Love's Legacy

By Katherine Kellison

"We might as well get comfortable.""Are you a tiresome negotiator?""No more so than I think you are." Caleb grinned as they sat opposite of each other in the two white leather chairs. "I'm sorry, that might be a bad place to start. What I mean is... I have something to discuss with you that you might not like to hear."Well terrific! That was smooth. Caleb squared his shoulders and tried a real charming smile out on her. It wasn't very successful but he plunged in any way."I'm sorry... to be the one to tell you... but your grandfather, Will, passed away at the first of the month. He... he had a heart attack."Caleb watched her face fill with sorrow. She stood and walked over to the windows and stood there staring out at the buildings around them. He was pretty sure she didn't remember how high up they were but he let her process this information in peace. He was surprised to see the tears on her face as she turned back to him. After all, she had refused to go to the ranch all these years. He didn't think she knew Will very well. But she was evidently upset with this news. Maybe that could work in his favor to present the rest of his information."I'm sorry. Will was a good man, my friend.""Yes, he was a good man. He was also incredibly stubborn. So, you came all the way to New York to tell me about my grandfather? How did you know I was here, and with my aunt?"Jasmine had taken a tissue from a nearby table and was mopping up the salty tears. Caleb was glad she sat back down in the chair, closer to him."Well, the attorney handling everything finally found a number for your Aunt Crystal. He sent several letters to you but... I guess you haven't received them. What with all the traveling...""No... I... don't normally receive much mail. I didn't leave any forwarding instructions in New Zealand. Did he contact my mother? Was she at the funeral? No, never mind... I can see from your face none of his family was there."Caleb tried to keep cool about that but it had been gnawing at him like the locusts mentioned in the Bible reducing a standing field of grain to stubble. He knew from experience to wait and take a calming breath before he opened his mouth and shoved his Ginormous booted foot into it. Jasmine watched him carefully and waited. He saw her dark brown eyes soften into pools of sympathy for him."Did you come to New York personally to haul me over the coals? If the attorney reached my Aunt, she could have just as well told me about Grandfather. I will have to ask her why she didn't.""She uh... was asked not to. We... I... thought it would be better if I came in person.""I've never found a pound of flesh very satisfying.""There were good reasons this should have been handled face-to-face. There is a will. It has some... it needs to be explained.""Then have you still not tracked down my mother? If you were hoping I could give you her current address, you wasted a trip. I don't have the least idea where she is. Not even what country she's in.""Will didn't leave anything to your mother." Caleb had to wonder about this itinerant life style they all seemed to lead. His frown was working on how he could tether Jasmine for three solid months."That doesn't surprise me. But surely he wouldn't have left anything to me. I specifically told him not to.""You told Will...? When did you tell him this? At the age of thirteen? Why would the subject even come up?""I told my Grandfather about two months ago. No, I repeated it two months ago. Like I said, he's a stubborn man. You look surprised about that?""Not that he was stubborn... the entire county, no, the entire state knows how mulish he was. I am trying to figure out how you 'repeated' your refusal?""I may not receive much mail... but I had a letter from him a little over two months ago and I shot a letter back to him on the next plane out. However he didn't say he was sick... I didn't think he would ever die. He was strong and willful and I thought he was permanent."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1091310319
• ISBN13: 9781091310315
• Release Date: March 2019
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.6" x 5.0"