Page 24 of The Next Mrs. Parrish

Mason walked into their bedroom, a frown on his face. “I can’t believe you’re going down this rabbit hole again. It almost broke our marriage up. Daisy Ann, I can’t do this again.”

She turned from the suitcase to look up at her husband. “She’s up to her old tricks. Married rich and her poor husband just got out of prison. How much do you want to bet she’s the one who engineered that? She’s a cold, calculating gold digger, and I’m going to prove it. There could be a whole wake of dead husbands in her past. She doesn’t deserve to be living in the lap of luxury in her cozy Connecticut town.” She continued her packing.

Mason put a hand on her arm. “I know she’s a horrible person. But she’s already taken enough from you. Don’t let her ruin your life. Our life. We’ve just gotten back to normal. The kids are happy. What good can come of your doing this?”

“Justice. Stopping her. That’s what.”

“What if it really was an accident? You can’t be sure she did it on purpose. Maybe it was a terrible, tragic accident. You can’t let it rule your life forever.”

She didn’t bother responding. They’d had this argument too many times. Her father had spent a lifetime hunting. There was no way that the bullet hole in his back had gotten there by accident. That bitch had shot him in cold blood; Daisy Ann knew it in her bones.

“Please, Mason. Nothing you say is going to dissuade me. I’ll be back in a few days.”

He shook his head and left the room, muttering under his breath.

—

As her private plane began making its descent into Gunnison, Daisy Ann felt a growing sense of apprehension. Looking out the window as they landed, she thought back to all the summers they’d spent at their Colorado ranch from the time she was a little girl. She’d always loved it here: six hundred and twenty-five acres of heaven in the Rocky Mountains.

The moment the door opened, and she started down the airstairs, she spotted Brian, her father’s ranch hand, sprinting toward the plane.

“Hey, Daisy Ann. It’s good to see you. I’ll grab your bag,” he said.

“Thanks, Brian.” The sun was dazzling, the gorgeous sky clear and blue. But when Daisy Ann inhaled the thin dry air, it felt like her lungs couldn’t quite get enough.

“I always forget how breathless I get when I first arrive,” she said to Brian as he slid into the driver’s seat beside her. He hadn’t changed, she thought, maybe a few more laugh lines around his dark brown eyes, but the uniform was the same. Denim jeans, navy T-shirt, and a baseball cap with a picture of a largemouth bass onit.

He chuckled. “Yeah. Big change from Texas.”

Brian pulled out of the small airport, and Daisy Ann was quiet as they drove past tidy houses, and through downtown. When they finally turned onto Ohio Creek Road, she rolled down her window and closed her eyes, breathing in the familiar fragrance of sage and pine as they drove for the next fifteen minutes.

“Here we are,” Brian said. She sat up when he came to a stop in front of the house.

Daisy Ann swallowed and opened the car door, steeling herself as she looked up. It was odd how the house looked unchanged yet different at the same time. She walked up the steps of the wide veranda and stood in front of the massive double doors. As if sensingher hesitation, Brian waited silently next to her until she reached out her hand, curling her fingers around the long brass handle. Opening the door and entering the house, her mind exploded with memories. Mornings spent fishing in the creek with her father, she and her mother buying fresh fruits and vegetables and sampling homemade pastries at the farmers market on Saturdays, feeling so grown up when they went to Traci’s studio together for mother-daughter massages. Standing on a kitchen chair while Brenda, their housekeeper, let her help with the cooking. Hiking Swampy Pass with her friends. And then that last terrible day when she came to claim her father’s body and met Amber, the woman who killed him.

“Daisy Ann!” Brenda came rushing toward her. “So wonderful to see you. I’ve missed you. It’s been too long.” The older woman hugged Daisy Ann to her, patting her back.

Daisy Ann pulled away and took the woman’s hand as she turned to Brian. “You can leave my bag here. I’ll take it up later. Let’s go sit at the kitchen table. I need to talk with both of you.”

Seeing a look pass between Brian and Brenda, she realized they were afraid to hear what she had to say.

“I made some lemonade iced tea. Your favorite.” Brenda hustled around the room, taking the pitcher from the fridge and pouring three glasses before sitting down.

“Thank you.” Daisy Ann took a sip and put down the glass. She looked from one to the other. “First, I want to tell you how grateful I am to both of you. You’ve cared for my family and this ranch with love and dedication, and I can never thank you enough. I’m sorry I’ve been absent, but I just couldn’t bear to be here after Daddy died.”

Brenda reached out her hand and placed it on top of Daisy Ann’s, patting it gently. “We understand, sweetheart. It’s been hard for all of us. He was a great man. And your mama was a wonderful woman. How he got involved with that snake, I’ll never know.” She shook her head.

“Yes, well…” Daisy Ann exhaled. “I’ve made a decision about the house.” She watched their faces drop. “It’s been a really tough decision, but I’ve made up my mind.”

Brian cast his eyes down at the table and absently ran his fingers around the rim of his glass. Brenda pressed her lips together, and Daisy Ann could tell she was trying not to cry. “I’m creating a life estate for you. The house will remain in my name, but you will both have the legal right to live in it for the rest of your lives. You two love this place as much as my father did. I know he would want you to continue living here. I can have the papers drawn up right away if you’ll accept.” She paused, seeing their astonished looks, and then hurried on. “The house is paid for, and I’ve set up an account to take care of taxes, maintenance, and general expenses, along with your continued salaries.”

Brian spoke first. “I don’t even know what to say. I mean, it’s unbelievable. I figured you were going to tell us you were selling, but this, this is…Like I said, it’s unbelievable.”

Daisy Ann looked at Brenda, who had been with the Crawfords for almost twenty-eight years, from the time Daisy Ann was eight. She’d been like a second mother, a big sister, and a friend, all rolled into one. Tears were running down her cheeks. “This means so much, honey. But are you sure? I don’t feel right accepting.”

Daisy Ann shook her head. “I’ve never been more sure. You made this place into a cozy home for Daddy after Mama died. You worked day and night to help him get through. You’re family.”

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