Page 5

Chapter three

Hazel

One Year Later

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Timothy MacDonald, Carrington Cove’s resident attorney, steps out of the hallway leading to his office and greets me in the reception area.

“Not a problem, Tim.” I stand from my chair, smooth my shirt, swing my bag over my shoulder, and follow him back to his office.

“Today has just been a little crazy, especially without Mabel here.”

Taking a seat across from him at his desk, I put my purse on the floor beside me. “I can imagine. How is she doing? I heard about her knee.”

Timothy settles into his chair, resting his clasped hands on his rounded belly.

“Luckily, the doctor said nothing is broken or torn, but she definitely angered a ligament. The woman decided to run a marathon and ends up hurting herself.” He shakes his head and pats his stomach.

“This is why I don’t exercise—causes more harm than good. ”

I hold back an eye roll. “That’s one way to look at it. ”

“Regardless, I can’t wait for her to return. She keeps this place running.” Timothy leans forward, shuffling papers across his desk. “Well, I would get started, but we need to wait on Gage.”

I glance at my watch, noting that it’s ten minutes past our scheduled appointment time. Grinding my jaw in irritation, I remind myself to relax. I’m here for Diane, not him. “It’s fine. This is the one free day I have this week…but I imagine there’s a timeline for handling these things.”

“Yes, there is. And Diane was insistent about some of them.”

Diane Kingston passed away three weeks ago after her long battle with COPD.

Being with her in her final days brought back painful memories of losing my dad to cancer three years ago, but I’m grateful I had that time with her.

The friendship that woman gave me, the genuine appreciation and love we shared—it’s something I’ll cherish forever.

And her precious nephew she boasted about so often was nowhere to be found in her final days… Which probably explains why I’m this irritated with a man I’ve never even met.

He better have a damn good reason he’s keeping us waiting, especially since I hate leaving Blueberry alone for too long. Diane gave me custody of her dog, so now, on top of whatever Timothy tells me today, I am also a new pet owner. That’s an unexpected transition I’m still trying to navigate.

“I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” Timothy says.

As if on cue, the walls begin to tremble with the rumble of a motorcycle outside. Moments later, the front door chimes, and Timothy glances behind me as I twist to see exactly who I’m dealing with.

And the moment I do, my breath stalls.

Holy shit .

Jet-black hair, piercing green eyes, and tattoos snaking down his arms all the way to his knuckles. The air around him crackles with something electric, something that makes my stomach clench.

Hummingbird Guy.

“Hey, there. Sorry I’m late. Traffic on the beach road was a nightmare,” he says, stepping past me to shake Timothy’s hand across the desk.

“No problem. The traffic always gets crazy in the morning as tourists head toward the beach and everyone else is trying to get to work,” Timothy replies.

Gage takes a seat in the chair beside me as my pulse pounds violently. “I’ll remember that in the future.” He twists to face me, flashing me a lethal grin that shouldn’t affect me the way it does, especially now that I know who he is. “I’m Gage.”

I clear my throat as I debate how to respond. I’m speechless, truly speechless. And that never happens to me. I always have something to say.

“Uh… Hazel.”

He gives me a curt nod and then turns back to Timothy.

Jesus, really? He’s going to act like he doesn’t know me?

And then the realization slams into me.

Oh my God. What if he doesn’t remember me?

Did I dream up our interaction? Or does he go around drawing things on random women so often that we all just blur together?

“Hazel, Gage is Diane’s nephew, which I’m sure you’ve put together by now,” Timothy says, pulling me from my mental spiral.

I manage a dumbfounded nod in response.

“So what did you need to talk to us about?” Gage asks, not even bothering to glance my way.

Great. He’s gorgeous and an asshole.

“I thought everything was taken care of with my aunt’s estate.”

“Most of it was, yes,” Timothy says, opening a file folder and pulling out a few papers. “But there was one other matter she wanted settled that just involves the two of you.”

I shift in my seat, suddenly uneasy. “The two of us?”

Timothy nods. “Yes. As you know, Diane had no children, no spouse, and therefore no legal beneficiaries of her wealth. So, she chose you two.”

I barely have time to process that before he drops the next bombshell. “Diane had amassed a total wealth of 10.2 million dollars.”

My eyes threaten to fall out of my head. “Holy shit.”

Diane was rich?

