Nadia canted her head to the side. “Is he now? What have I missed by working nights and not seeing you?”
“I’m surprised Mitch hasn’t told you.”
“My fine and handsome and oh-so-sexy fiancé and I have been ships passing in the night. So no he hasn’t told me anything. Which I shall be having words with him about.”
Cerise shook her head at her friend’s antics. “I’m sure the time you are together, you have better things to do and talk about than me.”
A soft smile played across Nadia’s lips. “That we do, but getting back to you and Brodie. Tell me everything. I’m your best friend in the whole world. I should know these things.”
Remorse stabbed her momentarily. Nadia was right. They had shared a lot with each other over the past year. “I know you’ve got a lot happening, what with wedding planning and working. Not to mention supporting Mitch as he transitions back into being a surgeon.”
“True, but I’ve always got time for you, Cerise, you know that. What if I let you glitterfy me again for a date night for me and Mitch. I’ll even promise to get glitter all over him.”
Cerise laughed out loud at the visual she was describing. “I really don’t need to know about what you and Mitch get up to in the bedroom, but I’m totally up for glitterfying you again.”
Nadia nudged her with her shoulder. “Good, now dish. The way you keep avoiding the subject has me wondering what’s really going on.”
Since their meeting with Daphne and Gordon, Brodie had become a regular fixture in her and Finn’s lives. The three of them had dinner together every night and once, when she was asked to cover a night shift, Brodie had offered to stay with Finn. Finn had loved it and was so excited the next morning when she arrived home. She was dead on her feet, but she listened and her heart burst with love for the boy. She was losing the battle that what she was feelings towards Brodie was anything but love.
“Brodie and I are seeing each other and I’m thinking of adopting Finn.” There, she’d blurted everything out, and there was nothing more to say.
“Whoa, that’s a lot to unload. How about we break it down? Let’s start with you wanting to adopt Finn. I think that’s greatand you’ll be a wonderful mom to him. Are you ready for it? What about your job? I know you had an arrangement in place the couple of times you’d fostered him, but this is long term.”
Cerise spent the next few minutes explaining her adoption plans and, if it happened, what she’d do with her job.
Nadia’s arms wrapped around her when she finished, and Cerise appreciated her friend’s hug. “You’ve such a big heart, Cerise Robinson. He’s very lucky to be with you. Whatever you need from me and Mitch to help with the adoption, then just say the word.”
“Thanks, Nads. I appreciate it.”
They sat for a few minutes and Cerise took the opportunity to gather her thoughts for the next onslaught of questions.
“What about Brodie, and how does he feel about Finn? I mean, it looks like he loves that kid and Finn loves him back. And if you guys are seeing each other, it had to have started after the night we all worked at the accident scene. You hadn’t met him before that, had you?”
“Nope.” There was something in Nadia’s tone that had Cerise’s mind turning things over. “Wait, was Brodie the guy you were trying to set me up with?” Ever since she’d gotten engaged at Christmas, it had been Nadia’s mission to set Cerise up on a blind date. Every time Nadia suggested it, she’d shot her friend down quicker than a duck in hunting season.
“Maybe.”
Cerise rolled her eyes. “You’re hopeless.”
Nadia lifted her hands in surrender. “Hey, I was right about the two of you, wasn’t I? You’re seeing each other. It’s just that you met under different circumstances. I mean, I never would’ve suggested your first date be an accident scene, but fate works her charms in mysterious ways.”
“I think you’re full of it. It’s new and he’s really good with Finn. But that worries me, because what if we get attached andthen Brodie decides that it’s not what he wants? That he wants to go live it up in Europe and spend some of the millions and millions of dollars he’s got sitting in a bank account?” She kept her voice low so that those around her didn’t hear what she was saying.
Nadia’s eyes widened. “You know about Brodie and what he did before he came here?”
“Yes, he told me the other day. I worry, Nads. I really like him and Finn worships the ground he walks on, but I’m scared to trust my feelings. I’ve never had any luck when I allow someone in my life. The moment I do, they walk. It happened to me so many times as a kid. I’d be with a family, and everything would be going well, and I’d let my guard down and, bam, the next day I get theHoney, we’d love to keep you but we can’t. I’m sorry and it’s nothing you did.talk.”
“I may not have known Brodie long, but he doesn’t seem the type of guy to do something like that. He wouldn’t string you along and, if he wanted to go to Europe and spend all his money, he would’ve done it before now. He and Mitch have talked a lot. You know Mitch doesn’t trust a lot of people, but he trusts Brodie.”
Everything in Cerise wanted to believe her best friend, but fear still held her back. She looked up and found Brodie and Finn standing in front of her. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t seen them approach.
“Everything all right, Sparkles?”
“Yep, everything is great.” She spied some chocolate on the corner of Finn’s mouth. “Did you enjoy your s’mores, Finn?”
“Yep. But Andy’s mom and dad say it’s time to go. Are you sure you’re going to be okay if I have a sleepover with Andy? I don’t want you to be by yourself.”
This kid ... he always put other people’s needs in front of others. She stood and brushed her thumb against the side of hismouth, wiping away the smudge of chocolate. “I’ll be fine. If I get too lonely, I’ll go sleep in your bed and then I’ll be close to you.”
