Page 30 of Falling for Him
“Seriously Adley, we can’t do this shit.” I block the doorway. “Listen to me.”
“We are doing this.” She nudges my chest. “She is not mad, she is worried. That is good, believe me.”
“That’s the problem, I don’t. How can you be okay with her feeling this way?”
“Bennett I have told you this before, I have to believe in my friends being happy. Right now, Lexi is keeping you at arm’s length even though she has been in love with you since day one. That girl has been head over heels, forgets her own name, in love with you. I watched her watch you when you didn’t know she was looking. I have watched her hang on your every word. You were a dumbass and couldn’t see it, but the rest of us did.”
When I try to interrupt her she stops me by holding up her hand.
“Then she tries, you hit pause and she is devastatingly embarrassed. We all know you didn’t push her into the arms of Derrick, but that is where she stumbled. Fast forward and here you are, ready to give it all and she is the one stalling. She needs this push, please, you have to trust me. I know it, hell Jilly and Soph know it too. That is why they went along so easily with the plan.”
She squeezes my forearm reassuringly. “Lexi is always going to be gun-shy with you unless we give her this nudge. Let us.” She releases the hold she has on me and slips out of the room.
Grabbing my phone from my pocket I dial Lexi’s number and when it goes to voicemail I leave her a message to call me.
I couldn’t take any chances, not with her. I’ve already screwed up enough. I was done hurting her, even though I never truly set out to do so. I was doing this for her. I knew how much she wanted this all to work out with Camryn. I’d so much rather it be her and I, but slow was what she asked for and I didn’t want to push.
Now I’m standing here wondering if I should have.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Lexi
I’d managedto miss the entire move. I missed the awkward exchange, instead working extra hours and insisting on helping Sutton with classes I have no idea how to teach. I don’t dance, yet there I was straightening tutus and helping little ladies slip on their jazz shoes.
I should go home, but it feels weird there.
Adley is gone and the room that was once hers now has a twin size bed with matching dresser. A purple comforter, pictures of princesses on the walls, and a toy box full of things I thought Camryn would enjoy.
I hide the game console in the living room hutch, thinking maybe a caseworker would frown upon it. But I remember Camryn talking about Minecraft, Lego Land, and a few other games she loved playing.
The home visit is set for anytime next week, a surprise visit, to catch me off guard I guess.
But in the meantime, I go in early and stay late. I avoid phone calls and decided to skip the get-together at Sutton’s a few nights ago and took myself to a movie instead. Yes, alone!
I stand from my desk, grabbing my things when my phone rings from inside my bag. Seeing Bennett’s name light up the screen I know I need to face the bear, but what do I say?
How’s life with Adley? Do you both hang out in your underwear together and drink beers?
I’m such a mess, I know this already.
Exiting my office I flip off the light and start to walk down the hallway just as the girls’ group session is exiting.
I see Camryn walking with her head down and I hurry to catch up so I can say hello. We don’t talk much since she was switched to a different counselor, but I had to do it that way. It was a conflict of interest, and I didn’t want to create any hiccups in the process of being approved.
Reaching her, I tug on the back of her shirt just enough to gain her attention. She pauses, looks back over her shoulder and I notice the way her mouth turns into a frown.
“Hey you.” My entire body feels her frown.
When she shrugs me off and attempts to hurry away, I jog a little to catch up and slip around in front of her blocking her path.
“Are you okay?”
She only shakes her head and I am reminded of the girl that first came to see me.
“Can we talk about it?” I ask her.
“Why, you already left.” She takes a step back to create a little more space between her and I.
