Accidentally Theirs (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Read online

  “Because your father would have said fuck this, signed over everything to Amanda and left before they even lowered the casket in the ground.” Nick stood and grabbed himself a cupcake. “He hated your grandmother.”

  The accuracy of his evaluation was chilling. Her father was many things. She had always considered him a good man. He cared about his family. He loved her mother. Their relationship was always something she admired. He treated Ellie like his own daughter when he married her mother and raised her as his own after her mother passed. Harper was his pride and joy though. She didn’t think there was anything in this world that that man would not do for her. She was slowly starting to see that one thing, in particular, put a damper on her adoration of him. This mind boggling ordeal with his family.

  She twisted the bottle cap of her soda. “Why?”

  “Leslie.”

  Harper frowned. “Who is Leslie?”

  “Janine’s other daughter.” Nick bit into the cupcake.

  “Janine didn’t get along with her husband. He beat her. Beat the kids. She worked her ass off waiting tables at a restaurant in Cheyenne while her lazy ass husband abused her kids. He took a particular interest in Leslie.” Logan leaned back in his chair.

  Harper stared at him. “And she’s dead?”

  “Suicide,” Aaron commented. “Hugh never forgave Janine.”

  Harper stared at them. That was the big mystery between her father and grandmother. She blinked a few times trying to take it all in. “How did she come to Kansas and get the ranch?”

  “A lot of work and effort. After Leslie’s death, she divorced her husband and moved her kids to the Wild Horse Ranch for solace. A friend owned it at the time and it was in pretty rough shape. She bought it and fixed it up. The day Hugh turned eighteen, he left and never looked back. It’s just been Janine and Amanda for as long as we’ve known her.” Gabe lifted his drink from the table. “She never could quite shake the fact that Hugh refused to talk to her. I don’t know for sure but I think she made a few trips to Atlanta. I know she was there for your birth. At least he didn’t deny her that one.”

  Harper tried to process everything they had told her. Her father hadn’t mentioned anything about it. She didn’t know he had sisters until he asked her to be his proxy. She didn’t know he had a nice family. A loving family. It seemed crazy for him to hold a grudge for so long. She was nearly thirty and she’d never even met any of them. Hell, she’d never even heard the story.

  After they cleaned up their mess, Harper walked with the men back to the main area for the funeral. She sat up front with Amanda insisting and listened to a beautiful message about a wonderful woman she wished she knew.

  The funeral was peaceful and Harper was glad she attended. After the service, they went to the graveside. The rain gave them no mercy as it poured overhead. Her expensive shoes splashed through the mud and grass as she walked to the tented area above the large hole in the ground. The graveside service was beautiful as well, and Amanda reached for her hand squeezing it, as tears streamed down her face.

  After they lowered the casket in the grave, they called a meeting with Janine’s lawyer at his office in town for the reading of the will with the rest of the family. Since Harper had no idea where to go, Cooper volunteered to drive her.

  “We can take your car.” He pointed to a black diesel truck. “Unless you want to go in that thing.”

  She frowned and he laughed. She reached for her rental’s keys and handed them to him. Once she situated herself inside, Cooper started up the vehicle and Harper quickly turned the air off. She was wet and cold enough as it was. She didn’t need to freeze to death before she signed everything to Amanda.

  Cooper backed out of the parking spot. “You okay?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. I’m still a fish out of water but I’m an included fish out of water. I have no idea what I’m going to do about my Jimmy Choos. I didn’t plan on stepping in mud while I was here.”

  He frowned. “Jimmy what’s?”

  “Choos. Designer heels that cost more than some make a month.” She rolled her eyes and stared out the window as they drove in the rain to wherever town was. “I don’t have kids. I don’t have a husband. My one thing I care about in life, aside from family, is my shoes. And purses but I love my shoes.”

  He shook his head.

  “Are you okay? You knew her more than I did. I should probably say that I’m sorry for your loss. Is there some kind of protocol for this? I’m so confused.”

