Page 28 of Guy (House of Frazier #4)

Devlin didn’t so much as take a sip of his tea, not wanting to bring attention to himself and the thought of getting wrapped up in their—he thought they were mother and daughter—drama was simply going to ruin his day, and he didn’t want that to happen.

He was here to help a client with the death of her family, and he didn’t even want to do that.

“You said that I could help you.” The daughter, he could see the resemblance now, said she’d not said that and that she didn’t want or need her help; it was all arranged.

“You’re just wanting to make sure you’re in the will.

I know how you are. You’re nothing but selfish, Sen, nothing but a selfish daughter who never looks out for her mother. ”

“If that were true, then how do you suppose I made sure that you had a winter coat for this trip here? Or the boots you have on? Not to mention the handbag that you just had to have right now when things are tight for me.” Her mother waved her off, and that seemed to piss the girl off again.

“Mom, I have this. There isn’t any need for you to help when Uncle Robert had everything planned out to the minute.

They’ll have calling hours, then that will be it until the burial.

After that, that’s when the will needs to be read. ”

“Then why do you need an attorney?” She said that the other office, the one reading the will, said she should bring one. “Well, I want one too. Or better yet, we’ll share yours. That way, I don’t have to have you find me one when the reading is in four days.”

“You get your own. He told me that I would need one, not that we should share one. If you think you need someone to go with you, then I suggest that over the next few days, you find someone. I’m washing my hands of you.

” She asked her daughter what that meant.

“It means I’m not sharing my attorney, nor am I getting you one.

If you need one, which I have no reason to believe you do since you weren’t told to get one, then I’m finished with this conversation. ”

“Selfish. That’s what you are is selfish.

I didn’t raise you to be this way.” She pointed out that she was raised by nannies and not by her in the first place.

“Yes, and look what that got me. A selfish daughter who never learned how to share. I shouldn’t have allowed my brother to but in when you were little. I should have raised you myself.”

“I think I’m well adjusted for someone who had a mother like you.” That seemed to be true, he thought, since the older woman didn’t understand shit. “Now hush. I’m supposed to be meeting Mr. Fraizer here any moment.”

“I’m here.” She smiled at him, but he could tell that she was embarrassed.

And he was as well. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, but you were too into it before you came in here.

” He stood up and towered over both women and felt good when the older woman backed up.

He didn’t use his height for intimidation often, but today it felt justified.

“I believe that our table is ready, Ms. Ranger.”

It was only a two-top and no room for the other woman.

But she pulled a chair from another table and tried her best to shove her way into it.

The manager of the restaurant had to be called, and they were put at a four-top with a lot of room for him to spread out.

Devlin wasn’t going to deal with the mother and her temper tantrum.

He let Ms. Ranger deal with her mom. She seemed to be good at it.

After going over the menu, he decided on a nice salad.

He didn’t want to eat anything like a burger, where he might get something on his tie or suit.

Instead of having iced tea, however, he did have some soda.

It was something that he rarely treated himself to, and today seemed like a good day to have some.

“Is it all right with you if we don’t discuss the will reading until after we eat?

I’m fearful of getting indigestion, and I think my mom will get bored if we put it off and leave.

” She looked pointedly at her mom. “I don’t know why you have to barge into this with me.

You didn’t even care for your brother, and you certainly had no love for his wife.

Why do you care anyway what the will says?

It’s doubtful that he had much for anyone to leave behind.

He was a great man, and I love my aunt, but rich they were not. ”

“I was told I was left something and I’m going to be there to get it.” Ms. Ranger said to suit herself, and after ordering, he could tell that the mother was getting bored with the light conversation that the two of them were having. “What kind of attorney are you anyway?”

“I work for my family for the most part. And Judge Rainer asked me to go over this with Sen so that she wasn’t caught unaware.

” She asked what that meant. “I’m not sure.

He just asked if I’d do him a favor and sit with his favorite clerk, and I said I’d do it.

Usually, I just read over contracts and the likes for my family, as I said. ”

“So you’re not much of an attorney then.

” He let her ramble on about his lack of skills until his lunch was brought.

He noticed that she’d ordered a salad too, but it was the kind that had all kinds of add-ons with it, like chicken and cheese.

His opinion was that if you wanted a salad, why mess it up with all kinds of extras and not just eat the greens?

But it wasn’t up to him today, so he kept his mouth shut.

“I don’t know why you came here; they never have the dressing that I like.

Why don’t they carry the house dressing at the pizza place that I like?

That would be good if all restaurants carried the same dressing, don’t you think? ”

“I think it would no longer be the house dressing if everyone carried it, Mom. Just eat what you want and be done with it.” They talked about the weather and how it was a lovely, almost spring-like day.

He was telling them about how his brother and his wife were remodeling their home when Mrs. Ranger got bored and tried to liven up the conversation by talking about how her brother had done her dirty on more than one occasion.

Neither he nor the younger woman commented, but let her ramble on about things that seemed to him would be better held in a private setting. She really didn’t care for her brother.

Just as Sen, as he’d been asked to call her, said, her mother was bored and decided that she was going to go shopping.

When she asked Sen for her credit card, he thought that they were going to get into another fight, but Sen held her ground, and her mother huffed off with her new handbag at her side and nothing more.

After their plates were cleared away, he got down to business. He didn’t mind waiting until they were finished; in fact, he did the same thing with his family, eating first, then talking about things afterwards. He didn’t feel rushed and put out either. It was a nice feeling.

“Did Judge Rainer give you any indication as to why I’d need an attorney?

I mean, as much as I’m pissed at my mother, he didn’t tell her to bring one with her.

” Instead of answering, he asked her how much she knew about her uncle and aunt.

“They were very good people. They paid for me to go to private school. But when I was little, they paid for a nanny too. Said my mom was too busy with her projects to raise me properly. I never knew what projects they were talking about, but I didn’t care.

I had a wonderful childhood because of them. ”

“Could there have been a great deal of money?” She told him that they lived in a little two-bedroom home that was forever being repaired.

When asked why they didn’t move, she didn’t know an answer.

“He didn’t give me any indication as to why he thought you’d need an attorney with you, but I don’t mind going with you.

I like Judge Rainer and always have. He’s been a good mentor to me since I was in one of his classes in college. ”

“He said that he’d rather I was prepared than not.

I have no idea why he’d think I need that.

Unless it was to hold me up when I get sick of my mom.

She can be a handful when she gets something in her head.

” He didn’t say anything, but he believed her.

“What will you do for me if there is something like a lot of money? I can’t imagine that the house is worth all that much.

I’ve not been to it in a few years. For all I know, they might well have gotten it looking really nice and are leaving it to me.

That would be great. I hate living in an apartment. ”

“If there is a great deal of money or even a little, I can advise you on how you should spend it and see if there are any estates that go with it. There could be another house or something along those lines.” He thought of something else.

“As you said, he could have left you the house, and that would take some attorney work to get it in your name and the deeds as well. It sounds like, from what you’re saying, that even if the estate is small, you’ll need guidance on what to do to make it your own.

What will your mother have to say if you get the house? Will she be upset?”