16
The Bay of Plenty had been Molly’s home until she left at eighteen to further her studies, and that Thursday, as she drove along winding roads through fern forests, past the entrance to Grant’s Pond and into Tulloch Point’s main street just on dusk, a sense of nostalgia embraced her like a warm hug from an old friend she had nothing in common with anymore.
It had been only a few months since her last visit home, but so much had happened during that time that it seemed a lifetime ago.
Her parents had lived in the central part of town for over thirty years, and Molly had fond memories of an uneventful but blissfully happy childhood—her mother tending colorful begonias in the glasshouse while her father lounged in the living room, reading Childs and Baldacci novels and taking after-dinner calls from clients.
To Molly, her introverted father and extroverted mother seemed an unusual fit in the romantic sense, but they’d been married since university days, and she’d seldom heard them exchange an angry word.
She often considered relationships, pondering whether two extroverts would stifle each other and if opposites really did attract. And as Molly left her car and opened the front door of her family villa, it seemed especially cruel to her that the only man she’d been attracted to in the past few years was the twin brother of her last true infatuation.
Jake Sinclair.
The following day, Molly rose early and drove to Sandwater Bay, a long stretch of golden-sand beach where she and CeCe spent their younger days dancing around summer bonfires and making out with boys in the back seat of souped-up cars before racing home late for their eleven o’clock curfew.
Happy days.
Molly parked at the northern end of the beach and walked along the shore, flip-flops in one hand and phone in the other, as a warm breeze puffed in from the south. Apart from a few surfers and a couple walking their dogs, the beach was deserted, and she liked it that way. It gave her the freedom to think—to reminisce and evaluate.
Confused by the legalities surrounding estates, she’d sent Annabelle’s email with Jesse’s will attached to her father, a lawyer who specialized in farming trusts and property law, as soon as she received it. His advice had been much the same as Luka’s—sit tight while the legal process does its thing, then decide what to do with the money once the ink’s dried on the dotted line.
He also pointed out that the document wording stated only percentages. Molly was due to inherit twenty-five percent of Jesse’s life insurance payout but there was no indication of the actual amount. Even once the insurance company released the funds, they’d sit in the lawyer’s trust account until everything was finalized, so there was no need for hasty decisions.
She’d thought about it when lying in bed the night before. At first, she’d wanted nothing to do with the money; it seemed macabre and almost bizarre that Jesse would even consider her. But, as her father had mentioned, a few extra grand would come in handy, especially if she did decide to visit the UK once her SpinWeb contract ended.
Molly stopped walking when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Unable to read the screen in the sunlight, she answered with her name.
“Hi, it’s Jake. Sorry to call so early.”
Jake?
“No problem. How are you?”
“Yeah, good. If you have a minute, I’d like to talk to you about Jesse’s will.”
Molly dug her toes in the sand, the swash flowing around her feet cool and cleansing. She’d thought he might be calling to suggest a coffee date. Why, she had no idea. And would she have said yes? Perhaps. But Jesse’s will—why did they need to discuss that? “Okay.”
“Anyway, settlement may take longer than we expected.” He cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, someone’s contested the will, and as you’re beneficiary, I thought you should know.”
She could tell by his tone of voice that he wasn’t happy. “So, it was unexpected?”
“Depends on who you talk to. Have you had any legal advice yet?”
“Yes, well, my father’s a lawyer, so I’ve discussed it with him, and I’m… Anyway, he’s advised me.”
“Okay, good. According to Annabelle, this could drag things out for months.”
Molly didn’t know what to say. Growing up in a family where the legal profession was like a third person in her parents’ marriage, she’d learned at an early age to ignore anything that didn’t concern her. The problem was, Jesse’s will couldn’t be ignored.
“One other thing.” She heardasharp intake of breath down the line. “You’ve met Alexia, right?”
“You mean your stepsister?”
He huffed. “She’s not my stepsister. Mum dated her father for a while, but… anyway, just tread carefully where she’s concerned, okay?”
An image of Alexia and her pack of “it girl” influencers sashaying around the wine and food festival after-party appeared in Molly’s mind. Alexia had been sweet as pie, and despite some of her friends eyeing Molly up and down as if judging her, she’d enjoyed their banter. “So it’s her that’s contesting the will?”
“Yes, it’s her.”
