Daphne and Gordon’s eyebrows rose, and their gazes locked on her and Brodie’s entwined fingers the second they walked into the office. Things had gone downhill from there. Daphne was skeptical that she’d only latched onto Brodie because of their previous conversation and Gordon, well, he’d only made the occasional mmm sound while she’d answered Daphne’s questions.
She should’ve stuck to her guns and made Brodie stay outside, not come into the meeting with her. Although she’d been the one to call the meeting with Daphne and Gordon because she’d wanted to show that she was in a steady relationship.
Oh, what a mess. She really hadn’t thought this out. Actually, they both hadn’t. Brodie had taken her throwaway comment about being in a relationship and run with it. So here they were in the most awkward meeting she’d even been in.
Finn was the main priority to her, and she had to save this disaster so she could save Finn. “Look, I know what you’re both thinking. It’s been obvious since the minute we walked in.”
“What’s that?” Daphne asked, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair. Again, Gordon hummed.
“That this relationship between Brodie and me is fake. That I’m only doing it to enhance my chances of getting custody of Finn.”
“Is it unreasonable for us to think along those lines?” Daphne questioned.
“No, it’s not, but you have to believe me.” She turned to look at Brodie, her heart skipping a beat when he smiled at her tenderly. There was no way that was an act for Daphne and Gordon.
Every second she spent with Brodie ignited a fire within her, making her hope for the type of happily ever after she’d wished for as a young girl. His kisses had set her on fire and sleep had only been reached once she’d slaked the desire his kisses had elicited with her vibrator.
“Brodie is one of a kind. He makes me feel emotions I’ve never felt before. He supports me and listens to me. And with regards to Finn, well, he adores Brodie. Everything Brodie does and says, he’s very conscious of making sure Finn is included.”
Everything she said was the truth. When they were apart, Brodie was front and center of her mind.
“Finn is the biggest concern here,” Daphne stated. “And Brodie, I’m aware of all that you do for the community, but that little boy isn’t a prize that’s to be tossed between you and Poppy.”
Cerise gasped, hurt that Daphne could say something like that to her. “You think I don’t know that? You know my background. You know the circumstances of how I grew up. The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt Finn. Finn is the reason we’re here doing this right now.
“The more comfortable he gets with us, the more he opens up. Just by Brodie showing him attention, the little boy has grown in confidence. He’s everything to me. Every—” She couldn’t go on as her emotions threatened to consume her and she was either going to throw up or burst into tears.
“Daphne and Gordon, believe me, I do understand what you’re thinking. When I saw Cerise and Finn at the diner, my plan had been to say hello and then make my way to the counter to get some breakfast.” He glanced at her and Cerise tried tosmile, except her lips wouldn’t move. “But, I couldn’t walk away. The first time I met Cerise, it was at an accident scene that the Hunt VFD was called to. She came in on the life flight helicopter. I took one look at her and almost forgot what I was doing.”
Her breath hitched in her throat, and she hadn’t been successful in hiding her little yelp of surprise at his declaration. She recalled the exact moment when their eyes met and how time paused momentarily for her.
“Yes, it’s been quick,” Brodie continued. “I can’t deny it, but my feelings for Cerise and Finn are true. If I didn’t believe that adopting Finn was the right thing to do, then I wouldn’t be here. That little boy has wormed his way into my heart. I love spending the evenings building LEGO with him. Teaching him how to ride a horse and skip stones across a creek.”
The tears that had been welling up inside of her trickled down her cheek. She couldn’t believe the beautiful things Brodie was saying. The sincerity in his voice wasn’t forced at all.
“Am I to ascertain that the application to adopt Finn is now to be made in joint names?” Gordon asked, the first time he’d spoken.
Yes, was on the tip of her tongue, but all the conversations she and Brodie had had over the last few days had been all about her continuing with the adoption.
“You can’t mess Finn around,” Daphne commented before either of them could answer. “My concern is and always will be for that young boy. If, and that’s a big if, Poppy was to relinquish her guardianship of Finn and the courts granted your adoption application, that’s for life. He will be the responsibility for the both of you for the rest of your life, not just until he turns eighteen. I can see that you are both in the early glow of a relationship. Now is definitely not the time to be making huge, life-changing decisions. And playing with Finn’s emotions.” Cerise opened her mouth to protest but Daphne held up herhand. “I know you’re not playing around, Cerise. I know you love that little boy. But, regardless of what I see in front of me, I think I’m going to have to advise that you hold off on your adoption application.”
“No, please, Daphne, don’t do that,” she whispered, the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. The press of a warm handkerchief against her face had her looking up. Brodie was gazing at her, still with that warmth and confidence in his eyes that had been there from the moment they walked into the room.
He got out of his chair and knelt in front of her, resting his hands on her knees, while still holding the handkerchief. “Sparkles, don’t cry. We’ll work this out.”
She snatched the folded cloth out of his hands. “You keep saying it will work out and now look, it’s a disaster.” As quickly as her anger encroached her soul, it left and she slumped forward. “It wasn’t supposed to go this way. What have I done to Finn?”
Brodie gathered her close, pressing a kiss on her forehead. She forgot about Daphne and Gordon being in the same room as them as she burrowed into his hold, clutching his back tightly. “You’ve done nothing to him, Cerise, so don’t ever think that. You’re doing everything for him.”
“Cerise, I’m not saying I’m permanently going to block your application to adopt Finn. But I need to make sure that what I’m seeing in front of me will last through the ups and downs of an adoption hearing. And I think it will,” Daphne murmured.
Brodie’s back muscles tensed beneath her fingers, confirming that she hadn’t mistaken what she thought Daphne had said. He straightened and went back to his seat.
“What are you saying exactly, Daphne?” Brodie asked, because right at that moment, speech was virtually impossible for her.
“Your assumptions of what I initially thought about your relationship were correct. I doubted that it was genuine. Cerise had mentioned that you were friends, but even then she’d seemed hesitant about what was going on between the two of you. But the scene I just witnessed has gone a long way with allaying those initial fears. I can see there is something building between you, but I’m still wary about you proceeding with the adoption process right now. You made the decision a day after you picked him up. And, while I told you that I would support you, thinking on it longer, I worry that it was a knee-jerk reaction. I know your intentions are pure and you love the boy, but I think it’s best we see how the relationship between you and Brodie develops.”
“I tend to agree with Daphne,” Gordon piped up. “We all want a successful outcome for the child.”
