Hayes
three
Ican’t find my wife.
I’ve searched all over Savannah and can’t seem to locate where she has gone to ground. All I want to do is have my chance to grovel, but I can’t even get on my knees if I can’t find her. I’ve had my assistant scouring everywhere and providing addresses where she might be, but my list is exhausted.
Except for her parent’s house, where I’m currently haunting the doorstep of the large, covered porch that spans the entire front of their historic home. It’s not as grand as The Mansion that they just sold to me, but it’s stately and fitting for a family like the Fairchilds.
I run a hand through my hair and mount the steps that take me to the large front door.
If there is a God, I hope he’s merciful, because I’m about to step into the lion’s den and I am not prepared.
This is not like a business deal. It’s rather like facing an executioner on their day off, and I have just the head they want to chop off.
I ring the doorbell and listen to the chiming sound it makes through the door, hoping they aren’t here and I can check another stop off on my list to find Paige. Instead, I see a shadow approaching through the sidelight and know I couldn’t get that lucky.
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. High and Mighty come to darken my doorstep. I’d say it’s a pleasure, but I’d be lying.” Caroline Thackery Fairchild minces no words in her displeasure at seeing me. She doesn’t even give me the niceties one would expect from her social standing.
“Ma’am,” I say, inclining my head in her direction and trying to keep my temper from rising through proper Southern manners alone, even if she won’t. “Is Paige here?” I feel like a high school boy coming to pick up a prom date and facing down the dragon lady of a mother she has instead.
Caroline’s mouth pinches and her green eyes which are so much like Paige’s stare daggers at me. “Why would I tell you that? You’re the worst thing to happen to this family since the Civil War.”
“I beg your pardon,” I sputter, knowing full well it’s futile to fight with her, but I’m not that bad. “I just want to talk to Paige. I have a lot I need to tell her, and she won’t answer my calls or texts. And she isn’t anywhere I can find her in Savannah.”
“Well, she’s not here and I’m glad she’s not giving you the time of day. You don’t deserve my daughter and never will,” she seethes, her hand white-knuckled around the edge of the door.
“Caroline—Mrs. Fairchild, I love Paige very much,” I hold up a hand to stop her quick retort, “despite what my business dealings may look like to you. I know I messed up, and I just want to work through it with her, which is damn hard to do when I can’t even find her to fight for her.”
Caroline seems to defrost the tiniest bit, her pinched mouth smoothing and her eyes beginning to lose some of the zeal they had a moment before.
“That filthy Atlanta gossip site had something to say about Paige again today. Another mark against you, for bringing her onto their radar and making her a target for all of Georgia to pick apart.” I definitely haven’t won her over, but that one admission points me in a new direction I can potentially use to find Paige.
“I appreciate you telling me that.” I take a step away from the door, ready to turn and book it down the steps to the drive.
I shake my head and turn back before I make it to the driveway.
“She has me bent out of shape and head over heels,” I say, staring at the wide porch beneath my leather Ferragamos.
“I wouldn’t be looking for her if I wasn’t completely in love with her and wanting to ensure our future together. ”
“You’re a calculating devil, and I don’t believe a word you say,” she replies, though the tone has cooled from her initial fire.
“You don’t have to believe my words, I’ll show you,” I say as I turn and take the steps two at a time.