Chapter 12
Thursday evening, Paige had just settled on the couch with her laptop to look for jobs in the neighboring school districts—yet again—when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Mom said, exiting the kitchen.
Paige had been hesitant to tell her parents she was looking for a local teaching position, because she didn’t want to get their hopes up in case she didn’t find anything.
But as the high school principal, her mom might be privy to openings Paige wouldn’t see posted.
Needless to say, her parents—especially her mom—had been thrilled that she wanted to stick around.
Paige only hoped she didn’t disappoint them.
Mom returned less than a minute later, a hesitant smile on her face. "Someone's at the door for you."
"Who is it?" Paige wasn't expecting a visitor.
"Phillip."
Paige's heart lurched, sending a jolt of pain through her chest.
Why is he here? Did he come to rub his happiness in my face?
"I don't want to talk to him."
Mom sat next to Paige and put a hand on her knee. "I know you said he broke up with you, but you never told us why. You were so happy with him. You’ve really struggled since your accident, and I think it might be good for you to at least talk to Phillip."
Paige couldn't bring herself to tell her mom he was the reason she got in the accident in the first place. She wanted to tell Phillip to take a hike, but she also needed some answers and closure. She needed to know why he'd targeted her.
Is it possible he's come to apologize for what he put me through?
Doubtful.
A sense of dread filled her as she pushed up from the sofa, making her feel heavy and her movements laborious. Slowly and cautiously, she made her way to the door. She no longer used the crutches to walk, which was unfortunate, because Phillip could use the visual reminder of how he'd broken her.
Her heart jerked again when she opened the door and saw the tall, lean, blond man she'd fallen in love with. He was as handsome as ever in his red short-sleeved Henley and faded denim jeans, but knowing the duplicitous man he was, she no longer found him attractive.
"Paige, it's so good to see you." Phillip's face lit up. "I'm glad you're all healed." He leaned in to hug her, but she held out a hand to stop him.
Her palm pressed against his chest. The muscle behind the fabric wasn't nearly as firm and sculpted as Gabe's. She used to think Phillip had a nice body, but he looked skinny and gangly compared to her physical therapist.
"I'm not fully healed yet. I still have months of physical therapy ahead of me."
"Right." A guilty look crossed his face as he lowered his gaze. "You didn't answer any of my texts or emails."
"Hello! I blocked you as soon as I regained consciousness in the hospital."
"I figured that was the case." He dipped his head in a nod. "I was afraid you'd refuse to talk to me today."
"I did, but then I decided I needed some answers." She eased herself down into one of the two rocking chairs on the porch. "The first of which is what are you doing here, Phillip?"
He sat in the other rocking chair. "Avery lost the baby."
A twinge of sadness hit her chest for the pretty redhead who had been cheated on by the liar who deceived them both.
"I'm sorry to hear that, but it doesn't explain why you're here."
"I broke up with her."
He said the words so casually another twinge hit Paige for Avery's sake.
It was probably the best thing that could ever happen to Avery, but Paige felt bad for the woman who had suffered so much heartbreak.
Although after everything Phillip put her through, maybe his leaving didn't break Avery's heart. It was probably a welcome relief.
"You broke up with her? Don't you mean you're divorcing her?"
"No. Avery called off the wedding in February. Said I had to prove I could be faithful before she would marry me."
Smart woman.
Paige snorted. "Why would you walk away from a woman like Avery?"
"Because I want to be with you." Phillip leaned toward her, an expression somewhere between pleading and a smolder on his face.
A sharp pain pricked her heart. Three months ago, those words would have brought tears of joy to her eyes, but now, they made her want to vomit.
She felt so broken and damaged that hearing Phillip still found her desirable and wanted to be with her boosted her self-esteem.
But no way would she get mixed up with him again.
"Not interested." She held up a hand, palm out.
Phillip grabbed her hand and slid to one knee beside her chair. He pressed his lips to her knuckles. "Come on, Paige, honey, I know you still love me."
She jerked her hand away. "No, I don't."
"You told me a few months ago that you loved me more than you ever thought possible." His voice took on a low, seductive quality as he rested his hand on her knee and caressed little half circles with his thumb. "I don't believe you stopped loving me just like that."
