Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Seagulls keened overhead, held aloft by thermals rising off the Gulf, and the sun turned the water to diamonds, glittering impossibly bright. Paige had already taken a walk and recorded lots of footage, along with some Beach Outfit and What I Bring To The Beach content.
Now, she let out a contented sigh from her chair under the canopy. Randi was on her towel in the sun, hoping to get some color before she headed home tomorrow. Barkley had decided early on that he preferred the shade, and so he was snoozing in Randi’s empty chair.
Paige did a quick video of Barkley enjoying himself. Cute animals were always good content.
She put her phone back into the side pocket on the chair and dug her toes into the sand. It was easily one of the nicest days Paige had spent on the beach in a long time. Of course, she could have been anywhere with Randi and enjoyed herself. Just being with her daughter was a treat.
She leaned her ereader against her body to look at her daughter. “We should really do this more often.”
Randi, sunglasses on, smiled and gave a little nod. “It’s so nice, isn’t it? Too bad I have to work.”
Paige said softly, “I know.” She could change that. She could give her daughter money, enough that she could retire and be a stay-at-home mom, but Randi would never take it. And Paige worried that it might damage Sean’s ego.
He wasn’t that kind of guy at all, but what would it do to a man to take money from his mother-in-law like that? Deep down, it might make him uneasy, at the very least. Paige had a good relationship with him. She didn’t want to jeopardize it.
They both knew they could come to her with any need and she would help them. It was up to them to ask.
She knew that Randi liked her work, too. Even if it did wear her out at times.
What mother didn’t want the easy life for her child? Paige went back to her book. She’d been concerned about the book, hoping it would be as good as the reviews made it out to be, and so far it was.
If one of the Queen Bees didn’t like it, they’d be sure to say so at the next meeting. All of them seemed more than capable of expressing themselves truthfully. She valued that.
She worried about Essie and this whole situation with her stepdaughter, but Frank had the kind of resources that could secure the very best legal advice. Paige was sure it was being handled.
Still, Essie had to be concerned about it. This kind of stress was what gave men of Frank’s age heart attacks. She hoped he was in good health. If anything happened to that man, Essie would be devastated. It was clear they were well-matched and very much in love.
Imagine getting a second chance like that, both of them having lost their spouses to cancer.
Falling in love once was a gift. But a second time?
She shook her head even as her thoughts turned to Graham. She wasn’t in love with him, but he was a very easy man to like. Deeply.
How could she not? He was kind and charming, funny and gracious. He was everything Peter hadn’t been. Well, Peter had been charming.
Unnaturally so, when she looked back. She’d also been young and inexperienced and too easily swept up by his promises of the sort of life he could give her.
To his credit, he did give her that kind of life, for the most part. They’d had a lavish apartment in Manhattan, a penthouse in Boca, and a sprawling ranch near Jackson Hole. They had lived a life beyond her wildest dreams.
And then it had all turned into a nightmare.
She should have seen the signs that he was not who he said he was. He’d been as interested in clothing and fashion as she had been. Pickier about wine and food, fascinated by art, collecting pieces everywhere they traveled.
He went to the salon more often than she had, too. Which reminded her that she needed to get her color touched up.
She pulled out her phone to see about making an appointment on the salon’s app. Barkley let out a deep sigh, making her smile. “Hard day, huh?”
They’d brought him a bowl and his own bottle of water, but he’d had a drink earlier. Paige went back to her phone and the salon’s calendar. Tuesday would be all right. She made the appointment, pleased she’d gotten that done.
She was missing the next lecture at the library on The Secret Lives of Famous Paintings, but it was worth it to be here with Randi. Nothing was as good as this.
She returned to her book but a few pages in, she heard her name being called out in a very familiar English accent.
An odd feeling went through her, almost like she’d been found out.
She hadn’t told Randi about Graham because she didn’t want her daughter thinking there was more going on than there really was.
She put her ereader aside and stood up.
Graham was walking toward her. “Hello, there.”
She smiled and waved. “Hi. Out for a walk?”
He nodded. “Too nice a day to stay in.”
“It really is.”
He glanced at Randi, who hadn’t moved, then Barkley. “Quite the handsome hound you have there, but I should go. You have company.”
Paige instantly felt bad. All she’d told him was that she’d be busy this weekend. He could probably figure out what was going on. The man had been MI6, after all.
Randi sat up. “Hi.”
Graham gave her a nod. “Afternoon, miss.”
