Page 103 of Tempting Irish

Chapter 32

Bree

The momentthe plane took off, I knew I’d made the wrongdecision.

He asked me tostay.

Why the hell hadn’tI?

Because this is real life, and Owen Gallagher is a dream, a fantasy, and it’s best he stays that way. Where he can’t break my heart. Too bad it’s already shattering with every mile set betweenus.

I’m exhausted by the time the taxi drops me off in front of my apartment. After Chris showed me the videos of Owen and I on YouTube, all I want to do is crawl into bed and stay there until this whole mess blowsover.

“Miss Walsh?” With wire-rimmed glasses magnifying his eyes to twice their size, a man approachesme.

I lug my bags towards the building, ignoringhim.

“Are you BeatriceWalsh?”

Shit.This is one of the reasons I came back. To face the charges against me. But it doesn’t make it any lessscary.

I turn, straightening my shoulders. “Yes.”

“You’re a hard woman to get a hold of. I’m Ted Davison. I representFrank-”

“I know who you are.”Don’tpanic.

The man frowns, but continues, pulling out a manila envelope from his brief case. “I’ve been trying to get this to you formonths.”

“You can tell Frank that if he wants to take me to court,I’m-”

“Miss Walsh,” he says, interrupting me. “Frank passed away a few monthsago.”

“What?”

“This is his will.” He hands me theenvelope.

“His…will?”

He’s dead. Something almost like grief hits me, softened only by relief, and then hardened again by the guilt I feel for being grateful he can no longer hurt me. God, I’m a terribleperson.

“He listed you as his sole beneficiary,” the man continues. “He left youeverything.”

“I don’t understand.” He hated me. Hurt me. Had people try to track me down for years. Whenever I finally got settled somewhere, he’d find me and I’d have to move again. Why would he leave meanything?

The man sighs, sadness and regret clear in his gaze. “I knew Frank for a lot of years. He was an angry and sad man. But he lovedyou-”

“You have no idea how wrong youare.”

He smiles sadly. “There’s a letter in there. You should read it. Call me once you’ve gone through everything.” He starts to walk away, then says over his shoulder, “Oh, and Miss Walsh,congratulations.”

I frown athim.

“You’re a very wealthy younglady.”

My fingers feel numb as I fumble with my keys and open my apartment door. I sit down on my old couch and open the envelope. Most of the legal terms I don’t understand, but when I reach the value of Frank’s estate, I suck in abreath.

The lawyer wasn’tkidding.

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