Heart of Glass (Fostering Love 3)

I set my phone on my desk, then swore and picked it back up, deciding to text Morgan a reply to the photo she’d sent instead of replying to her apology.

Did she even move in her sleep? She looks completely exhausted.

A few minutes later, she texted back.

That’s what happens when you’re spoiled rotten all day. She’s not used to all these people doting on her. ?

Well, she better get used to it. She’s got about twenty more people waiting in the wings to do just that, I replied.

Yeah, about that.

I waited, watching the little dots on the screen for what seemed like a very long time.

You guys can visit whenever. I think we’re as settled as we’re going to be and I’m sure your mom is going crazy waiting.

I huffed in surprise. As much as I wanted to take Morgan at her word, she’d been so dodgy that I hadn’t really expected her to invite us down there—especially after my slipup the night before.

I breathed a sigh of relief and decided to call her instead of texting.

“Hey,” she answered.

“Hey.” My voice came out all weird and garbly, and I quietly hit the heel of my hand against my forehead in irritation. Yeah, apparently my anxiety wasn’t completely gone.

“Trevor, you called me,” she said, laughing a little at my awkward silence.

“Right.” I wiped a hand over my face, trying to get my act together. “I just thought it would be easier to talk instead of text. You’re serious about us visiting whenever? Because the minute I tell my mom, she’s gonna want to start driving south.” I may have been exaggerating, but it wasn’t by much. I wouldn’t have been surprised if my mom was already halfway packed in anticipation.

Morgan laughed nervously. “Yeah, I’m sure. Come whenever. I have to start looking for a job tomorrow, but other than that we’re pretty free.”

“Are—”

“So—”

We both spoke at the same moment, then stopped.

“So, I can’t wait to see you, either,” she said finally, her voice a little tentative.

“Jesus, woman,” I muttered, glancing at the open door to my office and wishing I’d closed it. “You made me wait for that one.” What the hell was I doing? I wasn’t even falling down the rabbit hole, I was fucking jumping. I just couldn’t seem to stop myself.

“I know,” she replied. “Sorry.”

“I’m—” Someone paused in my doorway, and I stuttered to a stop. Hell, I knew I shouldn’t try talking to her at the office.

“Brought doughnuts,” Bram said grumpily. It looked like he still wasn’t getting much sleep. “Get one if you want.” Then he stomped away without waiting for a reply.

“Shit, are you at work?” Morgan asked.

“I’m the one who called you,” I replied with a smile. “Remember?”

“Oh, right. Dang, you’re slacking.”

“I’m part owner, so I do what I want,” I boasted.

“No you don’t!” Bram yelled from the other room, making me regret again that I hadn’t shut my office door.

“Shut it, Bram,” I yelled back, trying to cover the microphone on my phone.

“I’ll just talk to you later,” Morgan said, laughing. “Let me know what your mom says.”

“All right,” I replied, almost calling her “beautiful” but stopping myself at the last second. I needed to stop this train before it completely left the station. “I’ll call you tonight.”

I set my phone down on my desk as soon as we’d said good-bye and hopped to my feet, barely refraining from punching the air in celebration like some nineties sitcom hero. I was a mix of jumbled emotions: guilt and worry, a little bit of fear, and a whole hell of a lot of excitement. I was going to see her, and not only that, I was going to introduce my parents to Etta. I had what my mom liked to call “ants in my pants” and there was no way I was going to be able to stay at my desk. Instead, I walked to Bram’s office to give him shit.

“Still not sleeping?” I asked cheerfully, smiling when he flipped me off.

“I don’t think she needs it,” he answered seriously, lifting his hands in supplication. “Honest to God, I don’t think my child requires sleep.”

“Sure she does.”

“No, I’m completely serious. She’s up like twenty hours a day. It’s insane.”

“How’s Ani?” I asked, leaning against the door frame.

“She’s in a pissy mood and pretty much hates everything except Arielle.”

“So what you’re saying is she’s being mean to you,” I said with blatantly fake sympathy.

“Man, I just want to sleep with my woman,” he grumbled. “And when I say sleep, I mean sleep. I doubt I could even do more than that at this point.”

Bram wasn’t much of a talker, and was even less so when something was bothering him, so I instantly grew serious at his words. It was kind of funny that Arielle was keeping them up so much, but I could see the toll it was taking on him, and it wasn’t a small one.