Authors: Kate Vale
“I
finally decided to do something with my sketches.”
“Tell me.”
“Well, I have eight drawings, in pastel, of children at the park, and six in charcoal of hands. I really love these.” She spread out the sketches, one of an adult holding a child’s hand, one of Matt’s hand, one of two adults pressing their hands together to form a tent, two of a child playing with a truck and one holding a doll, and one of a woman’s hand, appearing to show off an engagement ring. “I call this cluster ‘the hands of time.’ I have another eight of the ferry, and the gulls and the water. I was going to show these three groups to that woman who owns the neighborhood gift shop and see if she thinks she could sell them.”
Lauren beamed. “Good for you. I like the hands group best. But all three
clusters would appeal to someone. Let’s toast your new career, as an artist. Hip hip hooray, Gilly!”
Gillian laughed at Lauren’s enthusiasm.
“Your new life’s looking up. It’s about time.”
“Well, that part is. I decided to set up a trust fund for any children Quinn has, but the attorney I went to about that wants to turn me over to someone else.
Two people, actually.”
“
Who was that?”
“The man I met in the park.”
Lauren chuckled. “The hunky lawyer.”
“Right.”
Too good-looking for me not to fantasize about.
“
Who’d he refer you to?”
“I asked Bianca to check out
the one for the trust work. I saw the other one in his office. Said he’s known Matt since law school and he referred me right back to him. Said he was perfect for the job. You know that nastiness Nick’s been accused of. His indictment.”
The computer pinged a message alerting her to a new email. “
That could be Bianca. Let me look.” After a pause, she added, “Oh. He’s really old.”
Lauren peered over Gillian’s shoulder
. “Let me see.” Lauren adjusted her glasses. “As in a pal of Methuselah. What’s that say? The print is so tiny.”
Gillian leaned closer to the screen
and read Bianca’s message. “Passed the bar in 1963. Fifty years in practice? Well, he’s obviously had lots of experience. Does lots of wills and trusts. That part’s good.”
“
But will he live long enough to get the work done? Why do you suppose the hunky one wants you to use this old guy?”
She straightened up, blushing.
“I don’t know. I was just getting ready to bring my will over to the office—he wanted to see it—when Ursula called me.”
“
Red cheeks, Gilly?”
She
snorted. “I don’t know what’s the matter with me. The entire time I was at that appointment with Matt, I couldn’t help wondering what he’d look like without clothes.” She felt a rush of heat again, this time from her forehead past her neck. “I couldn’t seem to keep my mind out of the gutter.”
“There’s nothing wrong with
looking and imagining.”
“I know nothing
will
come of it, and I would never
do
anything—as if he’d even know.”
But had he suspected?
“I couldn’t seem to not look at him, you know, check him out, when he wasn’t looking at me, talking to me, asking me questions.”
“So he’s eye candy. Consider it a bonus. Not something you’d have if you
used that old geezer.” Lauren pointed to the picture Bianca had attached to the information. “I have an idea. Why don’t you just go back to Matt and bring him your will and tell him you’d prefer that he do the work? Your money’s as good as the next person’s. He wasn’t going to do it for free, was he?”
“Oh, I don’t think so. I never asked him to. I just assumed I’d be paying him for his
legal expertise.”
I’ll bet he’s great in bed, too.
Her cheeks flamed again when that unbidden thought intruded. “I also need to talk to him about Nick. Since the other lawyer refused the referral.”
She reached for the teapot and refilled both their cups again. “
You’re right. I’ll just pop in and talk to Ursula after I see the lady at the gift shop. Tomorrow.”
Chapter 8
Matt was standing next to Ursula’s desk when the outer door opened and Gillian walked in, cheeks slightly flushed. Maybe she had walked from her home. Didn’t she live a few blocks away?
“Hello.” Gillian greeted the two of them.
She was wearing a pair of jeans that hugged her long legs and a blouse with ruffled sleeves in tones of brown and gold that seemed to bring out the hazel in her eyes.
Matt’s feet seemed rooted to the floor
. His brain fogged over and he struggled to think of something to say.
Ursula spoke. “How can we help you,
Ms. Griffiths?”
Of course she would ask.
Ursula knew how to reply to his clients, even if Matt seemed to be losing his touch in that regard.
“
I have my will. What you wanted to see.” She paused and added, “I would like to speak with Mr. Gordon. For just a minute.” Her voice was firm, even as her feet shuffled slightly in her sandals.
Matt coughed
. He ran his tongue over his teeth. Yes, talk, when what he wanted to do … well, never mind that. He willed his body to stop betraying him. “Come into my office.”
“Thank you,
” Gillian replied and followed him down the hall.
