I simply nodded my head in understanding and got in the truck.
“What did Jason want?” Genni looked through the back window.
“Just checkin’ on you and offerin’ to head to the house after he finishes at the office in case people show up early.”
“That’s nice of him. I didn’t even think about that. People in this town are known to just show up on their schedules.” A sad smile ghosted across her lips. “Gran always loved it.”
“And from what I can tell, the town loved your gran.” I reached over and squeezed her hand.
“Yes, they did.” She stared out the window as I shifted gears and drove the short distance to the lawyer’s office.
“Do you want me to go in with you?”
“No, I think this is something I need to do alone. I appreciate all you have done for me today. I can walk home after I am done here.” She grabbed her door handle to get out.
My hand grasped her arm. “I can wait. It’s no problem at all.”
“No, I want to walk. The air will do me good, and it will give me time to collect myself again before greeting more people and listening to more stories about Gran.” She moved to open the door again.
“Wait.” I released her arm and jumped out of my side, hurrying around to her door. I felt her eyes follow my movements. I opened her door and helped her down.
“I’m a big girl, Brian. I can handle getting out of a truck on my own.” Her eyebrows creased in annoyance.
“I know, but my ma would tan my hide if I let you. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do.” And it allowed me to touch her skin again, a need that grew stronger every hour I was with her. “Call me if you change your mind about walkin’ home, and I’ll be here in two shakes of a tail feather.” I smiled.
She laughed, the reaction I had hoped for. “You are a strange one, Brian. I doubt I’ll change my mind, but you will be the first to know if I do.” She placed her hand on my chest and rose up, placing a chaste kiss on my cheek. “I don’t know why you’re being so nice, but if I haven’t said it before, thank you.” She slipped past me and strolled into the classy building that housed the lawyer’s office.
My body lit with desire when her soft lips swept across my cheek. I wanted to grab her to me and capture those lips with my own. To devour her sweet scent and show her exactly what she did to me. I let my imagination run as I watched her sashay away. I would slowly unwrap the package she hid beneath her clothes, tie her to her bed, and shower every inch of skin with attention. I would coax her to the brink of explosion over and over, never allowing her to fall into bliss until the very last moment.
Genni could very well be the woman who would break me without even realizing what she had done.
5
Genni
The morning was a whirlwind and basically a blur in my mind. I felt like a zombie going through the motions. Now, I stood in front of a large reception desk being scrutinized by a sharply dressed secretary.
“I have an appointment with Mr. Daniels.” I squared my shoulders, still reeling from the heat of Brian’s gaze.
“As I just stated, your name isn’t on his schedule.” Her haughty voice grated on my nerves.
“I am sure, if you call him, he will tell you the same thing. I am here for the reading of my grandmother’s will.”
“I am sorry for your loss, ma’am, but unless you have an appointment, I can’t help you.”
I had just about enough of this woman’s rudeness and lack of empathy. I opened my mouth to give her a piece of my mind just as the door to Terry’s office opened.
“Genni, right on time.” He came out and took my hand. “Please accept my condolences and apologies for being unable to attend this morning’s service.” He gazed at his secretary. “Gertrude, please hold all my calls while Miss Brown and I are in our meeting.”
“Oh, she wasn’t on your schedule,” she scoffed and clacked on her keyboard.
“Yes, she is. If you’d check your desk calendar, I wrote her in yesterday when I returned from the visitation.” He opened the black planner on her desk and pointed to my name scrawled in red ink.
“Well, you didn’t put her in the computer calendar I set up for you.” She sniffed at him.
“No, that’s your job, Gertrude. I have told you multiple times to check that planner when you arrive every day and transcribe anything I add.” He took my hand and placed it in the crook of his arm. “Come, Miss Brown, let’s get you settled in my office.” He effectively dismissed his secretary. “I apologize for Gertrude; she is trying to get me to go completely digital and has yet to learn that it won’t happen. I am old school in some things, and schedules are one of them.”
He led me to a large leather sofa set off from his desk in a nice little nook of his office. His office was on the larger side with an ornately carved desk with two club chairs sitting in front of it. Built-in bookshelves framed the window behind his chair and running the length of the walls. His law degree was framed and hung on the small wall separating the two windows behind his desk, along with a framed picture of what I assumed was his graduation. Grand tomes filled the shelves interspersed with small decorations.
The couch I sat on was situated in a nook separated from his workspace. A low coffee table was before me, and two wing back chairs were opposite me. A coffee bar was set up against the wall to the right, and a colorful throw draped across the back of the couch—a small corner of home in a room of business.
“Thank you for fitting me in today, Mr. Daniels.” I sat on the edge of the couch, ankles crossed and hands folded in my lap.
“Please, call me Terry.” He smiled. “Can I get you anything to drink?” He motioned toward the coffee bar.
“No, thank you, I’m fine.”
He picked up a packet and a large leather folder before sitting in one of the chairs across from me. “I won’t drag out your time today, Genni. Your gran’s will is pretty straight forward.” He placed the packet on the table and opened the folder. “The house she lived in is paid off and yours to do with as you wish along with all the contents inside. The funeral is already paid for—she had the foresight years ago to meet with Kendra and iron out everything. She had two life insurance policies. One was to be used for any medical bills that may have accrued, and the other was meant solely for you.” He spread out the paperwork for both. “Since natural causes took your grandmother, both policies will be released to you.” He paused and looked at me, I assumed to gauge my reaction.
“Okay, is there anything I need to do with them?” I tried to read the paperwork, but it all jumbled into nonsense before my eyes.
“Not really. I can handle submitting the required documents. I will only need a couple signatures from you. The checks can either be mailed to you, or I can have them delivered here, and you can pick them up at your convenience.”
I wasn’t sure where I would be when they were released, so I chose to have them sent to his office for safekeeping until I could get them. I signed where he indicated and pushed the papers back to him.
“The last thing your gran wished me to do was to deliver this envelope. I do not know what it contains, only that it was to be delivered to you upon her death.” He handed the package to me. It was thick but not heavy. “She asked that you open it alone. The contents are for your eyes only.” He closed his folder and sat back. “And, Miss Brown, that’s the extent of her will. As I stated, all very straight forward.”