Paige jumped in. “Randi, this is Graham. Graham, this is my daughter, Randi.”
Graham smiled. “Nice to meet you, Randi. I’m one of your mum’s neighbors.”
“Nice to meet you,” Randi said.
Graham gave them both a smile. “I’ll let you enjoy your day. Better get back before I’m burnt to a crisp. See you around, Paige.”
She exhaled, completely deflated, despite her smile and the wave she gave him. That had not gone well. Why hadn’t she just told him her daughter was in town and that was why she’d be busy?
Instead, it felt like she’d lied to him. A lie of omission was still a lie, her mother had always said. That was part of the reason Paige so deeply despised what Peter had done to her.
“He seems nice,” Randi said.
“He is,” Paige said, staring after him. “Very nice.”
Randi glanced toward Graham. “He’s not just a neighbor, is he?”
Paige sat back down and picked up her ereader. “He’s a friend.”
“Something weird’s going on. You were both weird.”
Paige said nothing.
Randi laughed. “Mom, seriously, do you like that guy? Does he like you? What is it?”
“We’re…friends.” A lie of omission was still a lie. “And, yes, I like him. We’ve been out a few times. But it’s not anything yet. Just two people getting to know each other.”
Randi’s brows lifted high enough that they were visible over her sunglasses. “He’s very handsome. And you gotta love the accent. I say go for it.”
“Randi.”
“What? It’s cool with me if you have a boyfriend. Dad’s certainly had enough of them.”
“Graham is not my boyfriend.”
“M’kay, whatever, but there’s no reason to get weird about it. You’re allowed to like someone, you know. You’re allowed to have a life. And be happy.”
“Thank you for that.” She was going to have to talk to Graham. Apologize, really. She’d been so concerned about what Randi might think, only to have her daughter be all for the relationship. Even though there really wasn’t a relationship to speak of yet.
“Have you slept with him? Is that why you’re acting so funny?”
“Randi!”
“We’re both adults. You can tell me. I’m not going to judge.”
Paige blinked, taken aback by her daughter’s willingness to engage. “We’ve only been out a few times, like I said. Nothing has happened.”
Randi cocked her head. “I don’t believe you.”
“Why? I’m telling you the truth.”
Randi pursed her lips. “Now that I think about it, he was the guy you met at Bingo, isn’t he? But you don’t usually keep seeing the guys in your TikTok posts, do you? So he must be special.”
Her daughter was far too smart for her own good. “He’s just a nice man.”
“So nothing happened, hmm? Which means you haven’t even kissed him?” Randi shook her head. “Please don’t tell me he’s gay, too.”
“He’s not gay.” Paige cleared her throat as the memory of the kiss they’d shared came back to her, filling her stomach with butterflies.”
Randi was wearing a smirk. “And you know that how?”
Paige frowned at her daughter and her sassiness. “Because we kissed. Happy now?”
Randi’s smirk grew into a full-fledged grin. “Nice one, Mom. When are you seeing him again?”
She went back to her book. “I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you invite him over for dinner?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not? Are you ashamed of me?”
Paige could hear the teasing tone in Randi’s voice. She shot her daughter a look. “I just don’t think there’s any reason for you to get to know him.”
“Worried I might think he’s my new dad and get attached?” Randi laughed before the last word was out.
“You’re a terrible child.” But Paige was smiling now, unable to help herself.
“Invite him over. If you want to. He seems nice. And it would be fun to see how he does when he’s outnumbered.”
Paige laughed. “He was MI6. I’m sure he’d do just fine.”
“He was MI6?” Randi’s eyes went wide. “Seriously?”
Paige nodded. “Seriously.”
“If you don’t invite him over, I’m going to run down the beach after him and do it myself.”
Paige took her phone out. “I’ll text him. He might be busy.”
Randi lay back down. “Bet he’s not.”
Paige frowned at her daughter but immediately went back to typing. Sorry, that was weird and there was no reason for it to be that way. Would you like to come to dinner at my place tonight? Seven? Randi and I would both love for you to join us.
It took a few minutes for him to respond, making Paige wonder if he was giving her the silent treatment. Thankfully, he was not. I’d be delighted.
Be forewarned, Paige added. I expect my daughter to ask you a lot of questions.
Fortunately, Graham replied, I’ve had RTI training.
RTI?
Resistance to Interrogation. I’m sure I’ll be fine.
Paige laughed softly. Graham really was something special.