Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 5

I had barely slept ever since Charlotte’s visit. Her words kept replaying in my head, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw that smug smile she wore when she’d mentioned lawyers.

She had always smiled like that when she knew something I didn’t.

Growing up, it usually meant she’d already convinced our parents that whatever had happened was something my fault.

This felt exactly the same. Only now it wasn’t about a broken vase or a failed school project.

It was about Lawson Customs. It was about Uncle Will, and I refused to lose either of them.

The alarm sounded just after six, and I dragged myself out of bed before heading into the shower. By the time I brushed my teeth and pulled on another pair of well-worn jeans and a faded band T-shirt, I’d almost convinced myself Charlotte had been bluffing. Almost.

I unlocked the workshop and opened the roller door.

Morning sunlight poured across the ground floor, and for a few precious minutes, everything felt normal again.

I made coffee in the tiny office while I sorted through the day’s bookings and tried not to look at the lawyer’s letter still sitting on the desk.

Eventually, I picked it up. It had been sitting there since Charlotte was here almost a week ago.

There was no point pretending it didn’t exist.

So I locked the workshop for an hour, climbed into my truck and drove across town to the address printed at the bottom of the letter.

The law office couldn’t have looked more different from Lawson Customs.

Everything was polished, and everything matched. The reception area smelled faintly of fresh flowers instead of engine oil.

I suddenly felt very aware of the grease stain on my jeans, but the receptionist smiled warmly.

“You must be Paige Lawson,” she said.

“I am,” I said.

“Ms. Hart will see you now,” she said.

She led me down a quiet hallway before opening a large office.

A woman in her late thirties stood as I entered. She had dark brown hair pulled into a neat bun, glasses resting on her nose and a firm but reassuring smile.

“You must be Paige. Olivia Hart,” she said as I took her hand.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” I said.

“Please, have a seat,” she said.

I settled into the chair opposite her desk while she opened a thick folder.

“I’ve reviewed everything your uncle left behind,” she said, and my stomach tightened.

“And?” I asked as Olivia smiled.

“And I think you can finally breathe,” she said.

“That’s not what I expected you to say.” I frowned, and she slid several documents across the desk.

“William Lawson was incredibly thorough. He updated his will several times over the years. He also documented exactly why he wanted Lawson Customs left to you,” she explained as I looked up.

“He wrote that?” I asked.

“He wrote a lot. He included photos of the property over the years, records showing you worked in the workshop from childhood, written statements from neighbours confirming you helped him run the business and financial records showing your involvement long before his passing,” she explained as I stared at her.

“I didn’t know he’d done all that,” I said.

“He clearly anticipated this challenge,” she said, and my chest tightened.

“He knew my parents would contest it,” I said, looking down at the paperwork again. Even after his death, Uncle Will was still protecting me, and Olivia folded her hands on the desk.

“I believe he suspected they might. Your father’s solicitor has lodged an application questioning the distribution of the estate,” she said.

“So Charlotte wasn’t bluffing,” I said.

“No,” she said.

“But…” I said as my shoulders sagged, but Olivia smiled again.

“I don’t believe they’ll succeed,” she said.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“The paperwork is exceptionally strong. Your uncle was of sound mind, and he followed every legal requirement, and he clearly explained his wishes. He documented his reasoning, and in my professional opinion, this is one of the strongest wills I’ve seen,” she explained.

The knot that had been sitting in my stomach since I saw Charlotte finally began to loosen.

“So…” I said.

“So I wouldn’t lose sleep over it,” she said, and I laughed quietly.

“I already have,” I said.

“Then I’d suggest getting some tonight,” she said.

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