Xeni Read online

  “No. My mom is Joyce Everly, Sable’s older sister. And I have my birth certificate at home. This is wrong.” Xeni’s eyes scanned the paper again as the silence hung heavy in the room. Something else was different. The time of her birth. She was born at 8:30 a.m.. Not 12:55 a.m.. She could feel more than one pair of eyes on her, willing her to accept this fake birth certificate as the truth, but she couldn’t. Not for any amount of money. “What does the law say about this?” she asked Mr. Barber.

  “What do you mean?” he replied.

  “Like, how much trouble could we all get in if I accept this forgery and take the estate? I won’t say my family couldn’t use the money, I just—”

  “Xeni, it’s not fake,” Bess said. “I was there. I drove Sable to the hospital.”

  “I thought you two met when she moved here.”

  “We reconnected. We were old friends.”

  “No, this doesn’t make sense. Joyce is my mom. My dad was a studio bassist named Orlando Powers. I was an accident, but my mom decided to keep me and that’s why the Everly Sisters broke up and my aunt went solo. I—”

  “Why don’t we let Mr. Barber and Ms. Jordan finish,” Bess suggested. “And then we can answer as many of your questions as possible.”

  Xeni’s jaw clenched as she tried to process Bess’s calm aura. She didn’t know the woman well, but Xeni could read people better than most. Bess wasn’t lying, but someone in this room or in her life was. She closed her eyes for a long moment, then let out a deep breath. “Please. Go ahead.”

  “Um, there’s more in the form of stocks, investment properties. We can go over those a little later,” Ms. Jordan said. “After we discuss the conditions.”

  “Oh my god,” Xeni groaned quietly. “What now? What conditions?”

  Ms. Jordan sat back a bit, turning her attention to Mr. Barber. He stood and handed Xeni and Mason each an envelope. Xeni’s name was written on the front, but Mr. Barber kept going before she could open it.

  “In order for either of you to claim any of this, Ms. Everly asked that you two be married. To each other.”

  “Bloody hell,” Mason said as he slammed the back of his head into the door jamb.

  “Is this some kind of joke? What does the letter say?”

  “Your aunt only agreed to release the estate if you and Mr. McInroy agreed to marry each other. The marriage must be legal and last no less than thirty days. She explains why in the letters. Why don’t we give you two a moment.”

  Xeni was too fucked up to respond. Her aunt was leaving her more money than she could comprehend and all she had to do was marry some dude she’d never met. Was that even legal? She couldn’t begin to wrap her mind around the other shit. There was no way Sable was her mother. It just didn’t make sense.

  As Bess stood to leave, Xeni tore open the envelope. Sure enough, there was a letter inside. She recognized her aunt’s handwriting from the dozens of birthday and holiday cards and notes she’d sent over the years.

  * * *

  My Dearest Xendria, If you’re reading this I know you have spoken to Mr. Barber and you’ve been given your fair share of shocking news. I know you, so I’ll stick to the facts. You are mine. My sisters made the decision that I wouldn’t be the one to raise you and through the years they forbid me from telling you who you really belong to. Now that I’m gone, there’s nothing stopping me from telling you the truth. You are my daughter. I carried you. I gave birth to you. I gave you your name.

  You’re probably wondering why I’m making it so difficult to claim what’s rightfully yours as my daughter and my only child. I know you’ve closed yourself off to love. Don’t try to deny it. I didn’t forget the conversations we had or any of the things you told me. From the moment I met Mason, I knew there was something different about him. He’s one of the good ones, Xeni. Marry him and you’ll see.

  You’ll have more questions than I can answer, but I want you to know without any doubt that I have always loved you like you were my own, because you are. As for the rest, ask my sisters. They know the truth and they have been the ones who’ve kept it from you for all of these years. I love you and my only regret in life was not fighting harder for you. Take my last bit of advice. Take the blessings that have been laid out in front of you and give Mason a chance. You deserve the amount of love he’s carrying around in that kind heart of his. If you ever feel lost, trust the moon. I love you.

