Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Kissing Jen Klein had been a monumental mistake.

Jason pulled his heel back, stretching. The dim haze of dawn barely lit the road to the cabins, the route he’d taken on his morning run. Though the cabins were nestled in the woods, they weren’t so far out from the historic part of Brandywood, as he’d discovered on the six-mile trek in the morning.

He pulled one arm over the opposite shoulder, filling his lungs with the wintry morning air. He’d always hated running in the cold, but he hated not running more. And this morning, he’d needed to pound his frustrations out with sprints so fast they made his sides ache.

Somehow, kissing Jen felt a bit like breaking a rule even he hadn’t broken before. And worse was the way his body had responded to her.

He’d enjoyed it.

He wasn’t supposed to enjoy kissing his brother’s ex-girlfriend. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to enjoy being around her.

That damn kiss. It was like opening a bar of the world’s finest wine and only having one tiny taste. Just enough to confirm that he wanted more. That one taste made him a drooling idiot.

Both facts troubled him in different ways. She wasn’t his type at all. But he never would have guessed she’d have been Kevin’s, either. Kid notwithstanding, she seemed like the type of girl who didn’t get into trouble.

He’d wanted to warn her off the night before, let her know to stay away from him. He didn’t want to like her. And he’d seen the hint of pleasure on her face. She didn’t mind being around him, either.

Damn Mildred. If she’d just talked to him and let him leave, he’d never been forced to deal with Jen. This complicated things in ways he didn’t want to face. He didn’t want to be sympathetic to Jen or her problems. Screwing his brother didn’t make her entitled to the Cavanaugh family fortune or business. If that were true, a long line of other women would also qualify, both from his and Kevin’s exploits. Jason was practically a saint next to Kevin, at least when they’d been in college.

Kevin’s reputation was known. Jason guessed it was part of the reason his grandfather had changed his will the way he had. That and the fact that Jason had dared discuss with the old man some changes Jason planned to make someday to help bring things into the 21 st century. The mere idea of his life’s work in Jason’s hands had been an “affront” to his grandfather’s legacy.

He’d ended up doing worse in his paranoia by giving Bill Powell a controlling stake.

As Jason’s running shoes collided with the gravel up the driveway, he felt his frustrations slipping back into his crowded mind. That was the worst part of this situation. Even if he wanted to feel sympathy for Jen and her son, giving away his inheritance would screw over everyone at the company who needed the changes Jason wanted to make.

Jason approached the cabin he’d rented, which had the architecture of a chalet. He hadn’t bothered to look at the view from the loft, despite the promise on the website that it offered “stunning views” of the mountains. The Appalachians hardly impressed him.

As he drew closer, he noticed a car parked outside the cabin, an electric car that fit into Brandywood’s sea of trucks and SUVs as well as his sports car did.

TJ sat on his front porch, swaying on the swing. He’d extended both arms on the back of the swing and wore an impish grin on his face.

How had he tracked him down so exactly? Jason scowled at him, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the hem of his shirt. “What’re you doing here?”

“I came to warn you. I tried calling, but your phone went to voice mail. Lucky for you, I figured the drive was worth it for my favorite client.” The smirk on TJ’s face made it clear he fully intended to bill Jason for the drive. He rubbed his bearded chin. “Ned’s in town.”

Jason shot him a quick look before unlocking the cabin. What sort of place didn’t have electric keys these days? He slipped the key back into his pocket, processing TJ’s words. The news should surprise and worry him more than it did. But really, if TJ had found him, it wasn’t that surprising that Ned had. “Why?”

“Because your car license plate showed up at an impound lot.”

Right. Because, of course.

He set his mouth to a line. “Come on in.”

“I told you, you were playing with fire by coming here.” TJ slipped in behind him. “Interesting place, though. Definitely not where I’d expect to find you. You planning on staging a Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when they come for your money?”

Jason stalked toward the kitchen. He rummaged through the fridge and pulled out a plastic water bottle. The cap popped as he opened it and he took a swig. “They didn’t have a normal hotel in town.”

“You mean they didn’t have a five-star luxury hotel in town? There’s a difference between what you consider normal and what everyone else does.” TJ sat on one of the barstools at the open kitchen countertop.

“All right, get on with it. Clearly, you’re interested in telling me more than the fact that Ned is here. We both know you could have done that with a phone call.”

TJ shrugged, reaching into the basket of complimentary fruit. He plucked out a banana and turned it upside down. “You know most people peel their bananas wrong? Watch a nature show. This is how the monkeys do it.” He popped the peel off the bottom and took a bite. “I could have told you everything by phone. But I figure it’s our one and only time to hang out.”

“That and you can charge me for travel.” Jason set both hands down on the counter, facing him.

TJ chuckled. “And I can charge you for travel.” He took another bite of the banana. “You were right about Amanda. She’s pregnant.”

Instant, purple rage curdled in his throat, the back of his neck tensing as he mashed his teeth together. “That bitch.”

One more way she could ruin his life. Cunning, manipulative whore.

He never should have married her. But she’d been model-like gorgeous and they’d shared all the same friends. A perfect match, according to everyone. And it made his grandfather happy. Jason should have known then she was no good. His grandfather had a way of pushing Jason toward things that suited his interests more than Jason’s.

“It’s hundreds of millions. You called it.” TJ chewed noisily.

