32. Paige
Balloon arches are my nightmare, and I’ve officially hit my wit’s end with the blue and pink monstrosity I’m working on for a baby shower this weekend when I start locking up for the night. My nerves completely shot from the last two hours and the sheer number of balloons popping in my face.
Next time, I’m just going to outsource the balloons.
The sun is low in the sky but it’s not quite sunset yet, which leaves me plenty of time to take a load of boxes to the new apartment. It didn’t take much for me to gather my things from the cabin and leave no trace of my stay on the Grant estate. Which was fine with me because the cabin felt weird without Max’s dominating presence in it all the time anyways, and as soon as the weekend was over, he was on his way back to LA.
Max and I were able to get most of my stuff moved into the new place though and all that’s left is a few miscellaneous boxes in my office and the couch that still needs to be put together.
I suppose I could make Max do that when he gets back…
A smile plays at the edge of my lips, knowing that the days until Max comes back for the wedding are ticking by quickly. Katie and Aspen are coming into town at the end of the week for the rehearsal on Friday night and then the wedding on Saturday.
Which means I need to get that balloon arch finished tomorrow in order to deliver it Friday afternoon.
I let out a frustrated sigh before I finish locking the shop door and turning to start toward my car.
“Paige!” A voice calls down the street a bit and I grin as Laney starts towards me. She’s stopped by almost every night this last week and helped load boxes into her car along with mine in order to move things to the new place.
She was also the one that built my bed and I’m still not entirely sure how she managed it with the way the instructions were so confusing.
“Hey,” I say, picking up the box that’s at my feet. “I just have this one tonight, I should have texted you.”
She shrugs and holds up a leash that I hadn’t noticed, which is stretched down and attached to a very unhappy looking orange tabby cat. “We’re taking a walk.”
“Oh.” I say as I watch the obese cat flop down onto the sidewalk with a huff.
“Yeah, I was hoping getting out for a walk everyday would make him less interested in escaping so often.” She sighs with a shake of her head. “So far it hasn’t worked that great, he still got out last night. I ended up finding him in the neighbor’s trash.”
“How does he even manage to get out?”
She shrugs. “Who knows, Paige.”
“Excuse me, are you Paige Knox?” A man steps out from one of the alleyways, he’s got a camera hanging around his neck and a snake-ish smile on his lips that immediately sets me on guard.
“Um, yes?”
He lifts the camera, snapping quick photos of me, and I stare at him in confusion for a moment before holding up my hand to block the onslaught of photos. “Excuse me, who are you? Stop that.”
“Is it true you’re dating Maxon Grant? Are you moving to LA? Are you coming out with a new album with Honey Osborn?” He says in rapid succession, the camera still clicking away with photos. Laney is at my side in an instant, Cheddar now tucked under one of her arms as she starts to haul me with her and away from the photographer but he follows in pursuit.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shout over my shoulder as we make our way towards my car, my mind racing as the clicking continues to snap away behind me.
“Is it true he’s moving your family back to the states?”
I stop in my tracks and Laney stops beside me, her eyes almost as wide as mine, mouth hanging slightly open in surprise. Heart hammering against my chest, I turn on the man behind me, cocking my head to the side. “What did you just say?”
He takes another picture. “It’s been said that Maxon Grant has made some quite large payments to a “Prairie Oakes” in order to guarantee a home for his girlfriend’s grandmother.”
I stare at the photographer for a moment, heart racing almost as fast as my mind.
That sly little devil…
I turn my back to the photographer again and am met with Laney’s own shocked expression. When our eyes meet, an obvious question is in hers. Did you know?
Quickly, I shake my head no, and that’s when all breath is stolen from me, I can’t inhale enough oxygen, I can’t let out a steady breath, instead they come in shaky gasps that rattle my insides.
Maxon was the reason Gram got into Prairie Oaks?
Laney, witnessing my breakdown, blinks at me for a second before she places both hands on my arms, her hazel eyes staring straight into mine. “Okay, Paigey, I need you to take deep breathes. Just breathe, in and out.” She says, her voice calm and in control despite the clicking of photos behind us.
I, on the other hand, take a shaky, very out of control, breath.
She scrunches her nose. “No. Not like that.” Her expression goes back to that of complete calm. “Deep, in through your nose, one, two, three, four. Out through your mouth, one, two, three, four.” I follow her directions and she smiles. “Good, now you breathe, just like that, and I’ll deal with him.” She nods behind me, hands me Cheddar, and then is gone from my sight.
I keep breathing like she told me. Four seconds in. Four seconds out.
I can do that.
In through the nose, one, two, three, four - the sound of arguing behind me - and out through the mouth, one two - the sound of a camera breaking - three, four. Laney is back with a smug smile and I don’t even want to look behind me to see the wreckage she undoubtedly left behind, instead I just hug Cheddar closer, relying on him to be my tether to reality, despite the sneezing fit I know I’ll have to endure later. In response, he lets out a soft, steady, purr.
“Come on,” Laney says, “let’s get out of here.”