Lena sat back against her chair. “There’s only one place Van believes men should be in control.”
I lifted my coffee cup to my lips, completely at a loss for how to respond.
Her comment did give me food for thought.
Van liked control in the bedroom. In my short exposure, I sensed nothing submissive in Lena Montgomery. I would imagine that control was one of the reasons sex wasn’t their thing. It was probably a constant battle for supremacy.
“I’m not sexist. Lena,” Van said, “would you be my best man?”
“I don’t think I should interrupt your plans.”
“After all the bitching you’ve done,” he said. “Julia and I didn’t talk about this prior to this moment. I had no idea she’d ask you. Now that she has…” He reached out and covered my hand with his, and I basked in his adoring gaze. “Maybe this was why we’ve postponed.”
“Well, there was the minor incident with you being shot,” I said.
“Remember, Officer Lawson is coming tomorrow.”
“At nine with Oscar.”
“I’ll call Judge Nichols and ask him to come in the afternoon. Here?”
Here.
We’d marry in the living room. Giving up my dream of a wedding in the cabin wasn’t as important as my dream of being Van’s wife.
I nodded. “Here.”
“Julia,” Lena said, “if you truly won’t mind, I’d be honored to be present when someone finally snags Van. Did you know at one time he was listed as one of the most eligible bachelors?”
Grinning, I nodded. “I saw the article.” I peered at the dishes on the table and counter. “If you two need to discuss Sherman and Madison, go ahead. I’ll clean up in here. And once you’re done, I’d like to know what there is to know about Wade.” I looked down. “I’ve been negligent the last few weeks.”
“You and Van have been justifiably distracted.”
We were distracted earlier today in Van’s office. That thought brought a grin to my lips and a familiar twisting in my core.
Lena spoke, “The suit contesting the will is keeping your family stock from being sold. “It is also causing questions about Wade’s ability to continue. The perceived value has dropped.”
“How much?” I asked.
“Enough to make some investors concerned. There’s concern that the value will plummet.”
“I don’t know,” I said, “who would claim fraud regarding the will. I mean, who would benefit if my parents didn’t receive their inheritance?”
Lena set her coffee cup down as her chocolate eyes looked my way. “You.”
Van
Iclosed the door to my office as Lena walked to the long table and opened her leather satchel. Before she had her laptop out, I walked to the highboy and poured us each a double bourbon—neat. “This one is for you,” I said as I set the tumbler down on the table.
“You might need another.”
“I didn’t want to worry Julia until I could explain. Where the fuck are my shares of Wade?”
“You didn’t sell all of them, only ten percent.”
Taking a seat, I closed my eyes as my nostrils flared. “To who? Who bought them?”
“Well, me, of course.”