Page 7

CHAPTER

SEVEN

Fable

My whole body is prickly, my heart is pounding like mad in my chest, and I feel like I am in the middle of a takeoff, ready for my triple axel and not knowing if I’ll land it with ease and confidence or by the grace of God.

Or if I’ll fall flat on my ass.

Every single part of me is vibrating.

I have the urge to run to my room, call my therapist, and tell her I felt something.

One touch.

His eyes.

His little smirk.

All that, and I felt the gush of wetness.

My clit tingles.

Holy shit, what does this mean?

Did I imagine how I felt back then, or is this just a one-off? No one really touches me now, but he didn’t hesitate. That’s not true, though, because when Chad kissed me the other day, I didn’t get aroused; I wanted to wash off his kiss. It’s always been different with Jett, though. We had a connection, but I chalked it up to us skating together. However, it’s been twenty years, and he only had to hold my hips for me to feel that connection once again.

What does that even mean?

I’m so caught up in my thoughts, I don’t know what’s going on when my name is called.

I look up to Jami, our family lawyer, who is holding out a letter to me. Confused, I glance around the room, where my family and Jett are seated. Mom and Dad are on the love seat to the left, Dad holding Mom’s hand, matching looks of annoyance on their faces. It’s normal for them to look like that when I’m in the room. I ignore them before I glance at Kitty where she sits in a black wingback chair like the one I’m sitting in, her legs crossed, her eyes on me expectantly. She looks so damn sad, and it shatters my heart. Then I settle my eyes on Jett. He’s sitting with one ankle on his knee, his suit pants tight along his thighs, pulling up a bit to show off his green socks that have little hockey sticks all over them. His jacket is unbuttoned, strained along his shoulders and his tie looks as if it’s strangling his neck. He’s so much bigger than I remember. He’s always been tall, but now, he’s all rugged and thick.

Well, there goes my clit throbbing again.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I tear my gaze from his dark-brown eyes to look back at Jami. She’s still holding the letter out to me, waiting not so patiently before I finally get up and take it from her. The moment my eyes fall on the handwriting, my chest aches. It’s just my name, but it’s in my grandpa’s handwriting.

“This one is for you, Jett.”

She holds an envelope out to Jett, and unlike how I took forever to get mine, he’s out of his seat to grab it. She has one for Kitty and then my dad. “He asks that you all wait until you’re alone to read the letters.”

I cross my legs as I run my fingers along the messy handwriting of my name. I’m unsure what his words will say, but I know they’ll be tough to read. I almost don’t want to read them. Maybe if I don’t, none of this will be real. I swallow past the lump in my throat as Jami starts to go over the assets that are left to Kitty, and then what my dad and mom will take over in Grandpa’s place. When I hear the amount of money he left me, I feel nothing. He always threw money at me, so I’m not surprised.

But Jami isn’t done.

“There are stipulations to the inheritance, Fable.”

I don’t want the money, honestly, but in reality, I could use it to open my own rink. To start my own legacy. I always thought the Ice Thistle would be mine. Given that Jett is here, though, and after what my mom said, I assume it’s being left to him. It’s fair; he’s been here when I haven’t. I want him to have it. He’s worked for it, and I haven’t. Plus, it’s in the place my mom is, so I’ll open my own in Canada.

“This includes you, Mr. Cook.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Jett sit up straighter, his brows drawing in. He runs his fingers over the neatly groomed hair along his jaw and asks, “How so?”

Jami looks very uncomfortable as she opens the file and exhales. “For Fable to get her inheritance, she has to stay in Thistlebrook for a year and help run the Ice Thistle alongside Jett Cook.”

She’s met with silence that I guess she assumes means she should continue.

“Ms. Winthrop will own half of the Ice Thistle for a year and help grow the skating department. She will work alongside Mr. Cook to make the Ice Thistle bigger and better than ever. After the year is up, Mr. Cook will take over one hundred percent of the Ice Thistle, and Ms. Winthrop will be given her inheritance.”

I’m stunned, and when I glance around the room, Kitty and my parents look the same.

But Jett… Well, he’s livid.

“Those are not the terms that we agreed on, Phillip and I,” he seethes, his whole body shaking with anger. “I was told I would take over. That it would be mine.” He looks back at my father. “I was promised that.”

Dad throws up his hands, and I’m totally confused by the exchange. I look back to Jami as she swallows, her face tighter than any amount of Botox could provide. “He changed this a little over six months ago, and the letters he has written to you contain his reasoning.”

Jett just blinks. “I don’t give a fuck what the letter says. The Ice Thistle is mine! I’ve run it alongside him for fifteen years. Kitty!”

Kitty looks stricken as she holds out her hands. “Jett, I don’t know what is happening. That’s not what he told me he planned to do.”

