Page 9 of Luke

It took them all of a minute to get Garrett strapped in correctly in the seat before they left. Catherine and Ryker stood at their open door. Catherine waved while Ryker looked angry.

“Is he mad they were babysitting?” Paisley worried out loud.

Luke snorted. “That’s just his face. Resting asshole face, if you will.”

Paisley looked back out the window toward the house as the driver drove away.

“Really, that’s just him. He’s a grouch but he wasn’t mad at all.”

She wondered how true that was but didn’t press. Ryker had always looked grumpy when she’d seen him, but she hadn’t really paid that much attention to say it never changed.

They made it home and she quickly pulled Garrett out of his seat, holding him to her. She had missed him more than she’d ever missed another person. As she loved on him, Luke ordered food and started putting things away that were in the diaper bag.

It was wild the way he’d become so domesticated in the blink of an eye. He moved through her kitchen like he wasn’t worth a million times the cost of this whole building. Not once had he complained about her space or tried to take over.

“Can I hold him for a bit?” Luke asked as he came back into the living room area.

She didn’t want to let him go and it must have shown.

“I can wait,” he said, backing away.

“No. I think a shower is a great idea.” Standing, she shifted a sleeping Garrett into Luke’s arms. “I won’t be long.”

He shook his head. “Take as long as you need. We aren’t going anywhere.”

“Let me know when dinner comes? I’m hungry.”

He nodded.

She left him sitting there and went to her room. It took her a minute to decide what to wear, suddenly concerned about Luke’s impression of her now. She wasn’t this nervous the first time he’d flirted with her.

Now, in her rundown apartment that had probably never seen better days, she didn’t want him to think she was, what? Not pretty?

Sighing, she sat on the bed for a minute to pull herself together before just grabbing some leggings, panties, and a shirt. She didn’t need to impress him.

A lukewarm shower was the best the bathroom ever gave her, but she took her time. It was amazing how much better she felt just from getting clean.

He hadn’t knocked on the door by the time she finished getting dressed. She took her dirty clothes to her room and made sure that there were clean towels in the bathroom for Luke. He’d barely be able to shower in her bathroom, but he might want to try.

Or he’d leave and go to his friend’s and come back. That was probably the best idea. Then she’d wonder if he was even coming back. She was a mess.

Luke was straightening her living room up when she walked in. Pizza boxes were on the counter, and Garrett was asleep in his little chair.

“Dinner came right before you turned the water off. Shouldn’t have gone cold yet,” he told her.

She looked at the two boxes and checked each. Choosing the plain cheese one, she grabbed a plate and took two slices. Neither box had been touched which meant he hadn’t eaten yet.

“I’ll get you some water and your medicine.” Luke was right at her side. “Go sit down.”

Past the point of arguing with him, she just followed his instructions and went to the sofa. He brought her pills and a large glass of water before getting his own plate and joining her.

“What’s the plan here, Luke?” she blurted out.

He sighed and set his pizza down on his plate, turning to her. “I don’t want to walk away from you or him.”

“Forgive me if that’s a little hard to believe. I’m not trying to be mean at all, but I’m confused. You wanted nothing to do with me for a year, and now you’re just here all the time.” It felt good to say everything she was thinking.

“If you want me to leave, I will. I want to stay in his life always, but I’m kinda hoping that I can show you that I’m worth a second chance.” He shifted again on the sofa.

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