  * * *

  Your mother, Sable

  * * *

  P.S. Don’t let my sisters touch our mother’s jewelry until they tell you the whole truth.

  * * *

  Xeni reread the letter twice before she realized she was shaking. What in the whole fresh fuck? It was really something to have the foundation of your life ripped out from underneath you while being shamed for your selective single status all at once. Maybe Sable was her real mother. Who else could guilt her from beyond the grave with such a level of drama?

  She swiped at the tears of rage gathering at the corners of her eyes before she glanced up at Mason. The redness had spread all the way up to his hairline and she wasn’t sure if he had tears of sadness or tears that matched the anger she felt lining her eyes. All she wanted to do was put her aunt’s spirit to rest. She didn’t want a new tax bracket. She didn’t want two new properties to manage. She didn’t want a husband.

  “Do you want to read my letter?” Mason asked.

  Xeni stared at him for a moment before she jumped up from her chair. Maybe his letter made a lick of sense. She made her way around the room and took the slip of paper from his hand. His letter was much shorter.

  * * *

  I know what you said, but just take the money. Take care of her and let her take care of you.

  3

  Mason was having a hard time breathing. Ms. Sable’s passing had been a blow he wasn’t prepared for. From the moment they met, she’d taken him under her wing, convinced him to open up and be honest about the complete disaster his life had become. He’d miss her dearly, but at the moment he wondered what in the world she’d been thinking. Mr. Barber could have dropped the news of Xeni’s apparently eventful birth on her in private. Why would Ms. Sable want him here for that? He looked down at Xeni. Her niece? Daughter? Christ, Xeni was right. There must be some kind of mistake.

  “Here.” Xeni thrust his letter back in his hands, seemingly disappointed with what she’d just read.

  “Does that help?” he asked.

  “Not even close.”

  “Can I have a look at your letter?” he asked.

  “I’d rather you didn’t. There’s more… personal stuff in mine. It’s much longer.”

  “Okay, then. That’s fair.”

  “Okay, okay. Jesus.” Xeni stepped in to the corner across from the door, the only space in the room that wasn’t occupied by the table or chairs. She started pacing back and forth. “Okay. Do you need the money?”

  “I could use it, yeah.”

  “What do you need the money for? Drugs? Gambling debt? A hundred grand is a lot of money.”

  “Erm, I need it to cover some student loans, basically. I got a bad interest rate.”

  “Right. Okay. Clearing up your student loans would make anyone’s life easier. And my… aunt was big on education. I can see why she’d want to help you with that. Okay. Do I need the money?” she said to herself as her eyes darted to the floor. “Do I want the money? You’re hurt and you’re angry, but you’d be a fool to turn down that type of cash. Okay.” Her eyes settled back on him. They really were gorgeous brown eyes. Mason had tried not to notice, but he couldn’t help himself. Xeni Everly-Wilkins was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen.

  Under normal circumstances he’d be too nervous to ask her out. Probably tell her a few jokes, show her a terrible magic trick or his skills on the fife, and ultimately friendzone himself in under five minutes flat. Not that there was anything wrong being friends with someone you find attractive, but one day—

&nbs
p; Mason shook his head a bit and forced himself to focus on the issue at hand. This was not about the persistent pathetic state of his love life. His dear friend was gone and she had left him in quite a jam. He needed that hundred thousand dollars. He wasn’t exactly sure walking down the aisle with a woman he’d just met was the best way to get it.

  “Can you even do this? I mean you’re a White male. You can do whatever you want. But this will take months to sort out, right? You’re Scottish, right? You’re not a citizen.”

  “I am.”

  “You are?” He’d gotten the same shocked response before.

  “Dual citizenship. My mother was born in Cleveland.”

  “Oh, okay. So we have to do this, right? I have to do this.”

  “I’m not going to make that call,” Mason replied. “Our stakes are not the same.”

  “Did she say anything to you about this?”

