Текст книги "Truly Madly Yours "

Автор книги: Рэйчел Гибсон

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Текущая страница: 3 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

“Youre a beautician? Lisa laughed. “This is too good. Helen Markham has a salon over on Fireweed Lane.

“Youre kidding? I saw Helen yesterday. Her hair looked like shit.

“I didnt say she was any good at it.

“Well, I am, Delaney said, having found something at last that she was a lot better at than her old rival.

A waitress approached and set two more margaritas on the table. “That gentleman over there, the woman said, pointing toward the bar, “bought you two another round.

Delaney glanced at the man she recognized as one of Henrys friends. “Tell him thank you, she said and watched as the waitress left. She hadnt bought a drink since shed stepped foot in Morts. Men she vaguely remembered from her youth kept a steady supply of booze coming to her table. She was on her third, and if she werent careful, shed be drunk in no time.

“Remember when you caught Helen and Tommy doing it in the back of his mothers Vista Cruiser? Lisa asked, beginning to look a little glassy-eyed.

“Of course I remember. Hed told me he was going to the drive-in with some friends. She drained one glass and reached for the third. “I decided to surprise him. And I did.

Lisa laughed and downed her drink. “That was so funny.

Delaneys laughter joined her friends. “Not at the time though. Having Helen Schnupp, of all girls, steal my first boyfriend sucked.

“Yeah, but she did you a favor. Tommy has turned into a real bum. He only works long enough to collect unemployment. He has two kids, and Helen supports them most of the time.

“How does he look? Delaney asked, cutting to the important stuff.

“Still good-lookin.

“Damn. Shed hoped for a report of a receding hairline at the very least. “Who was that friend of Tommys? Do you remember? He always wore that John Deere baseball cap, and you had a mad crush on him.

A frown appeared between Lisas brows. “Jim Bushyhead.

Delaney snapped her fingers. “Thats right. You dated him for a while, but he dumped you for that girl with the mustache and big boobs.

“Tina Uberanga. She was Basque and Italian . . . poor thing.

“I remember you were madly in love with him for a long time after he dumped you.

“No, I wasnt.

“Yes, you were. We used to have to drive by his house at least five times a day.

“No way.

Two more drinks appeared, provided by another of Henrys associates. Delaney waved her thanks and turned back to her friend. They resumed their gossip over a steady stream of free margaritas. At nine-thirty Delaney glanced at her watch. Shed lost count of her drinks, and her cheeks were beginning to feel a little numb. “I dont suppose Truly has a taxi service these days. If she cut herself off now, shed have over three hours to sober up before the bar closed and she had to drive home.

“Nope. We finally got a gas station with a mini-mart. But it closes at eleven. She pointed a finger at Delaney and said, “You dont know how lucky you are to live in a city with a Circle K. You cant just grab a box of Ding Dongs or a burrito at two in the morning around here.

“Are you drunk?

Lisa leaned forward and confessed, “Yes, and guess what else? Im getting married.

“What? Delaney sputtered. “Youre getting married and you waited all this time to tell me?

“Well, were not telling anyone for a while. He wants to talk to his daughter first, before its common knowledge. But shes in Washington with her mother until next week.

“Who? Whos the lucky guy?

Lisa looked her straight in the eyes and said, “Louie Allegrezza.

Delaney blinked several times then burst into laughter. “Thats a good one.

“Im serious.

“Crazy Louie. She continued to laugh as she shook her head. “Youve got to be pulling my leg.

“Im not. Weve been seeing each other for eight months. Last week he asked me to marry him, and of course I said yes. Were getting married November fifteenth.

“Nicks brother? Her laughter died. “Youre serious, arent you?

“Very, but we cant tell anyone until he talks to Sophie.

“Sophie?

“His daughter from his first wife. Sophies thirteen and a real daddys girl. He thinks if he tells her when she gets back, shell have almost six months to get used to the idea.

“Crazy Louie, Delaney repeated, stunned. “Isnt he doing time in prison?

“No. He doesnt do crazy things anymore. She paused and shook her head. “Besides, he was never really that crazy.

Delaney wondered if her friend had fallen on her head in the past ten years and suffered memory loss. “Lisa, he stole a car in the fifth grade.

“No. We were in the fifth grade. He was in the ninth, and in all fairness, he was on his way to take it back when he hopped the curb and got high-centered on that bench in front of Value Drug. Lisa shrugged. “He might not have even gotten caught if he hadnt swerved to miss the Olsens dog, Buckey.

