The Inheritance (Happy Endings Resort Book 1) (2 page)

Chapter Two

“MS. LONDON?” MR. Duke’s voice called me back from the fog that was now lifting.

“I’m okay.” I tried to sit up from what I guessed was the small sofa I had noticed earlier. I wondered why an attorney needed a sofa in their office. Now I knew it was for reasons like this when the attorney tells you that your grandmother was a madam and your mother wasn’t your actual mother. Mr. Duke offered me his hand and helped me to a seated position.

“I’m sorry that I threw all of that at you at once like that. I shouldn’t have.” His voice was apologetic as he took off his thick framed glasses and looked into my eyes, patting my cold cheek with the back of his warm hand.

When I first entered Mr. Duke’s office, I noticed he appeared somewhat young, no more than thirtyish. He was an attractive man. He had jet black hair and the greenest eyes I’d ever seen. They were like emeralds that someone had just polished to a sparkling shine. Those eyes were now keeping me captive as he placed a small glass in my right hand.

“I’m sorry that all I can offer you is a bit of rum. I don’t have anything stronger.”

“Rum will do just fine, thank you,” I chuckled and lifted the glass to my lips.

“Maybe you should go home and think about all of this. Take a few days.”

“I lied earlier. I wasn’t really planning on going back. I figured as long as I was out this way, I might as well see what was around.”

“But you said you didn’t know the details of your heritance.” He scrunched his brows.

“I didn’t, but I don’t ever go back to the scene of the crime. The life I had back there is back there and I’m here, so even if I was just left a brochette or something, I still wouldn’t be going back. You said it yourself, Aunt Betty had me investigated and I didn’t have much of a life before. Here seems as good as any to start a new one.”

“That is a good way to look at it.” He smiled when I handed him back the glass. “Another?”

“No, thank you. I’m good for now. Could you finish telling me the horrors of my family so I can go somewhere and get really drunk, then think about actually being insane enough to think this is all really happening?” I leaned my elbows on my thighs, covered my face with my hands and prepared to hear more terrible things. I started to stand when I felt his hand on my shoulder holding me in place.

“You wait here. I’ll get you another shot of rum. Or would you prefer a bit of Coke in it?”

“Oh, a bit of Coke in it would be great. Thank you.”

“My pleasure. You wait right here.” I watched him move to the cabinet across the room to what looked like a cabinet, but was actually a small refrigerator. When he turned around he must have seen the question on my face. “I work a lot of late nights and sometimes I’m not always giving clients the greatest news. Like today. Again, I’m sorry I dumped all of that on you.”

“Are you related to Betty?” I asked as I accepted the glass from him.

“No, I’m not related to her,” he chuckled and shook his head, like the idea was crazy. “I got to know her and Bruce pretty well. My father was the attorney for the resort and he drew up their wills. The firm still represents the resort.”

“You live there?” I thought maybe if he lived there then he would push for me to take it over as soon as possible so he wouldn’t lose his home.

“I did. I grew up there. It was just my dad and I for a long time. My mother passed away when I was ten, so it was just the two of us. My dad had a cabin there. It’s still there. I pay rent on it like I would a trailer. I usually head out there on the weekends. I spend my summers there.” He shook his head at me, as if to know what I was going to say. “Yeah, I know, I have a perfectly good home now and I still spend my summers there.”

“You keep answering questions I haven’t asked.” I was thinking maybe I should be nervous about that.

“You’re kind of easy to read. That and everyone pretty much says the same thing. I get it. It’s just that it was my father’s cabin and we lived there, so it is kind of my home.”

“I’m sorry about your mother, but at least she was your mother and you had your father. I guess since I was investigated you know that my father . . . was he even my father? Well, he ditched us for who I always assumed was his mistress, but now I don’t know anything.”

“Like I said, your mother . . .” I whipped my head around to look at him. “Caroline was one of Goldie’s women. She just loved you from the start. She sort of adopted you as her own. Your father, Logan, wasn’t really a good guy.”My head was spinning trying to follow the family tree lines to the center, which was where I was. Feeling completely lost and confused, right there in the center by myself where I had been for so long. “So, was Logan really even my father?”

“Yes, Logan was Goldie and Bruce’s child.  Logan was lost for most of his life and you were the product of him falling for one of Goldie’s women and her not returning his feelings. Goldie paid the woman to keep you and then paid her to disappear, which she did.”