  “She told me she was going to find me a wife, but I thought she was taking the piss. I didn’t think she was serious. I take it from your reaction she didn’t mention anything about this either?”

  “No. No, she didn’t.” Mason watched Xeni as she sighed and leaned against the wall. “So what’s your deal? You work at the cafe?”

  “Yes. My cousin Silas owns the farm and I run the food services there.”

  “Mmm, and you play the bagpipes.”

  “Yes, I guess I fancy myself a bit of a musician. What about you? Your aunt did mention to me that you’re a teacher.”

  “I teach kindergarten, yeah. So you at least knew I existed.”

  “Your au—Ms. Sable talked about you a lot. She seemed very proud of you.”

  Xeni’s eyes rolled toward the ceiling. Mason couldn’t miss the few fat tears that ran down her cheeks. His gaze darted to the box of tissues at the center of the table. He reached for them, then shuffled around the edge of the table. She took a few, then wiped her cheeks.

  “Thank you.” She let out another deep breath and seemed to gather her focus. A clarity came to her eyes, like she’d made a decision. “Mr. Barber didn’t say how long we had to stay married, did he? No, he did. Thirty days, but he didn’t say we had to live together. We can get married. You can pay off your debt. If Ms. Jordan is as smart as I think she is, she can help me. I don’t know. How the fuck do rich people move money around? She can help me figure something out so I can keep this money and then we get a divorce. Right?”

  Mason immediately thought of his parents and what they would think of this scheme. Different types of disappointment was all that came to mind. His mother being let down once again that he was no closer to the real thing and his father… The decision was simple. He wouldn’t tell them. He’d swear Silas and Liz to secrecy, even though he’d been the one to blab to his aunt about Silas’s sudden love match. He could count on them to keep this new development on this side of the pond if they decided to go through with it.

  “People get divorced all the time. Shall we invite them back in, just to make sure? The way things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised if this wasn’t the first of ten elaborate tasks we have to complete. First we marry, then we visit the village witch who’s the third born of the first born. Then—” Mason said.

  A little laugh sputtered out of Xeni. The sound of it made Mason smile. “What?”

  “Nothing. I said basically the same thing to my mom on the phone. Yeah, okay. Let’s get all the information and then we’ll figure out what to do next.”

  Mason nodded, then poked his head back into the claustrophobic hallway. Mr. Barber was talking to Bess in the reception area. “We’re ready,” he told them.

  A few moments later, everyone had reassembled in the conference room. Mason stayed by the door. He was on his feet from dawn to dusk most days, so a little while longer wouldn’t hurt. Ms. Jordan picked up where she’d left off, and she and Mr. Barber went on for nearly another hour, breaking down the rest of Ms. Sable’s estate, pausing every so often to answer Xeni’s questions. Not that he had any doubt, but Xeni sure was bright. She was two steps ahead of his every thought, asking follow-up after follow-up question. And she wasn’t afraid to tell Ms. Jordan when she had no idea what she was talking about.

  Mason learned a lot in that hour. He was also reminded of just how much money he didn’t have and how long it was going to take to finish paying off his father if he and Xeni decided they couldn’t go through with Ms. Sable’s absurd scheme. It also didn’t take long for Mason to remember that there would be no twenty-four hour quickie divorce. If she decided to claim this inheritance and they filed for divorce after thirty days, it seemed like it would be months before she would have everything sorted out. This was a bad idea. Still, Mason’s mind was made up. This was too much money for Xeni to walk away from. If she needed him to marry her so she could claim what was rightfully hers, he would.

  “How long do we have to decide?” Mason asked.

  “Um, I wouldn’t wait very long. I wouldn’t advise you leave either property unattended and—”

  “So no time. I got it,” Xeni said. Mason lungs felt like they were collapsing on themselves when she looked over at him again. That resolve was back in her eyes, but so was the pain. She hated this. “I need a day. I need to—I need to talk to my parents. I have a lot to think about.”

