Page 30 of The Boyfriend Gamble

“This is Opal.” Angus pointed. “She’s my sister.”

“Uh…” Stanley frowned. “Well, sort of…”

I arched an eyebrow. None of my business, but the guy looked a little confounded.

“We’re fostering her.”

“Like, forever.” Angus put his hands on his hips. “That makes her my sister.”

Articulate, even at ten. He was my brightest student in the fifth-grade class.

Stanley cleared his throat.

“Angus, why don’t you make sure your desk is cleared out?” I offered a smile.

He glanced between the two of us. “I get it. No-kids discussion.” He pointed off to the corner. “I want to play with Kylie, anyway.”

“Yes, that’s great.” Stanley indicated the young girl at the other end of the playground. “Oh, and isn’t that Adam there as well?”

“Yep.” Angus started to stalk off.

“Take Opal with you.”

Where I expected my student to complain, he waited patiently while Stanley set the young girl down.

He grabbed her hand and headed off to join the group of kids.

I turned to Stanley.

“Opal’s mother has…problems. We thought she was getting help, but she wasn’t. And now she’s taken off, and there’s a warrant for her arrest.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah. And we’re trying to figure out how much to tell Angus. I mean, my husband’s a counsellor who’s getting his PhD in child psychology, and he works at Healing Horses Ranch with another child psychologist—”

“Adam’s mom?”

“Yeah, Denise Lang.” He rubbed his forehead. “Angus loves Opal. Considers her a sister. But social services might take her away.” He sighed yet again. “Or they might not.”

“Whatever you need me to do, just let me know.” I wasn’t certain how I could help—especially since Angus wasn’t going to be in my class anymore.

“I think…I just needed to tell someone else, you know? All our friends are invested. They all think we should just adopt Opal, but it’s not that simple.”

“And this is breaking your heart.” I might not know the man well, but even I could see the strain and pain.

“Yeah. That.” He ran his hand over his short hair. “Oh, and we’re going to be neighbors, and—”

“What?” I gaped. Like mouth dropping open.

“You bought the old Graman property, right?”

“Uh, yeah…”

“Well, your house is next to Maddox and Ravi’s.” He cleared his throat. “Maddox might be my ex, but we don’t talk about that.”

Uh, awkward.“Okay…”

“We live a couple of properties down. About half a mile. Angus bikes between the two houses, so he’ll be riding in front of your house. I just wanted you to know so you wouldn’t be surprised.”

---