Page 57 of Falling for Him
“Dad telling it like it is I see.” Brantley walks toward me, standing in the open doorway as we both watch him leave. Buckley O’Shay is a good man. He raised two sons and took care of my mother like she deserved. Still to this day she is his queen.
“Can you do me a favor and ask Sutton to quietly get me Rose’s information. Phone number or email, whatever she can.”
“Camryn’s caseworker?”
“Yeah.” I glance over to find my brother grinning knowingly. “I need to find out from her about getting my foster parent license. I want to show Lexi I’m serious when I ask her and Cam to move in here with me. The best way I think to do that is get my ass enrolled in the program and line up my classes.”
“I’d say that’s a start.”
“What else you suggest?”
“Getting the fucking house done.” He chuckles, pushing me along and making me laugh. “Can’t move a pretty lady in and a sweet kid without having a place for them to lay their heads at night.”
“Here isthe list of classes that you’ll be required to complete.” Rose hands me a pamphlet. “They are more sessions than courses. Lots of hours logged, a few quizzes, more questionnaires of different scenarios and how you’d approach them. I think you’ll do great.”
I take a deep breath and nod as I thumb through the pamphlet.
“Bennett.” I look up to find Rose watching me. “Are you going to tell Lexi about this?”
“After I finish,” I tell her. “I want to know that everything is good and that there is no legal reason why her and Camryn can’t move in.”
“Do you think she’ll say no?”
“I like to think that the only reason she would is because she isn’t sure Camryn can too. I like to think they both want to, and if I’m honest I’ve been building this house with them in mind. Maybe not Cam from the start, but from the minute she became part of our little family, I have. She’s got a room already, a kid zone upstairs in the loft. I’ve got a treehouse going up in the big tree outside. I want them there, both of them. When the day comes that Lexi is free to adopt Camryn I hope that I’m right by her side and am able to do that with her. God forbid if she and I don’t work out, then I at least hope I’ll still be able to be a part of Camryn’s life.”
“Why wouldn’t you work out?”
“Oh we will,” I say with a smile. “It would take God himself to keep us apart, but my point is I love Camryn, and I love Lexi. I want them sharing my home with me.”
“Get online, set yourself up with a schedule.”
“Will do.” Rose smiles as I stand and grab my keys off the chair at my side. Holding the paperwork in my hand I leave with a smile, and excitement coursing through me.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Lexi
“Doyou want the Alfredo with chicken and vegetables, or spaghetti and meatballs for dinner?” I ask Camryn as the two of us walk through the aisles at the store.
“What does Bennett want?” she asks and I laugh.
“What do you mean what does Bennett want? What makes you think Bennett is coming over for dinner?”
“Because I texted him already and asked.” She shrugs like I should already know this and I reach in my purse to grab my phone. Sure enough she’d messaged him earlier today.
Me: Are you coming over for dinner? -Cam
Ben: I’ll be there, small fry. Probably not until after six though.
“When did you use my phone?” I swear she is like a tiny little ninja.
“When you were washing your hair.” She reaches up, standing on her tiptoes and attempts to grab a container of strawberries. I grab them for her, placing them in the cart and watch her go back for the blueberries.
We continue through the store, gathering everything on our list and a few things that aren’t. Finally, we decide on the chicken Alfredo with vegetables for dinner.
As we are standing in the checkout loading our things on the belt a woman from the next aisle looks over the rack separating us. “Hey, you’re uh,” she points to Cam and I instantly feel a protective hold take over. Reaching out I place my hand on Camryn’s shoulder and pull her back to me.
The lady looks somewhat familiar.
