22. Paige
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Paige
We’re entering the villa when Emma stops directly in front of me. “Are you feeling okay? Your face is redder than it was yesterday, and you seem off.”
“Well, thank you, my darling sister-in-law. You look great, too.” My voice is laced with sarcasm.
“I’m serious. Maybe you’re getting a fever? Or you ate something bad?” She presses a hand to my forehead before determining my temperature is fine.
Ryan retreats to his room with a parting smirk, and I barely suppress a growl.
I’m angry with him. All throughout the show I was trying to keep my cool and fought the lunatic smile that wanted to break free.
His little taunts didn’t help. Nor did the fact that he looked downright edible in the white linen shirt, with a dusting of chest hair peeking out.
Jordan closes the front door. “Is that why you left me all alone out there?”
“I’m fine. What do you mean?” I respond with a question.
Emma releases a loud sigh, glancing toward the hallway where both Ryan’s room and mine are. “Why don’t we go talk in our bedroom?”
The three of us enter the main bedroom, and Jordan drops to the bed. “It’s like you weren’t even there. We’re supposed to be finding intel to stop this wedding. Between making heart eyes at Ryan and avoiding us altogether, I’m not sure you remember that.”
“I don’t make heart eyes at Ryan.” She shoots me a pointed look. “But don’t you think we’re getting too old for this? Being a duo on a secret mission made sense when we were thirteen, but we’re twenty-eight now.” I sit on the bed next to her.
“Unfortunately, no matter how much older and more mature the two of us get, he’s still acting like an immature teenager. It will be our job to pick up the scraps when this thing inevitably falls apart.”
“Maybe she’s different. She collects fridge magnets, for fuck’s sake, not designer bags like Julia, or sports cars like Tiffany.”
“God, those bags were hideous,” Jordan comments, making me laugh. “Remember when we scribbled all over one of them?”
“What?” Emma asks.
“She was obsessed with those bags,” I tell her. “We weren’t allowed to go anywhere near them. So, naturally, when she brought home a brand-new, special-edition one, we had to leave our mark on it.”
Emma gasps. “What did she do?”
“She demanded Dad send us away,” I respond.
Emma’s lips part in shock. “She did not!”
“She did,” Jordan confirms. “Luckily, he just grounded us for a month. But that’s just another example of why stopping this wedding is important. I don’t get it, Paige. Do you suddenly believe in love again?”
“Low, Jordan. That was very low. Besides, I believe in love, look at you two.” Emma smiles. “I’m just not interested in risking my heart to find it.”
“If only that were genetic. If only Dad could’ve learned the same thing years ago. But he didn’t. He’s going to get his heart broken again. You’re right, though. Kim’s different. Meaning it will hurt him a lot more.”
After Tiffany walked out with the house Jordan and I grew up in and an enormous piece of our dad, we swore to never let that happen again.
We weren’t always successful, and Dad never learned his lesson, but the next two divorces were less traumatic.
A part of me believes that he was intentionally picking women who he had nothing in common with, so it would hurt less when it ended.
Still, Jordan is right. Kim is not like his previous partners. She seems real. The way he looks at her seems real. And that’s dangerous.
“Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m scared for him,” Jordan adds, breaking the long pause. “I’m going to take a shower.” She rises from the bed and closes the bathroom door behind her.
Moisture prickles at the corners of my eyes. Emma approaches me, placing her hand on mine.
“She’ll be okay.” She takes Jordan’s spot next to me. “I know it’s something you both went through, and I can’t ever fully understand it, but your father is an adult. He’ll be fine.” She squeezes my hand gently. “You, on the other hand, I’m not so sure about.”
I let out a scoff. This speech isn’t anything new.
“I’m not joking, Paige. But I won’t bother you with it tonight. I would much rather you tell me all about the tension between you and Ryan.”
Shit. Is it that obvious? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on, Paige. Your face was hotter than the burning staffs the dancers were tossing into the air. He couldn’t keep his eyes away from you either. Even more than usual.”
I glance at the bathroom door and release a relieved breath, noticing that the shower is on. Butterflies erupt in my stomach at her words.
“He doesn’t look at me.”
Her chuckle is soft and genuine. “Are you really that blind to it? You, Paige, are a catch. You’re beautiful, and funny, and smart.
He’d be an idiot not to notice it. Fortunately, he’s not an idiot.
” I can’t help the smile spreading on my face.
“I won’t push you for more info. You can share when you feel like it.
But I want you to know I’m here for it. I think it’s a great idea. ”
“You’re the only person who thinks getting together with your stepbrother while hoping your parents break off their wedding would be a great idea.”
“Maybe. But I’m also the smartest person, so…” She shrugs her shoulders, giggling, and I join her.
“Thank you, Ems. I still don’t date, so it won’t happen, but I’m glad we had this talk.” I pat her thigh and rise from the bed.
“Who said anything about dating? Have some fun, Paige. We’re in paradise, after all.” She winks, and I get out of the room before she notices the embarrassing grin that appeared on my face.
I already had my fun. It was more fun than I had in years. But that was it. A slight misjudgment that can’t ever happen again.
Because I don’t date. While this is definitely the way to break our parents up, it’s not the road I want to take.