Read The Source: Book III of the Holding Kate Series for Free Online Page B

something to do with the reason I am here?”
    “Nice to meet you, Tom. Yes, I believe Corey wants to get some things settled before we continue our journeys here.” She was so charming that Corey fell in love with her all over again. He found himself staring at her, grinning.
    Tom looked at Corey, then Kate. “Well?”
    “Come into my office, Tom.”
    “Would you like some iced tea or lemonade?” Kate asked.
    “Lemonade sounds lovely,” Tom called through the door.
    Corey motioned for him to sit at the round mahogany table. Tom pulled out a large file and set it in front of him.
    “Corey, what is your relationship to Kate? She is beautiful, simply beautiful.”
    “She is my wife, Tom.”
    He did a double take and let a whistle through his teeth. “So how did you manage that? Did her parents give you permission?”
    “No. They don’t know.”
    “Corey, minors can’t just get married. There has to be parental consent. Or in your case, guardian.”
    “Yes, I understand. Our marriage was part of a religious ritual here at the village.” Corey told him of the Scriptorium, leaving out specific details that he didn’t think Tom was ready to handle.
    After Corey finished, Tom scratched his chin and sat for a moment, deep in thought. Finally he said, “I don’t think there is any way around it for Kate. She is going to have to get parental consent. “
    “What about emancipation?” Corey asked.
    “No. There would have to be abuse, neglect, or permission to marry. It puts us right back in the same place. Kate is going to have to get her parent’s permission.”
    Corey huffed, and sent a plea with his eyes.
    “Legally, Corey, she can’t make the decision to marry you until she is 18.”
    “We are already married, Tom.”
    “You know what I mean.”
    “Well, at least make her my heir. You can do that much, can’t you?”
    “Because you have no other relatives, I can. If there was anyone else to consider, that would be a problem.”
    Kate entered with a tray of lemonade and muffins and set them on the table. She sat in the chair next to Corey, and he took her hand.
    “I will draw up the necessary papers and have you sign them.”
    “I may not be available for a while, Tom. Is there something I can sign now?”
    “I brought a copy of your old will and testament. We can make temporary changes to it with your signature, but you will have to sign the new document to make it iron clad.”
    He pulled out the forms and made a few changes. Corey initialed where he indicated and signed and dated the bottom. Tom watched Kate intently throughout the procedure.
    “You really don’t care about any of this do you?” he asked her.
    “Of course I care,” Kate disagreed. “I care about anything that is important to Corey.”
    “You do realize that he has just signed over to you a 12 billion dollar inheritance?”
    Kate choked on her lemonade. “What?” She whipped her head to Corey. The shocked expression on her face gave way to trepidation.
    “Corey, I can’t stand the thought—please don’t. I couldn’t go through it again—” She snapped her eyes to Tom then back to Corey. She put her head on his shoulder. “Please don’t die. Promise me. I swear if you die, I will just give all of your money away to charity. I don’t want any part of it without you.”
    Corey laughed, took her face in his hands, and kissed her perfect lips. “I promise,” he chuckled.
    Tom set back in his chair. The anxiety lessened a bit, and he shrugged. “Corey, it seems you have chosen well. She is beautiful, charming, and apparently in love with you, son.”
    Corey beamed at Kate’s red cheeks, then turned to Tom. “Tom, there is one more thing I need from you. I want you to write up legal documents indicating that we are choosing each other in a formal marriage arrangement.”
    He began to object.
    “I know, I know. It won’t be completely legal without Kate’s dad’s signature, but I want a record that we are