Randall Marshall stepped out onto the porch and waved. “I’m all ready for you. Come right in. Want a cup of coffee?”
“Would love one.” Matt took the steps one at a time and held on tightly to the railing. “Me and Pax both take it black.”
“Does this visit have anything to do with a prenup?” Pax got ahead of Matt and opened the door for him.
“Nope,” Matt answered. “But then maybe it does in a way, since you’ll be signing the papers before your wedding tonight.”
Two cups of coffee were already sitting on the edge of the lawyer’s desk. Matt sank down in a buttery soft leather chair, picked up a cup, and took a sip. “So you’ve got the papers all drawn up like I asked? Lucas is to have the inheritance that we talked about and a twenty-thousand-dollar bonus for every year he stays on at the ranch and helps these two newlyweds out.”
“It’s all right here, like you want it,” Randall told him. “Lucas gets his payments in a lump sum. The ranch is to be jointly owned by Paxton and Alana Joy Callahan, and a trust fund will be set up for any future grandchildren to be used for their education. Alana Joy signed the papers this morning, and all I need is yours and Paxton’s signatures.”
“What if we were to split up or get a divorce?” Pax asked.
“It won’t happen. I can see how much y’all love each other.” Matt signed the papers and slid them over to Pax. “You told me that you’d love and take care of her, and a cowboy always keeps his word.”
“But, Matt, I’m half owner of the Callahan Ranch and Maverick needs me.” Pax held the pen over the papers but couldn’t make himself put his name on them. He couldn’t forsake his brother. He didn’t need to be half owner of the ranch—that was Alana’s inheritance, not his.
“A man can’t ride two horses with one ass,” Matt said. “You’ll have responsibilities at the Bar C. Lucas should have retired ten years ago. You can’t do justice to either place if you divide all your time between them. And Alana can’t do everything by herself, especially not after the baby gets here.”
“I know I’m late to the party, Matt, but I wasn’t payin’ a bit of attention to the time.” Iris pushed her way inside the room. “I’ve been tryin’ to get you all alone for a week to talk to you about this, Pax, but something was always coming up.” She sat down in the third chair and laid a hand on her grandson’s arm. “I want you to sign your half of the Callahan Ranch over to Maverick. We’re going to turn the tack room into a little living space, so in the next month, that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We’ll have it all finished by the first of July, and then Billy Ray is going to live in it and take over as foreman for Maverick.”
“I need a minute to think,” Pax whispered.
“What’s there to think about?” Iris asked. “You’ll have a ranch, your brother will have a ranch, and I’m putting half the fair market price of the ranch into a trust fund for your new baby to use for her college expenses,” Iris said. “That only seems fair to me.”
“Why don’t you put that money back for Laela and whatever other children Maverick and Bridget might have?” Matt suggested. “I’ve taken care of the grandchildren that will be raised on the Bar C.”
“Great idea,” Iris agreed. “Are you in agreement with that, Paxton?”
Pax put the pen to paper and scrawled out his name. “Yes, ma’am, I am.”
“Good, then when y’all get back from your honeymoon, I’ll have all the papers ready to do the transfers. I’ll wait until the excitement of today is over before I tell Maverick, so keep this a secret between us until then.” She gave Paxton’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Now that we’ve got the property settlement done, let’s go get ready for the wedding of the century.”
* * *
Alana’s blond hair flowed in soft curls down to her shoulders. Bridget and Dixie had done her makeup, and all she had to do was apply a little lipstick to her full lips, slip into her dress, and put on her boots. In one hour the wedding would start, but first the photographer wanted to take some candid pictures in the living