“Okay, you’re right. That was a stretch. But I’ll be Ms. Hayley McKee. That’s good, right?”
“You’re taking his name, then? You decided?”
“Yeah.” Her voice was soft again. “It’s the right thing to do, for Gracie and Bryn.”
Jess shook her head. “You’re a changed woman, Hayley Scampini.”
“I am! Isn’t it great?” Hayley set down her cup and tipped her head toward the door. “Ooh. Mail’s here. If we get any more last-minute RSVPs, I’m going to scream. We have no more chairs.”
“Why is your mail coming here to the ranch?”
“Because Kyla’s my de facto wedding planner, so we put the Whisper Creek address on everything. Just makes it all easier.”
She popped up from the table and headed out to the porch to grab a pile of mail from the mail carrier, then banged back through the screen door and plopped the pile on the table. “Bill, bill, bill, advertisement, RSVP, grr—huh.”
She picked up a manila envelope and turned it around. “This one’s for you.”
“What?” Fear snaked through Jess’s gut as she reached for the envelope, which was suspiciously identical to the one tucked into her suitcase right now.
Jess checked the return address and swallowed hard. Oh, no. Same attorney’s office as before, but this time the label was hand addressed rather than typed. Gianna must have thought it looked important enough to forward to her out here.
“What is it?” Hayley’s eyebrows drew together in concern.
“Just something for the studio.” Jess shrugged, putting the envelope down, trying to act nonchalant while her stomach churned.
“What kind of something? Your hands are shaking, girl.”
“It’s nothing. Really.” Jess stood up and brought her mug to the sink. She rinsed it and put it in the dishwasher, taking long breaths as she did so. It was probably nothing. Probably just follow-up to the package from last week. Maybe some paperwork she needed to sign.
But something in her gut told her it wasn’t.
“Okay.” She made her voice bright as she grabbed the envelope. “I’m going to head back to my cabin, but we’re heading into town later, right?”
“Jess? Don’t play possum on me.”
“I’m not. Promise.” She waved the envelope carelessly. “It’s nothing. Seriously. The lease, probably. It’s time for me to renew. This is just the paperwork.”
Before Hayley could argue, Jess fled through the screen door and out onto the wide porch, stopping for a moment to gulp a breath of the cool air, then forcing her feet down the steps and toward her cabin.
Once inside, she locked the door and headed for the couch, placing the envelope on the coffee table. With shaky fingers, she opened the clasp and tore open the end. Out slid a piece of paper with the same letterhead as before, addressed to Ms. Jessalyn Alcott, as before. She took a deep breath, but just like last week, the words shook and blurred as she read.
…regret to inform you…will being officially challenged…identity in question…could be compelled to appear…please get in touch as soon as possible…
“Oh God.” Jess pressed her fingers to her lips. They were challenging Grampy’s will? She should have predicted it, but still. What did it mean? Tears crowded her eyes. All Grampy had done was try to take care of her—try to give her one last gift, and now she was going to be forced to defend her right to that gift.
Would she have to go to court? Could she show up with her legal name-change paperwork, get rubber-stamped, and leave? Or was it possible a judge would want more information? What kind of questions did said judge even ask in this sort of situation?
Could they really make her relive her early years—in a courtroom?
She shook her head. She wished it surprised her that Roxie and Luanne had taken this step. Wished for a moment that they had the power to step outside of their puny ten-by-thirty trailer and think about someone besides themselves. Wished they had the capacity to take responsibility for their actions and leave her alone.
But it wasn’t going to happen. For Jess’s her entire childhood, the two of them had let nothing come between them and what they thought they deserved. Roxie’s own child was no exception.
—
“You little bitch.” Roxie hauled back and slapped Star’s face. Hard. “How could you let this happen?”
“How could I let this happen? This wasn’t my fault.”
“You know I need this job, Star. You know I can’t piss off Mel, or he’ll have my chair rented in ten minutes flat to