Flynn's In (Lexi Frost Series) (2 page)

“Fine. Why?
” Flynn was rapidly becoming a bundle of raw nerves. Paul was so calm about dying. He was planning everything, giving the woman he fought so hard for to another — him. Flynn couldn’t do what he was doing. A sickening realization burrowed through Flynn: the best man
did
win Teri. And she was losing him. How could he fill those shoes?

“I expect trouble and I want her to have as many people there to support her as I can.
”

“What kind of trouble?
”

“My wife and children will be taken care of
, Flynn, but they won’t be happy with my division of assets.”

“Paul
, it’s only fair to give Flynn a brief explanation about your wife,” Tim said. Paul looked at him, then nodded and turned back to Flynn.

“My marriage failed due to mistakes we both made. One point that hopefully won
’t come up is that none of my three children are actually mine. They’re adults now and I don’t know if they suspect anything. I raised them so I’ll always think of them as my children. It might be a shock to them if they don’t know.

“Sara is bitter and refused to grant me a divorce at any
price. She’s holding the children’s paternity over me, threatening to ruin the lives of three other families if I sue for a divorce. Teri met her and decided she’d rather live with me in sin than let Sara get her way.”

“Does your wife know?
”

“Yes. Knowing about Teri isn
’t the problem. It’s that if she’d given me a divorce, Sara would have gotten quite a bit of money. I’m not feeling quite so generous in my impending death. I’m also treating Dev and Cassie as my own children, they’re inheriting equally. In addition, I’m leaving a little to Tiffany, Jess, Kenny, and Bryan. They’re at the house enough they’re almost like Teri’s children too.”

“And you enjoy the
idea of how Sara’s going to react to the point you’re making,” Tim said quietly.

“I
’ve waited a long time to make this point. It’ll make things uncomfortable though. I’m doing everything I can to take the heat off Teri.”

Paul paused. Flynn stared out the window at the clouds drifting by over Tim
’s shoulder. Paul’s eyes weighed on him.

“It
’s a lot to think about.” The slight change in Paul’s tone startled Flynn and he looked at the man beside him. He saw Paul in a new light now. He wasn’t the opponent he lost the prize to, now he was a comrade who needed his help in the final fight.

“Yes
, it is. I’ll do what I can for her. Even if things don’t work out between us, I’ll do what I can,” Flynn answered sincerely, looking Paul in the eye for the first time since they sat down.

“Thank you
,” Paul whispered. “That’s all I can ask.”

Chapter Two

Kyle Mercer sat quietly behind his desk and waited as people arrived for the reading of Paul Lovett’s will. He knew what was in it, of course, and tried to dissuade Paul for Teri’s sake if no one else’s. Paul was not to be deterred, so Kyle did everything in his power to make it incontestable. He even took it to another senior partner to look over. When he couldn’t find any loopholes, Kyle took it to an ambitious junior attorney with a habit of playing dirty. It was solid.

After the division of assets was handled and the wording of the reading finalized
, Paul and Kyle went about arranging moral support. Kyle had specific instructions and allowances to disclose some terms of the will prior to the official reading. Paul’s former mistress, Kayley, was aware of how everything would play out and agreed to be supportive of Teri. That Kayley and Teri were friends was a surprise and a relief when Kyle approached her.

Kyle met with Flynn Peterson as well and was satisfied he knew his part in the little drama that was about to unfold. Paul hinted at an additional informal agreement with Flynn
, and Tim confirmed it yesterday. It didn’t impact Kyle’s part so he didn’t pry, but found it interesting the lengths Paul went to in order to make everything go smoothly. Where it was supposed to anyway.

He stood as Sara Lovett arrived
, her blond hair pulled back into an elegant twist and wearing the traditional black of a widow. Blaine, Olivia and Chad followed her into the room. Walking around the desk, Kyle shook their hands in turn and gestured where they were to sit.

“Paul was specific
,” Kyle answered her questioning gaze, and Sara sat in her assigned chair without a fuss. Following their mother’s cue, her children took the seats Kyle indicated as well.

Kyle
’s office was large as befitted a senior partner. The wall behind his desk was made entirely of glass, and he had rich mahogany paneling and bookshelves covering the remainder of the room. Normally there were four comfortable overstuffed chairs in the room but they traded them for fourteen matching chairs from the conference rooms, making it cozy even for his spacious office. Three chairs were positioned in front of Kyle’s desk, Sara would be on the left as he read the will, with Teri on the right and Kayley in the middle as a buffer.

Sara
’s children were to her right, and Teri would have her two children to her left. To that point everything was fairly normal. Flynn’s placement beside Dev to Teri’s far left was a breach of etiquette, but Paul wouldn’t budge on it when Kyle tried to talk him out of it.