  Cooper reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “No protocol. And I’m fine. You’re allowed to be confused. Your father told you to come here without being man enough to come himself. Don’t worry about it. And I’m sorry about your shoes.”

  She couldn’t stop the tingles from his lips against her hand from making her squirm in her seat. A brief non-sexual touch had her wondering what it felt like to have his lips pressed against hers. What did he taste like? Feel like? The thoughts roaming through her head embarrassed her and she pulled away from him as they turned into the parking lot of the lawyer’s office. Amanda had put it in her head that she needed to date one of the ranch hands. She didn’t need to think about that even though he gave her every reason to.

  They went inside and waited for everyone to show up. Cooper pulled her back against him as several people filed into the room. She felt his chest against her back, the hard muscle solid and strong. He smelled delicious. His hand rested on her hip as they waited for the lawyer to read the will.

  “Janine had a will that was fairly simple,” the lawyer said. “Amanda Monroe receives the sum of one hundred thousand dollars. Hugh Tate receives the sum of one hundred thousand dollars. Ashley Monroe receives the sum of twenty five thousand dollars in the form of a trust. Derek Monroe is to receive the sum of twenty five thousand dollars in the form of a trust. And Harper Tate is to receive the deed to the property of Wild Horse Ranch and all that is on it…”

  “What?” Harper glanced behind her at Cooper. The entire room seemed as shocked as Harper.

  “Janine left you the ranch,” the lawyer repeated. “I have the deed right here. A few signatures and you are the proud owner of Wild Horse Ranch.”

  “Oh, no.” She glanced over at Amanda. “That wouldn’t be fair. Amanda was her daughter. She didn’t even know me. Amanda should have the ranch.”

  Cooper’s hands gripped Harper’s upper arms. He leaned in and whispered, his breath hot and tantalizing against her ear. “Janine wanted you to have the ranch because it was the only thing she really had to give you that was part of her. Money comes and goes, but the ranch lives on forever.”

  “It was what she wanted.” The lawyer stared at her.

  “I still don’t understand. I don’t deserve it.” She blew out a breath. “What am I going to do with the ranch?”

  The lawyer glanced toward the man standing behind her, rubbing her arms. “I hear it has at least five good looking cowboys. I’m sure you can find something to do.”

  Chapter Two

  Before Harper signed any papers, she left the room to call her father. Thankfully, he picked up almost immediately. “Hey. How did it go?”

  “I’m in way over my head here.” Harper glanced around. “She left you money.”

  “Did you sign it over to Amanda?”

  “I will.” She took in the feeling of the rain drops falling all over her. Her skin grew chilled from standing there with her phone to her ear while her clothes grew increasingly wet. She didn’t know how to tell him. She didn’t know how he’d react.

  “What time does your flight leave? Do you need me to pick you up or is Ellie going to get you?”

  Harper glanced down at the puddles at her feet. “She left me the ranch, Dad.”

  The phone went silent for a while. “Are you going to keep it?”

  “I don’t know how I can’t. Five people live there and they depend on the ranch for their livelihood. Janine wanted to give it to me so I would have somet
hing to remember her by. I can’t just sign it over to someone else.”

  He didn’t say anything which only infuriated Harper. “Why did you do this to me? I don’t know these people and you sent me here to deal with your mess instead of growing a pair and doing it yourself. I shouldn’t be here alone. You should be here with me helping me figure all of this out.”

  “I have other things to do. We’ve already discussed this. You need to sign the property over to Amanda. That place is not your legacy.”

  Harper shook her head. “I looked up to you growing up. I thought you were a good man. This whole situation has changed that. Your attitude toward your mother and your family has forever changed my opinion of you. I don’t think it can be repaired either.”

  She hung up on him and turned to see the ranch hands staring at her. Instead of saying something to them, she scrolled through her contacts and found her sister’s number. Ellie answered on the third ring.

  “Ellie, I need you.”

  “What? What’s wrong?”

  “It’s a long story.” She walked over to the side of the building where a small bench sat. “Janine left me the deed to the ranch. Dad is pissed off about it and we had a fight. I’m staying in Kansas.”

