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She scowls lightly. “I see Caden and Pike every day, Flint. I’ve barely seen you three full days since I got here,” she asserts. There’s that fire I remember. It’s already turning me on, energizing me more than coffee ever could.
I sit back in my chair and grin at her. “Well, if you can tolerate them, you’ll have no issue with me,” I joke. Her shoulders relax. “You asked about the adoption last night.”
She nods. “Caden said that there’s been some movement, but he’s been vague.”
I don’t know how I feel about Caden being so open with the details I’ve given him. “Julian has put the adoption application through, and we’ll be getting a visit from the state, eventually. But knowing the bureaucracy, it could take weeks, if not months.”
“Okay, but what am I supposed to say, exactly?” she asks nervously.
I sit forward and log into the computer. “I’ve been working on some of the finer details, some things they might touch on that you should know, inside and out.”
She stares at me blankly. “Like what?”
“I’ll email you what I’ve come up with, but they’re mostly pertaining to Lily. Her likes and dislikes. Her bedtime—things of that nature. They’ll want to know how well you really know her.”
“I don’t need an email for that—” she argues, but I hold up a hand.
“As good as you are with her, you don’t know everything yet, Aspen.”
“Understood,” she breathes, relenting, and I’m glad she’s not fighting me on this. “What about Caden and Pike?”
My brow creases. “What about them?”
“Will it matter that they live here, too?”
“They were named guardians on Ryker and Alexandra’s will, too,” he reminds me. “The state already knows they live here.”
“Ah, that makes sense,” Aspen agrees. “But will the state make them give up their rights to her?”
I ponder the idea for a moment. I hadn’t thought of it, honestly, but she’s right.
“We’ve already established that I’m going to be the one adopting Lily,” I say firmly. “They will do anything to keep that child happy, safe, and with us. When I adopt her, they both know that they will still be in her life as much as they want to be, and will have an equal say in raising her.”
CHAPTER 12
Caden
Yawning, I amble down the stairs to find Aspen emerging from Flint’s office, her face drawn as if she’s lost in thought. She doesn’t see me until I fall into step beside her.
“Good morning, sunshine,” I purr, and she jumps, startled.
“Caden!” she gasps and giggles at her own reaction. “Where did you come from?”
“Some women claim heaven,” I tease, and she rolls her eyes, offering me a smirk, the two of us heading into the kitchen. “What was the meeting with the boss about?”
“Oh, he was just filling me in on the adoption and how it’s going,” she says quickly, her cheeks pinkening.
“Ah.”
“Morning, Papa Caden!” Lily calls out as Zoe takes her finished plate from the table. Pike doesn’t look up from his spot at the kitchen island, and the housekeeper gestures at the stove.
“Are you hungry, Doc?”
“I could eat,” I agree. “If someone’s going to keep me company.”
I eye Aspen and Lily meaningfully.
“Aspen is taking me to the park today,” Lily whines, a pout forming on her lips, and I wave a hand dismissively. “Addisyn and her mommy might be there.”
