“Penny. That’s her name. Penny.”
The dog cocked her head to the side each time he said Penny.
“Well, then, Penny it is. Seems to fit with her copper tones in her merle coat, too.” Becky Lee was glad to have a name for the puppy.
They headed toward Main Street so Becky Lee could check on her work hours for next week. As they rounded the corner on Main, Becky Lee spotted Camille and Delbert headed their way. She smothered a sigh, determined not to let the woman get to her.
Camille walked up, her hand tucked tightly against Delbert’s arm. “Well, hello. You have a puppy now, too?” Camille wrinkled her nose.
“Yep. Her name is Penny. Isn’t she great?” Scotty looked up at Camille.
“If you like dogs. I think they leave too much fur all over and they are so much work.”
“Well, I love her and she loves me.” Scotty puffed up his chest.
“Penny is a wonderful addition to our family.” Cal stood with one hand on Scotty’s shoulder.
Our family. A warmth rushed through Becky Lee at his words. They were kind of a ragtag family now and she liked that. She liked feeling part of a family.
“I’m sure it’s nice for Scotty to live with his mother’s sister and his uncle.” Camille’s words shot through Becky Lee and she looked quickly at Scotty.
“Cal is my uncle, but Becky Lee is his wife.” Scotty stared at Camille.
“Well, and your aunt, too. Your mother’s sister.”
Scotty looked at Becky Lee, his eyes clouded in confusion. “You’re Mom’s sister?”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. He didn’t know? How… strange. Delbert ran into Mr. Grayson who explained all about the boy.” Camille didn’t sound a bit sorry.
Becky Lee glared at Camille. “Nice seeing you, if you’ll excuse us?” She looked pointedly at the couple until Delbert caught on and led Camille away down the sidewalk.
Becky Lee knelt beside Scotty. “Yes, I’m your aunt. I should have told you earlier, but… well, it’s complicated. We were trying to keep it a secret from… someone.” She looked up at Cal for help.
Cal knelt down beside Scotty, too. “It was a decision we had to make. An adult one. To keep everyone… safe.”
Scotty looked right into Cal’s eyes. “You mean to keep me from having to live with my grandfather?”
Cal rocked back on his heels. “What?”
“Mom told me that my grandfather wanted me to live with him and that she didn’t want that to ever happen. That you’d keep me safe.”
Cal wrapped the boy in a hug, the boy’s little arms wound tightly around Cal’s neck. “I’m doing my best, kiddo.”
“So Miss Becky had to be a secret, too?”
“For a while, yes.”
Scotty looked at Becky Lee from over Cal’s shoulder. “So… it’s okay if I know it now, though? If people know it?”
Becky Lee nodded.
“Well, can I call you Aunt Becky instead of Miss Becky?”
Becky Lee swallowed and held out her arms. The boy let loose of Cal and came over and hugged her. “I’d love it if you called me Aunt Becky.”
“Hear that, Penny? I got an uncle and an aunt.”
Cal stood up and held out his hand to help her up. She reached up to take his hand, and he pulled her effortlessly to her feet. He wrapped an arm around her—she was sure it was just for effect in case someone was watching—and they walked down the street.
Scotty bounced ahead of them, then came racing back with Penny. “Wait until I see Josh. I got a name for my dog and an aunt today.”
Right at that moment, Becky Lee was pretty sure she was having a perfect day.
Cal leaned over and pressed a kiss against her cheek. He pulled away slightly, and she looked at the warmth in his eyes and the grin on his face. He leaned near again and kissed her on the lips.
Now she was positive it was the perfect day.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Becky Lee took Cal’s hand as they walked into the courthouse. He squeezed her hand in reply and shot her a weak smile. They stepped out of the heat and into the cool interior. Becky Lee saw their lawyer talking to another man. He finished his conversation and walked over to greet them.
“I think we have a solid case. Definitely helped by you finding the notarized document.”
Becky Lee wanted the whole ordeal over. She wanted to be headed home with Cal awarded custody, and planning a celebratory dinner.
Cal’s father walked up to them, flanked by a group of well-dressed, pretentious men she could only assume were his lawyers. Four of them. She swallowed hard.
“James.” Cal’s father greeted him. “Miss Tesson… oh, I mean Mrs. Grayson. Or is it Gray?”