Deadly Inheritance (completed)

Chapter 24

Natalie

I gave Charlie a couple hours before I sent her a text to see how it went. The way Ryan greeted her when we got back from the doctor I would say things were much better than when we left. At least he was there for her and knew she was at the doctors. Baxter telling him was a good thing. I didn't really plan it that way, it just happened but then sometimes that's the way the best things happen.

Baxter has been playing twenty questions with me since we left wanting to know what was going on. I know he's worried about Charlie too but this isn't my news to tell. There's something's that just have to come from the right person. This is one of those things. Ryan and Charlie will tell their news in their time.

"We're going to the ranch for dinner!" Baxter announces as he walks into the room.

"We are?" I raise my eyebrows asking him this.

"Ryan just sent a text they want us to come over. Charlie is cooking up a storm and they've got something to tell us." Baxter wraps his arms around me from behind and nuzzles into my neck kissing softly down to my shoulder. My body tenses up and I freeze as memories rush me. "You wouldn't know what that something is now, would you?"

"Nope!" I tell him quickly and pull out of his embrace.  Something I once enjoyed I now hate and it hurts me deeply. I try pushing my thoughts aside and focus on now. Baxter raises his eyebrow at me still wanting an answer. He really has to stop trying to get the answer out of me. Keeping secrets is not my forte as it is his.

"Well Ryan said he's got something to tell us but he's also got something he needs me to take care of. That doesn't sound good. That sounds like something to do with Charlie's father." Baxter concludes and puts his briefcase together. My hand shakes and I hide it quickly.

"I'm sure everything is fine. We just left them, it couldn't have gone that wrong that fast could it?" I was asking more myself than Baxter, but I was really hoping for some kind of reassurance that I'm right and everything really is fine.

We get our things together and head in the direction of the ranch. With Baxter driving it gives me a chance to look at him and try to get an idea of what to do. We don't really talk anymore. For me that worries me. I can't talk to him.

"Stop staring Natalie! What are you thinking about?" Baxter asks as he stops at the main light in town.

"What are we?" I ask very bluntly.

"We're two hungry people going to dinner." Baxter answers with a grin. I'm not laughing, I'm not in the mood to be teased. "Okay not funny. What are you trying to get at? I like you a lot Nat, you know this. We're together, as in a couple."

"Are we? We haven't really acted like it lately. We don't talk, Baxter. Are we just together for convenience or is this going to go somewhere?" I ask him and I see a panic look immediately on his face. Yep, he wasn't ready for any of this.

Baxter

Well shit! Now what do I say? I'm a fucking attorney and I can't tell my girl how I feel. I'm a fucking chicken just like Ryan said. I don't want to lose her but I don't know if I want to take that step forward either. Natalie has barely spoken about anything important since we got back. She sees what Charlie and Ryan have going and she wants that? I can't say that I don't want it, I just want to slow it down a bit. My world doesn't have to move as fast as theirs does. Natalie is young, we have time, right?

"Baxter? The light changed!" Natalie yells as she smacks me on the arm. Fuck I'm a mess.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I was just thinking." I say and drive off towards the ranch. Natalie stares out the window and doesn't say a word. I'm not sure if this is good or bad. I'm thinking it's bad. Natalie usually is talking nonstop about something so this drive is really longer than normal with neither of us saying a word.

"What were you thinking?" Finally she asks me.

"Honestly?" I glance at her and she's nodding her head at me. Well here I go. "That as much as I want to put a ring on your finger, it scares the shit out of me. Once I do that then that's it and I don't know if you want to keep me around that long! You know? What if you change your mind? What happens to me? What happens when Ryan kicks my ass?"

Natalie laughs softly at first then starts laughing harder as I stop the car. I just look at her and she's literally wiping tears from her eyes she's laughing so hard at me. See this is why I don't spill my guts to a girl, they laugh. Natalie wipes her eyes and smiles at me. That's my cue and I lean towards her for a kiss.

Nat pulls back almost instantly though. "Come on, we have to get inside. We'll talk about this later."

"Wait I just told you what I was thinking about and you're blowing it off?" God! I sound like a girl!

"I'm not blowing you off. We just need to get inside. We have all night to talk about us." Nat tries to get me to move but now I'm digging my heels in.

"What are you two doing? Come on inside now!" Pops opens the door and stands there waiting for us. Well shit! I can't exactly say no to my girlfriends father, can I?

We head inside and there's Charlie in the kitchen, the heavenly smell of food is back in the house. Charlie has pots going of different sizes on the stove and she reaches down and pulls out of the oven bread and a couple pies. I'm so glad to see she's back to normal. At least one of the girls is.

I sit down with Pops at the table while Natalie and Ryan help bring the plates over piled high with food. I'm starving and I know Charlie will be sending me home with leftovers. She always fixes Pops and I up carry away boxes when we're here. I know tonight will be no different.

"We invited you all for a reason. We wanted to share with you." Ryan smile brightens as he wraps his arms around Charlie. "We're having a baby."

Natalie giggles and Pops jumps up hugging both of them. "How far along are you sweetheart?"

"About eight weeks so I'm still pretty early yet. There's some important stuff to talk about though." I can tell this is harder than it seems for Charlie. What isn't she telling us? "Sit back down and eat as we talk." Charlie says.

"Baxter, we need you to put the paperwork together to give me full custody of any children Charlie and I have. We have to relinquish her rights to the children." Ryan says softly. He's holding her hand, but I can see the tears in her eyes.

"What? Why?" Natalie asks before I can.

"We have to do this. Then my father has no rights to any children we have. Ryan will be able to keep custody, no matter what. Baxter, we need this done as soon as possible. I don't want my father finding out without this in place." Charlie says that's when I knew something else was happening.

"I know how to get your money, Charlie. I found your mother. I can go to get the paperwork signed for you. You won't need to go." I tell her so she knows this can be taken care for her. One more step closer for the ranch to be moving ahead with the expansion.

"Charlie and I want to get married as soon as possible. Another way to keep her father from taking her away, we hope." Ryan explains. "We're going to have just a small simple service with just the family here. That includes you, Baxter. So no running off before the weekend."

"I'll stay for it." I smile at Charlie, who nods at me. The girls quickly go into planning mode while I go to Ryan and Pops. This is awfully fast. "You sure about this?"

"Yes. Absolutely. Baxter if something happens, I need you to promise me you will make sure Charlie and the kids are safe." I nods to him. I guess we're both growing up. Faster than I expected.

"I'm going to Paris next week for the signature. I'm not going to give her a choice. I'm sure she'll tell Charles after,  but she'll sign. Keep Natalie here. I don't want her to worry about me while I do this. Ryan she has to stay put. I've got a feeling she is up to something." I make sure he understands that this isn't exactly safe for me or her to do. I'm doing it just the same.

"I'll keep Natalie busy helping me with baby stuff. That doesn't mean she's not going to worry about you. She loves you." Charlie tells me.

"I just don't want her to." I have a lot to think about when comes to Natalie and how she reacted to me. I'm just not ready to face it.