Page 28 of Falling for Him
“Yeah.” She smiles. “He told me that I remind him of my mother. Because she always put the needs of others first and wore her heart on her sleeve.” I notice the glossy look in her eyes.
“How are things going with Camryn anyway?”
“I have a few more hours of my mandatory requirements, then we move on to the next phase.”
“What phase is that?”
“Home inspections, living requirements, indoor and outdoor.” She seems nervous as she bites her lip. “Adley seems okay with it, but we put in for a three bedroom apartment a few buildings down.”
I nod.
“I’ve been told it might be a little rougher to get approval living with a roommate but the fact that she is going through nursing school, holds down a good job, and doesn’t have a record should help.”
“Unless Rory keeps pushing her buttons,” I say with a laugh. “Then that could all change.”
“Yeah.” She takes a deep breath. “Somehow I think the state of Alabama will frown upon placing Camryn in the home of a murderer.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Lexi
This last weekhas been grueling.
“I completed all my required classes and the apartment option fell through. Which means I have to put off the home inspection part of acquiring my foster parent license until we find a place. Apartment shopping is awful. Either it’s too small, or there was the one that smelled like dead fish. Oh and the huge one that had no kitchen. That’s right, the rooms were huge, lots of space, but there was no kitchen. All it had was a countertop no bigger than four feet long where you could plug in a hot plate.” I rant on while everyone listens with smiles and the occasionally laughter.
“There is always my place,” Bennett announces loudly over the laughter and voices of everyone else. The conversations stop and all eyes are on me.
“Um, what?” I am aware of the way my voice cracks.
“I have three bedrooms.” Bennett shrugs. “You have two at your place.”
“I’m aware.” I hate being on display but everyone sits around quietly observing the exchange between him and I.
“So there are a few options,” he says. “You and the little lady take your apartment, Adley can move into my place. Or you and Camryn can move into my place, Adley too and I’ll take yours. Last, you take mine so Camryn has plenty of space and I can move in with Adley.”
Silence.
“I’ll be moving out in a few months anyway and it would make things easier for you, right?”
“We can’t.” What I really want to say is in no way I was going to agree to Adley moving in with Bennett. Somehow I picture the worst and then I am left feeling guilty for even having those thoughts.
“We can,” Adley says at the same time and instantly we shift ourselves toward one another. “Seriously.” She slides forward in her chair. “Our apartment is perfect for Camryn, besides the bedroom situation. And Bennett isn’t needing his place long. Jillian and Sophie both said they wanted to find another place when their lease is up in January. So you keep our place, and the inspection is passed with flying colors. I move in with Bennett and come January, Sophie and Jillian can move in with me because Bennett will be in his place by then.”
It all seems so logical, perfectly laid out.
But all I see is Bennett getting out of the shower, all glistening wet with a towel around his waist. Him stepping out into the hallway, Adley there with a tub of ice cream, mid bite. She drops the spoon, he drops the towel.
“Lex?”
I swallow hard. “Yeah?” I’m not even sure who it is that actually said my name.
“I think this could work,” Adley says, looking over at Bennett. “It’s October now,” she says, “do you think four months seems like a possibility?”
“We plan on having the entire outside complete by November,” Brant adds. Everyone has taken part in this plan but me. Oh and Rory, who seems to be sitting quietly, looking as displeased as I feel.
“We have a crew set to work the inside in two weeks, after they finish up across town. Once they get going I think this will progress fairly quickly. The plan is by end of December.”
“So yeah.” Bennett nods his head looking at Adley, Sophie, and Jillian who all appear to be very excited by this new development.
