Page 66 of Resist

“He’s awesome,” Ainsley said, as Coulton headed for her apartment.

“Yeah. He really is. You were great with him,” he said. “You’re going to be an awesome mother someday.”

Ainsley shook her head. “That’s never going to happen.”

He frowned. “What’s never going to happen?”

“Me and kids.”

“You don’t want to have kids?” Coulton definitely wanted a family.

“I wouldn’t put a kid through having me as a parent. Jesus. I’d be terrible.”

“Why do you think that?” he asked.

“It’s not like I had the greatest role models, Coulton. My dad is an abusive asshole, and my mom split.”

“So what? Those things aren’t genetic, you know. Truthfully, I think your parents—without meaning to—have probably guaranteed you’ll be a fantastic mom. Because you know exactly what not to do. And I know you, wildcat. There’s no way you’d ever treat a child the way you were treated.”

She didn’t reply to that, but he could tell his words had resonated.

As he pulled up in front of her building, he parked by the curb and turned off the engine.

Ainsley twisted to face him.

“Ticket will be at the box office for you,” he said.

“It’s kind of been a long day.”

Coulton reached over the console and placed his hand on her leg. “You’re coming to the game.”

Ainsley sighed. “I just think it’s too soon for me to meet your friends. Maybe we should pace ourselves.”

“You were worried about meeting Slade and look how well that turned out.”

“Yeah,” she said, “but he’s just a kid. And from Cherry Hill, so he gets me.”

Coulton chuckled. “My friends are going to get you too. Trust me when I say you’re just the right kind of smart-ass for Tank. And my buddy Victor is going to give you a run for your money when it comes to dropping the F-bomb.”

She grinned. “Fine. I’ll come to the game, but can we wait to decide about the after-party until…later?”

He decided to let her think that was an option, mainly because he was worried she might still bail on coming to the game. “Sure. Now…what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

“Working at the tavern,” she replied. “Why?”

“I was hoping you would have dinner with me and my parents.”

“Pass,” she said quickly. “Hard fucking pass. Jesus. I just said we needed to pace ourselves.”

Coulton lifted one brow. “And I didn’t agree.”

She rolled her eyes, then watched him curiously when he reached for his keys, pulling one off the ring to hand to her.

Ainsley didn’t budge. “What’s that?”

“The key to my apartment.”

Her eyes widened. “What the hell are you giving me that for?”

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