Before he could sit down, she
added, “Ursula told me you didn’t want to set up the trust. She gave me the name of that other attorney, but I really don’t want to see anyone else.” She cleared her throat quietly. “That is, if you don’t mind. If I offended you and that’s why—”
“You didn’t offend me, Gillian.”
“Then why did you … well, it felt like you wanted me to take my business elsewhere.”
If you
only knew.
“I’m having some difficulty concentrating.”
What with Marnie’s interruptions, and Gillian’s presence.
“I don’t like to make mistakes. The legal consequences would affect you.”
What a lame excuse!
Even an idiot could see through that. He’d lay money TJ would laugh his head off if he’d heard him.
“Oh.” Gillian descended
slowly into the seat facing his desk. “I didn’t realize. Well, I hope you’ll still help me. My neighbor thought maybe you preferred more challenging … issues or that I wasn’t paying you … enough. Especially with your wife being ill.”
“My recommenda
tion to use another attorney has nothing to do with my fee.”
She thinks I’m that crass?
Her gaze seemed to burn his chest. Right about where his tie bar sat. Thank goodness she couldn’t see below his belt.
“Good. I’m glad of that.” She
thrust a document in a blue folder at him. “Here.” It felt warm to the touch. She must have been holding it tightly. “I brought you my will, like you asked. At our last meeting.”
Matt started to
stand, thought better of it, and called Ursula over the intercom. “Could you make a copy of Gillian’s will, please? I have it.”
“Of course, Mr. Gordon.” Ursula’s voice, usually so soothing,
held a hint of accusation. Maybe she suspected why Matt had urged Gillian to go elsewhere.
“I hope you won’t take this the wrong way, but that other man seemed so old—
”
Ursula knocked once, entered the room and reached for the
papers he held. When she left, Matt said, “Neville Bergstrom has many years of experience.”
“I’m sure he does. Fifty, if I recall.”
“You looked him up?”
“My future daughter-in-law did, at my request. She said you might be more likely to know about any changes in the law, little details the older man might not be up on, might forget.” A tiny smile flickered across her face before disappearing in the concerned seriousness that
now characterized her expression.
“That other told me he wasn’t the best choice for that problem with Nick. He said—”
“I know. He called me. I’ve already taken care of that. At this juncture, I believe you’re in the clear. Apparently, Talmadge admitted you were never involved in the transfer of funds out of the business.”
“Oh. I’m so glad.” She looked relieved as she relaxed into the chair.
Matt leaned back slightly in his chair, while he waited for Ursula to return with the original and a copy of the will. “While we wait, let me ask you a few questions regarding your will and the proposed trust.”
Gillian sig
hed and folded her hands in her lap. “Good.”
“
Were you hoping to eliminate probate following your death?”
“Oh. I
’m not sure. If a trust can do that, wouldn’t that be a good thing?”
“Yes. An inheritance trust would eliminate the need for probate.
Your executor or manager of the trust could then distribute your assets—” His lower body reacted to his words, clearly not caring a whit about the will or the trust “—um, quickly.” He dug his nails into the palm of one hand in a failed attempt to overcome the downward pooling of his blood.
She nodded. “
Good.”
Ursula entered and handed Matt the will and its copy. He reached over the top of his desk and handed the original to Gillian. “If you’ll give me a minute, let me
review this quickly before we continue.”
Ursula asked quietly from the doorway. “Would either of you like some coffee?”
Matt nodded as he read the will.
“Yes, please,” Gillian answered.
Minutes later, Ursula entered with a tray holding a small carafe of coffee, two mugs, a creamer and sugar container.
Matt looked up as Gillian took a first sip of
her coffee.
“
You’ve named your son as executor.”
She nodded. “As my only heir, that seemed
appropriate. When he was underage, I asked my elderly uncle to act on his behalf. But after he died, when Quinn was nineteen, I changed the will and made my son the executor.”
“Most nineteen-year-
olds wouldn’t be considered mature enough for that.”
Her smile disappeared
and her tone took on an edge. “My son has been an old soul since birth. I trust him. He would never do anything to hurt me.”
“I meant no disrespect, just an observation.”
“None taken.” But her voice was clipped.
Well. That’s a sore point. Ha
d others made similar comments?
Matt kept his eyes on the papers. “Your will doesn’t mention the stocks and bonds you inherited from your grandmother.”
“Oh dear.”
“Did her death occur after you made Quinn your executor?”
“Yes.
I must have forgotten to mention them. She died just before he entered college, so it must have been about the same time.”
“Not to worry. We can correct that.”
He made a note on a legal pad. “Do you know the difference between a trust and a will?”
“Not really. I figured the trust might be more inclusive, but I wasn’t sure, and I really was thinking the trust would only refer to the grandchildren.”
