Page 33 of Luke

Luke stopped her words with his hand out again. “Let me finish, please?”

She nodded.

“I heard what you said the other day when I brought it up and I think that’s a fair point. I have led a very different life until now, and as much as it hurts, you’re right to question it. I was making changes all along though. Small ones, granted, but changes just the same. I don’t want to go out and party. I haven’t done that in a while and I don’t miss it. I want to be with you, with Garrett, and any other kids we may have. I am all in and I will keep proving that to you.” Luke dropped his gaze to the floor and held his head in his palms.

There were few things that she’d ever really been sure of in her life, and Luke was quickly adding himself to that list. She knew he meant what he said.

“I think that’s it,” he whispered.

She swallowed and tried to form an adequate response. “I hurt your feelings the other day when I said that and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was speaking from a place of fear, and I don’t think that it’s really against you or your character. It’s my own insecurity. Everyone that was supposed to stay in my life hasn’t. So trying to believe that it won’t happen again is hard.”

“That’s what I’m talking about. I am absolutely on board, but you still have one foot out the door. I’m not mad at you. I just don’t think you’re ready.”

“I want to be,” she admitted. “I believe you. It’s me I don’t trust, I think.”

“Let’s just table it for now, okay? We can talk about it another time, maybe after we’ve lived here for a while.”

Tears pooled in her eyes as she nodded.

“Don’t cry,” Luke pleaded, opening his arms for her to come to him.

She stood and went willingly, wondering what she did to deserve him and the patience he had with her while she tried to pull herself together.

Chapter Fifteen

Luke

With every day that passed, Luke knew his feelings for Paisley were growing. She was quickly becoming his best friend in the ways that mattered most.

When something happened with one of his investments, she was the first person he wanted to tell. He wanted her there for all their successes and even failures. She listened intently when he spoke and asked questions, celebrating with him.

He did his best to return that to her. When she spoke, he gave her his full attention, not letting anyone interrupt except Garrett. They had found their rhythm again while waiting on the results of the DNA test, which he and Garrett went and took almost a week ago now.

Luke had accompanied her to Garrett’s most recent checkup, wanting to cry with him when he got a shot. He was embracing the role of father and husband even if they weren’t married.

Part of him regretted not accepting her agreement to get married when she’d said it. The part of him that needed her to be sure warred with the part that wanted her to marry him, but they would figure out the rest later.

Getting married wouldn’t solve anything, not really. Marriages were often dissolved so it changed nothing, or so he told himself. Jon hadn’t objected so he was taking it as agreement.

He kissed Paisley’s cheek as he joined her in the kitchen in the morning. Garrett was already up and reaching out for Luke to take him, which he gladly did.

“Good morning.” Paisley smiled at him.

“Good morning. Did you sleep okay? I didn’t hear him wake up.”

“I have my meeting later today, so I’ve been up for too long, anxious about it,” she admitted.

“We’ve been over that proposal with a fine-toothed comb. You’ve got this.”

She shook her head. “Doesn’t stop the stress.”

He understood that. “Well, breakfast smells delicious.”

“Sit down, it’s almost ready.”

He did and she joined him not long after, serving them both a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast.

Luke’s phone rang on the table before he could take his first bite. He sighed, picking it up and answering.

---