Bradford's Orders Book Two The Legacy Series

Chapter 20

Thank you for reading Enjoy

Chapter 20

Bradford

The low hum of conversation in the great room died the moment Sawyer ended his call. A hush, heavy, disbelieving settled over the Bradford-Drake estate like a shroud.

Dad leveled his gray-blue stare on the family. "That was the sheriff's office. There was an accident on Highway 1 this morning." He swallowed hard. "Ms. Kavanagh's car rolled the bluff. She... she didn't make it."

My stomach dropped. The one chance I had to make this right was being ripped away before I even got a chance.

Silence fractured as a collective gasp rippled around the room. Cade's jaw clenched, the lines around his eyes deepening. Lowe's hand flew to her mouth. Easton muttered a stunned curse.
Tempy's case worker is gone.

Cade slid his phone from his pocket and managed a terse nod to Dad. "I'll call the board of supervisors, see if the county plans a statement. We need assurance her notes are secure and nothing was taken or could be twisted against Holly."

Dad already had a legal pad in hand. "I'll handle the dependency court clerk. If the other side smells blood, Zane will petition to reopen this custody fight faster than we can blink."

"He doesn't want custody! He wants money!" I argued but no one was listening.

"Do it," Cade said, squeezing his son's shoulder. "We'll keep this off Holly's radar until Bradford speaks to her."

My pulse thudded in my ears. Holly. She'd been upstairs cleaning all morning unaware. It's my responsibility to give her the news. My responsibility is to deal with the stress, the pain, her anxiety over what will happen to Tempy. That's my job now.

"Go take care of her, we've got this, son." Dad assured me.

I turned toward the staircase. Hesitating at the doorway as I looked back at the adults who have always had my back. Dad, Grandpa, never failed to be there when a problem rose. Now it's my turn to be there.

I would have to be the one to break the news to her.

This might have just ruined the plan I had to make everything right for them. I can't wait to tell her. She would hear about it sooner or later on the news. It was better coming from me than a reporter.

Watching her favorite quarterback get up distracted, distraught, Lowe knew she had to do something to help. She couldn't just sit back helplessly and not do what she could to help make this right. Squeezing her husband's hand giving him a cue to her intentions. He read her thoughts and agreed silently.

Nodding in agreement, Easton stood helping his pregnant wife to her feet slowly. She wasn't moving as quickly as she normally would these days as her due date loomed closer.

"Bradford, wait." Lowe's voice, firm yet gentle, halted me at the first step. She and Easton intercepted me in the foyer.
"We've got a contingency," Easton said. "If Ms. Kavanagh's notes are contested, we can file an emergency guardianship. Dad can pull a favor with Judge Garza like he did years ago..."

"I appreciate it," I cut in, "but we're not contingency people. I'm not asking for favors. Tempy is ours. Holly is my future. I'm adopting that little kid, and I'm marrying her mother. Nothing is going to stop that." My words rang through the marble corridor like a vow.

Lowe's lips curved with approval.  Her hand lovingly rubbed her mound of a belly and she leaned against my shoulder. "Love that plan for you, I really do." She shot Easton a look he didn't quite decode. "Still, a girl likes having layers of insurance. Even with love conquering all."