Page 13 of The Cowboy and the Baby

His natural smile extended a little wider. “Thank you, Noelle. They also told me good things about you.”

An itch existed in my brain that would only be satisfied when this reading of the will had finalized. I’d carefully avoided the house all morning, keeping myself occupied with chores in the barn, texting Cora, idly perusing the news. The heavy questions that hung like clouds over my head had compounded, and the desire to be near Noelle and Lily confused everything. I just met them, but wanted to be close.

“Thank you, Kinoshi, for coming all the way out here,” I said. “I know it was inconvenient.”

“It’s nice to be out of my office and out in the world, particularly in the winter.” His eyes slid to hers. “Are you ready to hear what Morgan decided at the end of his life? We met several times, and I’m very familiar with his estate.”

“Ready,” she declared.

I nodded.

Kinoshi tapped a few sheaves of paper. “The will is very simple, and I have separate copies for both of you to peruse. I’m happy to send copies to your family, as well. I believe Marsha and Bart requested it.”

Noelle’s curious, friendly stare remained locked on him, as if she couldn’t comprehend an outcome that didn’t involve her uncle inheriting the place.

“I would like to emphasize that my client was of sound mind and judgment when he finalized his will last fall, only a few months ago. We have the legal and medical certificates to prove it.”

Kinoshi flipped a page on top of his stack, spun the pages around, and gestured to a doctor’s signature at the bottom.

After a thoughtful pause, he added, “I believe that will be most pertinent to Bart.”

Noelle shrugged.

Clearly, she trusted Kinoshi.

“My client, Ronald Morgan, held no material assets outside of the ranch and elected not to itemize individual bequests. Accordingly, the entirety of Iron Creek Ranch, including the residence, all outbuildings, livestock, equipment, and associated real property, is devised to Cade Callahan.”

I ignored the papers, opting to study Noelle from the corner of my eye. At his words, she gripped her fingers into a knot. The blood left her face as she scanned the documents with greater fervor. Her eyes skimmed every word, lifted to stare at Kinoshi, then dropped to the page in rampant disbelief.

I closed my eyes.

I couldn’t bear it.

Kinoshi continued to speak, giving her a moment to catch up. He rattled about the details that I felt certain she didn’t comprehend at all, and probably weren’t all that necessary. While he spoke about motivations and what worked best for the ranch itself, I averted my eyes to the paper and fervently hoped she didn’t hate me.

Why it mattered, I had no idea.

Finally, she choked out a disbelieving, “Everything?”

“Everything.”

“But . . . but why?”

Kinoshi calmly stated, “Mr. Morgan’s primary attachment was to the ranch itself. The land, the operations, and the people who sustained it. He did not view it as an asset to be divided, but as a legacy to be maintained.”

With a hand, he gestured to me. It felt like a brand. A thousand eyes might have turned to slam right into me, and it wouldn’t have felt as damning.

“In his judgment, Cade Callahan is the most capable steward of that legacy. It is for that reason the ranch has been devised to him in full. These are letters from your grandfather. He wanted me to pass them onto you after his death.”

Kinoshi slid four envelopes across the table. The names Bart, Marsha, Noelle, and Naomi scooted over. She stared at them, gathered them up, set them in her lap. Shock began to fade, giving grief, maybe pain, a path.

I rolled my lips, said nothing.

Noelle turned to me. I forced myself to meet her inquiring eyes, softened by what looked like hurt.

“Did you know?”

“I suspected, but I didn’t know for certain. Morgan spoke all the time about the ranch continuing without him. He made certain I knew how to do everything he wanted done. I saw a version of the will, but he mentioned changing it once after that, and I never knew what he changed. I tried not to make it my business, and I never asked for it.”