“I saw Luke talking to a lawyer on the street, that’s why I was late today.”

“Do you remember what street you were on, or the name of the law firm?” He frowned.

“No, not really.”

“This is really important, Lexi, please.” He ran his hands through his hair and his golden ends looked all spiky. “I have been speaking to a lawyer about adopting Shelby, but I’ve been keeping it hush hush because I know if my father finds out, he’ll get Shelby shipped away somewhere. I haven’t asked Luke to help me with anything, Lexi.” He sounded panicked. “I hope my dad didn’t get to him.”

“Luke wouldn’t do that.” I frowned though. I was no longer sure that I really knew Luke all that well anymore.

“The lawyer told me that my application is pretty strong but the only problem is I don’t have my own house and I am not very liquid.”

“Oh Bryce.” I grabbed him. “This is all my fault isn’t it?”

“No, of course not.”

“Yes it is. If you hadn’t given my mom the money to buy the house then you would have had a stronger application.”

“What?” He frowned at me.

“I can never thank you enough for doing that for me and my mom, Bryce. I’ll pay you every month until I repay the loan. I promise.”

“Lexi, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never gave your mom any money. Certainly not enough to buy a house.”

“What? It wasn’t you?” My mind started ticking over and over and I frowned. “Then who?”

“I don’t know, Lexi, but I think we need to pay a visit to my attorney.”

“Do you think we could visit Shelby as well?” I asked a bit nervously. “I’d like to see her.”

“Of course. She’s wonderful, Lexi. I just love her so much already.”

“Does she know about us?” I question curiously.

“No,” he sighed. “But maybe we should tell her today.”

“Are you sure? What if everything doesn’t work out well?”

“I think she needs to know the truth. No matter what happens.” Bryce looked determined. “I want her to know the truth.”

“Okay.” I nodded my head and my breath caught as a butterfly circled around me and then landed on my hand. It had wings of red, black and gold and I was mesmerized by its beauty and bravery. “Hello.” I whispered and then it flew away. I noticed that the sun had also come out. And I felt a fresh burst of energy and verve. This is a new beginning for me I thought. This is the time for me to start my life afresh: to live in the here and now.

Chapter 10

Bryce

I didn’t want Lexi to see how panicked I was, but my heart was in my throat as I drove to my lawyer’s office. Luke was probably the most trustworthy man I had ever met, but I knew how devious and calculated my father could be. If he had any clue that I was trying to adopt his illegitimate daughter he would do everything in his power to shut it down. Even someone like Luke might find it hard to say no.

I parked quickly and waited impatiently for Lexi to get out of her car. She looked at me, with worried eyes, as she looked at the office. “This is where he came earlier.”

“I see.” I tried to quell my fears. “Let’s go in.”

“Okay.” She looked worried and I knew that she was also wondering what Luke could have done.

“I’m here to see Mr. Raynor, please.” I spoke sharply to the secretary.

“He’s on a call, Sir.”

“Tell him that it’s Bryce Evans and it’s really important.”

“Can you take a seat, Sir?”

“No. I need you to tell him now.”

“Okay.” She rolled her eyes and stood up before knocking on a door and walking into David Raynor’s office.

“Come on.” I grabbed Lexi and walked to the office. I pushed the door aside and walked in with Lexi standing next to me, reluctantly.

“Mr. Evans, I told you that…” the secretary looked at me angrily.

“Have a seat, Bryce.” David waved me towards the chairs. “It’s okay, Margaret. I’ll speak to Bryce.”

“Yes, Sir.” She glared at me before she exited the office. I saw Lexi looking at me with trepidation on her face. I knew exactly what she was scared about. I squeezed her hand and we waited for the lawyer to finish his phone call. She smiled at me quickly and squeezed my hand back and I sent up a quick prayer that at least something in my life was going right. Lexi and I were going to remain friends, even though our romance had fizzled out as soon as it had begun. Maybe my mom was in heaven looking out for me, I thought. She’d be happy to see that we had talked about our feelings honestly.

“Okay, Bryce, how can I help you?”

“I want to know why Luke Bryan was here today. And I want to know what’s going on with Shelby.” I leaned forward and stared into his eyes. “And I want to know the truth.”

To my surprise, David Raynor put his head in his hands and sighed. A long deep heavy sigh. And then he looked back up at me. “Who’s this then?” He nodded towards Lexi and she stood up and offered him her hand.

“I’m Lexi Lord. I’m Shelby’s sister.”

“I see.” The lawyer sat down and sighed. “Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we start to deceive.”

“Sorry, what?”

“Nothing.” He sighed again. “I can’t tell you why Luke was here. Unfortunately that is attorney client privilege.”

“Is he working for my dad?” I shouted. “Is he trying to stop me from adopting Shelby?”

“What?” He laughed, and I could see amusement in his eyes. “No, no, Luke is far from working for your dad.”

“What is he doing then?” Lexi leaned forward and spoke in hushed tones. “I don’t want to invade his privacy, but I have to know. Is he in trouble?”

“No, no he’s not.” David played with the files on his desk and looked up with a troubled expression on his face. “I’ve asked him to tell you. But he doesn’t want to. It’s his own choice. I personally think it’s best for everything to be out in the open. It’s time. Let the chips fall where they may.”

“What are you talking about, David?” I sighed, not understanding what he was saying.

