Two weeks later, Jackson and I are sitting in Nate's rehab room. Nate and I are holding sealed letters from our dad's lawyer's office. The reading of wills doesn't happen in the big dramatic way it does on TV or in the movies, instead, your life is delivered in a certified envelope to your loved ones. The will was made probated so the public will never know what my dad left and to who. Jim and Elizabeth started that paperwork the moment Nate and I survived the shooting.
"I'm going to wait outside." Jackson stands from his chair in the room.
"No. I want you to stay. Please." I ask him.
He nods and takes his seat again.
I look at Nate, "since you're older, and a cop, you should open it and read the will."
"I don't know if I want to see it. I think we should open them on the count of three." He says back to me.
Together, we open our envelopes and pull out the stacks of paper. Nate starts reading the first part of our dad's will. It's the personal property and financial breakdown. Our dad requested that his finances be split 50/50 between Nate and me. Our dad's banker, Art would oversee the assets were split evenly. Nate was going to receive all our dad's jewelry and awards. I will receive all my mom's jewelry, shoes, and handbags. The list was very detailed and listed every single item in the houses around the world.
"I don't want anything from Mom," I tell my brother.
"Do you want to donate it?" He asks.
"No. I think I want to have a bonfire with it." I grin wicked.
"Avery?" Jackson looks at me with big eyes and shakes his head.
"Bonfire it is. Do you want dad's awards? I won't do anything with them." Nate tells me with a matching grin.
"Nope. Add that to the fire pile too." I smile at him.
"What is wrong with you two?" Jackson looks annoyed.
I pick up my paper and continue where my brother left off. Properties are the next thing on the list. Nate inherited the Hamptons and Upper East homes. I was left the Malibu house and the small vacation home in Bora Bora. There were a couple of properties on the list that we didn't know existed. Our dad wrote that in the case of neither of us wanting the properties we were left; we could sell them and divide the profits 50/50.
I didn't want any of the homes. In a very selfish way, I wanted all new things with Jackson. I wanted things that would bring me happy memories.
"I need a break," I say from my chair.
I ask Jackson to stay with my brother while I go outside for fresh air. Alone time was the thing I was craving the most. I need time to think. Time to process all the information.
After leaving the rehab unit, we go to Jackson's house on Bond Street. I watch my husband make us a nice homemade meal. Not only was he sexy, but he could also cook. He places the food in front of me and pours me a huge glass of wine.
"Are you doing okay?" He sits next to me.
"Yeah. It's just so hard to hear my dad's final wishes for us. It's just a sad thought to think about doing that to you one day. You get all my crap." I tell him taking a huge sip of wine.
He laughs and drinks his beer. "I did the same thing. All of this will be yours and you can finally stop calling this place just mine, it's ours. Everything is ours now...even Meeko is part mine."
I giggle. I love the humor to break up the sadness. Jackson has always been my balancing board.
"You're a great dad to him, he has always adored you."
"Duh, I've been his dad ever since you bought him. This was always how life was supposed to work out for us." He kisses me.
"I'm sorry it took so long to get here." I frown.
"Doesn't matter. We are here now and for the rest of our lives."
"I love you."
"I know." He smirks.
"So, tell me what is going to happen in the next couple of weeks," I ask him.
Leaving my chair, I move to his and straddle his lap. I'm facing him and kissing his nose before he starts running through our plan for our super, top-secret wedding plan. Again, we would be separated from each other for three weeks and I would see him next at our wedding venue. He put so much work into planning this perfect day for us, and I just couldn't wait to tell everyone that this stud was LEGALLY mine forever.
"I had your ring custom-made." I smile at him.
"Really? Tell me about it."
I bring my lips to his and whisper, "my fingerprint is etched inside your band. It's also a shock collar that will zip you if you stray too far." I grin.
"Didn't know you were into such kinky things." He laughs and kisses me.
Looking at my husband, I trace my fingers over his beautiful lips. "Jax, if I'm going to be without you for three weeks, I don't want to spend a minute of it wasting time eating food. Let's go to bed." I whisper.
"Can I have my ring?" He smiles at me.
"No. You need to wait for our wedding day." I jump off his lap and run for our bedroom.
YOU ARE READING
Almost Everything
Romance*** Complete Story*** Avery Weber was Hollywood's new "it" girl and all it took was one big movie to help her get there. She grew up in Upper East Manhattan, attended the finest private schools and got everything she ever asked for - except time wit...
