Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
Was she ready to do this?
Ashlyn nervously smoothed her palms down the skirt of her dress as she waited for Grant to answer his front door, wondering if she should have picked something else to wear. Was she dressed too formally? Not formally enough? What were you supposed to wear to meet the kids of the guy you liked?
Really liked.
After he’d asked her out yesterday and she’d accepted, they’d decided that she would meet his kids in the morning, just so that there were no secrets between them.
The kids were fifteen and twelve, and she’d asked as many questions as she could about them, so she felt like she had some things she could say and ask about to show she was genuinely interested.
This would be the first time she’d ever dated a guy with kids, and it was Grant’s first time dating since his wife died, so she knew they were both nervous about how things were going to go.
She hoped to get to know Lindsay and Kevin, alongside getting to know Grant, but she didn't want to put pressure on them.
If they wanted to take things slow, that was fine with her.
When the door opened and Grant stood there, Ashlyn felt a little of her anxiety melt away. After all, these kids had been raised by Grant, so she knew they had to be amazing young people.
Of course, she knew that even if they didn't like her, that didn't mean they still weren't great kids. She’d been thrilled when her mom started dating her now stepdad, there had been that instant connection between all of them, and she couldn’t deny she was hoping things went as smoothly now for her and Grant.
“Hi.” She smiled, stepping into his embrace when he opened his arms.
“Hi,” he said back, brushing a chaste kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, his gaze was scrutinizing as he gave her a once-over. “Did you sleep okay? How’s your neck?”
“I took some sleeping pills to help me sleep, and I must have been pretty drained because I don’t remember budging during the night.
No dreams. My neck is sore, but no signs of infection,” she assured him.
Nightmares were going to come for her at some point, she was pretty sure about that, but at least they had given her last night to get some proper and much-needed rest.
“Good. I didn't like the idea of you being alone all night.”
“I promised to call one of my brothers or my mom if I needed to, and you had to come home to your kids,” she reminded him.
He’d offered to stay with her and ask someone to stay with his kids, but she wanted to make a good impression on them, and taking him away from them when they didn't even know yet that the two of them were dating seemed wrong.
“You ready to meet them?” he asked, guiding her into the house and closing the door behind them.
“As I’ll ever be,” she replied, dragging in a deep breath, not wanting to admit just how nervous she really was.
“It’s going to go fine,” he assured her, and she hoped he was right.
They walked down a hall, and she noted a living room on the left, and an office on the right, before they stepped into a large, open, airy, kitchen meals family room space.
A large wall of windows ran along the back wall, with a set of French doors that opened onto a deck.
The yard looked a good size and was mostly lawn and several large trees.
The inside space was modern and clean, and while she had more traditional tastes in furnishings, the room had a homey feel to it that she loved.
Two kids sat at the table. A pretty girl was scrolling her phone, and a lanky preteen boy who glanced over at them.
“Who’s that?” the boy asked, making his sister’s head snap up.
Wanting to let Grant make the introductions, she offered both kids smiles as Grant led her closer to the table.
“Kevin, Lindsay, this is Ashlyn.”
The boy eyed her with curiosity, and she started to let her guard down a little, until she noticed how Lindsay had curled her nose up.
“You guys remember Jessica, with little Freddie from the station. Remember how I went to her wedding a few months back?” Grant continued. “Well, Ashlyn is Jessica’s husband’s little sister.”
“Are you dating her?” Kevin asked.
“Dating?” Lindsay shrieked, shoving her chair back and bounding to her feet. “Have you been dating her for months and didn't even tell us?”
“No,” Grant hurried to assure his daughter. “I mean, yes, Kevin, I have asked Ashlyn out on a date, and she said yes, but no, we haven’t been dating each other for months. We hadn't seen each other since the wedding until yesterday.”
“Your superhero dad saved my life,” she told the kids. While Kevin’s eyes lit up with interest, Lindsay whirled on her, anger seeping out of every pore of the teen’s body.
“Dad doesn’t date, he loves my mom,” Lindsay snarled.
“Of course, I love your mom, Linds,” Grant soothed. “I’ll always love your mom. Ashlyn and I talked about it, and she knows that, but your mom is gone, and I like Ashlyn, a lot,” Grant said firmly.
“Well, unlike her,” Lindsay yelled. “I don’t want a new mom.”
“Oh, sweetie, no,” Ashlyn quickly assured the girl. “I don’t want to be your new mom. You had a mom who loved you very much. If things work out with your dad and me, then I just want to be another person in your life who cares about you. I swear I would never try to take your mom’s place.”
“Good, then get out,” Lindsay shrieked.
“Lindsay,” Grant rebuked. “We don’t talk to people like that, especially someone I’ve told you is important to me.”
“I don’t care,” Lindsay shot back. “If she won't leave, then I am.”
The teenager ran up the stairs, leaving all three of them staring after her. Ashlyn didn't know what to say or do, or what Grant was going to say or do, but when he turned to look at her, she knew.
It was over.
His daughter couldn’t accept her.
“Would it be okay if you gave me some time to talk things through with my kids?” he asked her, at least sounding apologetic about it.
“Sure,” she said, already knowing how that talk would go. If Lindsay wasn't on board with this, it wasn't happening.
“I’ll call you later,” Grant promised, but as she turned and headed back the way she’d only just come, Ashlyn knew how that call would go.