Behind the women would be Teri
’s friend and sometimes photography assistant, Nicholas Daley, with the other four teens Teri considered to be practically her own. Kyle knew that they were at Teri’s house more often than not, but still disliked Paul’s decision to use them this way. Not that they or their parents would complain.

Also unusual was Tim
’s location to Kyle’s right. Tim was actually inheriting, although he seemed somewhat surprised when Kyle told him earlier. His presence today was not so much as a recipient as an enforcer. Paul expected trouble. Kyle hoped he was watching this from wherever he was. Someone should enjoy today’s proceedings.

Kyle sat on the edge of his desk and waited. Flynn arrived next and Olivia stood in surprise as he walked in. Kyle indicated his seat and Flynn sat with only a small nod to Olivia. Sara pulled Olivia back into her seat with a frown and turned her attention to Kyle. He was expecting this
, so he intentionally wasn’t looking at her to discourage her inevitable questioning stare.

Kayley came in next. Her arrival was planned to be after Sara and before Teri and she was simply waiting in another office for her cue. She knew where she was sitting
, but allowed Kyle to show her to her chair nonetheless. He was grateful she was willing to play along and briefly reconsidered his previous assessment of her. Kyle didn’t like Kayley when she was Paul’s mistress, but when he spoke to her the day before yesterday, he got the impression that she was happy for Paul. There wasn’t any bitterness that she’d been replaced even before Kyle told her how well Paul provided for her in his will. He suspected she already knew Paul would take good care of her because she was only slightly surprised.

Kayley
’s willingness to play her part extended to her wardrobe, Kyle saw. Leaving her golden hair down in luscious curls, Kayley wore black as well, but much less conservatively than Sara did. Sara was a handsome woman and held herself well, Kayley was simply gorgeous. The kind of face and figure that gave other women a hit to their own self esteem, and she was aiming for Sara.

Sara shifted slightly in her chair to put her back to Kayley as the model took her place. Kayley mirrored the action and gave Kyle a slight smile and playful wink. Kyle fought back a smile of his own. Let the games begin.

Turning his attention to the door, he took a breath as Tim arrived with Teri, Nicholas, and the kids. Like Kayley, Tim arrived earlier and kept Teri’s group in another office until it was time. Paul did what he could in his instructions to make this go easier on Teri, and Tim was determined to insulate her from Sara’s hostility as much as possible.

Tim already knew the seating arrangement and directed Nicholas and the kids as he passed Teri off to Kyle. Teri gave Flynn a curious look but didn
’t say anything. Dev and Cassie hadn’t met Flynn and Kyle noted a mix of awe and confusion in their faces as Tim sat them beside him.

Kayley reached out and gave Teri
’s hand a squeeze as she sat, almost sending Teri into tears. A slight nod from Kayley drew Teri’s attention to Sara on her other side. Unlike Sara and Kayley, Teri wore a simple, unassuming suit. Sara looked at her, a smug expression on her cold face, and Teri seemed to draw on some reserve of strength as she straightened herself in her chair.

Kyle returned to his seat behind his desk
, but waited to sit until Tim closed the door and found his place beside him. Kyle suspected Tim sat only so his presence would be more noticeable when he stood again later.

“Ladies and Gentlemen
, now that you’re all here, I will commence with the official reading of the Last Will and Testament of Paul Andrew Lovett.” Kyle proceeded with the usual preamble from memory as he gauged the reaction of the people in front of him.

Cassie cried and
, being one of the youngest women in the room, he expected that. Kayley and Teri were struggling to hold it together, again he expected it. Sarah and her brood held polite, emotionless expressions. He’d hoped for something from Olivia, although Paul assured him his children truly despised him by now, but her face was as stony as her mother’s.

Teri
’s son looked disturbed. Dev clenched his teeth, his hands in tight fists, and stared out the window behind Tim with grim determination. Paul mentioned he and Dev didn’t hit it off. He expressed concern about how the fifteen year old would handle the proceedings.

Beside
Dev, Flynn Peterson quietly looked over the room as well. Kyle suspected Tim was doing the same. Nicholas Daley and Teri’s unofficial children displayed varying degrees of grief. Nicholas had an arm around Tiffany, who sniffled and fought back tears. Kenny looked miserable and sat quietly between Jess and Bryan, who looked unhappy and uncomfortable. Kyle only met Teri’s kids and their friends once, but he felt better about the will when he saw they cared more about Paul’s passing than his own children did.

“And now I will disclose the division of assets. At the time Paul Lovett passed
, his estimated worth, including stocks physical assets, totaled four hundred and thirty eight million dollars.”

Sara shifted slightly in her seat and Kyle
’s eyes flickered to her briefly.

