didn’t hear me drive up.”
“I thought you were moving cattle.” She slid off the rock she’d been sitting on for the past hour and dusted off her butt while she waited for him to reach her.
“I was.” He left the trail, cut through the tall grass and put his arms around her. “Rough day, huh?”
“Is that a shot in the dark or did you talk to Matt?”
“He called.”
Nikki sighed. Pressing her cheek against his chest, taking comfort in the strong steady beat of his heart, she felt some of the tension leave her body. “He shouldn’t have done that.”
“Of course he should have. If it were Rachel, I’d have done the same for him.”
Matt and Rachel were getting married in a few months so it wasn’t at all the same. But Nikki appreciated the sentiment. “He didn’t know I was here, though.”
“He said you were upset...” Trace brushed a kiss on her forehead. “I figured you might come here.” He sighed. “Wallace always was a bastard. That didn’t change. I know it’s hard, but don’t let it get to you.”
“Wow, Matt told you everything.”
He leaned back and studied her face, touching the outside corner of her eye with his thumb. “You mind?”
She blinked, hoping there were no tears ready to fall. “I would’ve told you myself...eventually. It’s not about the Lone Wolf or the money.”
“I know that.” He sat on the huge rock she’d used as a bench and pulled her onto his lap.
Nikki started to object...but it felt nice being cocooned by his chest and arms. “I hate that you left work. I’m really okay.”
“You think I could do anything but come find you?” He stroked her back, rubbed her arm. “Remember that thing about you not being alone anymore?”
Dammit. So much for no more tears. Sometimes kindness was the worst...
“Hey.” He ignored her efforts to hide her face and caught her chin. “Did I just do that?” He looked into her watery eyes, the alarm in his expression restoring some of her calm.
“Yes, you’re being too nice. Stop it.”
“Sorry. I can’t do that.” He touched his lips to hers, the gentle kiss meant only to soothe.
“How did Matt sound? Is he okay?”
“He was worried. I called him as soon as I spotted your truck and he seemed relieved. Didn’t tell him where you were. No need to give up our favorite make-out spot.”
Nikki smiled. “He was so angry, even with the attorney, who was only doing his job.” She watched a squirrel scurrying up a tree with something in its mouth. “Now that I’ve had time to think, for Matt’s sake, I’m glad Wallace did what he did.”
“You might want to fill me in more,” Trace said, frowning as if he couldn’t see her point. “Matt gave me the gist but he was pissed and not too clear.”
She wasn’t thrilled to recap the meeting, but it was a good test to see if she truly was making peace with Wallace. “You know about the Gunderson Trust,” she said, and he nodded so she skipped that part, summed up the rest, digging for composure when she got to the one provision in the will. “The money he left, it’s a lot, around $172,000.” Trace’s brows shot up. Apparently Matt hadn’t told him how much. “Basically he wants me gone, even though he’s dead. I get the cash if I sign over my rights to Matt.”
Trace didn’t look surprised, only furious. “I know...what I don’t get is why you’re okay with Wallace being a manipulative jackass or how you can believe that helps Matt.”
“At first I was mad and hurt that he thought he had to protect his precious family land from me. After all, I’m not a ‘true’ Gunderson, only his bastard.” She shook her head when Trace started to object, and regretted her bitter tone. Clearly she had more work to do on herself. “But the attorney said something that made me think. I’m not sure that stipulation had much to do with me. Wallace might’ve been trying to make amends to Matt. He wouldn’t care about the money, not with what he’s stashed from his winnings. But Matt loves the Lone Wolf.”
“Nice thought, except there’s no way Matt would be satisfied with you being cut out. He probably hates Wallace even more now.”
She sighed, understanding the logic. She herself despised Wallace more for what he’d done to Matt than for abandoning her. “After the hurt and anger dies down, I’ll talk to him. Wallace was screwed up.