Delaney blinked to clear her head. “Are you blaming Buckey?

“That dog always did run loose.

All dogs ran loose in Truly. “I cant believe youre blaming poor Buckey? You must be in love.

Lisa smiled. “I am. Havent you ever felt so in love you wanted to crawl inside a mans skin and stay there?

“A few times, Delaney confessed, feeling a little envious of her friend. “But I got over it after a while.

“Too bad you live so far away, Id ask you to be in my wedding. Remember how we were always going to be each others maid of honor?

“Yeah. Delaney sighed. “I was going to marry Jon Cryer and you were going to marry Andrew McCarthy.

“ Pretty in Pink . Lisa sighed, too. “That was a great movie. How many times do you think we sat there and cried when Andrew McCarthy dumped Molly Ringwald because she was from the wrong side of the tracks?

“At least a hundred. Remember when– she began but the bartenders voice interrupted her.

“Last call, he bellowed.

Delaney checked her watch again. “Last call? Its not even ten.

“Its Sunday, Lisa reminded her. “Bars close at ten on Sunday.

“Were both too drunk to drive. Delaney panicked. “How are we going to get home?

“Louies picking me up cause he knows Im a cheap date and thinks hes going to get lucky. Im sure hell take you home, too.

She pictured her mothers horrified face peering out the front window, crazy Louie Allegrezza careening up the driveway. Delaney smiled at the thought, and she knew she was a few margaritas past sobriety. “If you dont think hell mind.

But it wasnt Louie who blew into the bar five minutes later like he owned the place. It was Nick. Hed slipped a plaid flannel shirt over his T-shirt. Hed left the shirt unbuttoned, and the ends hung open at his hips. Delaney sank down in her seat. Drunk or sober, she wasnt in the mood to face him. He hadnt mentioned their past when shed seen him earlier that day, but she still didnt trust that he wouldnt.

“Nick! Lisa waved as she called across the bar. “Wheres Louie?

He looked toward the booth at Lisa, then his gaze locked on Delaney as he moved toward her. “Sophie called upset about something, he explained, coming to stand by the table. He paused, then switched his attention to his future sister-in-law. “He asked me to come and get you.

Lisa scooted across the booth seat and stood. “Would you mind giving Delaney a ride home?

“Thats okay, Delaney quickly assured them. She grabbed her crocheted purse and rose to her feet. “I can find my own way. The room tilted slightly, and she placed a hand on the wall beside her. “I dont think Im that drunk.

The corners of Nicks mouth pulled into a frown. “Youre wasted.

“I just stood up a little too fast, she said and stuck her hand in her peach-colored bag, searching for a quarter. Shed have to call her mother. She really wasnt looking forward to it, but if she thought her mother would be horrified to see Louie, Nick would send her over the top.

“You cant drive, Lisa insisted.

“I wasnt—heeey! she called out to Nicks retreating back as she watched him head across the bar with her purse in his hand. Any other man might have been in danger of looking a little swishy clutching a womans peach bag, but not Nick.

She and Lisa followed him out the door and into the black night. She hoped her mother was already in bed asleep. “Damn its cold, she muttered, the mountain chill seeping into her pores. Crossing her arms over her breasts, she practically ran down the sidewalk to keep up with Nicks long strides. She wasnt used to summer nights in the mountains of Idaho anymore. In Phoenix temperatures dipped to ninety-four—not fifty-four—and she couldnt wait to get back.

“Its not that cold, Lisa argued as they passed Delaneys yellow Miata parked by the curb. “Youve turned into a wimp.

“Youre a bigger wimp than I am. You always were. Remember when you fell off the monkey bars in sixth grade and cried for three hours?

“I hurt my tailbone.

They stopped by Nicks black Jeep. “It didnt hurt that much, she said. “You were just a big wimp.

“At least I didnt cry like a baby when I had to dissect a frog in high school.

“I got frog guts in my hair, Delaney defended. “Anyone would cry if frog guts flew in their hair.

“Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. Nick sighed like a weary priest and opened the car passenger door. “What did I do to deserve this?

Lisa pushed the seat forward. “Something sinful Im sure, she said and climbed into the back.

