Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Taking a deep breath, she climbed out of her car.
This wasn't going to go well.
It never did.
Ashlyn had been dating Grant for three months now, and if they’d been hoping things would magically improve with his daughter’s attitude, they would have been sorely mistaken.
Thankfully, they hadn't expected a magic turnaround. Lindsay had put her foot down and made it abundantly clear that she would not accept her father in a relationship with anyone.
For the last three months, Ashlyn had done her best not to take it personally, only because she was ninety-nine percent sure that Lindsay would have hated anyone Grant brought home and not just her specifically.
Still made it hard though.
She was trying. Doing her best to show both kids that she didn't want to be their new mom, they had a mom, and she didn't want to replace Lara, but Lindsay didn't care.
She just hated her. That hatred hadn't dimmed even a little bit, and some days when they did something all four of them together, Ashlyn had to try really hard not to lose control of her emotions.
While she’d never yell at the girl, she definitely might cry, and she knew Lindsay would find a way to try to use that against her.
But Grant was worth fighting for, worth going through all this turmoil because Ashlyn refused to believe that Lindsay would hate her forever. She just had to prove herself. Thank goodness things with Kevin had been easy from the start.
Using his love of all things car-related to her advantage, she was building a strong bond.
She’d even wound up keeping the Porsche from the attempted abduction that she’d intended to sell because the twelve-year-old had been so excited about it.
It had taken a large amount of self-control not to blurt out that she’d buy him one when he graduated college—then he’d be a little more mature than if she got it when he got his license—but she didn't want to buy Grant’s kids love, she wanted to earn it.
She’d still buy him the car, though, she would just surprise him with it.
Being a millionaire in her own right with her jewelry brand made her proud.
She wasn't just living off the trust fund from her billionaire stepdad or taking handouts. She worked hard for everything she’d earned, but his money, name, influence, and connections had definitely helped.
Carrying the picnic basket she’d painstakingly packed with all of Lindsay and Kevin’s favorites, Grant’s, too, she headed down to the boat. It was a gorgeous summer’s day, and Grant had invited her to join him and the kids out on the ocean.
Of course, she’d said yes. While she treasured their alone time dates, where they got to know each other without the pressure of the kids weighing them down, she enjoyed these family get-togethers, too.
Well, at least she enjoyed time with Kevin, and she hoped each time that Lindsay might ease up on her a little.
“Why is she here?” Lindsay snarled the second Ashlyn reached the boat.
Guess today is going to be another bad day.
Hang in there, don’t give up, Grant is more than worth it.
Since that was absolutely true, she forced her lips up into a smile.
“Morning, Lindsay. I made some of those strawberry cinnamon scrolls that you like.” Actually, she’d been up half the night looking up recipes and baking them from scratch.
She was trying so hard to win over Lindsay, and it was disheartening that she failed every time.
“Yuck. I hate strawberries,” Lindsay snapped, even though Ashlyn knew that absolutely wasn't true. Grant said they’d been her favorite fruit since she was a baby.
“Linds,” Grant rebuked, coming up behind his daughter and giving her a disapproving frown.
“Don’t lie. And where are your manners? I raised you better than this.
Morning, honey, you look gorgeous.” Grant gave her one of those panty-melting smiles of his, and Ashlyn shook off the tension and smiled back.
“I missed you,” she admitted as she took his offered hand and stepped onto the boat.
“Missed you too.” He leaned in and brushed a chaste kiss to her lips.
While they never held back from showing affection in front of his kids, they never took things too far.
A soft kiss, holding hands, that was about as far as things went, but they both wanted Lindsay and Kevin to know that they were serious about their relationship.
“You look pretty gorgeous yourself,” she told Grant. His shorts cut off just above the knee, showing off his muscled calves, and the T-shirt he was wearing did little to hide his chiseled abs and bulging biceps since the material was all but molded to him.
“Ash.” Kevin’s eyes lit up when he spotted her, and when he came over and held out his fist, she didn't hesitate to bump it with her own.
“There might be some homemade caramel chocolate chip cookies in here,” she told the boy as she held up the picnic basket. “I made the caramel myself, then cut it up and put it in with the chocolate chips.”
“Cool. Can I have some now, or do I have to wait until after lunch?”
When he directed the question to her instead of his father, Ashlyn immediately looked to Grant.
She never wanted to interfere with his parenting.
If they wound up married—and honestly, she wanted that more with each passing date—then she would back up his rules, but she didn't want to step in where she wasn't supposed to be.
Grant said nothing, just gave her an encouraging nod, and she refocused on Kevin. “Today is about having fun, so eat the cookies now. But maybe leave at least a couple for the rest of us.”
The boy grinned and reached out to take the basket. “Maybe,” he teased as he wandered off to eat his cookies.
As she watched him, Ashlyn felt her heart swell with joy. Lindsay might still hate her, but she was making more progress with Kevin every time they hung out together. She really liked the kid, and she was sure she’d like Lindsay, too, if the teen would just allow her to get to know her.
Although Ashlyn was starting to feel like that was nothing more than wishful thinking.