  “I think that’s a good idea,” Bess reassured her.

  “Why don’t we regroup on Friday and if you and Mr. McInroy are married, we’ll take care of all of the paperwork,” Mr. Barber said.

  “Wait, we can get married that quickly?” Xeni asked the question that was right on the tip of Mason’s tongue.

  “If you head to town clerk’s office now, you can be married by this time on Thursday.”

  “Jesus,” Xeni said with a deep breath. The same overwhelming feeling bounced around in his own head. This was a whole lot to process in such a short amount of time. “Okay. So we’ll meet right back here, Friday.”

  “That works for me,” Ms. Jordan said.

  Martha would contact everyone with an exact time. With that decided, their meeting was adjourned. Mason left first and headed outside to wait. He slipped his baseball cap on to block his eyes from the sun, even though the clouds were beginning to roll in. He could smell it in the air. The rain was coming.

  A few moments later, Xeni and Bess came walking down the stone steps.

  “Oh good, I thought you’d taken off,” Xeni said.

  “No, just stepped out for a bit of air,” Mason replied.

  “Hmm. Do you need to get back to the farm right now?”

  “No, they can handle things without me a little bit longer.”

  “Maybe you could drive me back to the house. We should probably talk.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Bess said. “You have my number?”

  “Yes, thank you. I’ll give you a call if I need anything.”

  Mason watched as Bess gave Xeni’s hand a light squeeze before she turned and crossed the street toward her own car.

  “I’m just over here,” he said, pointing to his beat-up Suburban a ways down the street. “I know the way to her house.”

  “Okay.”

  Mason didn’t miss how exhausted Xeni sounded. The quiet thank you she offered him as he held her door open and helped her up into the cab was the last thing she said before they arrived at Ms. Sable’s house. She lived about fifteen minutes outside of the town center. When they pulled in the tree-shaded driveway, a large lump formed in Mason’s throat. He half expected Ms. Sable to walk out the front door and offer them a big wave like she’d done so many times before. He brought his truck to a stop and waited. She let out a small sigh, then scratched her jaw. Mason watched as a small, angry welt raised on her skin.

  “Your—your face.”

  “Oh.” She touched the spot. “It’s this weird skin condition. It’s a stress thing. I get these welts if I scratch myself. It’s fine. Why don’t you give me your number? Then you can call me or text me later and let me know when’s
a good time to go to the town clerk’s office tomorrow.”

  “We don’t have to do this,” Mason replied.

  “Yes we—I mean, I do. Sorry. I’m absolutely all in my head.” She turned to him. That clarity was back in her eyes. Like she’d made a decision. “Will you marry me?”

  Mason knew what his answer should be. No. A firm no. He wanted to try to talk her out of it. He wanted to come up with some sort of reasonable alternative, but he had none. Ms. Sable’s wishes were legal and binding.

  “Might as well,” he said, giving in.

  “Great. I’ll ask Mr. Barber about a pre-nup or a post-nup or whatever. Shit. I’ll call him when I get inside. I’m sorry I just can’t give you half of everything whenever we finally dissolve this thing. And you seem nice and all, but it’s a lot and you might decide you’d like your inconvenience fees to the tune of ten million dollars, and nah. That’s not happening.”

  “I don’t want your money.”

  “Now. But as you can see, money makes people do stupid things. We saw proof of that just this afternoon.”

  They exchanged numbers, then Xeni climbed down from the truck. “I’ll try and make this as quick and painless as possible. I promise your next proposal will be more romantic.”

  She closed the door and hurried inside.

  Mason stared after her, his mouth hanging open. What the hell had he just agreed to?

  Xeni walked into her aunt’s newly remodeled kitchen and set her stuff down. She looked around, her eyes focusing on the mug she’d set by the sink that morning. She looked over at the fancy new fridge, covered in photos and Christmas cards that were nearly a year old. Her high school graduation portrait was there, right in the center of it all. She stared at it, concentrated on its placement until her vision started to blur.