Wait, that wasn't optimistic thinking. Kate wanted to latch on to something that would make her feel better. The photos. Yes, there were photos of her father as a little boy. That was definitely something wonderful to share with her sisters, something that would give them a connection to the man who had loved her mother and had given them life.
All right. The pep talk was working. She took it a step further. Maybe she would actually like these cousins. She might.
Straightening her shoulders, she whispered, 'Here goes,' and opened the door.
Dylan barely spared her a glance as he listened to the attorney who was very seriously explaining something to him. Kate didn't want to interrupt, and so she waited by the receptionist's desk until they finished their discussion.
The smile was back in place the second Anderson spotted her. 'Shall we go upstairs?' he said as he led the way.
Kate hung back and whispered to Dylan, 'You're frowning. What's wrong?'
Should he warn her? Or should he let her go in cold without any preconceived ideas about the vipers Anderson had just described to him?
He decided to give her a little forewarning. 'I don't think you're going to like your cousins.'
'Maybe I will,' she said, determined to hang on to the burst of optimism she'd mustered up.
He smiled. 'I'm pretty sure you won't.'
'You can't predict…' She suddenly stopped. Oh, who was she kidding? Her bubble of enthusiasm was slowly deflating.
He saw the disheartened look in her eyes and realized he shouldn't have said anything. 'You stay tough,' he whispered.
'I am tough,' she responded.
They had just reached the landing when they heard a man shout a gross obscenity. Kate stopped cold and looked at Dylan. He shrugged as if unfazed.
Anderson looked mortified. 'Give me a moment, please,' he said.
He hurried down the hall, probably intent on getting his guests to shut the hell up, Dylan surmised, but the damage was done. Kate had gone from worried to fearful.
She grabbed his arm. 'Did Anderson tell you why I received a letter?'
'You know why. The reading of the will.'
'Yes, but did he say anything more?'
'We didn't talk about the will at all,' he said. 'I needed to know what we're going to be walking into, and so he filled me in on your cousins. And by the way, he wants to assure you he doesn't represent any of them.'
She continued down the corridor. She heard another obscenity and whispered, 'Good Lord. What have I gotten into? Maybe it's not such a good idea to meet any of them just now.' Or ever, she silently added.
Dylan didn't want her facing the nest of vipers looking worried.
If they sensed vulnerability, they'd strike. The cousins needed to see what a strong woman she was.
Anderson opened the door and motioned them to come forward.
'Kate.' Dylan touched her arm to stop her.
She looked up and was shocked by his grin. 'Yes, Dylan?'
He lowered his voice so only she would hear and asked, 'How much do you want to bet Anderson Samuel Smith never uses his initials?'
She didn't get it for a couple of seconds but then put it together. 'Good heavens, only a man would think of that.' She was laughing when she walked into the office.
The air was thick with hostility, but the shouting and the vulgarities stopped when one by one the brothers noticed the couple and fell silent.
Roger was the first to get past his surprise. 'What the-' he muttered. 'Who are they, Anderson?'
'Who cares who they are. They don't belong here,' Ewan said with a sneer. He took a threatening step toward them.
Did he think he could scare her out of the office? She wasn't going to put up with that nonsense. She looked him right in the eye and kept walking.
Anderson put his hands up. 'If you'll calm down, I'll make the introductions. Kate, I'd like you to meet Vanessa MacKenna.'
The striking woman was unlike the others clustered together across the room. She didn't seem angry, only curious.
'Hello,' Vanessa said politely.
'Vanessa,' Anderson continued, 'is married to Bryce MacKenna.'
The man Anderson gestured to didn't speak. He acknowledged Kate with a curt nod.
'Standing next to Bryce is Roger MacKenna, and on his right is Ewan MacKenna. And now I would like all of you to meet your cousin, Kate MacKenna.'
'Our cousin?' Ewan roared. 'She has to be a fraud. We don't have any cousins.'
'Ewan's right,' Bryce said. 'We don't have any cousins.'
'Obviously you do,' Vanessa said with a hint of amusement in her voice.
The brothers ignored her.
'And who is he?' Roger asked. 'Is he passing himself off as a cousin, too?'
'Who is he? He's with Kate,' Anderson said and refused to explain further.
'Do they think they're going to get a piece of the pie? How absurd,' Bryce said.
Anderson held up his hand again. 'Your uncle assured me the video will explain everything to your satisfaction. None of you will be left with any questions. He also requested that each of you get a copy of what you're about to see. Terrance, please distribute the disks to everyone.' He noticed the sun was shining on the television screen and hurried over to the windows to adjust the blinds. 'Is there a disk in the player?'
'Yes, sir. Everything's ready,' Terrance answered.
Anderson clasped his hands together and tried to sound enthusiastic. 'All right then, shall we get started?'
'It's about time,' Bryce said.
'Everyone, please take a seat.' His gaze moved to Roger and Ewan. 'And try not to comment or interrupt while your uncle is speaking.'
Roger slumped into his chair. 'We have to listen to that old buzzard lecture us before we get our money?'
He'd addressed the question to Ewan, who promptly an-swered, 'He's still trying to control us, even from the grave. What a hard-nosed bastard.'
Vanessa turned on Ewan. 'Your uncle isn't here to defend himself. Only you would stoop so low as to defile the dead.'
Ewan wasn't fazed by her contempt. He turned to Roger and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, 'Only a bitch could love a bastard.'
Kate felt as though she was watching a horror movie. How in heaven's name was she going to tell Kiera and Isabel about these vile, contemptible brothers? She was appalled and nauseated that she was actually related to them. They were horrible human beings.
Bryce seemed to be in a hurry to get drunk. He was gulping liquor like water, and the more he drank, the nastier he became. The other brothers seemed to appreciate his twisted wit, and their laughter only encouraged him. How would she describe them to Kiera and Isabel? 'Repulsive' came to mind. And creepy. Definitely creepy. No one could become this obnoxious without years of practice.
Her attention turned to Vanessa. She was most curious about her. One could easily assume that the poised, sophisticated woman had wandered into the wrong office by mistake. She seemed so out of place here.
Anderson stood behind Vanessa's chair. He nodded to Terrance, who immediately picked up the remote and pushed the play button.
The bickering stopped as Compton Thomas MacKenna addressed his audience, but the silence didn't last long.
'Did he just say he changed his will some time ago? Why weren't we informed?' Ewan demanded.