“Even the mighty have to fall at some time. But it’s not my decision to make. Luke will do what he wants.” He looked me in the eye then. “But you should know that he is not trying to stop you from adopting Shelby. He is actually trying to help you. He set up a trust in Shelby’s name. And he named you as the conservator. He is willingly to openly support you and your quest.”

“What?” A cold sliver of shock ran through me. “What? Why?”

“He wants to see Shelby looked after and he thinks you will make a good older brother and father figure to her.”

“But I don’t understand.” I frowned. “He can’t just give you money like that.”

“Is that why he came to see you?” Lexi whispered.

“No. That wasn’t the main reason he came to see me. But he inquired about your adoption process. He knows I have a close relationship with the orphanage and the powers that be. He wanted to know what the likelihood was of you being able to adopt Shelby.”

“And what did you say?”

“I told him what I told you. You were a good candidate but you don’t have your own abode or a stable source of income.”

“And then he just gave you a huge chunk of money?” I frowned in disbelief.

“He asked me if I could create a trust for Shelby with some monies he would donate. He asked to name you as conservator and he said he would publicly support the adoption.”

“But how would that help?” Lexi looked as taken aback as I felt.

“They love him at the orphanage. He’s one of their success stories. He got adopted at age six but he never forgot them. He has been volunteering there for years. In fact, when he made his first million, his first major donation was to them.”

“His first million?” Lexi frowned. “He has millions?”

I was just as surprised. “Luke was adopted?” I turned to Lexi and I saw she that she was frozen still with huge eyes.

“I never knew he was adopted.” She blinked and looked at me, blankly. “He never told me he was adopted.”

“I’ve said too much.” David Raynor looked worried. “I can’t talk much longer. Both of you should know that Luke only has your best interests at heart.”

“What does he want?” I stare at the files on David’s table. “I don’t understand it. Why would he do this for me? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Luke has his reasons.” David stood up. “And now, I really need to get to some work.”

“Did Luke buy my mom’s house?” Lexi had tears in her eyes as she questioned the lawyer. “He bought my mom’s house didn’t he?”

The lawyer nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“You need to ask him dear.” David looked at both of us apologetically. “Maybe you both need to speak to Luke. He’s a good man. He looks after his family. He’s a good man.” And, just like that, Lexi and I are out of his office. We stood there staring at each other with shocked expressions on our faces.

“I guess I really don’t know Luke do I?” Lexi’s lips trembled as she played with her hair. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Because he loves you.” I was hesitant as I talked, trying to find the right words to explain it to her and myself. “I think he loves you so much that he just wants you to be happy. And, no matter what, he wants you to be okay. He wants to make sure, as best as he can, that you are okay. What a man. He did this for you when he thought you were in love with me.”

“He shouldn’t have done it!” she cried out.

“He did it because you have his heart. You really and truly have his heart.” And then I frowned. “I don’t understand why he would do this for me though. He doesn’t owe me anything.”

“Maybe he did it for Shelby.” We left the office and stood by the big oak tree, instead of getting directly into our cars. “He obviously loves her. And maybe, because you’re her brother, he saw it as the best way to make sure she is happy.”

“But he doesn’t know me.” I frowned. “I was an ass in high school. We weren’t friends and I can’t think he even likes me now, after what happened between you and me. So why would he trust me? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Maybe because he knows what it’s like to be adopted? What it’s like to be given a forever family with people who love him?”

“He has a good family?” I question, wondering what his childhood had been like; wondering about the sort of parents it took to raise a man as good as him.

She nodded and smiled. “They’re wonderful. They support him in everything he does and he does everything he can for them. I guess I understand now, why they seem to appreciate and love him more than life itself. They most probably feel blessed to have a son like him.”

“He’s a great guy.” And then I laughed and she looked at me confused.

“What’s so funny?”

“How did you pick the two of us? He’s Mr. Perfect and I’m the exact opposite. I’ve got a shitty family, I’ve spent most of my life worrying about myself and—”

“—Stop.” She put her finger to my lips. “I never want to hear you doubting yourself again, Bryce. The past is the past. We’ve all made mistakes. But as long as we recognize them and we move on and try to do better in our lives, it’s okay. No one’s perfect, Bryce. Not even Luke. Never put yourself down. You’re a good guy.”

“Do you really think so?” I looked to the sky. “Sometimes I wonder if I will ever truly be a man my mom can truly be proud of. Sometimes I don’t know if I am coming or going.”

“We all feel that way, Bryce.” She smiled softly. “I think that’s a part of life.”

“You mean this feeling will never go away?”

“I don’t know. But it can’t be bad can it? To question and to never stop the journey to being a better person.”

“I guess not. I guess we’re growing up now huh, Lexi?”

“It’s weird.” She laughed. “But I think we are. I don’t see you as the hot quarterback anymore and myself as the invisible flower.”

“You were never invisible.” I stroked her cheek. “But I do take offense at no longer being considered the hot quarterback.”

“Oh you’re still hot. Just not in a ‘I hope he asks me to Prom’ way.” She laughed and I took her hand and pulled her closer to me.

“I hope you never change, Lexi. I want you to sing Disney songs at the top of you voice, I want you to write letters of hope and love to any and everyone you want to, I want you to laugh and dance and scream and shout. I want you to keep believing in your dreams.”

“I don’t know, Bryce. Dreams aren’t always what they seem. Maybe I need to just come down to earth once and for all.”

“Lexi, if you didn’t dream we would never be here.” My voice was husky. “And I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be functioning right now, Lexi.” I closed my eyes and I pictured my mom’s face. “I wouldn’t have made it Lexi.”