My hands are shaking by the time I walk out the front door.
Trusting my cousin to take care of anything was a bad call on my part, but I didn’t want to return to Telluride. By the time I was notified of Big Daddy’s stroke, he’d already been transported to Mercy Medical in Durango. All conversations with my cousin, Naomi, after he suggested selling the house to her were over the phone.
When Big Daddy left the hospital, he came straight to Farmington. Neither of us have been back.
It’s been a little over a year, and I mistakenly assumed it was all taken care of. I should’ve known better than to trust her at her word. It didn’t mean shit before, and it’s clear nothing has changed.
“What’s wrong?” Faith asks the second I drop into the driver’s seat.
I knew I wouldn’t have a chance of getting out of this conversation, but it’s also never been easy for me to admit when I make mistakes.
“I have to go to Telluride,” I mutter as I crank up the heat in the car, placing the tips of my frozen fingers on the vent. “Naomi never put the house in her name.”
“So there are taxes owed, or did she take care of that as well?”
“Fuck,” I mutter. “The hits keep coming.”
I didn’t even consider the damn taxes on the place. For all I know, the damn place is already in foreclosure. I feel damn near hostile when I realize there’s a very good chance Big Daddy has his tax payments somehow already tied to his bank account, and those charges have been deducted. Leave it to Naomi to screw over her own grandfather.
“Are you mad because it hasn’t been taken care of or is it the thought of going back home?”
“Farmington is my home,” I snap, feeling instant regret. This isn’t Faith’s fault. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Her warm hand once again presses against my arm.
I feel like I’m going to shatter. “There’s a lot of drug history in my family. I stayed away from it for the most part, but Naomi has really bad taste in men.”
“If you’re concerned for your safety, I’ll go with you.”
I immediately shake my head, shame washing over me. I’ve done well for myself in Farmington. Not so well that I can manage to pay for Big Daddy’s care without the help of Medicare, but I’m leagues away from where I grew up.
I was well taken care of, but calling my grandfather’s land valuable is an understatement. His home is small and old, and as much has he did his best to take care of the property, it had a way of getting away from him.
I can’t imagine what the house would look like these days after a year of Naomi and whatever flavor of the month she has shacking up with her.
“Legend will never allow it if he thinks there’s a risk of danger, but I’d be really appreciative if you come see Big Daddy every day that I’m gone.”
“I was going to be here anyway,” she says quickly.
“I’ll be fine.”
“If it’s not safe—”
“I’ll be fine,” I repeat, pulling my hands from in front of the vents and putting the car in reverse.
“I can’t practice law out of state, but I can contact a friend in Colorado that can help draw up papers for the sale of the house. You have power of attorney, right?”
“That would be helpful. Yes, I do have power of attorney.”
Now all I have to do is go kick a family member I’ve never really claimed out of the house she’s been living in for the last year.
Fun fucking times.
Chapter 6
Spade
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Legend grumbles, his fork suspended over the top of his plate of food.