Page 17 of Falling for Him
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Bennett
“Are those any good?”I’m mid bite when I look to my left and see a short brunette looking over at me with a smile.
“Mmhmm,” I hum around a mouthful and step over to create a little distance. “You should try one,” I add, with a nod toward the tiny biscuits with some kind of cheese in them.
“Friend of the owner or parent of a potential student?”
“Brother-in-law,” I say, wiping my mouth with a napkin and taking a drink of my water. “And Sutton is amazing, really great with the kids. I’d say that even if she wasn’t married to my brother.”
“Charming.” When she bats her eyelashes it does absolutely nothing for me. “So is your wife around here too?”
My stomach tightens and I quickly look around for any of the girls at this point. But seeing Lexi walking toward me immediately makes the room feel brighter.
“She is.” I don’t even correct the woman as I smile at Lexi.
“Lucky woman,” the brunette says as Lexi pauses only a few feet away from us.
“It’s me who is the lucky one.” I reach out and am thankful that Lexi accepts my hand. Threading my fingers through hers I pull her in and she comes without hesitation. “This is Lexi,” I say, not taking my eyes off hers.
“Hello Lexi, it is nice to meet you. I’m Georgia, I’m new to Hudson.”
“It’s a great place.”
“My grandfather is a local and my daughter and I decided to move here after a messy divorce. I wanted a fresh start, and he could use a little help around the house.”
“Who is your grandfather?” I ask, still holding Lexi close.
“Ed Barnes.” She smiles. “He runs the?—”
“Hobby store,” I finish with a smile. “Ed is a good man.”
“He is.” She laughs. “Granddad never did like my husband, or ex whatever. So he jumped at the idea of relocating us here, more than six hours south. Lani is actually starting classes here next week.” I stand quietly as she and Lexi continue in conversation. I’m completely in awe over the fact that Lexi is allowing me to hold her close.
“She’s almost six and took dances classes back home since she could walk.”
“I’m actually getting ready to foster a six-year-old girl so I may have to get some tips on parenting a girl from you.” Lexi’s eyes widen for emphasis. “I’m nervous, but excited.”
“That’s amazing,” Georgia says, “well I better go find my girl, she is running around here somewhere.”
She says her goodbyes and I offer a nod. Once she is gone I turn Lexi around and her eyes widen from the quick shift. “Fostering a six year old?”
At first I thought maybe it was a line she tossed at Georgia but when a smile spreads out over her lips and she shrugs her shoulders I know it’s true.
“Her name is Camryn.” Even I can see the excitement dancing in her eyes as she talks about her. “She lost both of her parents in a car accident, like I lost my mom. She is so smart and she’s also lonely. She’s been living in a girls’ home, having trouble connecting with any of the other kids there. Every single time she comes to see me my heart breaks for her a little more. But she’s opening up, for the first time since the accident she is connecting with someone. It kills me every time she has to go back to that place.”
Lexi’s eyes are full of tears as her lower lip trembles.
“I reached out to my boss and asked her if it was even possible. I can’t be her counselor any longer, but she says after I complete my mandatory hours and pass all the inspections then it shouldn’t be a problem.”
She takes a shuddering breath.
“I’ll still see her for group sessions, because there are four counselors present, but after next week I can’t be hers any longer. I just have to tell her.”
“Okay,” I say when I see how nervous she gets.
“What if I tell her that I want to foster her and she tells me she doesn’t want me to? What if she’d rather stay where she is?”
