Page 15 of A Lot Like Forever
“I haven’t got long now, son, and I . . .” He stopped talking, breathing heavy. “I want you to see my will. I went over it one last time with our attorney today.”
Nate glanced over his shoulder when his granddad inclined his head, seeing a wad of papers stacked on the low table. “This it here?”
Nate reached for them, took a cursory glance over the top copy. “You don’t need to show me this. Whatever you’ve decided, it’s up to you, Granddad. We’ll all respect your wishes.”
“I’m proud of you, Nate. Proud of all of you . . .” Nate cringed as he listened to his grandfather’s struggle with his breath again. “But you’re the one I want in charge. You’re the one, Nate. Always have been.”
Nate frowned. It wasn’t that he wasn’t proud as hell that his grandfather put so much trust in him, but he didn’t want to cause a rift with his brothers. Blood ran thicker than water, and he wasn’t going to jeopardize their relationships for anything. He was already taking over as CEO of the company that owned all their landholdings.
“We’ve all inherited our thirds of the ranch already, Granddad. You don’t want to change that, do you?” Chase had already built his new house, was happy with Hope and running the ranch on a day-to-day basis, and Ryder had finally settled down. He was married and he’d transitioned from superstar rodeo rider to producing some of the nation’s top rodeo bulls faster than any of them had imagined. They were all happy with their own success and what they were achieving, and Nate didn’t want to ruin that.
“There’s a reason you got the main house and more land than the others, Nate.”
“Because I’m the eldest. You always said you wanted the eldest to inherit the main homestead.”
“I wanted you to have it so you could keep drilling for oil, son. You’re going to make this family even wealthier than I have, Nate; I know it.”
That made Nate chuckle. “Impossible. I’ll work damn hard to make sure we keep growing the business, but I’ll never accomplish what you have. I’ve stepped in at just the right time, so all I have to do is make careful decisions to keep growing what we have.”
Clay squeezed his hand, his fingers around Nate’s weaker than they’d ever been, but the meaning in his touch crystal clear.
“You make smart decisions. You’re impulsive but not hotheaded. You know what you’re doing because it’s in your blood.”
“Because I’ve learned from the best,” Nate murmured, wishing they weren’t having this conversation, wishing he had another decade before he had to be faced with losing the old man.
“You’re my heir, Nate. You will run the business, you will have the homestead, you will . . .”--he coughed and wheezed--“drill for oil, and you will have the final say regarding all of our property and businesses.”
Tears welled in Nate’s eyes, spilling over onto his cheeks as he stared into dark eyes the exact same shade as his own. It was like looking into a mirror, only one that showed him the man he’d be in fifty years’ time.
“If that’s what you want,” he said, quickly brushing the tears away, refusing to let his granddad see him break down, “then I’ll honor your wishes. I’ll keep all of our income the same, because I don’t deserve any more than my brothers, but the majority of the company’s earnings will be reinvested into property, into growing our portfolio.” They all received a significant payment each quarter, and would do for life, but Nate was more interested in building the business than taking more than he needed.
Clay’s eyes were filled with tears, too, the old man looking so weak in the hospital bed, nothing like his former big, imposing self. The long conversation had taken what little strength he had. “Your brothers are good, capable men, Nate, but every family needs a leader. Someone with vision and passion.”
Nate nodded and let go of his granddad’s hand, settling back into the armchair and feeling like he’d been hit by a ten-ton truck. Now that they’d settled business, it was time to make the old man laugh.
“You wouldn’t believe what happened to me today, Granddad.”
His eyes lit up. “A woman?”
Nate laughed and passed him the flask again. “It sure as hell was.”
* * *
Faith had spent the morning cleaning the house, which she didn’t want to admit wasn’t exactly her forte. Cooking? Sure. She didn’t even mind getting groceries so long as she had enough cash to buy what she wanted, but she wasn’t exactly used to wielding a mop and bucket. Give her a collection of art to admire—that’s what got her attention and held it.
“Hello?”
Faith sat bolt upright, fingers tightening around her cup of coffee. It was a woman’s voice, one she didn’t recognize, and she rose to walk out into the hallway.
“Hello? Anybody here?”
“Hi!” Faith called back, locking eyes with a beautiful brown-eyed blonde. She had a toddler on her hip, hair as blond as her mother’s but eyes the brightest blue.
“Sorry, I saw someone was here and I thought Nate must have been home.”
Faith tried not to bristle, hated how jealous she was over the gorgeous woman standing in the hall who’d walked in as if she knew the place well. So much for Nate not bringing women into his home.
“I’m, ah, Nate’s new housekeeper,” she said, turning to walk back into the kitchen to put her cup down. “Do you want to leave a message for him?”
