Heirly Ever After - Vernon, Magan (pdf ebook reader .txt) 📗

all new appliances, three bedrooms, and a view of rolling hills instead of that billboard advertising boiled peanuts. They want me to move in.”

I blinked hard, trying to process what she was saying.

Natalie had always wanted to take care of Mom, but moving to another country? Leaving her friends? Surely, she wouldn’t even consider. She didn’t like to take anything from anyone.

“And?” I asked, hesitantly drawing out the words.

She shrugged. “I haven’t said ‘yes’ yet, but it would be nice to be closer to your sister, especially when grandbabies start coming in the picture. And, you know, there are a lot of opportunities in town for work or even here at the manor.”

Slowly looking up, she’d gone from broad smile to a stern expression. Her eyes were so steely, they reminded me of when Natalie and I would get in trouble for fighting when we were little. “And there are opportunities for you here as well.”

“W-w-what?” My shoulders shook as I tried to process her words.

“You and Chris are no longer together, which I figured was the one thing keeping you in North Carolina. I mean and school of course, but I figured you only have another semester left and there are opportunities here for schools.”

I shook my head so hard, my ponytail whipped my cheeks. “Mom, no, it wasn’t Chris that made me stay…”

There was so much more. So much more I should have told her when it had happened.

My eyes watered as I tried to hold back the emotion quaking through me.

She rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to lie to me, honey. I know you love me, but you wouldn’t leave North Carolina for me if he was still in the picture. And I don’t know your graduation plans. But…”

I let out a deep breath. “There aren’t any plans right now…I mean as far as school goes and…”

She blinked hard then interrupted. “I’m not trying to push you into anything, but this is a great opportunity, if nothing else, to figure out where you want to be. Even if you spend a few months just exploring Europe, maybe a gap year, I’d love to have you closer to go on this journey with me.” Finally, her eyes softened as she smiled. “And I’m not sure what exactly is going on with you and Jacob…”

“Nothing, we’re friends,” I blurted out, which caused Mom’s smile to widen as she nodded.

“Okay. Friends. A friend who you would definitely be closer to if you moved here.”

I swallowed hard, trying to take in the full reality of the situation.

There was nothing left for me back in North Carolina. Here I’d have my mom, sister, and who knew what else. Was there really a reason to say no?

Well…the one thing I was leaving out was dropping out of college. This was my time. I could come clean and tell her everything while she talked of gap years. But instead of telling her any of that, I squeaked out what I could.

“Can I think about it?” I asked.

She nodded. “Of course, honey.”

Chapter Twelve

Jacob

I was a dobber to turn down a woman on top of me, I knew that much. But I’d be an even bigger dobber if I let Madison get hurt in the end of all of this.

Last night, I’d waited a few more beats in the library before going back to the room. But when I arrived, her door was already closed. I’d wanted to knock so badly. To tell her everything and stop this lie that was digging into my soul.

But I hadn’t.

It took everything I had to lay on the couch for another sleepless night, wrestling with my own thoughts.

When I couldn’t toss and turn any longer, I got up and changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Madison’s door was still closed, and the sun had barely risen over the horizon. No one would be up yet but the bakers, so I figured I could have some time alone and headed down toward the kitchen.

I planned on finding some dough and kneading it until my hands were raw. But on my way there, I passed a door I’d missed before. One that was now ajar.

Stopping to investigate, I turned on the lights, illuminating a dark, oak-lined room with floor-to-ceiling windows on one side that let in the slight haze of the rising sun. The other side was lined with training equipment I remember using back in the uni gym and the one at the manor…before we sold it all, that was.

But while ours at the manor was a modern gym, this one was a gothic cathedral with its steel chandeliers and stained glass as if someone converted the old chapel.

Maybe a gym was the better way to work out my frustrations and figure out what was going on in my head.

Passing a few weight benches and free weights, I walked closer to the back wall. A stained-glass portrait was carved into it, one of two knights wielding blades in what appeared to be judicial combat.

I’d seen similar paintings of former clansmen hanging around our manor. Those were now long gone. The thought of all those pieces of our family history now sitting in a museum or in some bored, billionaire collector’s house had the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.

My blood was boiling as it coursed through my veins.

Without thinking, my fingers plucked along the handle of an XI sword with its cocked hat pummel fitting a perfect lock on my grip as I wielded the weapon. An arming sword. Lighter for a knight to carry into battle and not as long, so one wouldn’t need to be on horseback to carry it. This was meant for one-on-one combat.

For a dispute.

“Didn’t know you were a swordsman.” Gavin’s voice echoed through the gym.

Instead of curling into myself, I stood straighter, the sword in my hand lighter. “Ah. Learned from my grandfather and father.”

He walked toward me, arms crossed over his