Beside me, Gage exhales sharply. “Christ. I knew she had money, but I didn’t think we were talking eight figures .”

“Yes, well… She made a good living as an engineer and had stock in a little-known software company back in the ‘90s—before it became one of the biggest names in cybersecurity. She wanted to be sure the people who meant the most to her were taken care of long after she was gone.”

But she lived so simply… The most frivolous thing she ever spent money on was Blueberry’s endless collection of tiny sweaters and superhero capes. Yet, apparently, she was a millionaire?

“There are a few stipulations to the inheritance, of course,” Timothy continues.

“Like what?” Gage asks.

Timothy lets out a heavy sigh. “Let me just say, I was opposed to this idea, but your aunt was insistent.”

“So what’s the catch?” I ask, trying not to sound insensitive as I process this turn of events. “I mean, even if we split it, that’s still life-changing money.” I exhale, shaking my head. “I just can’t believe she included me in this.”

“Oh, that was her intention—for the two of you to split the money, but only after you satisfy a set of conditions.” Timothy shifts through the stack of papers, avoiding our eyes.

Gage folds his arms across his chest. “What kind of conditions?”

I wait on bated breath, wondering what crazy idea this woman could have possibly come up with. I mean, I know Diane was quirky, but what could she possibly have come up with that’s making Timothy look this nervous?

Timothy shakes his head and finally meets our gazes. “In order to inherit the money, the first condition is that you two have to…get married.”

I snap my head toward Gage at the exact moment he looks at me, our wide-eyed shock perfectly mirrored.

I whip back to Timothy. “I’m sorry. Did you say… married ?” My voice comes out strangled, like my brain can’t even process the word.

“To each other ?” Gage asks, his voice dripping with disbelief.

Timothy gives a tight smile, clearly uncomfortable. “That’s what she insisted on.”

Both Gage and I lean back in our chairs defeatedly as time seems to stand still.

Married? To a complete stranger?

No—scratch that. Married to him ? The same guy who once held my wrist like I was something delicate, traced soft lines on my skin, and then disappeared from my life without a second thought?

Gage exhales a harsh laugh and drags a hand down his face. “That’s not an option,” he declares, his voice firm.

Ouch .

I’m no Victoria Secret model, but Jesus, at least pretend to give it some consideration before you straight up reject a girl.

“Yeah, I’m not down for that either,” I say quickly, crossing my arms—not out of indignation, but pure self-preservation. Because, despite the absolute absurdity of this moment, my nipples are still peaking against my bra like they didn’t get the memo that we’re in full crisis mode.

Gage adjusts himself in his chair. “Any alternatives?”

Timothy shakes his head. “No. That was the requirement, and just so you know, she anticipated your reaction.” He fishes out another paper from the file folder, his expression softening. “So, she wrote a letter I’m supposed to read to you.”

The sight of Diane’s familiar handwriting has me fighting back tears.

Timothy clears his throat. “Gage and Hazel. If you’re hearing this, then Timothy has just told you about the inheritance I wish to give you and the stipulation that comes with it.

Please know that I did not make this decision lightly.

Choosing to leave this money to you both was the easy part, but requiring marriage was not.

In fact, I almost reversed my decision. But then I remembered how well I know the two of you.

You’re probably wondering how I could ask you to make this commitment when I was never married myself.

The truth is, I wish I had. I wish I had fought harder for love in my life.

You’ve both sworn off love and vowed to be alone—for your own reasons.

And I’m telling you that I think your reasons are bullshit. ”

Gage lets out a sharp, incredulous laugh, but I remain frozen, eyes locked on Timothy.

“Take it from me—we, as humans, aren’t meant to be alone. We’re meant to have someone to lean on through the good and bad, and that’s what both of you provided to me. Now I’m just asking you to provide that to each other.”

For the first time since Timothy started reading, I feel Gage’s eyes drift in my direction, but I remain focused ahead.

“I’m asking you to give this six months—six months of marriage to see if you might just be perfect for each other.

And if you decide you aren’t, then get a divorce and walk away with a life-changing amount of money.

It’s as simple as that. But I’ve always had a feeling about you two, and if I’m right, then hopefully you’ll change your mind by the end of the six months.

I love you both so much. You’re like the children I never got to have.

I know I’m asking a lot of you, but I’m hoping you’ll entertain my quirkiness one last time and let me watch from the other side. Don’t overthink it. Love, Diane.”