Jett comes out of his seat. “She doesn’t even live here!”

He’s not wrong, and the hurt look on his face leaves me breathless. “It’s fine. I don’t want the money. The Ice Thistle is Jett’s.”

Jami winces, looking down at the file in front of her, as Dad says, “Now, Fable. Let’s not be hasty. You can do a lot for our town, for our program.”

“I don’t live here. I don’t want to be here.”

I notice Kitty wiping away tears as Jett says, “I don’t want you to be out the money.”

Before I can answer, though, Jami’s voice fills the space between us. “If the terms are not met, not only does Ms. Winthrop forfeit her inheritance, but the Ice Thistle will be awarded to Richie Winthrop.”

In the moment before a tornado hits, everything goes quiet.

That’s how quiet it is in my grandfather’s study as Jami’s words settle like a bomb in the room. I’m breathless, my heart pounding so loudly, and blood rushes to my ears. I look over at Kitty, an expression of utter shock and confusion all over her beautiful face. She glances at me, and all I can do is stare at her. How could Phillip do this?

He’s forcing me to stay here and run the rink. And if I don’t, not only do I lose my money, but Jett loses something that is obviously important to him. I know he sees this as his chance to be more than what his name identifies him as. He’s always wished his mom didn’t keep her maiden name, that he had been given his father’s last name, because then he would have had a chance to be someone different. The Cook family is known for their struggles, money-wise, and living on the other side of the tracks. I know they’re good people, but a lot of the upper class of Thistlebrook looks down on them. Especially my parents.

None of this makes sense, and when I look over at the tornado also known as Jett Cook, he roars, “Over my dead fucking body!”

Dad preens. “I love the sound of that.”

Jett’s glare has my dad cowering as Kitty says, “No, that won’t happen. I know Phillip wanted Jett to have the Ice Thistle. This has to be a mistake.”

Jami shakes her head. “I’m sorry, but it’s not. He was of sound mind and told me this is for the best.” She turns her gaze on Jett. “I fought him for you because I know Ms. Winthrop doesn’t live here, nor does she want to be here, but he said he had to do it this way to make sure Kitty was taken care of.”

Her words hit me in the gut, and one look at Jett lets me know he feels the same. Grandpa’s love for my grandma knew no bounds. He didn’t care who he inconvenienced as long as Kitty was taken care of. Tears blur my vision as I look down at the letter in my hand, and I wonder what it says. I wonder if he’ll explain it all. But really, what can he say? I know why he did this. For Kitty—and I can’t fault him for it.

But can I move to Thistlebrook for a year?

Going against my grandpa’s wishes, I tear open the letter, and his handwriting has fresh tears streaming down my face when I spot the nickname he had for me. He didn’t call me snowflake often, but when he did, it was during times when he was truly proud.

“Fable, darling, you are supposed to read it on your own,” Kitty chides, but I ignore her, focusing on his words.

Snowflake,

I know that while I never showed you how much I loved you, I did. So much. You are Kitty 2.0, and watching you grow, skate, and live is an honor I will always hold close to my heart. I know you are probably upset with me, wondering how I could ever make you stay somewhere you don’t want to be. I am truly sorry, but I need you to be there for Kitty. She will struggle, and she needs you. You’ve always been her sunshine, and I need you to help her heal. I hate to hold money over your head or even hold back Jett getting the Thistle, but you have to understand, I love your grandmother, and I need to know she’ll be okay.

I know you; I know your heart. You won’t leave Kitty behind, and you definitely won’t take Jett’s dream from him. Ever since he came back to Thistlebrook, he has been my right-hand man. The Ice Thistle wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for him. I need you to grow it and make it even bigger for him. Do what you did at other rinks and make our skating program a contender with those around the States. I want him to have everything he ever wanted, but he needs you to do it. I believe in you. Don’t ever forget how much I love you, my snowflake.

Don’t let the storm get you.

Feel, my girl.

And shine.

Grandpa

I cover my mouth to keep in the sob as I lean over, hugging my knees with my arms. I feel a hand along my back, and then I hear Kitty’s sweet voice. “It’s okay, darling. I’m here.”

Aren’t I supposed to be saying that to her? I draw in a deep breath before I sit up, meeting her moss-green eyes that are swimming in tears. She cups my face, rubbing my cheek with love in her gaze. With her voice low, she says, “You do what’s best for you.”

Another sob breaks free as I shake my head. She always did what was best for me, and Grandpa for her.

It’s my job to do the same.

I lean over to look at Jett, who is still fuming, his hands shaking along his tree-trunk thighs. “Looks like the team is back together.”

I wait for him to smile, to agree, but Jett does neither.

Instead, he stands and storms out of the room.