Ana jerked her arm away and stamped across the porch and down the steps. She was in her car and headed for the freeway in less than twenty seconds.
Fox stood and watched her drive away. “Didn’t you understand she wanted to stay with you tonight? I sure wouldn’t have sent her away.”
“I wouldn’t have when I was sixteen either, but I’ve grown more particular. Are there girls at your school?”
“No, the student body is all male, but there’s a girls’ school not too far away and sometimes we have dances together.”
Santos opened his mouth to offer some sage advice about women but realized before he embarrassed himself that he possessed not a single shred of valuable insight.
Sergio Calderon’s law office was in a modern sandstone building with startling splashes of modern art decorating the halls. He was a handsome man, in his sixties, and dressed in a beautifully tailored gray suit and paisley tie. He welcomed Miguel’s heirs into a richly furnished conference room, where considerable attention had been given to providing seating arrangements to separate his two ex-wives, and give Carmen and Cirilda the preferred seating at his right. Santos was seated on his left.
Rafael followed Maggie into the room and took a seat against the wall. He was dressed in black, and she’d worn the white top and her long green skirt. When she got home, she intended to donate every single item of black clothing she owned.
With Carmen’s first glimpse of Rafael, her lip curled in a silent snarl. “There’s no reason for the Gypsy to be here.”
“I asked Rafael to come with me,” Maggie replied. She slipped into her place beside Santos and Fox. “Is there any legal reason that would prevent Mr. Mondragon from being here, Mr. Calderon?”
“No, he’s welcome.” His voice had a hoarse, raspy quality as though he’d argued one too many cases in court.
Ana Santillan came striding in on silver platform heels, with a short black leather skirt and a ruffled pink top. She took the last place at the end of the table and, without glancing Santos’s way, greeted the others with a smile. “Good morning.”
The twins and Fox responded with their own warm greetings while Marina turned away. Vida nodded, but Maria Luisa and Enrique stared at the model as though a woman with her beauty was a rare curiosity.
“Don’t tell me she’s welcome too.” Carmen stood briefly to tug the skirt of her black suit into place.
“Yes, Señora Aragon, Miss Santillan is mentioned in your son’s will. He also made generous provisions for the people who have worked for him over the years. They’ll be receiving letters from me and needn’t be here with us today.
“Miguel may have discussed portions of his will with some of you, but he took great care in recent weeks to make it current, a premonition, perhaps, of how little time he had remaining.”
Vida choked back a sob, and her daughter gave her a comforting hug, while her son appeared embarrassed by her open display of emotion and moved his chair closer to Ana’s.
Mr. Calderon opened a leather folder. “Miguel wrote letters to each of you, but I’ll pass them out when you leave. He asked that you read them in private, so please take them home rather than open them here.”
He pulled the first sheet of the thick will from the folder. “Miguel wanted Santos to have the Hispano-Suiza, the ranch, the condo building in Madrid and the cottage in the Seychelles.” He handed Santos a copy of that portion of the will. “As well as many of his personal effects.”
“Miguel left him the ranch?” Cirilda asked, clearly alarmed. “It’s been our family home for generations. How could he give it away?”
Santos shook his head. “I’m his son, and I was born there, Auntie. That qualifies me as part of the family. I’ll not turn you away when you come to visit. Can you even remember the last time you were there?”
Mr. Calderon raised his hand. “Please, let us continue. Santos must leave the ranch to his heirs, and if he dies without issue, it will still remain as part of the Aragon trust. If anyone has another question, please save it until later and approach me in private. The beach house is yours, Cirilda, and you’re to share it with your mother. Miguel asked that the house always be open to his children and their families.”
“He expected us to turn our home into a resort?” Carmen asked, her heavily shadowed eyes wide.
The attorney sighed softly. “These are your grandchildren, Carmen. You should welcome them.”
Her face flushed, she grabbed the sheet Mr. Calderon handed her and slapped it on the table. Cirilda picked it up to read.
“Maria Luisa and Enrique, your support will continue until you’re eighteen. A trust fund has been created for your university expenses. If you fail to graduate, the trust will be reassigned for your children’s education.”
Enrique leaned back in his chair. “What if I don’t want to go to college? What if I want to buy a car or travel? Can’t I have the money now?”
“The trust is for your education, Enrique. If you need a car to get to class, we’ll discuss it. Today is not the time, however. Do you understand, Maria Luisa? Your father’s priority was to provide for your university education.”
“Yes, I understand,” she responded, looking lost rather than angry.
“The conditions are the same for Consuelo and Esperanza. You’ll be well provided for until you’re eighteen. Your trust is to be used for your university education or saved for your children’s college expenses.”
Enrique slouched down in his chair. “Did he attend college himself?”