[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Jamie! Composure!
I m sorry, I m afraid I can t do that. I like it here, and I m not interested in any deal you have to
offer. So, if that is all you called for, I m going to have to hang up now. Goodbye.
You want the money my Blanche left you in her will?
Jamie blinked. What the hell? Why had he said it like that? His mama had left him, John and
Jules fifty thousand dollars apiece when she d died. The money was already his. Well, technically, it
wasn t his until he turned twenty-five, but the money was being held for him, wasn t it? I beg your
pardon?
The money, boy! The fifty grand that my wife left in trust for you. You want it?
Jamie wasn t sure how to answer. What kind of game was the old man playing? The money is
already mine. I can wait three years.
A rusty laugh echoed over the phone. You think so? You think there will be any of it left by the
time you turn twenty-five?
Okay, now he was getting pissed. His mom had left it for him; who did the old man think he was?
And just what the fuck was he trying to threaten? Sure, his dad was in charge of the money until Jamie
turned twenty-five, but could he spend it? Mama left that money to me, not you. It stated in her will
that the money was to be --
Your mother didn t leave you squat! My wife left it for you. Your mother was a no-good whore.
Hell, the slut is probably still alive.
What? Jamie sank to the floor. He hadn t really meant to ask out loud. Jacob was just trying to
get to him; he knew that. But, still, why would he say something so terrible?
You mean your boyfriend and his aunt didn t tell you? My ex-mistress was your mother. The
stupid bitch wouldn t agree to an abortion even though she didn t want you, so I had to tell Blanche.
Blanche, being the kind woman that she was, agreed to take you in. God rest her soul. My Blanche
was a good woman, a little dense at times, but she had a good heart. She never could turn down a
stray. Even a bastard one like you.
That ... that s not true. You expect me to believe anything you say?
Just ask your lover s dingbat aunt.
Jamie swallowed. How could the man be so nasty as to make up a story like this? Yeah, I ll ask
Margie. I have nothing else to say to you.
Jacob chuckled. Yeah? Well, I have something to say to you. If you want to see that fifty grand,
you better get out of town. Actually, get out of Texas all together. You leave, I ll give you the money
now. You stay, and you can kiss every bit of it goodbye. You ll never see one red cent of it,
understand? Then and again, you might not make it to twenty-five, either. Think about it. The line
went dead.
Jamie wasn t sure how long he sat there with the receiver against his ear, listening to the buzzing
sound that signaled the phone was off the hook. Somewhere, Clint Black was still singing in the
background, and Fred was barking at the back door, but he barely registered any of it.
What if it were true? All of it. Forget the money; who cared about the money when none of it
would bring Mama back, so what was it really worth anyway? And had his father just threatened his
life? What about Ethan? Had he truly known Ethan was his lover or was he just mouthing off? Mama.
What if ...
Jamie?
Jamie blinked as the phone was taken out of his hand. He stared at his empty hand. Was it really
true? What had he said about Mama? Ask your lover s dingbat aunt? Ask Margie? You mean your
boyfriend and his aunt didn t tell you? Ethan? Ethan knew?
Jamie? Snap out of it. You re scaring me. Ethan caught his face in his hands, forcing him to
look into his eyes. What s going on? Talk to me.
Damn, his stomach hurt suddenly. Why was it so hard to breathe? He knows ... He wants me
to ... He said Mama isn t ... Blanche isn t ... He ... Jamie cleared his throat. God, he couldn t form
the horrible words. He looked into Ethan s concerned face. Willing him to understand.
Ah, babe! Hell. Ethan sat down and pulled him into his lap, pushing his face against the hard
wall of his broad chest.
Jamie pulled back. Why is he coddling me like a damned baby?
I think you re a bit in shock. God, I m so sorry. I should have told you as soon as I found out.
What? Jamie scrambled out of Ethan's lap.
Ethan reached for him. Jamie?
Are you saying it s true? It s not! She s the only one that ever really loved me. It s not true,
Ethan!
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