“It’s not mine.” He had called it. He’d known the instant Amanda heard about his grandfather’s will that she’d try something like this. The will had been about as clear as mud about the whole thing anyway and if there was a case to be made, she’d try to do it.

“Are you sure?” TJ dipped his chin, scrutinizing him closely.

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “She’s been fucking Chad Duncan for years. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent positive it’s his. And I’m willing to bet a paternity test on it.”

“Ninety-nine-point nine isn’t one hundred.”

He was aware of that fact. And hated it. “Thanks, genius. You know I didn’t get to be CFO because I’m not familiar with numbers.”

“Still.” TJ shrugged. “Between her and this whole thing with Kevin, whatever inheritance you have could wind up in court disputes for years.”

Jason rubbed his eyes. “Years the company doesn’t have before the Powells and Chad run it into the ground.” He finished the water bottle and crumpled it in his fist, the plastic crackling. “What are my options?”

“I’m a private investigator, not a lawyer. What the hell do I know?” TJ leaned back in the stool and swung his feet on the counter. “But you might want to talk to yours.”

Jason’s head throbbed. This was quickly snowballing into a monster of a situation—one that he had little desire to direct. He glared at TJ. “Since you’ve made yourself so useful to me with this and clearly have time on your hands to be here, what do you say to the proposition of handling this for me?”

“You know, I’m not your personal assistant.” TJ crossed his arms. “I also don’t care about your business.”

“Yeah, but you’re the only one I trust.”

TJ chortled. “Now you’re sounding like your grandfather.” He tossed his head back and forth as though weighing the offer. “How much are we talking?”

Jason strode back toward his room. “Double whatever I normally pay you.”

“Triple,” TJ called out. “And I need someplace to stay. You have an extra room?”

After peeling his shirt off his head, Jason balled it up and threw it on a pile on the floor. Triple, then. TJ knew he had the upper hand. It was feeling like everyone did. “Fine,” he called back out the door. “But you’re not staying with me.”

He pushed open the shower door and started the shower. Of course, the damned thing would remind him of Jen now. She’d been so irritated with him when he’d called for service in the middle of the night. Of course, if he’d known she was the one at the desk, he would have waited until someone else was working.

Or taken a cold shower.

Of course, that reminded him of the other time he’d showered quickly after waking up with a massive hangover and having slept with someone he wanted to avoid.

He fisted his hand, wishing there was something he could punch nearby. He had never intended to get back into bed with Amanda. They’d been done for a long time.

But he’d been drinking too much the day of his grandfather’s funeral. And she hadn’t seemed so unappealing then. In fact, the entire episode had been one of their more pleasant interactions recently. And it would bother him less if he could be certain that he’d reached for that condom because he’d been expecting the pregnancy claim. Access to all of his grandfather’s wealth?

It was too good of an opportunity for her to pass up.

But he couldn’t quite remember. He’d had way too much to drink. His celebration of finally being free of that old bastard.

A paternity test might take care of Amanda’s claim if it wasn’t his, but she’d played her cards well. She knew the ninety-day limit as well as he did. And determining what constituted a legal heir could very well end up in court.

He stepped into the spray of the shower and grabbed the bottle of shower gel he’d brought with him. Normally showers were a refuge for him. Even as a teenager, whenever things got bad enough, he could hide in the shower and step away for a while. Showers let his brain shut off the thoughts and memories that the therapists hadn’t been able to help with. It was the only time he enjoyed being near water.

But not now. Now all he could think about was how to get the upper hand.

And if he had to pick between Jen and Colby—Kevin’s actual son—and Amanda, the choice was no contest.

At least Jen appeared to be a decent human being. Maybe she was hiding a more nefarious side. Some people who did religious or charity things were the biggest hypocrites he’d met. Then again, those tended to be the ones who liked to talk about it. People like Jen—who demurred when talking about it—were the ones who usually actually meant it. Of all the people involved, she might be the most reasonable.

But what would involving Jen mean?

He let the water run off his face. He hadn’t shaved for a couple of days, and the temptation to let the hint of a beard come in was strong. Maybe he’d fit in better here. He chuckled at the absurdity of it. How had Kevin slunk his way through this town? The whole of it was the antithesis to everything he knew of his brother.

Kevin had loved loud parties, fast women, and even faster drugs. The overdose hadn’t surprised Jason.

But the woman Kevin had a kid with . . . she was a surprise. Unless she was hiding something.

Now he really sounded like his grandfather.

He slammed his hand against the spigot, shutting off the water. He didn’t want to involve Jen in this. Each person involved made things more complicated. If it weren’t for the damned Powells, he’d be able to breathe, but they were strangling him, making the whole thing more tenuous for the people of Cavanaugh Metals he actually cared about.

People he’d known all his life. People who had comforted him after the deaths of both his parents. They were the reason he had stayed in Chicago for so long—to absorb the blows his cantankerous grandfather delivered as he’d grown increasingly more unstable and deluded about who was out to get him.

If it weren’t for the people in the company, he’d wash his hands of it. Walk away like Kevin had.

He could almost hear his grandfather’s smug laughter. “ Yeah, right, Kevin. You’ll come back with your hand out. Neither you nor Jason could survive five minutes out there without my money.”

He grabbed a soft towel and stepped out of the bathroom, toweling off as he went. He had to talk to Mildred. Find out what had really happened to Kevin when the money ran out. Kevin hadn’t come to Brandywood by accident, that’s for sure. But what it all meant had broader implications than he allowed himself to consider before.