Hayes #2
I don’t even hear the rest of the questions or bother to answer, fully in awe of this woman beside me.
Paige is perfectly poised and at home selectively answering what she wants and redirecting those she doesn’t with ease.
We pose for various photos and slowly make our way through the press and into the venue thirty minutes after our arrival.
“I’m making you head of the PR team for Underworld Spirits. What you just did was brilliant. You’re a natural.”
I could keep flattering her for hours because the list of her qualities is endless, but she stops me with a kiss.
“I just told the truth and made sure to mind my manners. Anyone can do it.”
“More people should, you mean.”
I absently run my thumb across my lips to check for lipstick and smile when it comes away clean.
“I was kind of hoping you’d cover me in red lip prints later, but whatever you used isn’t budging.”
“That was the point. I’ll paint on a sloppier option and mark you up anytime you want, though.”
She looks around at the party, full of people dressed to the nines holding glasses of our liquor.
“Y’all really know how to throw a party.”
I snag a couple of tumblers from a tray as a waiter passes and hand one to her.
“This should be the double barrel bourbon. It’s incredible.”
She takes a sip and closes her eyes. “It really is. There’s a candy flavor to this one.”
I smile proudly at her discerning palate.
“Come on, I want to introduce you to the leadership team.”
I lead Paige around the party, introducing her to the Underworld Spirits vice presidents and the executives who oversee the operations.
I kept everyone on when I bought the company because I trust their vision and direction.
They’ve proven a good investment and a loyal group who just want to see their brand of liquor become successful.
“Is this the belle everyone but you is talking about, big brother?”
I turn at the question to find Payton standing with his own glass in hand and a mischievous smile on his face. I sigh, knowing there is no avoiding my brothers now.
“Paige, I’d like you to meet Payton Olsen, every inch the middle child he is, and Chief Operating Officer of Olympus International. Brother, this is my beautiful Paige.” I place emphasis on my and hope to God he doesn’t try to pull some bullshit that will need to be put down.
“Pleased to meet you,” Paige responds.
Payton holds his hand out and she takes it firmly. Instead of the handshake she was expecting, he raises her fingers to his lips and kisses them suavely.
“Oh,” she says in surprise, taking her hand back once he releases her fingers.
“I’ve heard so much about your adventures with my brother online that I had to meet you in person. God knows he won’t tell me anything himself.”
Payton gives me a look that I know means he’s been working overtime controlling the media with the carjacking last night. God, it feels like an eternity ago when barely twenty-four hours have passed.
“Don’t believe everything you see online,” she responds with a smile. “Trusted sources are hard to come by, and people love the appeal of a juicy story, true or not.”
“Wise words, if I ever heard them,” Payton says, an appreciative grin stretching his face. “You picked a smart one, Hayes.”
“She is, but I’d like to think she picked me. However, the jury’s still out on that particular choice.”
Paige laughs and swats my arm. “My picker is perfect, I’ll have you know.”
Payton tips his head in a familiar way that I know means he’s taking her measure and he likes what he sees. I wrap an arm around Paige’s shoulders and pull her against me possessively. She curls into my side and sighs.
“Zander should be here, somewhere. I know he’s looking for the kind of trouble that will take some of the heat off y’all with the press, if you know what I mean.” Payton raises an eyebrow at me. We both know our brother is reckless enough to do just that.
“He better keep his fucking shit together if he knows what’s good for him,” I growl, thinking of the impending roll-out of phase two and the offers we are about to shower on some unsuspecting hoteliers in a bid to create the largest privately held boutique hotel chain in the country.
The recent coverage of my own life is just enough below the radar to not affect business deals, but Zander has a habit of making bigger and more noteworthy splashes that haven’t been good for business in the past.
A sobering thought bubbles in my awareness. What if William Fairchild refuses to sell because of my involvement with his daughter and the mess of a marriage bargain he’s made with the Daniels? Is he nearly as calculating as his wife? If that’s the case, I need to work on a plan B, stat.
