to father her child until long after our hookup, but once I had, I’d understood that he hadn’t let himself come that night because he’d been due at the fertility clinic to make his contribution the following day. Dev had literally denied himself pleasure in order to do well by his friend.
Low-life? Hardly.
I may not have known Devon McKay well, but I believed he was a decent person, and Katie had certainly thought so.
Grace leaned forward, drawing attention away from the blustering pastor. “Do we know whether he even wants custody of the child?”
Everyone got quiet. Pastor Scott lost a little of his bluster. Orris looked thoughtful before he spoke. “Grace, draw up papers for him to voluntarily relinquish custody to the Scotts. There’s no conflict of interest in that,” he added, in light of my earlier objection. “And we have several options in case he fights it.”
“What kind of options?” I asked, though I already suspected.
“Offer him whatever it takes,” the pastor insisted. “We’re getting custody of our grandchild, even if we have to pay for it.”
While Pastor Scott turned to speak with Grace about the details, Orris turned to me with piercing eyes and spoke too softly for the Scotts to hear. “How much is it going to take?”
I knew what he was asking. If the Scotts wanted to bribe Dev to sign away custody of Lellie, they’d have to offer more than he’d gain by keeping her and her inheritance.
“Over ten million,” I said in a low voice.
His eyes widened in shock. “Kathryn’s trust fund was only worth two.”
“She made good money here, and she was good at investing,” I said, not willing to be specific. “Plus, she came into some money a couple of years ago from another source.”
“What source?”
“She didn’t tell me. I only know about it because she placed it in trust for Lellie, so she needed me to draw up the papers.”
“That’s what you meant when you said she was independently wealthy,” he said. “I thought you were referring to the savings account the Scotts had set up for her when she was born.”
“No.”
He sighed and ran a hand through his previously immaculate hair. “Mr. McKay isn’t going to turn down custody of this child when he learns she comes with a fortune. Even if he doesn’t want her.”
I didn’t want to believe that, but I had to admit the truth. “No, sir. Not many people would.”
Katie hadn’t talked much about Dev. I knew they’d been close in high school but had drifted apart after college, at least in part because Dev hadn’t moved back to Texas… or stayed anywhere for very long. When I’d confessed to Katie what had happened between us the night of her party, she’d laughed, but I’d seen concern flicker in her eyes, too… until I’d quickly explained that it had been a onetime encounter with no expectations on either side. “Good,” she’d said with a soft smile. “Because Dev’s one of the best men I know, Tully, truly. But I don’t get the feeling he’s interested in commitments right now. To anything.”
I hadn’t understood what she meant by that cryptic comment, but I hadn’t felt like I could press for clarification without letting her know how often I’d replayed the events of that night, even when I’d tried to forget it.