Nick laughed and flipped the backrest into place for Delaney. Like a perfect gentleman, he held the door for her. She knew she was drunk, her judgment impaired, but maybe he had changed. She looked at him cast in shadows, only the lower half of his face illuminated by a street lamp. She knew he could charm the pants off anyone when he wanted, and there had been a few times in her life when hed been uncharacteristically nice to her. Like the time in fourth grade when shed come out of the market with a plenty pack of Trident and discovered a flat tire on her bicycle. Nick had insisted on pushing it all the way home. Hed shared his candy with her, and shed given him some of her gum. Maybe hed actually changed and turned into a nice guy. “Thank you for the ride home, Nick. Or better yet, maybe hed forgotten about the single worst night of her life. Maybe hed forgotten that shed thrown herself at him.

“Any time. A smile curved his sensuous mouth and he handed the purse to her. “Wild thing.

Chapter Three

Delaney zipped her suitcase and looked about her bedroom one last time. Nothing had changed since the day shed walked out ten years ago. The rose wallpaper, the lace canopy, and her music collection were all just as shed left them. Even the snapshots stuck to the vanity mirror were the same. Her things had been kept waiting for her, but instead of feeling comforting and welcoming, the room felt oppressive. The walls were closing in on her. She had to get out.

Now all she had to do was listen to the will and, of course, tell her mother she was leaving. Gwen would do her best to make Delaney feel guilty, and Delaney wasnt looking forward to the confrontation.

She left the room and headed downstairs to Henrys office to hear the reading of his will. Shed dressed for comfort in a sleeveless T-shirt dress made of soft blue cotton, and shed shoved her feet into a pair of platform slides that she could kick off easily during the long drive ahead of her.

At the entrance to the office, a long-time friend of Henrys, Frank Stuart, greeted her as if he were a doorman at the Ritz-Carlton. “Good morning, Miss Shaw, he said as she walked into the room. Max Harrison, Henrys estate lawyer, sat behind the heavy desk and looked up as Delaney entered. She shook his hand and spoke to him briefly before taking a seat beside her mother in the front row.

“Who isnt here? she asked, referring to the remaining empty chair next to hers.

“Nick. Gwen sighed as she fingered the three strands of her pearl necklace. “Although I cant imagine why Henry would provide for him in his will. Hed tried to reach out many times in the past few years, but Nick threw every attempt back in his fathers face.

So Henry had attempted a reconciliation. She wasnt really surprised. Shed always assumed since Henry had failed to produce a legitimate heir with Gwen, hed eventually turn his attention to the son hed always ignored.

Less than a minute later, Nick walked into the room, managing to look almost respectable in a pair of charcoal corduroys and a ribbed silk polo the same color as his eyes. Unlike the funeral, hed dressed for the occasion. His hair was pulled back, and hed left his earring at home. His gaze moved over the room, then he took the chair next to Delaney. She glanced up at him out of the corner of her eye, but he stared straight ahead, feet apart, his hands resting on his thighs. The clean scent of his aftershave teased her nose. She hadnt spoken to him since hed called her “wild thing the night before. Shed ignored him all the way to her mothers house, feeling the same humiliation she thought shed overcome years ago. She had no intention of speaking to the jerk now.

“Thank you all for coming, Max greeted, drawing Delaneys attention. “In order to save time, I would ask that you hold all questions until I am finished. He cleared his throat, squared the documents in front of him, and began in his smooth lawyers voice, “ I, Henry Shaw, now of Truly, resident of Valley County, State of Idaho, do make and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all Wills and Codicils I have made before this.

“ Article I: I nominate and appoint my trusted friend Frank Stuart as Executor of this Will. I request that no Executor or successor in such capacity shall be required to furnish any sureties on his official bond...

Delaney looked at a point behind Maxs head and listened with half an ear as he read the part of the will that outlined the duty of the executor. She didnt care about executor duties. Her mind was filled with more important concerns, like her mother seated on one side and Nick on the other. The two disliked each other intensely. They always had, and the tension that filled the room was almost tangible.

Nicks shoulder brushed Delaneys as he placed his elbows on the arms of his chair. His shirt grazed her bare skin, then was gone. Delaney forced herself to remain perfectly still, as if the touch hadnt happened, as if she hadnt felt the smooth texture of his sleeve on her skin.

Max proceeded to the section of the will that provided for Henrys long-time employees and his brothers at the Moose Lodge. Then he paused and Delaney returned her gaze to him. She watched him carefully set one page aside before he continued. “ Article III: (A) I give and bequeath half of my tangible property and half of my estate not otherwise disposed of hereunder, together with any unexpired insurance policies thereon, to my wife, Gwen Shaw. Gwen was an excellent wife, and I loved her deeply.