"Yeah, well turns out the man I thought I was in love with doesn't exist, so it wasn't all that hard." She shoved his hand away from her leg. "I can't believe you were living a double life the whole time we were together."
He lowered his gaze to his hands, but his face didn't look contrite.
She couldn’t get rid of him fast enough, but she also needed to know why he'd led her on.
"Why me?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why did you target me?" She folded her arms and glared at him.
"I didn't target you."
"What was all that stuff at the gym? You flirted incessantly with me. Then when you ran into me at the grocery store, you followed me around like a puppy dog, talking about your grandma's favorite recipes. You kept asking me out until I caved. Why did you do that when you were already engaged?"
"Because you were beautiful, spunky and fun. I loved your positive attitude and your zeal for life. I felt so alive after every interaction with you that I had to get to know you better. And the better I got to know you, the more I wanted to be with you. I fell in love with—"
"Don't say it." Paige cut him off. "Don't you dare tell me you fell in love with me when you were supposed to be in love with another woman." She shook her head and scoffed. "You were planning to marry her for Pete's sake."
"I insisted we put off the wedding after I met you. I thought maybe I'd made a mistake in proposing to Avery."
Yet you continued to sleep with her, so she ended up pregnant.
Paige didn’t bother voicing the words, because he would only tell more lies to justify his actions. She couldn’t believe anything that came out of Phillip’s mouth anymore.
"No, your mistake was flirting with me when you were engaged to another woman.
" She sliced her hand through the air then jabbed it in his direction.
"You strung us both along for eight months.
Eight months, Phillip!" She poked him in the chest. "I wasted the better part of a year with you, thinking our relationship could lead to a happily ever after. "
"It can now, sweetheart." Still down on one knee, he pulled a small black box from his pocket.
Paige's stomach clenched and every muscle in her body tensed. She shook her head so hard it throbbed.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Paige." He popped the box open to reveal a large square-cut diamond.
Paige couldn't be sure it was the same one Avery had worn, but it looked similar.
The proposal she'd anticipated three months ago was finally happening, but it brought Paige no joy.
It sickened her that Phillip considered her Plan B.
He trampled all over Avery's heart. There was nothing to keep him from doing the same to her.
The moment another woman turned his head, he wouldn't hesitate to go after her, like he did Paige, and she would be the one with her heart in tatters. Again.
Was that why Noelle, his crazy ex, was out to get him? Had he done the same thing to her?
"It's time for you to leave, Phillip." She pushed to her feet. "And don't ever come back."
"Paige, wait." He got to his feet and caught her hand. "I know it's going to take time to earn back your trust, but I plan to convince you that you're the only woman for me."
"Even if we both live to be a hundred, you'll never be able to earn my trust again." Paige jerked her hand from his and made her way to the door, eager to get away from him.
"I'm not giving up on us." He stepped between her and the door, his face and posture full of confidence. "I took the weekend off, and I rented a motel room here in town. Let me take you to lunch tomorrow. I'll prove I can be faithful to you."
Like you did to Avery? Only to dump her after she lost the baby.
Paige shuddered. The last thing she wanted was Phillip constantly hanging around, trying to wear her down. If he kept showing up, she'd have to tell her parents the truth about why she broke up with him. She'd have to admit she'd been the other woman.
She spun around, nearly losing her balance. "It doesn't matter whether you can be faithful or not, because I'm seeing someone else."
It was a big fat lie, but she had to sell it.
Gabe's laughing brown eyes with long, thick lashes filled her mind.
Technically, she was seeing another man.
Three times a week as a matter of fact. For hours each day.
He got up close and personal with her when he stretched and rolled out her tight muscles.
No one would ever confuse PT with dating, but it was really just semantics.
"He's everything you're not. He's kind, compassionate, and honest."
Except with his mom.
That was a huge red flag, but maybe if she knew his mom, she’d understand why he felt the need to lie to her.
Squaring her shoulders, she went on. "He would never cheat on a woman."
Phillip's confident expression faltered. "I don't believe you. You're just saying that because I hurt you. But I'm ready to make amends for all of my indiscretions."