Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Paige stood in the bathroom doorway and surveyed the counter one more time. There was something very satisfying about seeing all those products lined up.
The sink was flanked by neat rows of Luminelle bottles, their labels turned forward like they were posing for a photo.
Cleanser on the left. Serum and moisturizer in the center.
Makeup lined up along the edge of the vanity.
There was foundation, concealer, a soft blush, a palette of eyeshadows, and the lip color she’d already decided would probably become a favorite.
It was the perfect peachy-pink and she liked it enough that she was considering making it her new signature color.
She’d filmed all afternoon in here and all throughout the house and even on the porch. In the bathroom, she’d clamped the ring light to the counter and used her phone like a mirror as she recorded.
She’d done application videos and taken a few close-up texture shots, which had felt a little like being seen in her underwear, but it had to happen if she was going to promote skincare.
She’d done a few casual clips, too, where she talked through why she liked the formulas and how they felt on her skin. Her phone had enough content on it now to give her a week’s worth of uploads.
But she hadn’t posted a single thing yet.
Paige leaned closer to the mirror and tilted her face, checking for any hint of irritation. Nothing. Her skin looked calm. So far. Still, she wasn’t taking chances. She’d have another look tomorrow and make the determination then.
Didn’t mean she wasn’t itching to get the first post up, announcing her sponsorship with Luminelle, but she had to be certain that she could promote them honestly first.
She picked up the compact that held the finishing powder that was supposed to blur any imperfections and used the included puff to apply a light dusting. She took another look. It did a good job. She looked smooth, her skin nearly perfect.
She switched off the light and carried the compact she was still holding into the living room, stopping to tuck the compact into her purse.
Graham was sitting on the couch by the coffee table, setting up the Scrabble board with careful precision. He put a tile holder out for each of them, adjusting them until they were parallel to the board.
“Thanks for your patience,” Paige said.
He looked up and smiled. “You’re easy to wait for.”
Such a sweet man. She sat on the couch next to him, kicking off her sandals. “I want to show you something.”
He glanced over as she leaned forward into the lamplight. The room was softly lit, so she wasn’t sure he’d be able to tell much. In fact, maybe the light was too flattering.
She lifted her chin, turning her face from side to side. “What do you think?”
“Well,” he said after a moment, studying her face. “I’m no expert, but you look very polished. But not overly done.”
“That’s the dream,” Paige said. “At least for most women. It’s new makeup. Part of the Luminelle line.”
“Ah.” He smiled. “And what do you think of it?”
“I like it. A lot. But I’m waiting before I post anything. Just to be sure my skin doesn’t decide to revolt overnight.”
“Sensible,” he said, taking another look at her. “All seems well.”
“So far,” she agreed. “If you open the wine you brought, I’ll get glasses and the snack tray I made.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal.”
They both got up and headed for the kitchen. She’d arranged a tray with a nice English cheddar and a small wedge of brie, along with some sweet red grapes, sturdy whole wheat crackers, a little dish of dates, and another of mixed nuts.
He carried that back to the coffee table while she brought the glasses of wine.
She took a seat cattycorner to him on the end of the chaise that extended from the couch. They drew tiles and began playing. Paige went first, laying down a safe opening word.
As she took a sip of her wine, a lovely red, Graham countered with something longer and more ambitious, because of course he would. He was not only clever, but crafty. She was going to have to work hard to beat him.
They talked as they played. Him about his quiet day of laundry and reading, her about all the filming she’d done, and a little about nothing and everything in the way she imagined couples did when they were comfortable.
She and Graham were certainly comfortable. In a good way.
Then Graham set down a new word and glanced up at her. “Any news about Darcy?”
Paige didn’t sigh or frown, which had to be progress. “Not directly. I know Cece met her for lunch today to interview her for the newsletter. I imagine a report will be forthcoming once Cece organizes her thoughts.”
“That should be interesting.”
Paige set one of her tiles into place while considering her next move. “For sure. Maude and Cece both think Darcy’s organizing some kind of new social group. There was a notice on the Colony forum about it. First meeting is this week. Same time as our book club, actually.”
Graham lifted a brow. “How do you feel about that?”
“Relieved,” Paige said without hesitation. “Honestly, it takes some of the pressure off. If Darcy’s busy doing her own thing, that gives her somewhere else to focus her energy. At least that’s how I’m looking at it.”
He studied his tiles, then looked back at her. “So you don’t see her as a threat anymore?”
“Not like I did in the beginning,” Paige said. She placed a word down and leaned back. “At first, it felt personal. Targeted.”
“Because it was, I’d say.”
She nodded. “Yes, true. But now it feels more like she was testing the waters. Maybe trying to see if I’d push back. Or if I’d crack. Which I didn’t, so she backed down and decided to do her own thing.”
“You think she realized she wasn’t going to take over what you’d started?”
“Something like that,” Paige said. “People who want to run something usually don’t want to burn it down and then rebuild.
They want to move in right away and reorganize it to their satisfaction.
And they want participants. Or maybe followers is a better description.
Darcy figured out pretty quickly she wasn’t going to get that from the Queen Bees. ”
“Or get to be one of them.”
Paige smiled. “Exactly.”
“Maybe you’re right about this new group of hers, then.”
She shrugged. “I think so. Running a group takes time. There’s planning, organizing, dealing with all the people who join and their personalities. If that’s where her focus is, it keeps her busy. And out of my hair.”
Graham smiled faintly. “You sound grateful.”
“I am,” Paige said. “Let her have it. I have my people.” She tapped the edge of the Scrabble board with one finger.
“And I’m not interested in competing for influence in a place where I’m perfectly happy.
I don’t need more of anything. I have the Queen Bees and, frankly, they’re all I need when it comes to the friend department. ”
He reached over and touched her arm. “I think that’s a very healthy outlook.”
Paige smiled. “Thanks. I like to think so.” It was really the only path she could take. She refused to be obsessed with this woman. To let Darcy get under her skin any more than she already had.
She studied her tiles without really seeing them. What Paige hadn’t said to Graham was that she had one new concern. How would Darcy react when Paige finally posted about the deal with Luminelle?
Darcy seemed like the type to be jealous. And jealousy made people do strange things.
When Paige looked up, Graham was watching her, eyes narrowed. “What haven’t you told me?”
She let out a soft laugh. “You are far too good at reading people.”
“My apologies, but some of my training is impossible to shake.”
She sighed and sat back. “I’m worried about how Darcy will react when I post about the deal with Luminelle.”
He nodded. “I think you’re right to be. But you won’t really be able to cross that bridge until you come to it.”
“I know.”
Paige rearranged her tiles, hoping to find some inspiration for a word she hadn’t discovered yet. “I just don’t want to give her something new to fixate on,” she said. “I didn’t work this hard to let someone else ruin things.”
Graham leaned back in his seat. “Just remember that whatever reaction she has won’t be about you. It’ll be about what she wishes she had. And that will show you her weakness.”
Paige considered that, turning it over. It rang true.
“It’s up to her to behave like a civilized adult,” Graham went on. “And if she doesn’t, people will see her for who she truly is. Don’t allow what she might do to dictate your actions. Rise above her.”
Paige nodded slowly. “I need to remember that.”
She placed her word on the board, then looked at him. “I’m going to post when I’m ready. I will not make a decision based on how someone else might react.”
“That’s the right call,” he said.
Paige smiled with more feeling this time. “It has to be. I can’t live in fear of what if.”
“Nor should you. If anything, she’s the one who ought to be afraid. Of you.”
“That’s right.” She reached for the tile bag and gave it a small shake, her spirits uplifted by his support. What a wonderful way to spend an evening this was. “Your turn.”