26. Paige
“What about this one?” Laney holds up her phone to show me the apartment listing she’s referring to.
I shake my head. “I called them two days ago, it’s already taken.”
She lets out an aggravated sigh that sounds quite reminiscent of the one I had heaved when I’d talked to the woman at the apartment complex. I was desperate to get out of Maxon’s place. It’s been officially one week since he left for LA, and I swear with each passing day the cabin has gotten smaller and smaller. I’ve done my best to keep busy, I really have, spending most of my time at the studio during the day. Ever since the party at Jake’s I’ve been getting a steady stream of emails and inquiries about different events, which have helped keep me active instead of wallowing at the cabin.
And wallowing is exactly what I have been doing, if I’m not dead tired by the time I get home I end up staying awake for hours wondering why I hadn’t told Max to stay.
“How is every apartment in Buffalo already taken?” Laney vents, practically throwing her phone onto the couch next to me and crossing her arms.
“Because I have the worst possible luck.”
“It just makes no sense. I’ve never lived anywhere where there aren’t any leases available.”
I shrug, offering her my consolatory bowl of popcorn I’ve smothered in butter and salt. She takes a handful, frowning at the empty wood-burner in front of us. At least having Laney here made the space not feel quite so empty, not to mention the added benefit of someone helping me look for a new place to live.
“What if you came and stayed with Cheddar and I?” She says, a hopeful hint in her tone, like me staying with her and her obese, jail breaker of a cat could solve all of my problems.
I shake my head. “I’m allergic to cats.”
She pouts. “Like allergic allergic?”
“Well, I’m not as bad as Mr. Bennett, who puffs up like a blowfish when they’re around… but I’ll be sneezing twenty-four seven if I live in the same house as one.”
She bites her lips together, fending off a smirk. “Mr. Bennett puffs up like a blowfish?”
“Have you ever seen Finding Nemo? Think Bloat but less calm.”
This time, Laney lets her laugh out and it is a welcome sound in the cabin. “Okay, so definitely not bringing Ched to the wedding.”
I laugh, shoving a handful of popcorn into my mouth before scanning my own phone again at the apartment listings that I know haven’t changed in the last ten minutes.
“Well, I better be getting going.” Laney finally says, standing and brushing the salty remains of popcorn off her pants. “I’ve got some properties I need to photograph for Maxon tomorrow.”
My heart rate picks up at the mention of Max, and I try desperately not to act too eager when I speak. “Oh, have you talked to him much?”
She shoots me a questioning look. “Well, I mean, yeah. As much as a photographer talks with their employer I guess.” She lets out an awkward laugh that I mimic because I realize how stupid my question sounded.
I can feel her eyes track me for a minute before she tucks her smirk away and starts towards the door. “I’ll text you if I see any places go up.” She says over her shoulder.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” I say as I follow her outside.
“Yeah, no problem. And just let me know if there’s anything I can do leading up to the wedding.” She shimmies her shoulders.
I nod. “Yeah, no worries. Everything should be squared away, but I’ll let you know. Just waiting for Katie to get back.”
She starts down the front steps and then stops at the bottom, her body growing tense and then glancing back up to me. “Incoming scary lady. Want me to stay?” She nods her head in the direction of a woman making her way towards the cabin.
My blood goes cold in my veins as I spot Fiona Grant walking towards us, flashbacks of the last time I had a discussion with her running rampant in my head. “No.” I say instead of begging Laney to stay. If she was here at least I had some hope that Fiona would be nice, but I didn’t want to put Laney into the situation of dealing with Fiona either. “I’ll be fine.”
Laney nods quickly, then starts down the path towards where her little sedan is parked, nodding to Mrs. Grant as they pass each other. Even from this distance I can see Fiona’s raised eyebrow at Laney as she walks away, then turns that same condescending look on me as she continues up the walk.
“Hello Mrs. Grant.” I say, stepping onto the front porch and closing the door behind me.
Fiona’s cold gaze travels me up and down before a sneer crosses her lips. “Yes, hello. I don’t believe we’ve gotten a good opportunity to talk since you and my stepson decided to move you onto my property.”
I have a strong feeling I’m not going to like this conversation.
