Forever and Always by Leigh Greenwood Read Free Book Online

didn’t attempt to keep all the names and relationships straight. It was a small town. It was inevitable that many people would be kin. “I’m glad she has a lot of family to support her. It’s tragic to lose a husband, especially one as outstanding as Mr. Spencer.”
    Steve cussed. “I don’t know why the preacher had to carry on like he did. Norman was a bastard and just about everybody disliked him. He was the richest man in town, and he never let anyone forget it. People had to beg for loans. Then he’d stick his nose in their business until they paid him back. It got so bad people got together and opened a new bank. Norman got a lot nicer after that, but nobody forgot what he used to be like. I couldn’t stand him. He was hateful to Sibyl.”
    Logan doubted he’d ever seen three more beautiful women in one place, but Sibyl had the kind of classic beauty that could start a man to having embarrassing fantasies. He couldn’t imagine any man being hateful to her.
    â€œSibyl was forced to marry Norman,” Steve explained. “She didn’t like him one bit. You can ask anybody. I don’t know what got into the preacher. I’m going to ask Martha if her father’s been sampling his communion wine.”
    Logan lost interest in the lengthening catalog of names without faces. “Taking over the running of the bank is going to be a difficult undertaking for Mrs. Spencer,” Logan said. “I hope some of those men you mentioned can help her.”
    â€œNorman never let her go near the bank so she has no idea what to do,” Steve told him. “He didn’t like Colby or Jared, either.”
    Small towns were worse than big ones for people letting their family conflicts spill over into their business relationships—and big towns were bad enough. Logan had witnessed such a clash between his father and his uncle firsthand. So Mrs. Spencer would be on her own. Surely there was someone in Cactus Corner who knew something about banking or business, at least enough to help her until she got on her feet.
    â€œAre you going to the reception?” Steve asked.
    â€œNo. I only went to the funeral because everything in town is closed, and people seemed set on everyone being there.”
    â€œYou ought to come. You could meet my uncle.”
    â€œI’d feel too uncomfortable not knowing anyone.” Nor did he look forward to the curious and pitying looks he was sure to receive.
    Steve laughed. “My uncle didn’t know Laurie when he went to her husband’s funeral, but they ended up getting married. Now I’ve got a little cousin with another just arrived.”
    That certainly wouldn’t happen to Logan. He didn’t intend to strike up any friendships. He was wary of even casual acquaintances, excepting Steve. “I think I’ll look around town for a bit. I may wait for stores to open or come back another time.”
    â€œIf you want, you can come by the ranch to see my uncle,” Steve said. “We’re babysitting while Laurie stays with Sibyl. That means I have to run all the errands while Jared stays home.”
    There was that name again. Logan wouldn’t get his hopes up, but it was something he was going to have to check into sooner or later.
    One of his reasons for leaving Chicago had been to find his brothers, but they were grown men with lives of their own that had no place for him. It was probable that the money he could leave them could make a difference, but he didn’t have to do it in person. He could leave money in his will. That way they could benefit without having to watch him die.
    Even if he hadn’t been looking for his brothers, he was glad he’d left Chicago. He hadn’t realized his work was taking so much there was virtually nothing left for himself. Now whatever was left was his. He no longer had to plan. He no longer had to worry about the consequences of what he did.