rang, and she checked the display. Immediately she felt on edge.
"Hello, Mr. Green, what can I do for you?"
"Good morning, Shannon,” the attorney said. “I wanted to inform you that I was contacted by Carolyn's attorney this morning."
"Wow, she isn't wasting any time, is she?” Why did it still surprise her that her mother would try to bring legal action against them?
"Don't worry. I've handled the situation."
"How? Did you pay her off? It's the only way to soothe that savage beast."
Mr. Green chuckled. “I reminded them that if they contest the will, she forfeits any claim on her inheritance. She dropped her claim."
I bet that went over well. “So what exactly does that mean?"
"It means you won't be bothered by your mother any further. The ranch and Rosemary's estate are yours free and clear."
Shannon thanked the attorney and hung up. She tossed the phone on the dresser, flopped on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. It was a relief to have the Carolyn situation resolved—well, not that she totally believed her mother would never bother her again for money.
Now she had to figure out what to do about Dustin. One of the reasons they broke up was because he didn't want a woman who chose a career over him, and not only had she chosen her career, she had moved thousands of miles away and had never came back to see him. Based on the flirting and the making out and the tenderness when they touched, she believed Dustin had forgiven her for walking away. So, was it possible he could get over his career-woman issues?
A knock sounded at the door.
Her heart tha-thumped in her chest, hoping it was Dustin on the other side. “It's open."
Instead, Bridgette walked in and folded her arms over her chest. “All right, missy, you need to come clean. What's going on with you?"
Shannon ignored her cousin and continued counting ceiling planks.
The bed creaked and bounced as Bridgette plopped down beside her. “I'm not a total idiot, or so self-absorbed that I can't see something is going on with you and Dustin."
Really? Shannon hadn't thought they'd shown anything to anyone. Hell, other than a few suggestive remarks from Dustin and that one kiss at the bonfire, there hadn't been anything for anyone to see...unless someone had watched them at the Rocking P.
"There's nothing to tell.” She met Bridgette's disbelieving stare. “Honestly, well, unfortunately. Dustin and I have talked..."
"But no nookie?"
Shannon sat up. “Nookie? Seriously?” She flexed her shoulders and ran her fingers through her hair. “Look, I don't even know what to say. I came back to Bandera for your bachelorette weekend—"
"And to settle Gran's estate."
"To claim Gran's estate."
Bridgette's mouth dropped open. “What? What about your job?"
Shannon stood and paced the room. “The design house I typically work with has a branch in San Antonio. Before I left Paris, I interviewed as Senior Stylist and got the job. Instead of dressing the models on the New York runways, I'll be styling for photo shoots. The pay is more and I only have to work during shoots, which means I can work as little as twelve hours a week. And the stress is less."
Her cousin crossed her arms across her chest. “Uh-huh. So you're staying in Bandera for good."
Shannon shrugged. She hadn't said anything to her family about the move because, honestly, she hadn't been sure until the job offer that she would return full time to Texas.
"You do realize that when you left, you broke his heart."
Guilt assuaged her. What about her heart? Regardless of what everyone thought, leaving hadn't been an easy choice for her, either. “Yeah, I know."
"And what about now?"
"What do you mean?"
Bridgette frowned. “Are you here for the long haul, intending to get back with Dustin, pick up where you two left off?"
"I don't know, Bridge. He told me he wasn't a fling guy, but what if he's just saying it?” Carolyn's words echoed in her head, reminding her how men would say anything
"Hello, Mr. Green, what can I do for you?"
"Good morning, Shannon,” the attorney said. “I wanted to inform you that I was contacted by Carolyn's attorney this morning."
"Wow, she isn't wasting any time, is she?” Why did it still surprise her that her mother would try to bring legal action against them?
"Don't worry. I've handled the situation."
"How? Did you pay her off? It's the only way to soothe that savage beast."
Mr. Green chuckled. “I reminded them that if they contest the will, she forfeits any claim on her inheritance. She dropped her claim."
I bet that went over well. “So what exactly does that mean?"
"It means you won't be bothered by your mother any further. The ranch and Rosemary's estate are yours free and clear."
Shannon thanked the attorney and hung up. She tossed the phone on the dresser, flopped on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. It was a relief to have the Carolyn situation resolved—well, not that she totally believed her mother would never bother her again for money.
Now she had to figure out what to do about Dustin. One of the reasons they broke up was because he didn't want a woman who chose a career over him, and not only had she chosen her career, she had moved thousands of miles away and had never came back to see him. Based on the flirting and the making out and the tenderness when they touched, she believed Dustin had forgiven her for walking away. So, was it possible he could get over his career-woman issues?
A knock sounded at the door.
Her heart tha-thumped in her chest, hoping it was Dustin on the other side. “It's open."
Instead, Bridgette walked in and folded her arms over her chest. “All right, missy, you need to come clean. What's going on with you?"
Shannon ignored her cousin and continued counting ceiling planks.
The bed creaked and bounced as Bridgette plopped down beside her. “I'm not a total idiot, or so self-absorbed that I can't see something is going on with you and Dustin."
Really? Shannon hadn't thought they'd shown anything to anyone. Hell, other than a few suggestive remarks from Dustin and that one kiss at the bonfire, there hadn't been anything for anyone to see...unless someone had watched them at the Rocking P.
"There's nothing to tell.” She met Bridgette's disbelieving stare. “Honestly, well, unfortunately. Dustin and I have talked..."
"But no nookie?"
Shannon sat up. “Nookie? Seriously?” She flexed her shoulders and ran her fingers through her hair. “Look, I don't even know what to say. I came back to Bandera for your bachelorette weekend—"
"And to settle Gran's estate."
"To claim Gran's estate."
Bridgette's mouth dropped open. “What? What about your job?"
Shannon stood and paced the room. “The design house I typically work with has a branch in San Antonio. Before I left Paris, I interviewed as Senior Stylist and got the job. Instead of dressing the models on the New York runways, I'll be styling for photo shoots. The pay is more and I only have to work during shoots, which means I can work as little as twelve hours a week. And the stress is less."
Her cousin crossed her arms across her chest. “Uh-huh. So you're staying in Bandera for good."
Shannon shrugged. She hadn't said anything to her family about the move because, honestly, she hadn't been sure until the job offer that she would return full time to Texas.
"You do realize that when you left, you broke his heart."
Guilt assuaged her. What about her heart? Regardless of what everyone thought, leaving hadn't been an easy choice for her, either. “Yeah, I know."
"And what about now?"
"What do you mean?"
Bridgette frowned. “Are you here for the long haul, intending to get back with Dustin, pick up where you two left off?"
"I don't know, Bridge. He told me he wasn't a fling guy, but what if he's just saying it?” Carolyn's words echoed in her head, reminding her how men would say anything
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