Two of a Kind by Susan Mallery

Author:Susan Mallery
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HQN
Published: 2013-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

THE NEXT MORNING Felicia signed the paperwork to enroll Carter in the summer camp. Somehow Mayor Marsha had come through, and both Felicia and Gideon were cleared to be emergency foster parents. They’d been given joint custody of Carter until the DNA test confirmed what they all knew. But for the next few weeks, she was a mother, albeit a temporary one.

Dakota Andersson checked the form, then smiled. “Sorry this is going so slowly. Our normal clerk is out sick today, so I’m pulling front-desk duty. I’m not so good with the paperwork.” She put the paper down and nodded at Carter.

“You’re in. The way our camp works is we divide kids by age, interest and sometimes gender. You’ll be with a group of guys who are your age. We have a buddy program. We assign you a fellow camper for the first week so you can meet people and fit in.”

Carter leaned against the counter. “What happens on the first day of camp? Isn’t everyone new then?”

“They are, which makes the buddy program pretty fun. No one knows where anything is and sometimes both buddies try to be in charge.”

Felicia privately thought that was a flawed system, but she decided not to mention that. If Dakota wanted help, she would ask for it.

“Reese Hendrix is going to be your buddy,” Dakota said. “He’s my nephew, so he has to behave.” She looked at Felicia. “He’s Kent’s son. Have you met Kent?”

“No, but I know who he is. I met your mother when she applied for the booth.”

Dakota groaned. “That was not a fun weekend. Ford nearly went through the roof when he found out. Kent and Reese were out of town, so Kent missed the whole thing.” She turned her attention back to Carter. “You ready?”

“Uh-huh. I left my lunch in the car. Let me go get it.”

Felicia followed him back to her car. “You have the cell phone if you need to reach me. There’s coverage up here, although I suspect the counselors frown on personal calls. An emergency is different.”

Carter grinned. “I know the rules, Felicia. I’ve done this sort of thing before.”

“That makes one of us.”

She gazed at him, at his shaggy hair and disproportionate body. He’d reached the stage of growth where he was all arms and legs. Her chest felt tight again—a not unpleasant sensation.

“Don’t worry,” he told her. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re very brave.” She paused, wrestling with the truth. “Is it all right if I give you a hug or would you consider it inappropriate?”

He surprised her by stepping close and wrapping his long arms around her. She hugged him back. He was so skinny, she thought. All bones, but strong. As they hung on to each other, she understood that she would do all she could to protect this boy, no matter what.

He stepped back. “Better?” he asked.

She nodded and collected his lunch.

“I’ll be back at five,” she told him.

He waved and walked toward Dakota. Felicia watched him go, her chest still tight, but this time with too much emotion rather than its usual emptiness.

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