  “Oh, wow. By yourself?”

  “Yeah. For now. Can you go to my house and pack up some of my clothes. I need you to ship them to me. I’ll text you the address.”

  “Sure. I’ll do that tomorrow. First thing. Are you sure you want to stay in Kansas? I mean Hugh can be Hugh sometimes but it’ll all blow over once you get back to Atlanta.”

  “I don’t think it will. It’s a big mess, Ellie. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Oh, honey.” Ellie always reminded Harper of their mother. When she passed away, Ellie stepped up and her big sister did a pretty good job at filling in for all those pesky conversations a daughter needed to have with her mother. She was always there for her no matter what. “Do you want me to fly to Kansas? I’ll come stay with you for a couple of days.”

  “No. It’s okay. Not right now. I just need my things.” She swiped at the wet hair soaking her face. “It’s raining here and I need to go back inside before I get sick. I’ll call you tonight and talk more about it.”

  “Okay. I’m going to call Hugh and see if I can talk some sense into him.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  Harper hung up from her sister and walked around to the front of the building. The men stood in the doorway of the lawyer’s office watching her.

  “You’re drenched,” Cooper commented. “You need to get back to the hotel and get out of those clothes before you get sick.”

  “Yeah.” She glanced between all of them. “I’m staying here. My sister is shipping my stuff to me tomorrow. It looks like all of you have a new roommate.”

  Nick kept his attention on her. “What did your father say about it?”

  “We’re not talking at the moment.” Harper shook her head. “I need to go get my stuff and take it to the ranch. “I’ll see you guys there.”

  She and Cooper walked to her Range Rover and got in. She never felt so disgusting her life. Her hair was plastered to her head. She smelled wet and muddy. Her shirt was entirely wet along with her skirt. Her purse was essentially waterproof but she didn’t like having the leather and canvas in the rain.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? I heard some of your conversation with your father. You don’t seem like the girl to turn her back on family, yet you don’t really want to go back to Atlanta to see him.”

  She stared out the window of the vehicle for a long time. “I thought my father was something he’s not. This entire mess has opened my eyes to who he truly is. It’s something I don’t like.”

  Crawford had a few housing options and somehow Cooper knew where she had stayed the night prior without her even telling him. He pulled in the drive and parked at the front of the hotel.

  “I’ll only be a few minutes.”

  “I can help you.”

  “No. I’ve got it. Stay here.”

  She left him in the rental and went inside the hotel. She must have looked horrible with the entire front desk staff staring at her like they did. It was worse than the scene of Julia Roberts walking into the fancy hotel in Pretty Woman. As a precaution, she glanced down to make sure her nipples couldn’t be seen. She was good.

  She went to the elevator and then to her room. After grabbing her bags she checked over the room one last time and left. She had no intention of coming back to the hotel so she checked out and paid her bill before going back to the car.

  Cooper got out and helped her with the Louis Vuitton luggage she carried. Two main bags and a duffel carryon. She never traveled light. After they situated everything inside she climbed back in and turned the heat up on the car.

  “You need a hot bath and a cozy blanket in front of the fire. Maybe some hot cocoa as well.”

  “That sounds nice.”

  She was still in a weird mood and she didn’t know what to do about it. Maybe when she changed, she’d feel better.

  Once they arrived at the ranch house, Cooper parked the vehicle in front of the door and Harper got out. Nick was the first one out the door with just a pair of shorts on and no shirt to help her get the luggage out of the back.

  “You really don’t have to do that,” Harper said as Nick grabbed her Louis Vuitton luggage out of the back of her white Range Rover. “I may be in designer heels but I can still tote my luggage about. I’m not helpless.”

  “Didn’t think you were.” He grabbed the large bags. “Around here, we would be shunned if we didn’t help a lady carry her luggage in the house. It’s simply unheard of.”

  Muscles bulged as he stepped back with her designer luggage in his arms. Aaron and Cooper fought for her carryon. Something about this place made her feel better. She smiled at him and followed them into the house. She owned a ranch. This ranch. A real flipping ranch. She bit her lip and stared at the log cabin where her grandmother had lived for many years.

