Collin's Challenge: Langley's Legacy, #6

By Sylvia McDaniel

The Langley Legacy Present Day -- Can love overcome a generational feud?

 

Nausea rolled through her and she feared she was going to throw up right here in court. Sitting across from her was the man she kissed in the elevator.

For generations, Collin Langley's family has owned the largest Appaloosa ranch in New Dawn, Oregon. When a long lost member of the Jackson's lays claim to the land, reigniting the Langley-Jackson feud, he's more than irritated. When the judge allows her petition to live at the Legacy, he's furious. Except the red-haired woman is as beautiful as she is smart.  

 

JoLeigh Jackson learns that the ascendant who joined the ancestral land with the Langley's wasn't the heir apparent. Needing a large piece of property to fulfill her dream of an animal genetics lab, JoLeigh files suit against the despised Langley's.

 

Can the two overcome family secrets? Will possession of the land drive them apart, or will love lay claim to their hearts?

 

"Beare and Forebeare" (be patient and endure)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sylvia McDaniel
• Release date: Jun 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9781942608875

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

At the sound of the doorbell, Collin Langley opened the door to his home. 

Consider yourself served, the man said, handing him a document. Glancing, he saw the legal paperwork, flipped enough pages to know what was happening.

Another attempt to take the Langley family legacy. Many had tried, and all had failed. This one would be no different. 

As the man climbed back into his car and drove away, Collin shut the door and walked through the home built by Patrick Langley in 1876. It was the only home he knew, and Collin would take his last breath before someone took it away. 

Going into his office, he sank into his chair and pulled out his cell phone, calling his attorney. After several moments, the man came on the line.

Hey, Denny, I've got a job for you.

What's that?

This morning I was served. Seems some distant relative of the Jacksons is trying to claim their share of the ranch, he said. Their lawyer must not be very smart. Aidan Langley, wrote in his will that nobody could divide the land.

After the Jacksons married into the family, Aidan made certain the property could not be split into parcels, not even for a Langley. With over fifty thousand acres, the ranch had been owned by the Langleys since they rode in on a covered wagon after getting off the boat from Ireland.

He glanced at the heirlooms brought from their homeland over a hundred years ago. Finn Langley's pocket watch and his wife Maureen's piece of lace carried from Ireland, now safely enclosed in an airtight designer case to remind everyone of the sacrifice of their family members. 

Collin inherited a multi-million dollar horse ranch with cattle and hay operations. The result of the hard work of his forefathers. 

His brothers and sisters, hell his whole family, depended on him to keep things running smoothly and not screw up the business. 

Courier over the documents and I'll start finding out who thinks they have a right to the property now. How many of these bogus cases have we dealt with?

More than I care to think about, Collin said. Just make it disappear.

The man laughed. That's what I'm here for. Are you and Brittany attending the Boots and Bolos event?

Yes, why?

Jenny and I reserved a table at the party. Why don't the two of you sit at our table?

That would be nice, thanks, he said, wondering if they would still be a couple. If he had his way, they would no longer be together. The two of them had been fun for a while, but the newness was over and he was past bored with her spoilt tantrums. 

While she thought he was ready to propose, he wanted to end the relationship but realized some endings were never easy and often ugly. This one would only conclude dramatically. That was Brittany's nature.

Yet the woman was beautiful and charming and entertaining. But when she turned off the charm and became a raging narcissistic, crazed whiner, he was done. Maybe because she sensed his waning interest, the whiner sought his attention more and more.

Over the last couple weeks, he felt the urge to end it, but dreaded the drama.

Send me the information. I'll check into this latest suit and let you know. This will be over before you put your tux on.

Great. Thanks for handling this, Denny. Now I need to get back to raising Appaloosas.

Talk to you soon, Denny said.

Collin hung up the phone and stared out the window at the rolling countryside. Years ago, his grandfather Heath had warned him. Women were the devil, and if he wasn't careful, they would steal the Langley legacy from him. Be cautious and don't trust every pretty skirt. 

JoLeigh Jackson brushed back her auburn curls and glanced at the handsome man she shared an elevator with. The man's muscled forearms outlined by his suit jacket, his darkened sapphire eyes, high cheekbones, and strong nose would have normally grabbed her attention. But not today. 

Today was her big day. Like a furniture clamp, her stomach tightened as she thought of all the years she'd dreamed and waited for this opportunity. Maybe soon, she could share her exciting news.

The conveyor suddenly ground to a halt and the lights went out. Stunned, JoLeigh stood there for a moment, waiting for the machine to start rising again. Instead, there was a quietness that left her uneasy.

A dim light came on that was more like a glow.

Oh, that must be the emergency lighting. Do you hear any noise? she asked the man standing beside her. 

When he didn't respond, she turned and gazed at him, noticing his erratic breathing. The man's face was white, his breath rapid and quick, and his body stiff, fists clenched. And she was trapped inside with him.

Are you okay? I mean, this is not good, but you're not having a heart attack or anything, are you?

