Chapter 18

"Iknow I should be happy that we have time alone, but I do miss having Garrett with us," Paisley told Luke.

They'd gotten the ring, a simple gold band with inlaid stones that had her so nervous, and then gone to dinner. So far, the meal had been uneventful.

"Right? Like, I know it's important to get some time for just us, but he's such a good baby that I don't think it's that time yet," he agreed.

"Luke?" a man asked as he approached their table. "I knew it was you." He stuck his hand out for Luke to shake. "How have you been?"

Luke smiled warmly at the man and stood. "I've been busy with work and life. Trying to get out from under my father and starting my own family while I'm at it." He gestured to Paisley. "Mr. Smith, this is Paisley, my soon-to-be wife and mother of my son."

Mr. Smith shook her hand as well, even as he laughed loudly. "You never did anything halfway did you?"

"No, sir," Luke answered, taking his seat again.

"Glad to see you happy," Mr. Smith said. "It was quite a bad bit of business about your father. I hear he's still causing trouble from where he is."

Luke arched one blond brow at him. "What have you heard?"

Mr. Smith looked around to see who was nearby before pulling out the empty chair at their table and taking a seat with them. "There's been rumblings at the club that your father is trying to find a husband for his youngest daughter. I don't know that anyone is bothering to take him up on it because he doesn't have anything to offer but it's out there."

"I don't understand why he's still on this kick," Paisley added to the conversation.

"It's about succession. People that come from money have weird ideas about keeping things in the family and building wealth by combining families." Mr. Smith sat back in his chair. "I'm not old enough money for that nonsense. It's sort of building a legacy for some, and while it doesn't make any sense to the rest of us, someone might take him up on it."

"Ashley isn't even acknowledged by him," Luke blurted.

"It doesn't matter. He will put money behind her if he hasn't already and try to get someone he knows to marry her. I've never seen anyone take it as far as he does. I'd say he's obsessed."

"He absolutely is. If you hear anything else, let me know?" Luke asked. "I've got the same number."

Mr. Smith nodded as he stood. "Will do." He turned to Paisley. "You take care of our boy here and if he doesn't take care of you, let me know." With that, he turned and walked off.

Paisley giggled as he did. "He seems nice."

"I think he's the only person that my father introduced me to that isn't a greedy jerk. He always questioned my father, and I never really understood why he put up with it, but I suppose he wasn't an enemy worth making."

"He seems like a loving grandfather. What would he do?" The moment she asked the question, she wished she could take it back. "Nope. Don't tell me. Let me live in my fantasy world for a little while longer."

Luke snorted. "I won't take that away from you then. I need to call Ashley when we leave here though. Ryker told me she keeps giving her bodyguard the slip, and I think if we are hearing things about her being next, then we need to warn her and tell her to stop acting up."

"Is class almost over for her? Maybe she can come stay with us for a while." As much as she loved it being just the three of them, she wouldn't mind having company and getting to meet his sister.

"I don't think she's planning to move back after graduation. I can offer though, at least for a visit."

"Great." She smiled. "I know the conversation topic wasn't the best, but I much prefer Mr. Smith to the last person we met that you knew."

He bit back a laugh. "You ready to head home?"

She really was. As nice as it had been to get out, she missed the comfort and safety of their house. "So ready."

"Did you ever hear back on the job?" he asked as they paid the bill and waited for the server to bring his card back.

Paisley checked her phone for any emails, finding one that she didn't want to see instead. Her face must have given her anxiety and fear away because Luke reached for her hand.

"What's wrong?"

"Can we talk about it in the car?" She didn't open the email, but the sender was unmistakable. It was from Luke's father, no doubt another threat.

Luke studied her and nodded. The second the server returned, they stood and left the restaurant. Neither of them spoke until they reached the car and were already moving.

"Did you open it?" Luke asked.

Paisley shook her head. "Not yet. I didn't want to do it in there."

"Smart. Let's take a look."

Her hand shook as she held the phone up for both of them to look. Luke slipped it from her hand but held it so they could still both see. His other hand came around to hold hers.

"Whatever it is, we will get through it," he promised.

She wanted to believe him, but it was hard when it seemed to be one thing after another and his father knew the right strings to pull to make her upset.

Luke opened the email and they both read over it quietly.

Paisley,

Dear girl, it would have been easier if you had just listened and left like I told you to. Now you and that bastard son of yours are going to end up alone and broke again. Unless that's what you want? Seems a weird thing to prefer if you ask me.

I recognize that the DNA test my son did confirmed parentage, but I have to question the lab that was used. One wonders if they could be bought off to say that their initial report was wrong or perhaps they were paid to give those results?

I don't believe in giving multiple chances, so you won't get one from me. Just remember when things happen that you brought this on the three of you yourself by not following simple instructions. All you had to do was leave. Don't bother doing it now. Things are already in motion that cannot be undone and you will now have to suffer the consequences of your actions. Maybe you can keep the ring and pawn it later.

Just remember that you were warned. Marrying my son won't change the outcome either. Marriages are easily dissolved. People are rather accepting of mistakes in that regard.

You should have listened.

There was no signature—it didn't even need one. They knew who it was from.

"This asshole," Luke bit out. "I'm calling Ryker."

Paisley nodded, barely registering the ride home or the conversation that he was having.

"We're here," Luke said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Okay." Paisley got out of the car and waited for him to do the same.

When he stood, she rested a hand on his arm, stopping him. Her thoughts had gone many places while she was riding in the car and he was making calls, and she had made up her mind. She didn't want to let his father spoil any of their time together today. Tomorrow was soon enough to let the worry back in. Maybe it was the wine she had at dinner.

"Can we deal with this tomorrow? Like, is there anything we could actually do tonight or think that he would be able to do so quickly?" Paisley asked him as they stood at the curb.

Luke seemed to think about it as he ran his free hand through his hair, mussing it even further. "I don't even know what to think. But Garrett is safe with Catherine and Ryker."

"Let's go check on him and then go home?" she offered.

Luke looked down at her and into her eyes. She could only hope that her feelings for Luke were showing through. This man had crawled into her heart, and despite her pushing it away, she knew she was falling in love with him.

He seemed to relax a bit and took her hand, leading her toward their neighbors. "Let's talk to them and make sure that they don't have a different opinion than us, but I think you're right. We can just continue on with our night for now. Tomorrow is soon enough to worry about it."

Their visit to check on Garrett was short and sweet. He was happy and enjoying his time with his aunt and uncle. Paisley would never not be amazed to walk in and see Ryker's tall and tattooed body stretched out on the floor, playing with a baby, much less hers.

"It's weird, right?" Luke asked, opening their front door.

"What?" She followed him inside.

"To see Ryker like that," he clarified.

Paisley set her clutch down on the entry table. "That was exactly what I was thinking. I also think you're going to have another niece or nephew soon."

Luke smiled. "April and Cade seem so happy. I wish we saw them more, but I think he's still mad at me."

"If he is, he will work through it. No one has been openly angry at you, and most of your friends don't seem like the type to keep their thoughts to themselves," she reassured him.

He stepped closer to her, and Paisley let him back her against the wall as his lips crashed into her own. She wanted, needed him tonight. As he lifted her, she wrapped her legs around his waist, letting him carry her up the stairs, barely breaking the kiss as they did.