Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Paige
“So, Paige, your grandfather tells me you’re a fan of football.” Eloise, Grant’s secretary, smiles from across the long table.
“I am.” I nod. “My dad actually played in college, so growing up, he would take me to all these random college games, mostly places we could drive to for the day or night, but we did go all the way to Texas once for my birthday. And the last couple years, my friends and I have gone to at least one away game we’ve had to travel for.
This year we have plans to fly out for the night to their Vegas game, since they’ve all finally turned twenty-one. ”
“Oh, fun! You’re what, twenty-three?” Her brown eyes narrow slightly, though she’s trying not to judge.
Dabbing my mouth with the linen, I nod, taking a small sip of the wine that was poured for me. I’d rather have a beer, but something tells me my grandfather doesn’t stock something as, well, basic as that in his cellar.
“I am. When my dad passed away, I both had to and needed to take time off to…arrange what needed arranging.” Pity, plain and clear, slips over every person around this table, and it’s a bit uncomfortable coming from virtual strangers.
“Actually, my parents met at a college football game. The last one of the season, in fact.”
“How lovely.” She offers a tense smile.
I peek at Grant, and I can’t tell if it’s regret or frustration creasing his brows.
I wonder if he wants to know that, according to my dad, my mother was sober at the time, having gotten over her addiction about a year before that.
It wasn’t until five years later that she realized she loved something else more than my dad and the baby she’d just given birth to—drugs.
“Mr. Randolph, I know this is supposed to be a nice evening off work, but can I run my thoughts on the Carlson merger by you since we’re here?”
I look to Prescott, who sits across from me.
He offers me a subtle wink, and I silently thank him for taking the attention away. The last forty minutes the spotlight has been on me, and I’m starting to get a little twitchy.
If there is one thing I have learned about Grant, it’s that not a second should be wasted, so he, of course, is eager to jump right into that conversation.
Letting out a long, low breath, I focus on finishing off my risotto.
The staff comes out a few minutes later, swapping our dishes to a small, elegant dessert, and the moment I taste the zesty key lime treat, I instantly know I’d like to try to replicate it.
It’s delicate and airy, and if this were a buffet, I’d definitely go for another.
“Lost in thought or a good food coma?”
My head snaps left to find Prescott lowering into the seat beside me. With a quick flick of my gaze around the table, I realize everyone has stood and is making their way into the massive sitting room, where it looks like the staff is serving steaming cups of coffee.
My nose scrunches and I give him a sheepish look. “Bit of both?”
He chuckles, settling back in the seat, and starts to loosen his tie. “Yeah, I think I overate, too, but there’s just something about Danny’s cooking.”
“Is that the chef’s name?”
“You haven’t met him yet? I could introduce you. He’s around your age, in fact.” He grins.
“Oh no, I am happy to meet him some other time.” I laugh lightly.
Prescott joins in, reaching for his glass of water.
“Yeah, I imagine you have enough on your plate at the moment. If it’s any consolation, your grandfather is the best man I know.
” When I meet his gaze, he continues. “He took a chance on me when no one else would. Well, not without having to hear an earful from my father anyway.”
“Your dad didn’t want you to be in the protect-the-trust-fund-babies business?”
His lips spread into a full smile, and he laughs. “That’s a pretty good one, and no, he definitely wanted me in the financial world.” He winks again. “But only if it was his company I was working for.”
“And you didn’t want that?”
“I wanted to earn what came my way, not have it handed to me. I’ve been here since the moment I was allowed to intern, and I have no plans on leaving.”
My expression softens. “That’s honorable.”
“Or foolish. See, I have to win over the future owner now, or she might just fire me.”
I shake my head, a tentative smile playing on my lips. “I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”
His face relaxes into genuine curiosity. “But you will?”
“I’m not so sure. His terms are…”
“Steep?”
“I was thinking more like ridiculous, but yes.”
Prescott laughs loudly, and Grant looks over at us from across the room. His lips twitch and he holds up his glass before turning back to his conversation.
“Well, if there is one thing I can tell you, it is that that man holds loyalty and family above everything else. Sometimes he can be a little aggressive about it, but it always comes from a good place. At heart, he is a softy; he just doesn’t always know how to show it.
With you though, he’s different. I think you’re good for the old man,” he says, slowly climbing to his feet.