“ (B) To my daughter, Delaney Shaw, I give and bequeath the remainder of my tangible property and the remainder of my estate not otherwise disposed of hereunder on the condition that she reside strictly within the city limits of Truly, Idaho, and may not leave, for a period of one year so that she may look after her mother. The subsequent year to begin upon notification of this Will. If Delaney refuses to comply with the terms of this Will, the property referred to in this Article III (B) shall pass to my son, Nick Allegrezza.

“What does all that mean? Delaney interrupted. Her mothers sudden grasp on her arm was the only thing keeping her from jumping to her feet.

Max glanced at her, then returned his gaze to the document on the desk before him. “ (C) I give to my son, Nick Allegrezza, the properties known as Angel Beach and Silver Creek, to do with as he wishes, provided that he refrain from entering into a sexual relationship with Delaney Shaw for one year. If Nick refuses, or goes against my wishes in regard to this stipulation, then the above property shall revert to Delaney Shaw.

Delaney sat rigid in her chair, feeling as if shed been zapped with a stun gun. Heat flushed her face and her heart felt like it had stopped. Maxs voice continued for several more moments, but Delaney was too confused to listen. It was all too much to take in at one time, and she didnt really understand most of what had been read. Except the last part forbidding Nick to “enter into a sexual relationship with her. That part had been a slap directed at them both. A reminder of the past when Nick had used her to get back at Henry, and shed begged him to do it. Even after his death, Henry wasnt finished punishing her. She was so mortified she wanted to die. She wondered what Nick thought, but she was too afraid to look at him.

The lawyer finished and glanced up from the will. Silence filled the office, and no one spoke for several long moments, until Gwen voiced the question on everyones mind.

“Is that legal and binding?

“Yes, Max answered.

“So, I am to receive half of the estate free of conditions, yet in order for Delaney to inherit, she must stay in Truly for one year?

“Thats correct.

“Thats ridiculous, Delaney scoffed, trying her best to forget about Nick and concentrate on her own bequest. “This is the 1990s. Henry cant play God. This cant be legal.

“I assure you it is. In order to inherit your share, you must agree to the conditions expressed in the will.

“Forget it. Delaney stood. Her bags were packed. She wasnt about to let Henry control her from the grave. “Ill give my share to Mother.

“You cant. The bequest was conditional. You will receive your share of the estate on the condition you reside in Truly for one year. The estate is held in trust until after the provisionary period. In short, you cant give your mother what you dont have. And if you decided to reject the terms of the will, your portion of the estate will revert to Nick, not Gwen.

And if Delaney did that, her mother would kill her. But Delaney didnt care. She wasnt going to sell her soul to spare her mother. “What if I contest the will? she asked, becoming desperate.

“You cant contest the will simply because you dont like the provisions. You have to have grounds, such as lack of mental capacity or fraud.

“Well, there you go. Delaney lifted her hands, palms up. “Henry was obviously out of his mind.

“Im afraid the court would hold a different view. The provision has to be proven illegal or against public policy, and it is neither. It may be considered capricious, but it meets the requirements of the law. The fact is, Delaney, your portion of the estate is estimated at just over three million dollars. Henry has made you a very wealthy young woman. All you have to do is live in Truly for one year, and no court is going to consider the condition impossible to perform. You can accept or refuse. Its that simple.

Delaney sat back down, the breath knocked from her lungs. Three million . Shed assumed they were talking about several thousand.

“If you agree to the terms, Max continued, “an adequate monthly allowance will be provided for your care and support.

“When did Henry make this will? Gwen wanted to know.

“Two months ago.

Gwen nodded as if it all made perfect sense, but it didnt. Not to Delaney.

“Do you have any questions, Nick? Max asked.

“Yeah. Does one fuck constitute a sexual relationship?

“Oh, my God! Gwen gasped.

Delaney clenched her hands into fists and turned her gaze to him. His gray eyes burned with fury, and anger thinned his lips. That was okay with Delaney; she was furious, too. They stared at each other, two combatants spoiling for a fight. “You, she said, lifting her chin and looking at him as if he were something she needed to scrape off her shoes, “are evil.

“And what about oral sex? Nick asked, keeping his gaze locked on Delaney.

“Uh ... Nick, Max spoke into the tension. “I dont think we—

“I think we do, Nick interrupted. “Henry was obviously concerned about it. So concerned he included it in his will. He turned his hard gaze to the lawyer. “I think we need to know the rules right up front so theres no confusion.

