Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Wyland shook his head. “You can’t be spending insurance money we don’t have. Plus, once we have the money, we need to rebuild.”
Sheldon rolled his eyes. “Why? We have enough storage area on the bottom floor. It’s a basement we don’t use. Amka? What do you think about you taking over that land? We can use our part of the insurance for something else.”
“If we get insurance,” Wyland said, wearing his going out clothes of a nice red flannel and brown slacks. “Sometimes when there’s arson, the insurance people don’t pay out.”
Sheldon sucked in air. “None of us set the fire or the explosion, so the insurance company has to give us the money.” His eyes gleamed. “I’m tired of working for scraps, and we both need a vacation somewhere warm.”
Wyland frowned. “Warm? It’s spring and will soon be summer. I ain’t going anywhere, and neither are you.”
Sheldon winked at Amka. “You could use a fun vacation. Amka, how about you ditch your fiancé and date me?”
Amka’s jaw nearly dropped open. Sheldon had asked her out quite a few times the last couple of years, but as soon as she’d become engaged to Jarod, he’d stopped. This was new. “Um, that’s a kind offer, but I don’t think so. Thanks, though.”
“Any time,” Sheldon murmured quietly.
That was odd, but Amka had enough to worry about. She walked to the other end of the bar, where Daisy was wiping down an area where one of the social media influencers had spilled a margarita. “Daisy? I need to make an appointment. With you as a lawyer.”
Daisy’s green eyes lit. “Really? Awesome. You’re my first client. Do you mind if I take over that dark corner with the one table? It’s away from the bar, pool tables, and dart boards.”
Amka craned her neck to see that far corner, where she tried to keep a candle to make the dark space appear romantic. “Sure. In fact, there’s an entire wall behind that main chair.” She’d always meant to put a light or poster on that wall since it was far from the windows but had never found the time. “You can hang your shingle there. What is a shingle, anyway?”
Daisy snorted and shut the dishwasher door. “I’m pretty sure that means your diploma, or maybe your acceptance from the state bar, but I’m not totally sure. Is it really okay for me to take over that corner?”
“Sure.” The last time someone had commandeered that corner table as their own, Bussy Mosten and Bert Knob had been having an affair. Of course, they had both been widowed and were in their nineties, but still, they considered it an affair. Amka hadn’t wanted to know anything more than that. She looked around the mostly vacant tavern. “I’m available now.”
Daisy hopped once. “This is so exciting.” She removed her apron and placed the logo covered material on the bar. Amka had been proud to start selling Sam’s Tavern shirts and hats just a year before. Daisy plucked a high-end looking briefcase from beneath the counter. “Ms. Amaruq, please follow me to my office.”
Amusement and a hint of hope flowed through Amka as she followed, not hiding her chuckle. Who knew? Maybe this would be the perfect place for Daisy to practice law. Of course, they could always build a room or office where the storage building had burned down. She took a seat across from Daisy, who all of a sudden wore a serious expression. “What now?”
Daisy pulled out a yellow legal notebook and a pen. “So, I’m assuming this has to do with the destroyed storage building?”
Amka paused. “No.” She glanced around to verify that nobody was paying them any attention. “I need a will.”
Daisy’s eyes lit. “Cool. Excellent. I love drafting wills.” She started scratching notes on the pad. “What are your assets?”
Amka could answer that easily. “The bar, my house, the Jeep, and my snowmobile.”
Daisy kept writing. “Anything else? Jewelry, family heirlooms, weapons?”
Amka kicked out her legs. It had been a long day, and her calves were protesting. “Just two shotguns and a nine millimeter. No jewelry or heirlooms.” She hadn’t known her father, and her mother hadn’t had time for baubles.
“All right.” Daisy looked up and smiled. “I assume you want to leave everything to Jarod?”
Amka’s stomach ached. “No. I, ah, want to leave Sam’s Tavern to you and Rudolph with equal shares. You get my snowmobile and handgun, and Rudolph gets my shotguns. As for the cabin and my Jeep, I’d like to leave them to Christian Osprey.”
Daisy sat back, blinking once. Then twice. “Um—”
“He needs a place to live, and both you and Rudolph have nice places.” Heat filled Amka’s cheeks. She and Christian weren’t close, had never been, but she wanted him to have a home of his own. Why not take hers? “Nobody else in my life needs a place to live.”