my gaze with an assessing one. “You think the Abbots are going to make trouble?”
I took a healthy swig of my drink. “After spending a total of thirty minutes with them, I’d say it’s likely.”
Ford muttered a curse. “It was always crazy to me that the three of them were related to Harriet. They always thought they were so much better than everyone else.”
“It’s that entitlement thing. They think the world owes them something.”
“Not just something. They think the world owes them everything.”
My beer turned sour in my gut. Ford was right. The Abbots weren’t going to settle for the millions of dollars Harriet had left to them. They wouldn’t rest until they had every last penny.
Ford began pouring two more beers. “Kenna know they’re gonna be gunning for her?”
“I don’t think she’s put those pieces together yet.” I had the sudden urge to go to her, to do whatever it took to shield her from the storm that was about to rain down on her. Harriet had only wanted to care for the woman who had loved her so well. And now there would be a whole lot of heartache before there was healing.
“Just let me know how we can help. You know Bell and I will do whatever we can.”
I knew they would. As much as Kenna refused to see it, she wasn’t alone. People cared for her and had her back. No matter what.
9
Kenna
Pounding sounded on my door. I stayed curled up in my spot on the couch and just stared at the slab of wood. I wanted to be alone. Trying to keep up the façade of having everything together when, really, I was falling apart was exhausting. The banging picked up again. Whoever was knocking was strong enough to make the door shake.
“Kenna Morgan, you have to the count of ten to open this door before I come in whether you like it or not,” Bell called. I didn’t move. “You know I have a key.”
I groaned and pushed to my feet, padding over to the door and pulling it open. “Hey, Bell.”
She pushed right by me. “Why didn’t you call me?”
My brow furrowed as I shut and locked the door. “Was I supposed to?”
“Yes. When something crazy turns your world upside down, you are supposed to call your best friends so we can be here for you.”
I scowled at the floor. Crosby. Always nosing around in things that weren’t his business. “Crosby told you.”
“No, actually, my dad did. But he thought I already knew.”
“Your dad?”
A little of the bluster went out of Bell’s stance. “He gave Harriet a checkup right before she rewrote her will so that if it was ever challenged, they’d have someone’s testimony about her state of mind.”
I blinked back at Bell, my eyes fluttering rapidly as pieces fell into place, each one uglier than the last. “The Abbots are going to fight this.”
Bell edged closer to me, started to reach out, but I stepped out of her path. Bell sighed. “Crosby thinks they might.”
Crossing to the couch, I sank down onto it and pulled my blanket over myself. “Maybe I should just let them have it.” I didn’t have it in me to engage in a battle with the Abbot family. Their cruelty was unparalleled when something threatened whatever it was they wanted.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Bell’s hands went to her hips. “Where is the fighter I know and love? The woman who has worked harder than anyone I know to build a life she can be proud of? The one who would do anything to protect Harriet’s legacy?”
It was the last question that had my spine stiffening. The threads of Harriet’s letter spun in my mind. Bring life and love back to its halls. The Abbots certainly wouldn’t do that. They’d only bring bickering and bitterness until they sold The Gables to the highest bidder. But if I fought them…it would be ugly. And that ugliness would bring back so many memories. Ones I’d stuffed away and hoped would never see the light of day.
“I know you’re right. I just…I’m not sure I can deal with them again.”
Bell sank down on the opposite end of my couch. “I know they put you through hell before. But you’re not the girl you were at eighteen. And you’re not going to fight them alone.”
“I know.” I tried to take her words in, to rest in them, to trust them. But I couldn’t seem to do it fully. It