Jackson Hole Valentine. Cindy Kirk

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СКАЧАТЬ of you have the complete picture, not yet.” Ryan gestured for Cole to take a seat then exhaled a harsh breath. “That’s the way Ty and Joy wanted it.”

      Then this wasn’t a chance meeting, but something orchestrated from the grave by Margaret’s oldest and dearest friend. Oh, Joy, what have you done?

      “I think I’d better sit down.” With lips pressed tightly together, Cole moved carefully across the slippery wood floor and eased himself into the only empty chair in the room, the one next to hers.

      Though a big part of her life revolved around physical rehabilitation, she didn’t comment on his unsteady gait or ask about his injury. Quite simply she didn’t care. She couldn’t care. Not about him. Or his gimpy leg.

      The only thing she wanted to know was why he was at this meeting… and how soon he’d be leaving.

       Chapter Two

      “I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re both here today.” Ryan leaned forward across the desktop, his gaze shifting from Cole to Meg.

      Cole decided the comment must have been directed toward Meg, because he knew exactly why he was here. Over Labor Day, Ty and Joy had told him they were finally getting around to making a will. When Joy said she’d love him to raise Charlie if anything happened to them, something in her eyes had confirmed his long-held suspicions.

      Of course, he’d said yes. He’d been a part of Charlie’s life since the boy was born. The only way Cole would let anyone else raise the child was over his dead body.

      He glanced at Meg. Her eyes were focused on Ryan, her head held high. Just like the girl he remembered, she projected an air of supreme confidence. She’d always had high expectations of herself… and others. When she discovered he didn’t measure up, she’d turned on him.

      Cole clenched his teeth. The funny thing was, right now that memory hurt more than his leg.

      The attorney steepled his fingers beneath his chin. If he noticed the tension in the room, it didn’t show. “I’m not sure you know this, but Joy and Ty came to my office last month and made some changes to their will.”

      The comment didn’t concern Cole other than he felt happy they’d followed through on what they’d discussed with him. He wished Ryan would get to the point, so he could pick up Charlie and get out of here. While he’d been prepared to see Meg at the funeral, running into her today had thrown him.

      Damn Ryan for not giving him a heads-up. Then Cole realized the attorney couldn’t have known it would be an issue for him to see her again. The only people who knew he and Meg had once been involved were Joy and Cole’s brother, Cade.

      When he’d first seen Meg his breath had caught in his throat. She was even more beautiful than she’d been in high school. Despite knowing he was playing with fire, Cole couldn’t resist slanting another glance in her direction.

      The beauty, which had showed such promise at sixteen, had been fulfilled. The red in her hair had deepened to a rich auburn, the vibrant color a perfect foil for her creamy complexion. From what he could see, her curves were still there, only more womanly than girlish. Her legs were as he remembered: long, slender and sexy as hell.

      Ryan cleared his throat and Cole realized he’d been staring like a lovesick seventeen-year-old. Which he wasn’t. Not seventeen. Certainly not lovesick.

      “What k-kind of changes did they make?” Margaret asked.

      Cole heard the uncertainty in her tone. Obviously Joy or Ty had promised her something. Though he couldn’t imagine there would be much of anything left. The infertility treatments they’d been undergoing had taken all of their savings and then some.

      Cole shifted position, hoping to take some pressure off his knee. The surgeon had warned him that if he flew so soon after surgery he was asking for trouble. Dr. Jones had been right. Even the extra leg room in first class hadn’t helped.

      He thought of the bottle of pain pills in his luggage with a twinge of regret but then realized even if they were in his pocket right now, he wouldn’t take them. A man had to be alert to care for an active six-year-old.

      “The change affects the custody of Charlie.” Ryan cast an apologetic look in his direction.

      In his direction.

      Cole went hot, then cold. He told himself Joy wouldn’t have cut him out of Charlie’s life. And Ty, he’d talked about wanting his son to have a male role model if anything should happen to him.

      None of this was making any sense. Not Joy and Ty making changes to their will that would cause Ryan to look at him apologetically. Not Meg being here. And certainly not the feeling which suddenly gripped him and whispered his life was about to be turned upside down.

      “What kind of change?” Meg asked, her tone as tightly strung as a guitar string.

      “This was a difficult decision for them,” Ryan said. “Not made lightly.”

      “Quit talking around it, Ryan.” Cole pinned his friend with his gaze. “Give it to me straight.”

      A look of gratitude filled Meg’s eyes for the briefest of seconds before her lids lowered.

      Cole scowled. He didn’t want her gratitude. Didn’t want anything except her gone.

      Ryan stared down at the paper on the desk then looked up. “You’re not going to like this—”

      “Ryan,” Cole growled, his patience depleted.

      “Instead of giving sole custody to either one of you—” Ryan spoke quickly “—Joy and Ty decided that it would be best if you shared custody.”

      Meg gasped.

      Cole swore he could hear her heart pounding. Or was that his? Regardless, he must have misunderstood. He cleared his throat. “If who shared custody?”

      Ryan met his gaze. “You and Margaret.”

      “That’s absurd.” Meg’s green eyes flashed, showing a bit of the spirit he remembered.

      “Ryan.” Cole gripped the sides of his chair until his knuckles turned white. “There is no me and Margaret.”

      “Their will is very specific on that matter.” The attorney rose to his feet and smiled. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, can I get either one of you a soda or a bottle of water before we go through the specifics?”

      Margaret fought the urge to laugh hysterically. Her entire world had been turned upside down and Ryan wanted to give her a bottle of water?

      “Forget the water,” she muttered. “Give me a scotch.”

      She wasn’t sure where the words came from. When she drank—which was rarely—she preferred wine over hard liquor.

      Cole’s hand dropped to massage his leg. “Make mine a double.”

      Ryan’s eyes widened before he chuckled and СКАЧАТЬ