“ Im not confused, Delaney told him.

“For instance, Nick continued as if she hadnt spoken. “Ive never considered a one-night stand a relationship. Just two naked bodies rubbing up against each other, getting all sweaty, and having a good time. In the morning you wake up alone. No promises you never intend to keep. No commitment. No looking at each other over breakfast. Just sex.

Max cleared his throat. “I believe Henrys intent was no sexual contact at all.

“Hows anyone going to know?

Delaney glared at him. “Easy. I wouldnt have sex with you to save my life.

He looked at her and lifted a skeptical brow.

“Well, Max interjected, “as executor, it is Frank Stuarts duty to see that the terms are enforced.

Nick turned his attention to the executor, who stood at the back of the room. “Are you going to spy on me, Frank? Peek in my windows?

“No, Nick. Ill take your word that youll agree to the conditions of the will.

“I dont know, Frank, he said and turned his gaze to Delaney once again. His eyes lingered on her mouth before sliding down her throat to her breast. “Shes pretty hot. What if I just cant control myself?

“Stop it right now! Gwen stood and pointed at Nick. “If Henry were here, you wouldnt behave this way. If Henry were here, youd have more respect.

He looked at Gwen as he rose to his feet. “If Henry were here, Id kick his ass for him.

“He was your father!

“He was nothing more than a sperm donor, he scoffed, then he moved to the door and delivered one last parting shot before he left. “Too bad for all of us he was a one-shot wonder, he said, leaving the room filled with stunned silence.

“Leave it to Nick to make everything unpleasant, Gwen said after they heard the front door close. “Henry tried to make amends, but Nick rejected him every time. I think its because hes always been jealous of Delaney. His behavior here today proves it, dont you think?

Delaneys head began to pound. “I dont know. She raised her palms to the sides of her face. “Ive never known why Nick does the things he does. Nick had always been a mystery to her, even when they were kids. Hed always been unpredictable, and shed never pretended to understand why he behaved the way he did. One day he acted like he could hardly tolerate her presence in the same town, then the very next day he might say something nice to her, or make the boys at her school stop teasing her. And just when she would start to think he was nice, hed blindside her, leaving her stunned and gasping. Like today, and like the time hed hit her between the eyes with a snowball. Shed been in the third grade, standing in front of the school, waiting for her mother to pick her up. She remembered standing to one side, watching Nick and a group of his friends build a snow fort by the flagpole. She remembered how his thick black hair and olive skin had been such a sharp contrast against all that white. Hed worn a navy wool sweater with leather patches on the shoulders, and his cheeks had turned red from the cold. Shed smiled at him, and hed thrown a snowball at her and practically knocked her unconscious. Shed had to go to school with two black eyes, which eventually turned green and yellow before fading completely.

“What now? Gwen asked, pulling Delaneys attention from the past and Nick.

“If no one contests the will we can proceed fairly quick. Max looked at Delaney. “Do you plan to challenge the will?

“Whats the point? You made it clear that Henrys provision for me was a take it or leave it proposition.

“Thats correct.

She should have known Henry would attach conditions to his will. She should have known he would try to make her take over his business, to control her and everyone else from the grave. Now all she had to do was choose. Money or her soul. Half an hour ago she would have said that her soul wasnt for sale, but that had been before shed heard the asking price. Half an hour ago everything had been so clear. Now suddenly the lines were blurred, and she didnt know what to think anymore.

“Can I sell off Henrys assets?

“As soon as they legally belong to you.

Three million dollars in exchange for one year of her life. After that, she could go anywhere she liked. Since leaving Truly ten years ago, shed never stayed in one place for more than a few years. She always became too restless and edgy to stay in one place for very long. When the urge to move called, she always answered on the first ring. With all that money, she could go anywhere she wanted. Do whatever she wanted, maybe find a place shed want to call home.

The last thing in the world she wanted was to move back to Truly. Her mother would make her crazy. Shed be crazy to stay here and give up a year of her life.

Shed be crazy if she didnt.

The Jeep Wrangler slid to a stop a few feet from the burned remains of what had once been a large barn. The fire had burned so hot, the building had caved in on itself, leaving behind a pile of mostly unrecognizable debris. To the left, a blackened foundation, a heap of cinders, and shards of broken glass were all that was left of Henrys tack shed.