I give her a tight grin. “Yes, it was very kind of you all to let me stay here while we get my case figured out.”
“Case? Oh, yes, that little bit of charity Maxon is doing for you, of course.” She lets out a trill of a laugh. “Wasting his time on that hopeless thing, that’s for certain.”
I’m not entirely sure if she’s talking about my case or me at this moment, but I tamp down my anger and keep the smile on my face. “Well, Max didn’t seem to think it was totally hopeless and I trust his opinion.”
She clicks her tongue in dissatisfaction, shaking her head slightly. “Well, I just came to see how you were faring.”
That’s oddly uncharacteristic of her… I arch a questioning brow, crossing my arms. “I’m fine, thank you.”
“And you and Maxon? How are things going there?” She tips her chin up so that even though she’s on the walking path and I’m on the porch three steps above her, she’s still peering down her nose at me.
I know Fiona well enough to know that she never asked questions “just out of curiosity,” dang… she hardly ever even talked to me. Only acknowledging my existence at the Bennetts’ parties when it suited her to do so.
Well, and that time before I left for the UK.
Instead of responding, I narrow my eyes at her, crossing my arms over my chest, meeting her cold gaze with one of my own. I’ve dealt with this woman before and bowed to her desires, and I was the one that spent the following months and years putting myself back together because of it. I had no intention of falling into that trap again.
The “You’re not good enough for Maxon” trap.
The “You’re holding him back” trap.
The “You’d be doing him a favor by telling him to stay” trap.
Her smug little look quickly dissipates at my lack of response. Although, personally, I feel like my demeanor should be answer enough. “You know, it’s not polite to ignore someone’s question.” She says, her haughty tone faltering for a second.
I arch a brow at her, my lips tugging into a slight smirk despite my best efforts to keep it at bay. “What do you want Fiona? Honestly? I’m not in the mood to play your game today.” I say and am shocked at my own words. How long had I wanted to say this to her? How many times had I practiced in front of the mirror what I would say in every scenario I could imagine?
I shouldn’t be acting this way though, I mean, I am technically still staying on her property, she could kick me out without a moment’s hesitation… But I have a strange, tingling feeling that what I say will be worth any kind of repercussion.
“Well, you have just become a little insolent girl, now haven’t you?” Fiona sneers.
I shrug. “I charge by the hour Fiona, so I’m not just going to stand here while you insult me. Some of us have actual work to do.” I turn to head back inside and under my breath mutter. “We can’t all marry for money.”
“But that’s exactly what you’re trying to do, isn’t it?” She calls back, my mutter apparently louder than I’d intended. I snap back to face her, and that “better than you” look has returned to her expression.
Fury flashes behind my eyes as I try to keep my calm, and I feel that all too familiar sinking feeling of defensiveness creeping up on me. I shouldn’t have to defend myself against Fiona though, I’ve done nothing wrong. Max knows where we stand and it’s nobody else’s business.
Dang, I would sure like to know where we stand though…
“Well,” She continues, her tone breathy as if she’s already won the argument. “With the way you’re chasing after my stepson… you can’t blame me for wondering.”
Eight Years Ago
“I love you, Paige. I fell in love with you when we were ten years old and have loved you more and more every year since then. I loved you then and I love you now and I always will. It’s not going to change just by a couple months apart. It’s you and me and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. Please, just listen to me.”
I shake my head, although I feel like it’s my entire body that’s shaking. “Maxon, you’re throwing away a lot of things by going to Europe with me. I can’t let you do that. You need to stay here with your dad, go to school, become that big shot lawyer I know you’re going to be. We had our fun, but I think it’s time we finally close out our summer.” I swing my bag over my shoulder and turn from him, only pausing when he grabs my arm and my resolve falters, because I do want to turn to him and fall back into his arms. To find the peace and solidarity that I’ve always found there, but I can’t with Fiona’s words ricocheting through my head.
I was doing the right thing.
It hurts… I might break entirely… but I was doing the right thing. He was better off without me as a distraction. He’ll forget about me soon.
“Paige… please.” He says, giving my arm a little tug and everything in me screams when I pull away, shaking my head and fighting back the tears that want to spill down my cheek.
“Goodbye Max.”