  “It won’t bite.” Gabe came up beside her. He’d changed from his more dressy attire to jeans and a white T-shirt that said “Girls love Cowboys.” She took in the way his jeans hugged his legs and the way his brown hair was all rumpled and messy from running his hand through it. The shirt wasn’t wrong, she determined. His brown eyes could definitely have a few girls swooning.

  “I know.” She took one last lingering look at him before walking up the drive. “My dad was really pissed off that I didn’t give it to Amanda. He may have disowned me like he did my grandmother.”

  “Maybe not.” Gabe reached for the door to the house and opened it for her before she could grab it herself. “Maybe you’ll be the one to reunite him with his family. I know they’d all like to see him.”

  She wouldn’t hold her breath on that one. Hugh Tate was a stubborn man. She didn’t see him budging on anything.

  Cooper pointed toward the upstairs. “Bathroom is first door on the left. You can shower and get cleaned up. I’ll make some hot cocoa while Gabe starts a fire in the living room.”

  She smiled at him. They were taking care of her. It was shocking and refreshing at the same time. She’d learned to depend on herself and no one else for so long that having someone jump in to help her felt out of place. Instead of questioning it, she grabbed her carryon and went upstairs.

  After a quick hot shower and a change of clothes, she found all five men downstairs in the large living room chatting. Cooper glanced over at her and lifted a mug of cocoa off the coffee table for her.

  She smiled her thanks and took a seat. Nick reached for the soft-looking gray blanket on the end of the sofa and wrapped her in it.

  “I’m not used to people treating me like royalty. I could definitely get used to this.” She blew on her drink before sipping it.

  “You’ve had a rough day. You deserve a little pampering.” Nick went back to his spot on one of the sofas and continued his conversation with Aaron. The o
versized chair she sat in was beyond comfortable. She felt like she was on a cloud. She leaned against the arm and sipped at her drink, completely enjoying listening to the men talk while she relaxed.

  “Oh, shit.” Gabe stood from his spot. “I told Amanda I would stop by to get some of the food she wanted us to take home. I forgot all about it though.”

  “Food?” Harper asked.

  “Yeah. She said that her family couldn’t eat it all so she wanted me to take some home. I’ll be back in a minute. It shouldn’t take too long to pick it up.”

  Cooper stood as well. “Hey, take me to get my truck. I left it at the funeral home when I drove Harper to the lawyer’s office.”

  The two men left them and Harper glanced between the three that stared back at her. “Do I look horrible or something? The people at the hotel stared at me like that scene in Pretty Woman where she walks around in her hooker outfit.”

  Luke chuckled. “You don’t look like a hooker. No worries there.”

  “Why are you staring?”

  “You’re gorgeous.”

  His compliment took her aback. She felt anything but. Her hair was stringy since it was still wet, and she was sure all her makeup had been washed away. Gorgeous was not the word she would use to describe herself. She sipped her cocoa not knowing what to say. The hot liquid gave some warmth to her bones. She was frozen, even after a hot shower, and not much else could warm her up.

  “You act like my admission surprises you.”

  “It does.” She licked her lips. “I’m not used to strange men paying me compliments.”

  “Men don’t tell you that you’re beautiful?”

  “No, not really.” She squirmed in her seat, keeping her eyes on the brown liquid in her mug. Harper didn’t know why she liked hearing Nick say it. Why she liked his attention when she didn’t even know him.

  “That’s a shame. If you were my girl, I’d tell you every fucking minute of the day.”

  A tingle of awareness shot down her spine. Harper sipped at her drink to avoid anymore conversation. Amanda had said something about dating the ranch hands and she couldn’t quite shake it. All of them were worthy of drooling over. How could she simply just pick one? She glanced between the three of them pondering the idea of not picking. It was a completely out of character thought but something she entertained nonetheless. After all, they would be living together for a while. At least until she figured out what she wanted to do with this place.