“Two hundred and sixty million of that amount will be dispensed to various trusts and organizations which will be made available to you upon request but I will not list at this time
, with two exceptions. A specific trust will be administered by Flynn Peterson and will be used for the development of the music group known as A Thousand Words.”

Kyle permitted himself a small smile as the boys started whispering among themselves. Nicholas got them settled and he continued.

“Mr. Peterson and Mr. Lovett spoke regarding this arrangement already and Mr. Peterson is awarded two million dollars for his service. It was Mr. Lovett’s desire to prepare the group and produce their first album.” Kyle paused again as Nicholas quieted the low murmurs at the back of the room. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to Flynn.

“Mr. Peterson
, you already know what’s in there. Considering the distraction, would you mind if I let you give the boys the details later?”

“Of course
,” Flynn nodded.

“Stay put if you will
,” Kyle reminded him and turned back to the will.

“The other trust is for Lexi Frost
,” Kyle wasn’t disappointed as Sara turned and looked around the room. “She’s a photographer, Sara. Kayley met her and Mr. Daley is here as her representative. Teri knows who she is.” He let Sara settle down before continuing. Kyle specifically failed to mention Lexi Frost was Teri’s pseudonym for her work — erotic photography. Paul was adamant that information not be disclosed publicly.

“To Lexi Frost
, Paul left the deed to a small cottage in Vermont, estimated value of just under one million, and —”

“To a photographer?
” Sara interrupted.

“He was very impressed with her. I mean her work
,” Kayley told her helpfully. “She took pictures of me. I could show you sometime.”

“So he slept with her
,” Sara replied with a small sneer.

“Yes.
” Kayley turned her back to Sara and winked to Teri. Teri took Kayley’s hand as Kyle cleared his throat to continue.

“And a trust to be administered by Nicholas Daley. He sincerely hopes she will continue her original hobby and interest even if she chooses to retire. Nicholas Daley will receive a sum of two million to administer the trust.
”

“Now for the children. To Blaine
, Olivia, and Chad Lovett; I leave a sum of five million each. To Cassandra and Devin Giles I also leave five million each.”

“What? They aren
’t even his kids!” Sara stood in outrage.

Kyle sighed. “I had hoped you would let that slide. Sit down
, Sara. Paul has an addendum that I am to read in this eventuality.”

He flipped to another page. Tim stood and Sara took her seat in response. Paul knew she
’d say that, and in truth he did too, but he still hoped she wouldn’t make him go down this path.

“This is a message to
Blaine, Olivia, and Chad. I regret that we weren’t close in my final days as I’d always hoped that as you matured you would start to see something of the truth behind the relationship between me and your mother.”

“You can
’t,” Sara whispered.

“I don
’t have a choice, Sara. It’s not as bad as it could be,” Kyle assured her before continuing. “It was the desire to open your eyes that compelled me to pay your allowances personally. I knew you were unhappy with the arrangement, but I hoped in time you would understand.

“The difficulties between Sara and I aren
’t important and had nothing to do with you. I did remain married to her because of the three of you. I tried to divorce your mother several times, offering her more than generous terms, but she refused. I would have sued for divorce, however, before I proceeded, your paternity was officially brought to my attention.

“While I knew most of your lives that I was not your biological father
, I loved you and allowed Sara to continue the masquerade to protect you. If I divorced Sara, she vowed to make this information public. While I wasn’t concerned about the impact on me, it would have destroyed the careers of the three men who did father you, and the impact on each of you could have been devastating. You’re adults now and capable of understanding these things. Sara no longer has any hold over me and, as of now, has no unknown weapon against any of you either.” Kyle set aside the will, took out three new envelopes and handed them to Sara’s stunned children.

“Those letters say much the same thing. Paul tried to arrange to meet with each of you to tell you in person
, but you refused to meet with him early and . . . he didn’t want to tell you this way,” Kyle faltered. “This was more to put Sara in her place than to be hard on the three of you. Paul also wanted me to mention that if any of you want to know the identity of your biological fathers, Tim or I can arrange a meeting.”

Kyle picked up the paper again and continued. “Because Paul wasn
’t able to divorce Sara, he wasn’t able to marry Teri. So, while Cassandra and Devin are not his children in a legal sense, he didn’t hold that against them. At the time of his death, Paul considered Teri to be his life partner, if not his actual wife. Therefore, he took responsibility for her children as his own, hence the equal distribution of the inheritance. This sum is in addition to trust funds established for the children previously.”

Kyle looked at Dev and Cassie
, they looked almost like twins with matching wide eyes and mouths open slightly in surprise. “I don’t know if you two are aware, but Paul established trusts for both of you awhile ago.” They shook their heads that they didn’t and remained quiet. Kyle smiled briefly. He always felt warm inside when good things happened to good people.