King's Treasure (Oil Kings Book 3) by Marie Johnston (great novels .TXT) 📗

Grams waited until I was back from washing my hands to say, “You’ve been dragging your wife around the world. Where are you going to settle down?”

I tensed at the fridge. “My work takes me to different places.”

“Photographers have homes.”

I opened the fridge and dug out eggs and cheese. I could make a simple omelet. Grabbing some ham for my own omelet, I withdrew with my armload and closed the fridge. Photographers with thriving businesses had homes.

“You can’t drag Sapphire all over with you.” Grams never let a subject die a quick death. “You’re newlyweds.”

“We’re still exploring options,” Savvy answered, her tone lacking conviction. I looked at her but her tense smile was aimed at Grams.

Grams nodded. “You’ll have a lot more after you’re married for a year.”

Why did everything have to come down to that damn trust? I wished I could go back in time and ask Mama what she’d been thinking. Had she been terrified that we’d grow up wild men and end up lonely? That we’d end up crusty old ranchers who were more dangerous to themselves and others, like our neighbor? I didn’t know, but I couldn’t wait until the trust was distributed and all I had to do was sock it away. I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but like I’d told Savvy—I wasn’t a planner.

I gave Grams my most indulgent smile. “You’ll be one of the first to know where Savvy and I decide to settle, Grams.”

A pleased look crossed Grams’s face. I liked to think she had more interest in her grandkids than whether or not we could keep the money she’d made off the sale of part of the oil company. No one had to ask whether she regretted gifting the money to Mama for our future. Once she’d learned of the trust’s restrictions, she’d been trying to rectify it ever since.

I was cracking eggs when she said, “Your father and Kendall are on their way.”

“What? Now?” Shit. They lived in Billings and it was only a couple of hours away. “Aren’t we doing cattle this weekend?”

“He wants to visit you.” She beamed at Savvy, who sat stiffly in her chair. “He said he didn’t have much time to talk with you in Las Vegas.”

That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I exchanged a look with Savvy. Her expression was so hopeful. She thought that if I confessed to Dad, he’d forgive me and it’d be like we had a fresh start to our life together. Dad wasn’t obsessed with the past. He wanted me to answer for my present and future. I had to tell him at some point. But later was better than sooner, like after I’d paid him back.

The next moment, several people piled through the door and I clenched my hand around the spatula.

Looked like it would be sooner after all.

Chapter 17

Savvy

A few months ago, I would’ve been useless. Now, while I might not be ready to kick ass on a horse—or get on one at all—I could stand in the muck, by a fence, and wave my arms around to keep the cattle from backtracking out of the corrals. I hadn’t had to scale the fence yet due to an angry cow. Xander had made sure I knew how to though. He’d made me practice.

Xander’s family was great. They gave each other crap in an uninhibited way that my family never did and never would, except maybe Pearl and me.

Right after his dad had arrived, Xander had whisked me away for a tour of King’s Creek, then an evening horse ride of the Kings’ land. As I’d clung to the reins, he’d sat behind me in the saddle and shown me the land they’d sold to their friends, the Cartwrights. But Grams and DB had kept the mineral rights, suspecting that there could be oil. The ink had barely dried on the deed before they’d pursued that oil, inciting the family feud. The drilling had negatively impacted the Cartwrights’ ranch, and honestly, I’d have been pissed at Grams and DB too. The money the Cartwrights had gotten as land owners was nothing compared to what Grams and DB had made. The drills were no longer active, but the black abandoned wells were visible in the distance.

The next day, Xander had taken me to Billings to show me the head office and, I suspected, to stay out of his dad’s path.

Kendall drifted toward me. Most of the cattle had been worked. Xander had told me what it would entail and how Dawson chose vaccinations and methods of identification for his business, but all I could see was a bunch of guys straddling corrals and bending over cows. Dawson wandered around with a tablet, updating records or something. Kendall clapped her hands together. Dust particles puffed and glinted in the sunlight. She wore work boots, so different from the stylish knee-high boots she’d arrived in. All I had were athletic shoes. None of the boots Dawson had found fit me but he kept trying despite my assurances that I’d be fine with a little manure on my shoes.

Not something I thought I’d ever have to say.

“What do you think?” Kendall’s grin was infectious and her teal eyes glittered in the sun.

“Interesting. I have so many questions but they’re all so busy.”

“You can ask any of the guys. I mean, Dawson’s in charge now and he’ll talk your ear off, but he gets tied up during this time of year.”

Eva hopped down from the gate she was perched on with Kate and sauntered toward us. The bright pink ends of Eva’s hair brushed her chin. When she’d arrived with Beckett, I’d had trouble picturing them as a couple. She was definitely the yin to his yang. He’d been all GQ handsome in a suit and tie and she’d been dressed in ripped leggings, a flirty skirt and a loose, buttoned-up blouse with nothing but ones and zeroes on it. In short, he looked