“Where is she now? Is she still alive?”

“I’m sorry, no she isn’t. She died in a car accident soon after you were born.”

“Was it really an accident?” I was starting to get the feeling that very little of what was happening around me was due to accidents.

“Sorry, before my time, so I can only go by what I was told.”

“That’s okay. I’m kind of done hearing about them for now. Maybe you could finish telling me about the resort and then I’m going to go get drunk before I even think about what I’m going to about any of this.”

“Would you like some company?” he asked it so quickly I don’t think he even realized he had said it out loud. I couldn’t hold back my smile or my giggle.

“Mr. Duke . . .”

“Jason. My name is Jason. Mr. Duke was my father,” he laughed.

“I was going to say, Mr. Duke, I don’t even know your first name, not to mention that I won’t be inviting you to watch me get drunk off of my ass. I really do appreciate the offer, but I really need to sit and think about this on my own.”

“Okay. I can understand that.” He stood up and made his way to his desk. “I’m going to give you this copy of the resort file and your aunt’s will. I’m attaching my card just in case. Call anytime. If you change your mind about wanting company getting drunk let me know.” He smiled.

“Well, since you are the only person here I know you’ll be the first person that I call.”

“I look forward to hearing from you.”

Chapter Three

“HOW CAN THIS actually be happening to me?” I laughed out loud to myself, not expecting anyone to answer me.

“Darlin’, you keep throwing back drinks like that and the problems you’ve been mumbling about for the last ten minutes are going to be the least of your worries,” a deep, almost rough voice whispered very close to my ear.

“Excuse me?” I turned to look at said deep voice, not really sure if I had actually heard the voice.

“Darlin’, you are in a room full of drunk assholes. You’re wearing a skimpy mini-nothing skirt there and you have the tongues in here a-waggin’.”

“Do you always drop your g’s or is that just for me?” I giggled drunkenly.

“Just for you Darlin’,” he laughed. It was a nice laugh. Kind of deep and rough like his voice. “You got someone you can call for a ride home? You are in no condition to drive.”

“Who are you, my mother?” I threw back the remainder of my drink. “Oh, wait, I don’t have a mother. Hell, I don’t even know who she was. I should call Ja..Ja..Du..Du…”

“You have a number for this Jadu?” he asked and I laughed because that isn’t what I said. Was it? I laughed again. “You have a boyfriend you could call? Maybe a girlfriend?”

“Nope.” I said with a pop of my lips and that made me laugh again, so I popped them again. And then again.

“Stixx, could we get some coffee over here?”

“Coffee? Who the hell comes to a bar and drinks coffee?” I sighed disgustedly.

“Young women sitting alone in bars who are dressed in little bitty skirts who have had way too much to drink.”

“So if you aren’t my mother, are you my father?” I laughed harder this time.

“No, but I’d call him to come get you if I could.”

“Well, you can’t. He’s dead. So is my mother for that matter whoever the hell she was.” I smacked the bar in frustration.

“Wow, that’s kind of heavy to put on someone all at once like that.” He nodded at the woman he had called Stixx when she placed a large mug in front of me.

“Tell me about it. I just heard it all myself today and it freaked me the fuck out, for sure.” I shook my head and absently reached for the mug before me. “Yuck, what the hell is this?” I wiped my lips on the back of my hand.

“Coffee.”

“Ugh, I don’t drink coffee.” I flapped my tongue and made a raspberry sound.

“Stixx, you got cream for this coffee?”

“And something to get rid of that horrible taste of coffee?” They both laughed and Stixx shook her head as she made her way to the other end of the bar.

“Cream will make it taste better?”

“Stixx, and some sugar?”

“Lots of sugar.” Stixx waved her hand over her shoulder without turning back around to face us.

“So you haven’t told me if you have someone you can call to come pick you up. Or can I call you a cab to take you home?” The concern in his voice made me smile, then I felt him move behind me.

“A little close for someone I just met, don’tcha think?” I tried to turn my head, but it just made me dizzy.

“You’ve been sitting here drinking like a fish for a while now.” He looked down at his wrist. It was a nicely tanned wrist. I just realized I hadn’t really even looked at him yet—this stranger who was so concerned about my wellbeing.

“And that is your concern because why?” Stixx placed the mug in front of me again and offered the man behind me a nod and a smile. “Could you not hover over me, please? You’re making me uncomfortable.”