As if conjured by us speaking about him, Zander appears, a tall brunette tightly encased in a silver dress clinging to him.
“Speak of the devil,” I murmur under my breath.
“I thought that was you,” Paige quips next to me. Payton hears her and chokes out a laugh.
I look down at her and laugh with him. She beams and nuzzles her nose against my neck in a way that has me wanting to turn my back on everything at this party and take her straight home.
“The mysterious woman who’s captured our brother’s frozen heart!” Zander booms, drunker than Cooter Brown already.
“You must be Zander, the baby of the family,” Paige replies, expertly hitting Zander where he’s most self-conscious. She holds out a hand to him and I have visions in my head of diamond rings that would look lovely on her slender fingers.
He opens and closes his mouth, his usually quick retorts mysteriously absent as he appraises Paige. He takes her hand and shakes it firmly, his expression finally landing on respect.
“Paige Fairchild as I live and breathe. Do Mommy and Daddy know you’re here with an old man?” Zander smiles as he ruthlessly digs into our age gap.
“They certainly do, and I’m glad I was able to meet you. It was nice of your mother to let you stay out so late.”
She mimes looking for a watch on her bare wrist.
“It must be so tough to have a curfew while your big brothers get to play all night.”
She’s barely containing her grin and I’m floored at her sarcastic ease around people as ruthless in the boardroom as my brothers.
Payton hoots and slaps Zander on the back as his lip hitches up.
“How’s that burn feel, Zand? Better be careful, she’s feisty.”
Paige turns her attention to the bored brunette next to Zander with a warm smile.
“Hi, I’m Paige. Your dress is beautiful.”
She shows Zander’s arm candy all the respect due to royalty and I’m reminded of her good-to-the-bone nature. She truly is too pure for me, as I had already written off Zander’s date.
“Svetlana,” the arm candy replies with a thick accent as she weakly shakes the tips of Paige’s fingers when she holds out her hand.
I lift an eyebrow at Zander and he shrugs as if to say he’ll take them impressively dull as long as they look a certain way.
“Looks like a good turnout,” Payton observes, glancing around. “People really like the booze. Glad you picked this one up.”
“Payton, Hayes was telling me about your fondness for the water and mentioned you have boats. Where’s your closest docked?” Paige asks, turning the conversation around when it easily could have become a boring business recap.
“So my brother talks about his family, but refuses to share any details about you? Where are your priorities, Hayes?” He jokingly punches my arm, but it’s enough to make me spill bourbon right on Paige’s dress.
“Watch it!” I snap, mad that his immaturity caused me to ruin something as beautiful as her dress. I drop to my knees to dab at the liquor with a cocktail napkin.
“It’s just the train. Not like I’ll see it,” she says, waving off my efforts to staunch the stain on the glittery fabric.
Bits of the black napkin are sticking to the sequins and rough glitter, my attempt to clean making the situation worse. She was right when she said there is no such thing as comfortable evening wear. This shit is ridiculous and she’s a saint for having worn it.
I stand and look around as I dust off my hands. My brothers are both staring at me, with looks of shock on their faces. I scowl.
“What?”
“I shit you not, I think that is the first time Hayes Olsen has dropped to his knees to clean up a mess in his whole goddamn life. What, no order to get someone to clean it for you, bro?”
Zander’s teasing is marked by true astonishment. I think he’s right though, and that thought both infuriates and humbles me.
“Paige, can you please keep putting up with this man’s madness? I think you’re the best damn thing to happen to his attitude that I can personally account for,” Payton says, placing a hand on her shoulder.
I narrow my eyes at him until he removes his touch from her skin.
Zander makes his way closer, intent on adding his two cents. “We might even see the unrelenting lion ease up at work if you stick around. Let me tell you, that would be a nice change for those of us who have to work closely with his sourpuss attitude.”
“You’re both idiots,” I say, my tone not carrying as much bite as it could. They may be idiots, but they’re my idiots, so I’m stuck with them.