Nick popped the Jeeps clutch and killed the engine. He would have bet anything that the old man hadnt intended to torch his horses too. Hed been there the morning after the fire when the coroner pulled what had been left of Henry from the ashes. Nick hadnt expected to feel anything. He was surprised that he did.

Except for the five years Nick had lived and worked in Boise, hed resided in the same small town as his father, both of them ignoring each other. It wasnt until he and Louie had moved their construction company to Truly that Henry decided he would finally acknowledge Nick. Gwen had just turned forty and Henry finally accepted the fact that he would never father children with her. Time had run out, and he turned his attention to his only son. By then, Nick was in his late twenties and had no interest in a reconciliation with the man whod always refused to acknowledge him. As far as he was concerned, Henrys sudden interest was a case of too little too late.

But Henry was determined. He made Nick persistent offers of money or property. He offered him thousands of dollars to change his name to Shaw. When Nick refused, Henry doubled the offer. Nick promptly told him to shove it.

He offered Nick a share of his businesses if Nick would act like the son Henry wanted. “Come over for dinner, as if that would make up for a lifetime of indifference. Nick turned him down.

Eventually though, they did enter into a somewhat strained coexistence. Nick gave his father the courtesy of listening to his offers and enticements before he refused. Even now, Nick had to admit some of the offers had been pretty good, but hed easily turned them down. Henry accused him of obstinacy, but it was more disinterest than anything else. Nick just didnt care anymore, but even if hed been seriously tempted, everything had a price. Nothing was free. There was always a tradeoff. Quid pro quo.

Until six months ago. In an effort to bridge the gap between them, Henry gave Nick a very generous gift, a peace offering with no strings attached. He outright deeded him Crescent Bay. “So my grandchildren will always have the best beach in Truly, hed said.

Nick took the gift, and within a week, submitted plans to the city to develop condominiums on the five acres of beachfront property. The preliminary plan was approved remarkably fast, before Henry knew and could raise an objection. The fact that the old man didnt find out until after the fact was incredible luck.

Henry had been furious. But he got over it quickly because there was something Henry wanted more than anything else. Hed wanted the one thing that only Nick could give him. Hed wanted a grandchild. A direct blood descendant. Henry had money and property and prestige, but he hadnt had time. Hed been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. Hed known he was going to die.

“Just pick a woman, Henry had ordered several months ago after barging into Nicks downtown offices. “You should be able to get someone pregnant. God knows youve practiced enough to get it right.

“Ive told you, Ive never met a woman Id consider marrying.

“You dont have to get married, for Gods sake.

Nick wasnt willing to produce a bastard for anyone, and he hated Henry for suggesting it to him, his bastard son, as if the consequences were unimportant.

“Youre doing this to spite me. Ill leave you everything when Im gone. Everything. Ive talked to my attorney, and Ill have to leave Gwen a little something so she wont contest my will, but youll get everything else. And all you have to do is get a woman pregnant before I die. If you cant choose someone, Ill pick the girl for you. Someone from a good family.

Nick had shown him the door.

The cell phone chirped on the seat next to him, but he ignored it. He hadnt been all that surprised when hed learned the cause of Henrys death had been a gunshot wound to the head and not the fire. Hed known Henry was getting worse, and Nick would have done the same thing.

Sheriff Crow had been the one to tell Nick that Henry had killed himself, but very few people knew the truth. Gwen wanted it that way. Henry had gone out on his own terms, but not before hed created one hell of a will.

Nick had figured Henry would pull something in his will, but hed never expected Henry to place the condition on what Nick did or didnt do with Delaney . Why her? A real bad feeling tweaked the base of his skull, and he feared he knew the answer. It sounded perverse, but he had a feeling Henry was trying to pick the mother of his grandchild.

For reasons he didnt want to examine too closely, Delaney had always spelled trouble for him. From the start. Like the time shed been standing in front of the school bundled up in a fancy blue coat with a furry white collar, her blond hair a mass of shiny curls about her face. Her big brown eyes had looked into his, and a little smile had tilted her pink lips. His chest had grown tight and his throat closed. Then before hed realized what he was doing, hed picked up a snowball and nailed her in the forehead. He hadnt known why hed done it, but it had been the one and only time his mother took a belt to his behind. Not so much because hed hit Delaney, but because hed hit a girl. The next time hed seen her at school, shed looked like Zorro, with twin black eyes. Hed stared at her, feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could race home and hide. Hed tried to apologize, but shed always run away when shed seen him coming. He guessed he didnt blame her.