“I’m sorry, but there is presently a debate going on behind me as to which one of these asshats is going to give you a ride home and a ride on their cock.”

I leaned back a bit to look over my shoulder at the room full of men behind me.

“Ah, none of them.” I laughed. “No one is getting in these panties tonight. I’m drunk. I’m new in town. I have no idea where I’m going to stay tonight and I just might have inherited a fucking trailer park. Woo hoo! Go me! Another round for me and my bodyguard here, please, Stixx.” Stixx’s name rolled off of my tongue with a few extra X’s at the end, but who cared? What the hell kind of name was Stixx anyways?

“It was my father’s name. And you are cut off. Drink the coffee.” She winked at me. I guess I had ask about her name out loud, not just in my drunk head.

“I’m sorry, I’m not into girls, but you are very pretty.” I smile dopily at her.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that you aren’t into girls, but I appreciate you telling me up front.” She laughed and looked over my head at my bodyguard again. “You going to stay for a bit?”

“Yeah, I can’t leave and have something happen,” he sighed. “I have to go make a call. Can you keep the wolves at bay for while I’m gone?” He tipped his head to the crowd behind him.

“Can’t be letting anything happen to the new landlord now, can we.” She smiled at him and he was gone.

“I feel like that was about me, but I’m not really sure how or why.”

“Honey, have you eaten anything today?” Stixx asked as she leaned her elbows on the bar in front of me.

“Hmmmm, I . . . mmmm . . . I . . . yeah, I don’t think I’ve had anything to eat more than a couple of granola bars this morning. I also had some chips at the first bar I was at earlier this afternoon.”

“How many bars have you been to today?”

“I thiiiiink . . . three. I started at about two o’clock after my meeting with Mr. Duke.”

“It‘s seven now.”

“Wow. I guess I’m really drunk.”

“You like hamburgers and fries?”

“I do, but I don’t think I have enough money. I’ve already spent all the cash I had on getting drunk.” I hiccupped.

“It’s on me, Honey.” She tapped my hand. “I’ll go put your order in as soon as Drew comes back. I don’t want to leave you open to the wolves,” she laughed and wiped down the bar.

“Why did you call me the new landlord?” I asked as I stirred the spoon in the coffee. “Could I get a soda instead of this? I really don’t like coffee.”

“Sure, Honey.” She pulled a glass from the shelf behind her and lifted the nozzle from below the bar. “As for the landlord comment”—she nodded her head at the folder on the bar—“that is Happy Endings Resort.”

“You know the place?” I wished my head would stop spinning, but I had been drinking for almost five hours straight. This wouldn’t be good in the morning or when my body finally relaxed.

“Yeah, I know the place.” Before she could continue, my bodyguard, the man she referred to as Drew, was back at my side. “I’m getting her a burger and fries. You want anything?”

“Yeah, I’ll have the same.”

“You got it.”

***

“Where in the hell am I?” I lifted my hand to my head. It hurt. It hurt bad. I drank a lot. What was that noise? Something was rumbling. I turned my head quickly and regretted it instantly. The rumbling continued. I looked around again, but it was just darkness. I passed out again only to be awoken by the turning of my stomach. I was going to be sick and had no idea where I was or where the bathroom was. I leaned up on my elbows trying to take in the shadows of my surroundings.

“I put a pail beside you and the bathroom is down the hall to the left.” The voice came out of the darkness. I had heard it before, but couldn’t place it.

“Where am I?” I felt stupid and annoyed with myself.

“You are in my cabin.”

“Your cabin?”

“Stixx found my card in your pocket and called me. She asked if you had someplace to go. From our earlier conversation at my office, you indicated that you did, in fact, have nowhere else to go. So I brought you to my father’s cabin.”

“Not to your place?”

“I figured this would be better. I didn’t want you to think I was trying to take advantage or anything.”

“So you brought me to a cabin in the woods instead?”

“Well, Stixx is a couple of roads down if you’d like to go and stay with her and Cyber.” I heard him move around. I could tell he was now sitting across from me. I assumed I was in his bed and he was either on a sofa or on the floor, but his voice didn’t sound like it was coming from the floor; it sounded like it was coming from near my feet.

“You know Stixx? And who is Cyber? What time is it?”

