If she called Melinda and probed...
No. She couldn’t do that. The woman’s father was in jail. How insensitive would that be to start asking a bunch of questions?
But Paisley could call and offer her sympathies for all their family was going through. That conversation could always lead somewhere promising, right?
“Your silence worries me.” Lucas closed the distance between them and stood before her. He tipped her chin up, so she stared at his chest then dragged her gaze to his eyes. “I remember you getting crazy ideas and they came right after you looked like you were staring off into space.”
Paisley smiled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Leave this to me,” he commanded. “You weren’t able to figure this out on your own before and I know what I’m doing.”
“You’re suggesting I don’t?” She rose to her feet and pushed his hand aside. “I don’t need to be kept in the dark, and you said you’d work with me on this. That doesn’t mean shoving me to the side so you can feed me only information you think I need to know.”
His lips twitched. “You’re sexy when you’re angry.”
Yeah, well, he was sexy all the time, but there was no sense in feeding his ego any more than necessary.
“Don’t sidetrack me with sex.” As if he hadn’t been doing just that for the past three days. “I’m serious. I need to know the truth. Between the unknown father, my business and losing my mom...”
Emotions clogged her throat. Breaking down now would not help her get anywhere and the last person she wanted to look weak in front of was Lucas.
He immediately wrapped his arms around her and ran his hands up and down her back. “Your mom wouldn’t want you to get so worked up,” he assured her. “I’m not just going to leave you to deal with everything on your own.”
He eased her back, swiping his thumbs across her damp cheeks. “Despite what you think, I married you for more than sex.”
When he didn’t elaborate, she worried. He wanted a child—a topic they’d not discussed any more. But she wondered if there was more. Surely he didn’t believe she’d just agree to something so...permanent.
There was definitely something else up with Lucas and until she knew what, she desperately needed to keep her heart guarded. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done because being with him again reminded her of how perfect they’d been in the past.
* * *
As if Paisley didn’t have enough issues, what with a felon potentially being her father, being blackmailed into a marriage she was actually enjoying, losing her mother, losing all of her savings and her shop hanging on by a thread, now the horrid woman who stiffed her out of the expensive wedding dress was not replying to her messages.
This gave a whole new meaning to runaway bride.
Paisley gripped her steering wheel and turned in to the new, partially renovated Texas Cattleman’s Club location. She’d called Melinda yesterday after her talk with Lucas. Melinda had been so glad to hear from her, Paisley almost felt guilty about offering to take her mentor to lunch. But these were dire times and she wasn’t going to stop pressing until she had the truth...no matter what that turned out to be.
Meeting at the clubhouse was a little bit intentional on Paisley’s part. She knew Sterling’s construction company was in charge of the renovations and, despite being in prison, he was vying for the top spot of president of TCC. Of course he had competition from Ryder Currin, the man who’d brought the club to Houston to begin with.
The whole ordeal was a mess, but being in the new café was a way to keep some focus on Sterling and have Melinda in the mind-set to discuss her father. Thankfully, Melinda was a TCC member or Paisley wouldn’t be allowed in, seeing as how she wasn’t a member.
As soon as Paisley stepped into the café, she scanned the rustic yet classy space. Here old-world charm met the Wild West. This café was definitely going to be a hot spot.
Paisley smiled as she found Melinda seated in the back. A little jumble of nerves formed in Paisley’s belly. She didn’t want to be completely self-centered with this meeting. She truly did love Melinda and wanted to catch up.