Tyler's Undoing (Gloves Off #1)(27)

Nodding, I turned and looked at my grandmother one more time. “Okay,” I murmured. “I’ll be outside.”

“Are you going to call your mother and brother?”

“No,” I answered automatically. “It’s not like they care.”

My mother was probably hoping she was in the will to inherit money, but little did she know, it all went to me. Nana didn’t want my mother getting a dime, and I didn’t blame her. Turning on my heel, I slowly walked out of my grandmother’s room, knowing that everything was about to change.





I WALKED INTO the living room and found Tyler sitting on the couch, holding his head in his hands. Immediately, when he heard me enter the room he lifted his head and got to his feet.

Silent tears streamed down my face as I went to his side and took his hand, pulling him back down on the couch with me. His warmth seeped into my body as I curled in against him, laying my head on his shoulder. I breathed him in . . . his scent was comforting. I didn’t even have to ask him to hold me because he already had his arm sliding across my shoulders, pulling me closer.

“I’m sorry, Kacey,” he murmured, kissing me gently above my ear. “If there’s anything I can do, I’ll do it.”

“Thank you. Right now I don’t think there’s anything you can do.”

“Do you need to call anyone else to let them know?”

As much as I wanted to tell him about my family, I just couldn’t do it right now. I didn’t want to let him go yet. “No,” I lied. “There’s no one else who needs to know. Everything goes to me.”

“What about the house? Are you going to stay here?”

Noncommittally, I shrugged my shoulders and took in all of Nana’s things around the room. The house was paid for, so it’d be stupid to put it on the market. I didn’t want to sell her stuff or leave, but for the time being I needed to get away.

“I think I’m going to find somewhere else to stay for a while, after everything gets settled. Leaving Vegas isn’t an option though. Bree and I still have to open our restaurant.”

Gently, Tyler brushed the hair off my face and turned my chin so I’d have to face him. “If you need a place to stay, you can always stay with me.”

Abruptly, I shook my head. “Tyler, that’s really not a good idea. We barely know each other.”

“Well, if you’d let me explain, you might change your mind. Just listen okay?”

He only wanted to help and I could see it in his eyes. Nodding, I took a deep breath and motioned for him to continue.

“I have a pool house that’s separate from the main one. It has a bathroom, small kitchen, and a bedroom—it’s more like a studio apartment. If you’d prefer, I can even charge rent.”

The offer was intriguing, but it was too much to think about at the moment. I just needed to get through the next few days without breaking down. “Thanks, Tyler. Right now I’m going to stay here for the week, until all of the affairs get taken care of. Can I let you know?”

“Of course. Take all the time you need.”

About that time, Cindy came into the room and hung up her phone. “The coroner will be here in just a couple of minutes,” she explained. “Do you want to stay at my house tonight?”

“No, that’s okay,” I told her. “I’ll be fine. I need to get used to being alone anyway.”

She nodded her head and strolled off into the kitchen. It was the sad truth . . . I was alone.

“I can stay with you if you want,” Tyler murmured. “I don’t want to leave you by yourself. Especially after the kind of night you had.”

Tilting my head, I sighed. “I’d appreciate that. I can’t say I’ll be good company, but you’re more than welcome to stay.”

Tyler squeezed me around the shoulders and then let me go before getting to his feet. “I’ll be right back then. I need to get my phone out of the truck and make some calls.”

When I nodded, he walked into the kitchen and said something to Cindy and shook her hand. They talked for a few minutes, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I didn’t have the motivation to get up and join them, so I laid down on the couch and felt my back pocket crinkle.

The letter. I’d almost completely forgotten about it.

Pulling it out of my back pocket, I slid my finger underneath the flap and tore it across. My heart thumped harder and louder as I reached in and lifted out the piece of paper containing my grandmother’s last words. Swallowing hard, I unfolded the letter.



My lovely Kacey,

There is so much I want to say to you, but sometimes I feel as if my mind has already left me and I can never remember what I wanted to say. Thankfully, God has helped me today. In fact, I feel like I’m twenty-four again, just not with the long blonde hair and the perfect body. If I could choose any one thing I want you to know, it’s that I have never been more proud of anyone, as I am of you.

The day I visited you in the hospital after you were born, I knew you were special. I could see it in those precious eyes of yours. Please remember this, Kacey. You’re strong and you’re genuinely kind. You left your entire life behind, just so you could take care of me. This is just one of the many reasons why I’ve left you something (not even your grandfather knew I had). I was always told to make sure I had a plan for a rainy day, and I know you’re about to have plenty of them.