“I do know Stixx. Cyber is what some would call her boyfriend, but she calls him her old man. He calls her his old lady. And it is about four in the morning.” He sounded tired.

“Thank you for picking me up. There was guy there who kept asking me if I knew someone to come pick me up and I wouldn’t even have thought to call you. I don’t even know you.”

“Well, you said I was the only person you had met in town”—I heard the smile in his voice—“at the time.”

“I guess I’m Miss Popularity now that I know you and Stixx.”

“And Drew.”

“Drew?”

“The guy who kept you company at the bar.” Did he just sigh?

“Do you have a problem with Drew?”

“Are you up for the day or do you plan on going back to sleep?” I heard him move again. “If you are up for the day I can make you something to eat.”

“Hmmmmm . . .” I was suddenly exhausted, but as I moved to lean back and lay down to go back to sleep, my stomach loudly rumbled as the nausea came back.

“Come on, I’ll walk you to the bathroom. I’ll grab some crackers and ginger ale while you are in th . . .” He wasn’t even able to finish his sentence before I rushed past him and slammed the bathroom door in his face. “There are washcloths in the cabinet behind the door,” Jason called through the door as I leaped over to the toilet and just made it in time to feel my stomach cramp and the contents of my stomach heave into the bowl.

“Ugh. Someone just come and kill me now, please.” I rested my head on my arm that rested on the rim of the bowl. I couldn’t even worry about the fact that most guys are disgusting and rarely clean, let alone clean the rim of their toilets. Just the thought of what my arm was possibly lying in made my stomach curl and forced me to heave again. I closed my eyes and thought I felt my body moving, but I was too tired to care. If Jason had his way with my body before I died here of alcohol poisoning, then I’d sure as hell be sorry I missed seeing him naked, but would be thankful that such an attractive man felt he couldn’t resist banging me before I went. My drunk, vomit-smelling self didn’t even care at the moment as long as no one woke me up or asked me anything important.

***

“Wakey wakey,Drunky Drunky.” A woman’s voice cut into my naked fantasy of Jason throwing me down on his big, dark oak desk and having his way with me.

“Mmmmm . . . not yet.” I heard myself say, but wasn’t sure if I had said it out loud.

“My shift starts in an hour and Jason asked me to come over and check on you. Do you need anything?” She sounded almost bored, but I really didn’t care. I just wanted her to leave me alone.

“Nope, I’m good. Just ask them to stop jack hammering outside. My head just can’t take the pounding anymore.”

“Yeah, right. No jackhammers going off anywhere but in your head, Sweetie.” I felt the bed sink where whoever this woman was sat down, her backside just grazing the bottoms of my feet. “You might want to take a shower and get that hung over, just-puked-in-a-guy’s-crapper-last-night stench off of you.”

“Who the hell are you?” I grumbled trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes. I liked her straightforwardness, but who the hell comes into someone’s house and talks to the people they have staying there like this.

“I’m Kiki.” She chomped and snapped what sounded like a huge wad of gum, making my stomach turn at the sound.

“Kiki, could you please stop chomping on that gum? It’s making me feel the need to hurl.”

“Sweets, I’m here to change the sheets on the bed and do a quick sweep of the place. You being passed out in this bed is holding me up from getting my shit done.” She chomped again. She must have heard me grumble under my breath because she sighed and then I heard a thump in the garbage pail that had been left by the side of the bed.

“Thank you for that.”

“Oh, my pleasure. Now can you get your ass up so I can get to getting my work here done? Then you can crawl your stinky ass back into Jason’s bed or back to your own bed.”

“I don’t have a bed.”

“Of course you do. It’s in Betty’s house.” she stated matter-of-factly with a huff. “Did you talk to Jason about all of this? He was supposed to explain the will and move you in.”

“Move me in?”

“That’s enough, Kiki.” Jason’s voice broke the moment of silence, but certainly in no way eased the tension building in my head and chest.

“Isn’t that why Betty went to you? Wasn’t that the plan?”

“I said enough!” he repeated through clenched teeth.

“God, it’s not like she doesn’t know.” Kiki tossed the dishtowel she was holding in her hand at the sink in the small kitchen area then stormed toward the cabin door. “You still owe me for today, too,” she grumbled before slamming the door.

“What the hell was that all about?” I regretted immediately that I bolted up as quickly as I did because my head instantly started spinning. I clapped my hand to my forehead and closed my eyes trying to stop the spinning.