Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
I’d never experienced it before, but I was experiencing it then.
This being that fact that revenge sometimes actually felt awful.
Jamie slid his arms fully around me and suggested, “Let’s not let this ruin our day.”
“Okay then. Let’s curl up in the hearth room and watch movies all day. We can make popcorn later. I think Alyona has one of those popcorn-popping gadgets, because she’s made it for me before.”
“Sounds good,” Jamie agreed.
I got up on my toes to press my mouth to his.
He angled his head and deepened the kiss.
Jamie then let me go and went to the hearth room to fire up the TV.
I rinsed out our coffee mugs and put them in the dishwasher.
Then I joined him.
Getting ahead a little bit…
In the end, although it was impossible to tell after the destruction of the fire, it was estimated that Paloma stole nearly a million dollars’ worth of valuables from the Oakbilly Gulch estate.
She also took what was left of the proceeds of her sales of purloined merchandise and fled to the UAE. She did this within days of Jeff’s funeral.
The UAE has no formal extradition treaty with the United States.
Nevertheless, deals between the countries could be made.
It was just that Paloma had been last seen entering the property of an obscenely well-off, as well as well-connected, not to mention quite elderly, sheik.
In other words, the police couldn’t take her into custody for extradition talks to begin, because she disappeared in Dubai.
I had no idea what became of her, because she was never seen, or heard from, again.
AJ, on the other hand, received the insurance payout.
There was no evidence that Jeff hadn’t acted alone, and considering Jeff’s reputation, it wasn’t hard to believe that was true, and he came up with that lamebrained scheme to help out his father who was having a tough time.
We would never know.
AJ paid down the note, but sold to Reid and Greer, saying that would keep the Oakley ranch “in the family.”
This wasn’t a snub to Jamie. It was partially because Morgan said he had enough to handle, and Boone and Cass agreed, so Jamie had no use for that land.
I sensed Morgan’s decision was also at least partially because he didn’t want the memories of that place, bittersweet as they were, and he also didn’t want his wife to face them, considering who the sweet part was.
AJ bought a modest property in Dallas, and mercifully, was forced to live in it for only six months, before he died of a heart attack while watching the Cowboys on TV.
Jamie told me that was the way he’d want to go.
And for the first time when it came to AJ Oakley, I was glad he got what he wanted.
Last, Jamie, Dru, and Judge had a Skype where they all decided to keep the Oakley name.
They did this because it was one of the names that defined Cordelia in her life, all of these names Jamie carried within his own, because she gave them to him.
Morgan, who was a very affable man, didn’t feel slighted.
But that might be because Jamie legally added Rawlins before the Oakley, Dru would as well when she was adopted, and not only did Judge do it too…
He added it to JT’s name.
EPILOGUE
HARRY WINSTON
Jamie
It was Monday morning after his quiet weekend with Nora.
Jamie was behind his desk in his office when Monica knocked then stuck her head in.
“I’m sorry, Jamie,” she started when she got his attention. Along with the concerned expression on her face, giving him more indication he wasn’t going to like what she had to say, she came in and closed the door, walking right to his desk before she shared, “There’s a man downstairs who’s demanding to talk to you. I asked security to escort him out, but he’s being difficult, and loud, and he’s claiming he’s Dru’s real father.”
Jamie felt a muscle jump in his cheek.
Chet’s latest meal ticket being in the wind (he was referring to Paloma, who AJ had reported during their phone call had “disappeared”), Jamie wasn’t surprised Chet was now making a direct play.
He was annoyed, extremely annoyed, but he wasn’t surprised.
Normally, Jamie would instruct Monica to have security deal with him and call the police if it became necessary.
But frankly, he was fed up with this shit.
Not to mention, with all that had happened recently, Jamie was also in the mood to be direct. And his version of direct was to deal with every annoyance that was dimming what was a bright future for him and everyone he loved.
And do it once and for all.
“Have him brought up, but ask security to accompany him,” Jamie said to Monica. “Have them remain with you in your office while I deal with him in here. They can escort him out when I’m done.”
Monica nodded and retreated.