Free Where There's a Will (Whiskey River Book 1) by Katherine Garbera, Eve Gaddy

Chapter One
    ‡
    B OOTS K ELLY DIED as he had lived. Bigger than life, going out in a spectacular fiery car crash, driving his brand new McLaren with a twenty-one-year-old runway model rumored to be his newest mistress beside him.
    Now Ryder Ford, cousin and attorney for the Kelly clan, had the unenviable task of reading Boots Kelly’s will to his heirs. All of his heirs.
    Four brothers, two legitimate, two illegitimate and neither set knowing anything about the other. Squeezing the bridge of his nose, Ryder wished, not for the first time, that he’d never agreed to become the Kelly family lawyer. But his mom would have stopped speaking to him if he’d refused, so in the interest of keeping the family peace he’d agreed.
    Ryder had tried like hell to convince Boots to come clean, but his uncle’s response had been clear, and typical of him. “Mind your own business, son. Just because you’re kinfolk doesn’t mean I won’t fire you. They’ll all find out in due time. Once I’m dead,” he’d said with a chuckle. “I’d sure as hell like to be around to see it, though.”
    Boots wouldn’t be there but his ex-wife, Paloma, would be. Ryder supressed a shudder. Divorced years ago, Paloma and Boots had split their assets at the time of the divorce. Both had done nothing but grow wealthier since. Boots had included Paloma in the will, however, because, Ryder knew, he wanted to stick it to her. Ryder could well imagine Paloma’s reaction to this bombshell—an explosion to make Mt. St. Helens look like a firecracker.
    As for Nicholas and Xander Blue, Boots had claimed his twin sons knew nothing about their biological father. In fact, he maintained he’d never met them. Their mother, Lorna Blue, had forbidden all contact, and much to Ryder’s surprise, Boots had apparently respected her wishes. But, and it was a big one, Boots would have the last word when Ryder had to read the damn will to his unsuspecting family.
    Ryder’s law firm was housed in a beautiful, older home in a now commercialized part of Whiskey River, a town on a tributary of the Pedernales River in the Texas hill country. His partners, Fiona Lannigan and Johnny Gamble, weren’t in today. Fiona had a family emergency in Austin and God only knew where Johnny was, as this was his day off. Only Ryder and his legal secretary, Addison Wells, were there working today. He wondered if Addison had reached the Blues yet. Since Ryder couldn’t tell them their father had named them in his will, he had Addison call. Addison was great with people and if anyone could get the two men to show up with very little information about why they should agree to come, it was Addison.
    He punched a button for the speakerphone. “Addison, did you reach the Blues?”
    “Yes. I set up a meeting. They couldn’t do it right away, so”—She broke off and said in a different tone, “Oh, my God” and hung up abruptly.
    Puzzled, Ryder glanced out his office window, noting that the sky was even darker than it had been a few minutes ago.
    Seconds later, Addison entered his office. “Have you heard the weather? We’re under a tornado watch.” She crossed to the window and looked out. Even with her back to him, he could tell she was worried.
    His gaze took in the soft, flowing red dress that hit just above her knees, slipped down those beautiful legs to the siren red high heels she wore that made him just a little crazy. Which, he supposed, was what high heels were designed to do.
    Damn it, he’d never looked at her legs in the past. Or not much . But he hadn’t been able to look at her the same since the office Christmas party. He should never have kissed her.
    Don’t think about it , he ordered himself for the hundredth time. That was months ago. “It’s just a tornado watch. We have those all the time. It doesn’t mean there’s an actual sighting.” He knew she didn’t like bad weather, but he’d always sensed there was a little more to it than simple dislike.