He holds a hand out. “Come on, let’s get in there before Eloise starts making plans for me without my input. ”
I accept his offer and let him lead me into the room. Thankfully, the attention doesn’t fall back on me for the remainder of the night, and for once, I get to sit back and listen in on the workings of their lives instead of divulging mine.
“Did you have a nice time the other evening?” Grant asks me as we step out of the patio doors into his massive gardens out back.
“Surprisingly, I did.”
A scoff leaves him, and he gives me a grin that tells me he didn’t expect me to be so honest about it. “Surprisingly, huh?”
“Yeah.” I laugh. “It’s always a bit intimidating, being in a room full of people who are so different from me.”
“Different how?”
I give him a pointed look, gesturing to myself and them toward him. There is a stark contrast: him in his nicely pressed fifteen-hundred-dollar navy-blue suit and silk tie, me in my fifteen-dollar shorts and light-pink fitted T-shirt.
“Now, now, Paige, that’s not fair. Our clothing doesn’t separate us.”
“But our lifestyles do. I’m in college, Grant—Grandfather. Everyone I’ve met from your world is twice my age, or more, and settled into life.”
“Not everyone.” He looks my way.
It takes me a moment to understand who he means. “Prescott?”
“Yes, Prescott. He’s not much older than you. Just turned thirty a couple weeks ago.”
“I guess he’s the exception.”
“You two seemed to have been having a nice conversation two nights ago. I saw he made you laugh.”
“Yeah, he’s… Wait.” My eyes narrow. “Why do you sound like…”
“Like…?” He smiles, his whiskers peeking over the edge of his upper lip.
“Grandfather!”
The old man laughs. “You have to admit, you two would make a fine couple.”
Couple?! I stop walking.
“Don’t freak out, sweetheart.” He smiles wider.
“I was only saying I can see the two of you getting along, is all. And don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare say that to him.
That night just made me realize he too is stuck around people old enough to be his parents and grandparents.
The man is quite married to his career, so I’m not sure he spends much time with anyone his age.
You two have quite a bit in common, actually. ”
“Like what?”
“Well, I guess time will tell if it’s meant to be, now, won’t it?”
It most certainly will not.
“Anyway, I asked you to come for breakfast this morning because I just found out I have to get a minor procedure done next month. It’s nothing major, but it’s not something I can put off, and when they asked me if there was someone I could trust to keep it confidential, because apparently, I will need myself a handler, it was your name that I gave. ”
My eyes widen and I turn to face him.
“You can say no, if you’d like, but, Paige, sweetheart, new or not, you’re family.
My only family, and while I’ve expressed my trust for my working team, this is a bit more personal than that.
Especially considering the future of Randolph Legacies is still unsettled, I just don’t want to risk it. But I will if necessary.”
“Yeah, of course I can take you.” I reach out, putting my hand over his. “Thank you for asking.”
“Thanks for agreeing.” He nods and we continue to the little patio nook in the corner, where his staff is already setting up breakfast. “Now, let’s sit and eat and talk about anything other than work.”
“Are you capable?” I tease.
“Well, let’s attempt it anyway,” he says with a small tip to his lips, before taking a sip from his espresso. “So, I’d like to hear more about your life with your dad, if you’re willing to share.”
I smile at the mention of my dad, and then I tell him more than he could remember. If there is one thing I can talk about for hours, it’s the amazing man who raised me and left the world too soon.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what I do, and then I’m fighting the afternoon traffic on my way back to campus with twenty minutes until class begins and still ten miles to go.
“Dang it!”
Taking a deep breath, I try not to stress. I park with four minutes to spare and then literally run for the lecture hall building. I make it with moments to spare, sighing in relief. Perfect, people will still be finding their seats.
I yank on the door and my body jerks with the force, the door not moving.
My eyes snap to the note taped to the outside.
Testing in progress.
“No…” No, no, no, there is an exam today!
Crap. How could I forget?
I run my hands over my hair and press my back against the building.
Great. Just freaking great.
Chase
The moment Professor Michaels locks the door, my shoulders fall.
Paige is late again.
Shaking my head, I get my pencil from my backpack, zipping it back up.
I was at the library at eight this morning, right after my morning workout, and I stayed there until about twenty minutes before class, having waited outside the building until the last period cleared, just in case.