Matt smiled. “Let me review the differences with you.” Over the next several minutes, he did so, concluding with, “If you want your trust to reserve specific monies or other assets only for the grandchildren, you can do so, but in most cases, the person who is your executor or the trust manager would also be handling the trust after your death. While you’re alive,
you
would control use of the trust assets. Your will only serves as an instruction to your executor on your death.”
“I knew that. But the living trust is something I control?”
“Yes. In addition to avoiding probate and the delay it can represent, there are other reasons for setting up what we call an inheritance trust. For example, your estate taxes would be lower. Your estate—right now—with all those stocks and bonds and the money from the sale of your grandmother’s house, puts you right on the cusp of paying a pretty high amount in estate taxes. If you placed in trust some portion of your estate in someone else’s name, the tax liability would be lower. And, should anyone sue you, your estate would be protected if it’s in a trust—not that I’m saying you are in danger of being sued. At least not now. As long as what the D.A. said holds.” The corners of his mouth curved upward slightly.
She chuckled.
He continued. “The biggest reason for a trust is what you’re considering. Reserving some portion of your estate to be used to cover your grandchildren’s needs. For example, you could set it up so that they receive a certain amount of money in order to go to college, and another amount could be provided when they reach a certain age—say, twenty-five or thirty—even if you were already deceased. I have several clients who’ve done that. The recipients would pay taxes on the amount they receive, but since they would likely be in a much lower tax bracket, the taxes owed would be much less.”
“Would my son, the beneficiary of my estate and my executor
… could he override the specifications of the trust?”
“No. If
an order is in your trust, that’s how the monies must be doled out. But you said you trust him.”
“I do.”
Matt glanced up for a moment, relieved that his body seemed to have calmed down. “But not his wife, er, wife-to-be?”
“It’s not that I don’t trust her. I just don’t know her very well, and I’ve heard stories about wives and ex-wives who try to take money from an estate
when they aren’t entitled. Isn’t it true that my estate would go to my son, because we’re related by blood and to any children he would father, but not to his wife?”
“Strictly speaking, yes. Obviously
, if they are married at the time of your death, whatever your son inherits, he would probably share with his wife. But it’s your money, and you can dole it out from the trust in whatever way you see fit.” He rose and angled toward a table in the corner of the office. “Why don’t you move over here, so we can review this together?”
He
sat next to her, feeling the heat of her arm. “Another cup of coffee?” he asked.
“Thanks.”
Matt rose from his chair and left the office to refill the carafe. When he returned, he placed a yellow legal pad and pen on the table in front of him. “Would you like a piece of paper to take notes?”
“Not necessary. Go ahead with your explanation.”
“Actually, here’s what I’m thinking you might want to include.” He spent the next half hour attempting to ignore his groin and outlining how she might set up the trust. They were nearly finished when Ursula asked him to come to the reception area.
“Excuse me for a moment
, please.”
Gillian looked over the plan outlined by Matt. The warmth in his eyes when he talked with her sent her pulse into overdrive. She reached for her sketch pad, which she’d slipped into her purse.
Was Matt worried about his wife when he’d said he couldn’t concentrate? He must be an excellent attorney to admit to wanting to avoid mistakes. No way was she going to trust anyone else with changing her will. And he’d already found out she was safe from Nick’s clutches, his legal problems.
Good.
Knowing she wouldn’t have to think about that left her free to fantasize about Matt. She giggled under her breath. As long as he didn’t know. It would be her secret. And Lauren’s.
Gillian
took a quick sip of coffee before beginning to sketch. The image of Matt’s hands as they had splayed across the paper came to mind. But this time, she drew Matt’s image standing next to his bike in the park. She was nearly finished with the picture when he returned to the office and shut the door.
Gillian reached for her purse, now resting on the floor next to her chair.
She leaned down and tucked the sketch into the side pocket of her purse. The v-neck of her blouse gaped open for a second.
Did he notice?
She didn’t dare glance up to see. She straightened in her seat. “I guess I should call that other attorney and let him know I’m not going to need his services.”
Matt placed a hand over
Gillian’s wrist. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll have Ursula cancel the referral.”
“Are you going to give him a reason?”
Matt chuckled. “That you thought him too old? That won’t be necessary.”
The warmth of the attorney’s hand sent a
nother spiral of warmth up Gillian’s arm and into her belly. She couldn’t stop looking into his eyes when he glanced her way. “Good.”
“I’ll have Ursula pencil you in for a return appointment when I have a draft prepared so—
”
Gillian
cocked her head at an odd singing noise that ended in a little scream. His wife again?
Oh dear.
Matt pushed back his chair, his mouth thinned to a taut line. “We’ve covered a lot of territory today. Is there anything else you’d like to tell me regarding what we’ve talked about thus far?”
“I can’t think of a thing. My mind
is whirling.”
He jerked at th
e sound of a door slamming and raised voices.