“That wasn’t necessary,” she told him. “But I’m not about to turn down my favorite dinner.”
“I didn’t figure you would,” he chuckled. “There’s also a little surprise waiting at home for you.”
At home.
The two words seemed to symbolize so much—like the possibility that they were creating a real life together and not some temporary arrangement that stemmed from blackmail.
“I love surprises,” she told him. “But you don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t,” he stated. “Don’t get your hopes up, though. The surprise is nothing major.”
Maybe not to him, but the fact he’d thought of her enough to even have a surprise said so much. Paisley’s heart swelled at the idea that he wanted to give her something for no reason. But she couldn’t let her mind travel to the place her heart already resided. Some part of her had to remain logical and firmly planted in reality. All of this was temporary. No matter how much she was falling for him, no matter how much she wished they could start something real, he only wanted her for a child and she needed him to find out the truth.
They weren’t the same people they once were, so the love and trust they’d need to start a solid foundation just wasn’t there yet.
Yet. As if he was going to fall madly in love with her and want a real future together.
“I need to run,” he told her, interrupting her thoughts. “I might be late, so you don’t need to wait up.”
He disconnected the call, and Paisley set her cell down as she leaned back in her seat, processing the whole Sterling update. What would he say when she confronted him? Would he deny her or welcome her into the fold of the family?
Granted, that was if she ended up being his daughter. Paisley wanted so desperately to feel like she belonged somewhere. Oh, she’d never admit as much, because she was trying to be the independent woman she claimed. But right now, she was getting hit from all sides and, well, she was a bit needy. There was no room for pride when everything had been taken away.
Everyone had a vulnerable point in their life and she had to admit, she’d reached hers.
She wasn’t going to stay down long, though. She would climb back up out of this nightmare of losing her mother, not knowing her father, marrying a man who didn’t love her and nearly losing her business. She’d ultimately find love and have a family like she always dreamed. Unfortunately, she just had to take the long way to get there.
With renewed hope that something in her favor would happen soon, Paisley went to work at her computer for the vow renewal bride. There was much to be done to keep other people’s dreams fulfilled until she could get to her own.
* * *
With every corner he turned leading to another dead end, Lucas opted to head to the new TCC clubhouse. He’d been there for the grand party in the ballroom several weeks ago, but hadn’t been since.
The renovations were nearly complete in the old historical Houston building, though there were definitely areas that weren’t done. The ballroom, the café, several of the upstairs units, those were all finished. The outdoor area and several of the offices still had a way to go. But they shouldn’t take too much longer.
Then the race would be on to see who the new president was. The Perry/Currin feud would never end at this rate. The decades-old rivalry kept carrying over from generation to generation, and there always seemed to be some new drama to bicker about.
They made the Capulets and the Montagues look like preschool playmates. Lucas almost wished Paisley wasn’t related to anyone in that mess.
He figured coming to the clubhouse now that Sterling was out might give him some insight. Or at the very least, there would be gossip. Everything he could gather on Sterling could potentially be used. From what Lucas had heard, the man’s own son hadn’t bothered to help. Roarke was a crusading attorney and hadn’t once offered assistance to Sterling.
That said quite a bit about Sterling’s character. Though, in Roarke’s defense, he hadn’t been all that close to his father. The two clashed more often than not and had been known to have public arguments. But still, wouldn’t a son come to the aid of his father in a situation this dire?