Series: Cobalt Empire Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 234
Estimated words: 226965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1135(@200wpm)___ 908(@250wpm)___ 757(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 226965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1135(@200wpm)___ 908(@250wpm)___ 757(@300wpm)
“They’d consider moving to a bigger place, I think.”
“You think?”
He sucks in a breath. “Okay, maybe not that, but I think they might consider renovating. Buying the unit next door. Knocking down a wall. If it’s possible…” He trails off like it’s probably not. I bet there are fire codes and red tape. “They did talk about buying the building when I first moved in.”
Holy shit.
“The building?” I widen my eyes, shaking my head slowly. “Just when I forgot you’re all trust fund babies.”
“That reminds me, I’m getting you back for the drinks.” He pulls out his phone to send me cash. “They’re on me.”
Uh, fuck. I wish I didn’t mention money. My stomach nosedives. “Don’t worry about it.” I scuff the pavement with my boot.
“You’re grimacing, Fisher.”
And he clearly knows something is up now. Good one, Harriet. I’ve been seriously stalling on addressing this topic, but I just go for it. “I met Gordon.”
“Gordon…” His eyes superglue to me like he’s a frozen search engine. “Gordon Brown?”
“Your estate lawyer, that’s the one.” I snap my fingers into a half-hearted finger-gun.
His chest falls, and he takes off his beanie with a heavy sigh, raking a hand through his hair. “He contacted you?”
“When you were in Alaska,” I nod. “He wanted me to sign some documents.”
“Great, yeah, he wasn’t supposed to do that. Not until January.” He runs another hand into his thick hair. “Why didn’t you say something earlier?”
“I didn’t want to stress you out. Not with you just starting to talk to a new therapist, and I was also kind of half-hoping one of your brothers would tell you because I didn’t know how to start the conversation.”
“They all know?”
“That you left all your money to me, yep. They know.” My bangs catch in my eyelashes from a strong gust of wind. I brush them aside, then tug my earmuffs to my neck. “They honestly didn’t find it as shocking as me. Like it was totally in your nature to go broke for a random girl you barely knew, but I’m not going to lie. It shocked me. And I especially don’t get why you wouldn’t tell me.”
He fists his beanie, his gaze descending on me in a serious sweep. “I set up the trust before I decided to move to New York. I had no idea…” He takes a breath. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, Harriet. When I ran into you at the frat, I didn’t tell you about it then because I planned to leave the city well before January. Which is when you can access the money. I was worried if you knew why I was broke, you’d think I was even more unhinged or you wouldn’t accept it.”
“I don’t accept it.” I tuck hair behind my ear. “I don’t want it. Take it back.”
“I can’t, and it’s yours.”
“Ben,” I growl. “I cannot keep your money. You gave it to me thinking you didn’t need it. Well, now you do.”
“I really don’t. I’m getting a deposit into my trust fund in May.”
My forehead creases in an even deeper scowl “That’s six months from now. You can’t even budget your bartending tips for two weeks.”
He smiles.
“This isn’t funny, dude. You gave me a fortune when you barely even knew me. You’re so lucky you chose me and not someone who’d leech off you like an ugly little parasite. Because as soon as I access the trust, I will be slowly redepositing it into your account.” I’m not sure if I’m even able to do that—it’s not like I’ve ever had a trust before. But it sounds plausible.
Off his grave expression, I’m thinking it might not be.
I add quickly, “You said it’s mine, so I can do what I want with it.”
He cups the back of my head. Strokes my hair. It. Is. My. Weakness. His voice goes soft but deep. “I’d love if you kept it because it’ll be put to better use with you, but you’re right, it’s your choice.”
I bite the corner of my lip. I don’t want to fight him on it. Not today when there’s so many other upheavals in our lives.
Like our living situations.
My entire fucking future.
Throwing money into the mix complicates an already complicated ordeal. I also love our weekend bartending gig at the End of the World, and we just agreed we’d keep working there together. I don’t want that to change, no matter how loaded I am on paper.
“I’ll think about it. And I do want you to know something,” I say into a deep breath. “You can give me the entire rainforest, your entire family, your money, your clothes—but nothing will ever compare to you. Just you, Ben.”
His eyes glass, his jaw clenching as he nods. “I feel the same way about you.” He inhales deeply like I just did. “And I know you don’t need anything but me, but you’re going to have to let me spoil my girlfriend from time to time. It’s in the handbook.”