be something in there to give you a clue?” When we’d searched it before, we’d ignored most of the documents, choosing to focus only on anything that could relate to my mother.
“It’s worth a try.” He pressed another kiss to my mouth. “Do you mind hanging around here for a while longer? I know this probably isn’t how you imagined spending your last week before school starts.”
“I’m with you, aren’t I? That’s good enough for me.”
He released a groan. “If you keep saying things like that, I’m going to be forced to abandon my search and lure you up to my bedroom. I’ve only imagined you in my bed a million or so times.”
I slipped my hands up his neck and through his longish hair in the back. “How about you lure me up there once we finish with the safe? A little incentive for us both.”
“Deal.” He lifted me by the hips and placed me back in the chair I’d been sitting in. “You stay there before I’m tempted—well, more tempted—to take you right here against this desk.”
“Yeah, no. We can do your bedroom, my bedroom, the living room, laundry room, or even the kitchen. But there’s no way I’m getting it on with you in your dad’s study.” I shivered. “No. No. Nope.”
He laughed. “Okay, then, I guess we better get back to work so we can get out of here.”
After he opened the safe and pulled everything out, we spent the next hour carefully combing through every document. I had no idea what we were looking for, but the belongings Vincent kept locked up seemed like our best bet to uncover more of his secrets.
We were almost at the end of the pile when Hayle said, “Holy fuck. I found something.”
I immediately dropped the dry as dust folder of insurance policies I’d been skimming. “What is it?”
He held up a packet of papers. “This is Dad’s will.”
“And?” I prompted, when he didn’t immediately keep going.
“And…he’s leaving half of his estate to Glinda Goode.”
“Who is Glinda Goode?”
He shot me a self-satisfied grin. “Exactly. Who is Glinda Goode? And I only have one guess as to the answer.”
I tossed a wadded-up sticky note at him. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense.”
“My sister. Also known as Vincent Sharpe’s secret, illegitimate daughter.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Thea
“Having three sexy boyfriends agrees with you,” Petra said around a bite of blueberry muffin.
She was enjoying her treat even more than usual, since it was on Hayle’s dime. He’d actually sent her a gift card as a thank you for picking out my bikini. Apparently, the note had said that it was the best hundred dollars he’d ever spent, which made me laugh. Not that I had any desire to disagree. When all was said and done, I’d become rather fond of that swimsuit and the memories I’d made while wearing it.
“Oh?” I replied noncommittally.
“Yes. I don’t remember ever seeing you this content.”
“Why wouldn’t I be content? I got all As and Bs last semester, and I’m looking forward to my new classes. I can finally ride my bike again, I’m taking my first art class, and I’ll officially be back to work starting this afternoon.”
Mac, our boss, was only scheduling me for four-hour shifts at The Grind until I had more time to return to full strength. Since I’d never enjoyed working longer hours on Saturdays, I wasn’t going to complain. I was just happy that things seemed to be going back to normal. Except, a better version of normal. One in which I walked to classes on my own two feet during the day and went home to Hayle, Tristin, and Leo every night.
Sometimes, I still found it difficult to believe that the three brothers had turned such a dramatic corner in repairing their relationships. After Hayle and I had searched Vincent’s office, he’d gone straight to the townhouse and told Leo and Tristin everything, without my prompting. As a group, we’d discussed what to do and decided to wait until Vincent returned home to approach him with Hayle’s newest theory. He was finally supposed to be back in Moss Harbor today, which meant we had a date with the devil tonight.
“Right,” Petra said sarcastically. “Because your level of contentment is all about your grades and classes and making coffee for spoiled Harbor U students.”
“Well, I guess being blissfully happy with my three hot as hell boyfriends doesn’t hurt either.” I said this last part quietly as a way to remind my sometimes-overly-exuberant friend to be