Page 40 of Luke
“Well, here’s hoping he inherited the family business traits,” she joked.
“You can test that out with Ryker’s money,” he teased. “I’m heading home to see if Paisley knows where she wants to go for dinner. Thank you again for keeping him.”
“Anytime.”
Paisley wasn’t downstairs when he got home. He hoped she wasn’t mad at him for springing this date idea on her. It had been a rough few months for both of them, starting even before he moved in with her, and he figured they both deserved a break, her most of all.
He’d also told Catherine the truth. They had a lot to discuss, and while Garrett wasn’t super difficult to talk around, it would be nice to have each other’s undivided attention for it.
Paisley was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a towel, when he went upstairs. She didn’t look upset, just seemed to be lost in thought.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
Paisley jumped, startled by him joining her before laughing it off. “I realized I didn’t know where we were going so I didn’t know how to dress.”
“We can go wherever you want,” he told her.
“You pick. I don’t go to the same kind of places you do so I don’t know what’s good or even what the choices are.”
“It’s not that serious, woman,” he teased. “We can go get fast food if you want.”
“I didn’t think it was. I’m just saying that I’m happy to go somewhere nice, I just don’t know where is best. Also, maybe somewhere we can avoid what happened at lunch?”
“Agreed. I’m still sorry about that.” He hated that she’d witnessed that mess, especially the first time they’d gone out as a family.
“I’m not mad at you,” she clarified. “The past is the past, but I’d rather confront it only once today.”
“I’d rather not at all.” He stretched out on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. “I know it’s my past and my decisions that brought us to this point, but I hate what happened today.”
“Not a fan of it myself, but if the both of us hadn’t been where we were, doing what we were doing, we never would have met and, to take it a step further, we wouldn’t have Garrett. I know that’s a cliché thing to say, but it’s true.” She stood, still wrapped in her towel, and went to the closet. “I have my own past, and we were both throwing caution to the wind when we started sleeping together. Neither of us were being responsible.”
Luke thought on it before replying, “True, but I’d say our pasts are much different.”
“Everyone’s pasts are different. You grew up with a sister I haven’t met and I bet you both have different stories to tell about it. Nothing we can do but step forward.”
“When did you get so philosophical?” he asked.
Paisley’s laugh floated over him. “Somewhere around the time that bimbo was accosting you, I think.”
It was his turn to laugh. “How did that change things?” He rolled over to face the closet.
“How’s this dress?” She stepped out wearing a black dress he’d never seen but was great on her no matter where they were going.
“It looks amazing on you. But tell me what happened,” he pressed.
“I just realized that this is something that will happen and we will have to be able to handle it. It’s not like we all made the best choices, and I can either sit there and stay quiet and let her think I’m nothing or stand up for myself and us and tell her how it is.” She shrugged as though it meant nothing when he knew better.
Luke didn’t say anything as he watched her move around, getting ready. It wouldn’t take him long to get dressed so there was no rush for him to get moving. Not to mention they’d only just eaten lunch so it was too early for dinner.
“I’m ready. Now, you just need to tell me where we are going,” she told him.
He was tempted to order in and keep her to himself but also wanted to get out of the house with her. Showing her off was an added bonus and it would prove to everyone that they were serious.
“Okay.” He stood, going to the closet himself.
He changed and fixed his hair before spraying cologne. There was no need to shower again, and he was in a hurry to get going so they could and get home.
“I’m ready,” he told her. “Let’s go shopping.”