Free Crazy Ever After by Kelly Jamieson Page A

breath, rubbing her bare upper arms. She tried to speak, but nothing came out, so she swallowed and tried again.
    “You’re right,” she said, but the words sounded weak and shaky, not firm and definite. She shivered in the cool night air. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually the weepy emotional type. I guess this is all getting to me more than I realized.” She inhaled and straightened her spine. “I just want to get this over with and get the hell back to my life. And I’m sure you want the same.”
    “Sure.” His mouth was a hard line, his jaw tight.
    “Good. Then we can just stay away from each other until after the funeral.”
    He nodded. “That’s probably best.”
    “Fine, then.”
    They stood there still staring at each other, and Samara had to drag herself away from the magnetic force field that pulled her back to him. “I’m going to bed,” she said. “Good night.”
    He didn’t reply as she all but staggered into the house then walked on shaky legs through the den and upstairs.
     
     
    * * *
     
     
     
    Dayna walked into the breakfast room the next morning where Travis was sitting reading the Tribune and finishing a bagel smeared thick with cream cheese.
    “Travis, you have to join us.”
    He looked up at her. “Huh? Me?”
    She nodded. “Wade says you should be there too.” Wade Burnell, Parker’s lawyer, had arrived.
    Travis looked at her, then folded up the paper and wiped his hands on his napkin. “Okay. Sure.”
    He picked up his coffee mug and followed Dayna into the den where Wade and Samara sat. His eyes went straight to Samara. She looked just as tired as she had yesterday, and guilt again nudged him. Tired, but beautiful, dressed in another casual dress, white cotton, strapless and form-fitting. She had pulled back the front pieces of her fiery hair into a clip at the back of her head so that it all fell straight and thick down her back, the sweep of long bangs angling across her face.
    He’d beaten himself up about what had happened between them the night before. He never should have touched her. He’d made that promise to Parker, and it hadn’t taken him long to want to break it. He looked up to heaven, where Parker might be. Was he watching down on them, seeing what had happened? That was enough to squelch any desire. Or maybe not so much. Hell, he’d been on fire for her last night.
    “Good morning, Travis,” Wade said, standing and moving forward to shake his hand.
    Samara’s eyes met his, and a shock wave vibrated between them. Travis was surprised everyone else in the room didn’t feel the jolt. Jesus.
    “Have a seat,” Dayna invited.
    Ava appeared with a tray of coffee and cups. Travis eyed the spot next to Samara on the sofa and decided it would be wiser to sit in an armchair across from her.
    They drank coffee and made small talk about the funeral until Samara set her cup down sharply on the table.
    “Could we get on with it?” she asked tightly. “We have a lot to do today.”
    Wade glanced at Dayna, who nodded, and also set his coffee down.
    “Of course,” he murmured, and reached for his briefcase. “The terms of Parker’s will are quite straightforward.” He nodded to Dayna solemnly. “I’m sure this isn’t surprising to you.”
    They all nodded, Travis still unsure why he was there.
    “Travis, you’ve been named as the executor,” Wade told him.
    Oh. Well. That was fine. He could do that for Parker.
    “Dayna, Parker left almost everything to you.”
    They all nodded.
    “Almost everything?” Samara asked.
    “Your father had extensive assets,” Wade replied. He glanced at Travis. “This house, the property on the coast, his investments… all goes to Dayna, except his shares in Cedar Mill Coffee Company.” He paused. “Those go to you, Samara.”
    Travis kept his mouth from falling open with difficulty. Parker’d left all his shares to Samara?
    Well. He sucked in a breath. That shouldn’t be that surprising, but Travis had assumed Dayna