Crazy For You by Alexander, S.B. (best ebook reader ubuntu .TXT) 📕

“Is Ashley still in town?” Nan asked.

I traded one nail for another. “Apparently. She and Mr. Dyson have been having dinner every night.”

“Oh.” Nan’s voice rose in pitch.

“I guess they like each other.”

“She’s not married, then?” Nan asked.

I shrugged. “I guess not.”

A long beep echoed in the room. “Yes, sir,” the receptionist said into her phone’s headset. “I’ll let them know.” She looked up at Nan and me, her brown eyes apologetic. “Mr. Wilson is just finishing up a call. He should be done momentarily.” She resumed typing.

Nan’s phone went off, and she fished in her purse. “Maybe this is your aunt. I’m going to step outside.”

No sooner had Nan gone than a door opened behind the receptionist. Mr. Wilson sauntered out, dressed in a dark-green button-up shirt, no tie, and black slacks, holding a folder in one hand. “Carol, can you make sure this gets filed before the courthouse closes today?”

Nodding, she took the folder.

Mr. Wilson grinned my way as his long legs carried him across the pristine, shiny white floor. “Skyler, it’s so nice to see you. I’m so sorry for your loss.” He scanned the room. “Where’s Nan and your aunt?”

I brushed off my jeans as I stood. “Nan’s outside. Not sure of my aunt.”

He pinched his clean-shaven jaw with his fingers. “Mmm. It’s important your aunt shows today. But I don’t have an appointment after this, so it’s all good. Why don’t we get settled? Carol will show Nan and your aunt in.”

Once Mr. Wilson and I were in his office, he waved his hand at a small conference table. “Please, have a seat.” He went over to his desk. “I’m sorry I didn’t respond to your email. And I can’t tell you how upset I am at the mail system for losing your father’s documents.”

I slid into a rolling leather chair. “It’s not your fault. But can you do something to switch guardians?” Please say yes. Aunt Clara wasn’t as bad as I remembered, and I thought we would get along just fine, but my friends, my home, everyone and everything I’d ever known were there. More importantly, I would die if I had to leave Colton.

He sifted through a pile of folders on his desk. “As long as your aunt signs over her rights.”

She’d told Nan she would.

Then he collected a large leather binder before heading over to me. “I understand you met Ashley?”

“Yes, sir. Did you talk to her?”

“Briefly,” he said. “May I ask how that meeting with her went?”

I hiked a shoulder up to my ear. “It was brief and tense.”

He considered me, his green gaze appraising. “First meetings like that usually are. I’ve seen it many times in my line of work. But maybe when things settle down, you and Ashley can reconnect.”

“Do you know why she gave me up?”

“I only know what’s in the case file, and it’s very thin at best. So no. Besides, it’s not my story to tell.”

I didn’t think he would give me details, but I had to ask. Maybe if I knew ahead of time, it might make it easier to have a conversation with Ashley.

Nan and my aunt came in.

Mr. Wilson set the binder on the table and greeted them. “Please, ladies, have a seat.”

My aunt, who wore a sharp blue suit, sat across from me. I hadn’t seen her since that morning in Dad’s room. She’d been busy with work. I’d learned from Nan that my aunt was working on closing a big corporate account, which kept her tied to her phone and computer. She’d canceled a recent trip to hang back for the funeral, though.

After the introductions, Mr. Wilson started in. “In front of Clara and Skyler is Randall’s trust. Since you’re both named in the trust, you’re entitled to a full copy. However, before we dive into the specifics, I understand, Clara, you would like to relinquish your rights to Skyler. Is that correct?”

Everyone looked at my aunt, who seemed to be fascinated with Dad’s trust. She flipped through the papers as if she was looking for something specific. “Did my brother leave me anything?”

Suddenly, Colton’s words blared in my head: Maybe she’s here for money. She didn’t seem as though she needed money. I would bet the suit she was wearing had cost a pretty penny, and she’d recently been promoted.

“Do you mean money?” I asked.

Nan’s face was distorted. Mine had to have been too.

Aunt Clara moved her finger along the document she was reading.

“Clara,” Nan said. “What’s going on? You’re not changing your mind?”

I held my breath. Surely she didn’t want to ruin her new job for me.

She lifted her chin. “I’m sorry. Randall mentioned to me he had some items that had belonged to our parents that he had outlined in his trust?”

A gush of air rushed from my lungs.

Nan sank in her chair as color returned to her cheeks.

“He did,” Mr. Wilson said. “If you turn to the last page in the section on personal belongings.”

Clara hurried to read that part. When she did, she smiled.

Curiosity had me flipping to that same section. The list included photos of their childhood, a diamond ring that belonged to their mother, an old Rolex watch that had belonged to their dad, and other jewelry and trinkets that I was sure had sentimental and maybe monetary value. What Dad had left her was rightfully hers.

Satisfied with what she’d read, she gave Mr. Wilson her attention. “Again, I apologize. These items are of sentimental value to me. So, yes, I’ll sign over guardianship to Nan.”

I might have been reading too much into it, but I got the feeling that if she didn’t get her parents’ belongings, she wouldn’t have agreed to sign over her rights. I guess it didn’t matter anymore.

Mr. Wilson removed a two-page document from the binder and slid it over to Aunt Clara. “I’ll need your signature at the bottom of the second page. You may read through it, but in a nutshell, it says you