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Tim snatches the will from the counter and reads it. Mumbling here and there, “To you— and if— money— next of kin— billions—“ His eyes round, like I didn’t tell him that 20 minutes ago. “Billions? Billions? You’re a billionaire and you’re working with us at this dump of a garage? You have got to be kidding me.”
“It isn’t my money. It’s my father’s. I don’t deserve it.”
“Yes, you do. And this means nothing. So you have ten years to claim your fortune, what’s the problem?” He hands me the paper back and for some reason, the thin sheet feels heavier than anything I’ve ever carried.
“My father’s ten-year anniversary is next week. It’s already been ten years.”
“Which means…”
“…Which means if I don’t go home and sign the documents needed, my uncle will get everything. The sanctuary will be his and knowing him, he’ll find a way to make those lions trophies to put in his home. Who knows what he’d do to the town? He’d probably ruin it.”
“You didn’t like it anyway, right?” Peter chimes in.
“I might not like the Christmas cheer shit all day long, but those people mean everything to me. Do not mistake that, Peter,” I shout at him.
“Then why are we here? Why can’t we go to Mistletoe Creek? What’s the hold-up?” Tim asks, protecting his brother from my wrath.
I rub my temples just as the bell rings, signaling someone is waiting for service. “It isn’t that simple.”
He grabs my arm as I begin to walk away. “Owning the throne never is, Simon.”
I yank my arm free, furious at no one but myself. I have made this horrible circumstance. I’ve done this to myself. The anger can’t be blamed on anyone but me.
Opening the door, the cool air whips around me, the branches in the sky swaying like long skeletal arms.
“Sorry for the wait!” I shout, picking up the pace as the wind blows. The issue about my dad is fresh on my mind, but I push it away. I’m still here and I have a job to do. “Do you only need gas?” I ask the person who I can’t see.
The trunk is open, and they are rummaging around back there.
“No, no, I don’t know what happened, but I think my car is dead. It rolled into the parking lot. Can you take a look—“ she shuts the trunk of the car, and our eyes meet. ”—At it for me…” she trails off, running out of breath because she’s just as shocked as I am.
I’d recognize her anywhere.
“Your hair has gotten long.” The words are all I can manage to say with a rough, breathless disbelief.
But it’s the truth.
Her hair is beautiful. Always has been. It’s blonde, blonder than it used to be. The rest of the light brown color must have faded out. Either way, the color pairs perfectly with her light green eyes. She’s gorgeous.
Those same eyes I’ve always gotten lost in fill with tears. “I’m… I’m sorry, but I think you have the wrong person,” she says. “I’ll just be going.” She turns around and walks away, leaving her bags beside her broken-down car.
Her icy blonde hair shines in the sun, creating a facade of warmth in this cold weather.
Nina begins to walk faster, not even looking back at me. If she did, she’d see my eyes never leaving her.
Even if she is pretending she doesn’t know me.
Chapter Three
Nina
I’m so damn angry at that handsome, no good, lying, bastard. Oh, the audacity! The audacity of him to tell me that my hair looks good. That’s it? After all this time, is that all he has to say to me? He thinks that will be enough to get me to talk to him? After leaving me with so many questions? After abandoning… everything?
Abandoning me.
No, he doesn’t deserve anything from me. He is going to have to work harder than that. All these years of wondering where he is, and he has only been two states away. What are the chances of me finding him when I didn’t mean to? I knew I wanted to find him, but not right now. It was more of a fleeting thought because I didn’t know how to look for Simon.
I’m only here because I had an interview at a zoo, to take care of the lions there, and of course, my car broke down an hour on the way back home.