Okay, he said, the words coming out in a breathless rush. I'm fi...

With his fingers, he wiped the sweat from his brow. Well, you don't look well. Now is not the time to be having a heart attack.

Determined to make certain someone knew they were stuck, she lifted the emergency phone. After several minutes, a woman came on the line. The power is out. We're aware of the situation and doing everything to get it back on.

How long do you think we're going to be in here?

The woman paused, and she knew that couldn't be a positive sign. Engineers are working on the problem, but the entire building is out.

JoLeigh turned and stared at the man standing beside her, nerves like tiny insects scurrying along her spine. Please hurry.

Yes, ma'am, the lady said. 

Glancing back at the man, she didn't know if she should tell him or not that this was not going to be a quick fix. Finally, she decided he deserved the truth. The courthouse is without electricity.

Sapphire eyes grew large and she stared at the short, hasty breaths he inhaled. I've got to be in court.

Me too, she said. We won't be considered late. A good thing I'm not clau...

Like a Mac truck running a red light, it hit her dead on. Are you claustrophobic?

Licking his lips, he took several shallow gasps, his palms clenching. Yes. Accident as a child. Never got over it.

Please tell me you're not going to freak out on me. What would I do? Do you become violent?

Not violent. Just can't breathe. Go into a panic attack. Will die.

As he spoke, his words became more and more clipped. A tic on his neck let her know his heart rate must be racing. She had to divert his attention and keep his mind off the small enclosed space. With electricity outages, it could be a long time. 

So, tell me something fun about yourself. Something that would make me laugh, she said. 

His brows drew together in a frown and her words made him even more agitated. This is not the time or the place to become acquainted.

Acquainted? Really, did he think she wanted to make idle chitchat on the most important day in her life? There were so many other things she wanted to be doing besides sitting in a tin box with a man who might suffocate and there was nothing she could do.

You got a better idea? Seems to me we have a choice: you go into a full-blown panic and do who knows what, or we try to distract each other by talking about something lighthearted. Or you come up with a brilliant idea, she said.

Any moment now she would be removing these heels if they stayed in here much longer. If she were going to die today, she'd be taking her shoes off.

In college, I almost got kicked out for making a bunch of signs and putting them on the University of Oregon campus. Our rivals, the Ducks. The sign said ‘Ducks Suck.’ Part of the S was made to look like an F. 

It was the longest thing he'd said to her the entire time. Maybe her idea of talking fun was working. Did you get in trouble?

My fraternity was put on probation for a year. A juvenile stunt, but we were young.

Trying to appear upbeat, she smiled. Sounds like a prank that got you into trouble.

Right now, she would say anything to him. To keep his focus off the fact that the minutes ticked by like water torture. There was no indication of them getting out of this box hung between floors anytime soon.

Yes, I partied a little too much while attending school.

The motor chugged for just a second and then it died again. With a groan, she realized, this time the backup lights didn't come back on. 

The sound of him sucking in air, louder and faster, filled the small space. What happened to the lights?

Don't know. They must have overloaded the circuits. That shows they're close, she said praying the electricity would come back on any minute.

Total darkness enveloped the small space. Reaching into her purse, she took out her cell phone and turned on the light app. The battery wouldn't last long, but at least it would give them several minutes of brilliance in the cramped quarters. 

Nervously she looked at him and saw his face seemed pale and his intake of oxygen had increased. In yoga, we practice deep breathing. Let's do it together. Watch me and do what I do.

She inhaled deeply and then let it out slowly until all the air was gone. Following her example, he sucked in air, but she could see his chest was not rising much and then he released his breath. 

Slower, she said, hoping this would relax him. The glow from her phone went completely out, leaving them in an inky blackout. 

Air, I need air. I'm suffocating. There's not enough oxygen in here. 

A gasping sound let her know he was going into a full panic attack. His breathing became erratic and he began pounding on the door, screaming. The way he gasped, she feared he would soon pass out.

Knowing she had to stop him, she reached for his face, and when she found his jaw, she pulled his mouth toward hers. In the obscurity, she covered his lips and kissed him. Her hands moving to his fists to keep them from pounding anymore.

Breathing into his mouth, she did the only thing she could think of to save him.

With a jolt, he must have understood what she was doing, but instead of pulling back, he wrapped his arms around her and clung to her like she was his only lifeline. Soft, yet strong, and he tasted sweet. A tremor of desire shivered through her and she felt a moment of shock. Not only was she saving his life, but she was actually enjoying kissing this stranger. 

Who else besides lawyers attended a courthouse--criminals. This man could be a convicted felon, a rapist, murderer or any type of wanted human and here she was kissing him like a lover.

The compartment flooded with light and they broke apart. The conveyor chugged to the top floor. They turned to stare at one another. When the door opened, people who had been waiting, shouted for them to get off and the man disappeared into the waiting crowd.

Not even a thank you, just a quick exit.

With a final glance, she hurried into the ladies’ room. What the hell had she just done?

Next time take the stairs,