Page 73 of The Seven Rings
“It’s logical, yeah. There’s no guarantee Dobbs will follow logic. And I can tell you if he’d known there was this kind of risk, my dad would’ve done all he could to talk Collin out of the terms of his will.”
“Then I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t have this place.” She took his hand again. “I wouldn’t have met you. Don’t you think Collin knew, or strongly believed, when he made that will that the curse could be broken, and that I’d have the best shot of doing it?”
“I don’t know, Sonya, but I know he was determined to give this to you.”
She looked back at the manor, turrets rising, stones sturdy, a timeless, enduring beauty that held shadows and light.
“My father came here. Through the mirror, the way I’ve gone back to the past. I know he did. He painted the manor. But he never knew he’d been born here, that the woman who gave birth to him loved him, that he had a brother. A twin.
“But I know it, Trey, I know all of it, and Dobbs will find out I’m not just a nuisance, not just a competitor. I’m—and let’s be dramatic. I’m her goddamn doom.”
“You make me believe it because you do.”
“And I do. I have moments, but I always come back to that. My house, my heritage, my job to do.”
So he would worry, Trey thought. And he’d admire.
“You don’t give up on things easy.”
“I’d say we share that trait, and no, I don’t. My mother pulled herself up after my dad died, and, God, it had to be hard. Brutal. But she did it. She did whatever had to be done and never quit.”
“She’s beautiful, your mom, in every way.”
“Hundred percent. There are things I should’ve given up on before I did. Brandon for one. I was letting myself coast into a marriage part of me knew, just knew, wasn’t right and never would be. I should probably have left By Design before I did, no matter how much I cared for Laine and Matt and them for me. Because I knew he’d never, ever stop undermining me there.”
“I think you’re wrong.”
Surprised, she pushed her blowing hair back to study him. “Do you?”
“Yeah. I think you did all you could do in both of those cases until it was clear you needed to do something else. Then you pulled yourself up, and did it.
“It’s admirable.”
“Well…” A little flummoxed, she managed, “Thanks.”
“It is. I’ve never had to fight that way, or change course like that. By and large, my journey’s been pretty steady.”
“It might help you’re a steady sort of man. I’ve come to depend on that.”
The dogs barked, then she heard the rumble of someone driving up the road.
“The rest of us are back.” She pushed off the wall. Turning, she smiled at Trey as the dogs and the streak of the cat came around the side of the house.
“You know what else I’ve come to depend on with you?”
He sighed, but didn’t really mean it. “Moving furniture.”
“Got it in one.” Then she waved as Cleo made the turn to the manor with Owen just behind her.
“How’d it go?” she called to Cleo.
“Absolutely great. Corrine was happy, so I’m happy. Plus, I got a nice little sail out of it.” She waited for Owen to climb out of the truck. “Above all, we looked fabulous.”
“Right.” Owen looked at Trey. “Do you see me sailing, ever, in an outfit like this?”
“No.”
“But thousands would,” Cleo said, then pinched his biceps below the sleeve of the rash guard. “Stud.”
