Page 102 of Going Home

"I mean, don't waste it. Don't use the money to go party and flunk out. That might upset us," Colt says and takes another piece of cheese.

Holding a finger up, Lex smirks. "You can still party, but don't major in it. There's a balance to find. It might've taken me a semester or two, but I figured it out eventually. And Colt barely got his GED, so he can't talk too much about grades."

"So, why's Lucas here? He doesn't need to be involved in conversations about college tuition. For me, anyway."

Such a fucking brat today."Well, you're right. That wasn't the reason we brought you here.Youbrought up college tuition."

She grinds her teeth, and Lex holds back her chuckles as she coughs and takes a drink of water. He just prays Calla isn't half as bad.

"Colt and I have been talking," Lex says, cutting off whatever Hailey decided to say when she opened her mouth," and we would like to adopt you."

"If you want," Colt adds. "You can say no."

"And if we say no, does that mean this college tuition goespoof? And Lucas gets shipped back to Iris and Harold?"

Sighing, his wife shakes her head, a strange look of pity on her face instead of the frustration Colt feels. "Nothing changes if you say no. We understand if it's not something you want, but we'd like to do this if you do."

"We do need you guys to pack, though. We're moving to a bigger house. Everyone gets their own room," Colt says.

"But I'm supposed to be leaving soon," Hailey says. "Graduation is right around the corner. That means Lucas could take the room I'm staying in."

"And you'll still come home on breaks. Holidays. You always have a room in our home, Hailey," Lex says. "I know you're not used to stability, but you have that with us. Always. No matter what you decide."

She shakes her head. "I don't want to be adopted."

"That's fine. You're eighteen, but that doesn't change how we see you. Whether you like it or not, you're family."

Lucas looks at the table and plays with his fork. Colt notices and reaches a hand out to stop him from fidgeting. "If you don't want to do this, Luke, we don't have to. This is your decision."

"He doesn't want to hurt your feelings," Hailey says. "He doesn't take after me who doesn't care. But everything has a catch."

"Hailey—"

"Colt," Lex warns. "I hope one day you can stop being so jaded, Hailey. There's no catch. Nothing changes. We're not going to suddenly turn you intoCinderella. We love you both, and we're not going anywhere. No matter how much you try to push us away, we're here. Test the boundaries all you want, but it won't change anything."

That's what it is. She's trying to push us to break. Probably to keep herself from getting hurt again. How the fuck did Lex see this?

"Do I... Do I have to change my last name to Nichols?" Lucas asks, his eyes not quite meeting theirs.

His heart sinks, but Colt shakes his head. For some reason, this hurts more than he expected it would. He hoped to have another Nichols in the family. "Not if you don't want to."

"It's just... My last name is the only thing I have left of my dad."

"You can keep your name as is, baby," Lex says and reaches out to take his hand. "And if you'd rather we not adopt you, you can say no. I promise, nothing changes."

"No, I want you to," he says, earning an outraged look from Hailey. "I just don't want to hurt your feelings by keeping my last name. My dad's name. I'm not ready to stop being his son."

Colt's hurt disappears immediately when he sees the fear and pain on the younger man's face. "You'll always be his son. And we don't expect you to call us Mom and Dad. You're welcome to regardless of what happens here, but we know you had parents. We're not trying to replace anyone."

"I can't take your mom's place, Hailey, but I'd like to help out where I suspect she would if she was still here. We know better than anyone that family isn't strictly about DNA, and you always have a home with us. A home that doesn't come with pain. Physical or emotional. Home is supposed to be a safe place, and that's what we want for you."

"I like this family," Lucas says, his voice quiet."

"We love this family," Colt says and smiles.

Emme walks towards them as Hailey stares daggers in their direction, and Lex signals for her to come back later. Bracing himself, Colt decides to remain quiet and let Lex handle the angry eighteen-year-old.

"I don't want to be adopted. Lucas can do what he wants, but I'm eighteen," she says, her arms crossing over her chest.

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