Page 37 of Ambrosia Kisses
"He hasn't asked," I mutter defensively. "And Crudup is waiting for an answer. I can't just not find a job. I have to work."
"What do you mean, he hasn't asked?" Lucy demands.
Oliver narrows his eyes on his brother, which makes me sigh. My happy bubble is shrinking by the minute.
"We just haven't talked about it," I mutter. "We're still figuring things out. It's fine." Except…it's not really fine, is it? I want him to ask. I want him to want me to stay. What if he doesn't?
Am I just setting myself up to repeat the same sad song?
God, I hope not.
"Hey, my babies." Gracie materializes at the end of the table, saving me before Lucy or Oliver can press for more.
"Hi, Ms. Gracie," I murmur, smiling up at her.
"Hi, sweet girl." She bends to press a kiss to my cheek before scurrying around the table to hug Lucy and Oliver. "You look beautiful today, Paisley."
"Thank you."
Her gaze drifts toward Ridley, who is still dancing with Lyra. "Ridley looks good, too. Happy."
"Mom," Oliver says softly.
"What? I'm just saying," she mutters, but the twinkle in her eyes says she knows exactly what's been going on around here. I'm not really surprised. Lyra probably told her that he made me cry.
I swear, Ridley's mom and aunts could run the world if they wanted to do it. They know everything about everyone. It's impressive. And intimidating. No one ever tells them no.
Trevor chuckles behind her, his eyes light with humor as they meet mine. "Let 'em be, Gracie baby. They don't need us meddling."
"He's too much like you, Trevor," she complains, scowling at her husband.
"Maybe, but it worked out just fine for me, now, didn't it? You came back, and I got my head out of my ass. And look at us now. I'm still the luckiest motherfucker on the planet." He hooks an arm around her waist, drawing her away from the table. "Come on. Let's go say hi to everyone."
"Fine," Gracie grumbles. "But only because I want to go say hi."
"Of course, Gracie baby," Trevor murmurs, leading her away from the table with a tiny smile playing about his lips.
I shoot a questioning look at Oliver.
"It's a long story," he says with a sigh. "Before we were born, some shit happened with Mom's family. She left for a while, and Dad was too stubborn to go after her. By the time she came back, she was pregnant with Ridley and had been through hell. I think my dad still carries a lot of guilt for not going after her."
"Huh," I murmur, glancing at Trevor and Gracie and then at Ridley. Maybe he and Trevor are a lot alike. But it obviously worked out for the two of them. Maybe it will for us, too.
God, I hope it works out for us.
Why hasn't he asked me to stay?
Chapter Nine
Paisley
"Ihave a surprisefor you," Ridley murmurs the next morning, tilting my head back against the shower wall. His lips brush mine. "Do you have plans today?"
"Lucy and I are supposed to have lunch."
"This won't take long," he promises.
"Where are we going?"
