Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Paige had just reached the part of the story where the entire audience in the community center went quiet, where everyone held their breath waiting on the judges, who’d suddenly closed ranks and gone into a last-minute deliberation.
Graham listened intently. “Sounds like a real nailbiter.”
“It was.”
They sat at a small table by the window of a Gulf-front restaurant Paige liked for precisely that reason.
Great water views. But the white tablecloths didn’t hurt.
Over the soft music, the muted clink of silverware could be heard and, just faintly, the occasional shush of waves beyond the glass.
The smell of citrus hung in the air, cutting through the richness of butter and grilled seafood.
It was so kind of him to take her out like this. He’d been so excited about her viral popularity, he’d wanted to celebrate.
“And Brick really deserved that win,” Paige said. “He was calm and cool. The very definition of grace under pressure. From what Cece said, he worked as if making that cake was his most important assignment.”
Graham lifted his glass. “I suppose, in a way, it was.”
She smiled, then reached for her iced tea. “He did his late wife proud.” She took a sip and set her glass back down. That was when her phone buzzed with an incoming call.
Paige frowned at it. “I’m sorry. It’s been nonstop today, but I told Randi to call if there was anything I needed to know.”
“It’s fine,” he said.
She turned the phone over, expecting to see Randi’s name. Instead, it was a number she didn’t recognize. She almost let it go to voicemail.
Almost.
“Excuse me,” she said, already lifting the phone. “I should probably take this.”
Graham waved her on. “Of course.”
Paige pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
“Hi, is this Paige Wheeler?” a woman asked, brisk but friendly.
“Yes,” Paige said cautiously.
“Oh, wonderful! My assistant found your phone number through a Google search. I hope it was all right to call. Let me explain. My name is Lauren, and I’m the Manager of Social Outreach with Luminelle Beauty.
Have you heard of us? We specialize in skincare and cosmetics formulated specifically for mature skin. ”
Paige sat a little straighter. “I have heard of you.” Luminelle was a great brand. She used their foundation and gel liner. She still wanted to look into why her phone number was that easy to find. “I actually use some of your products.”
“That’s wonderful. As it happens, I came across your TikTok account this morning,” Lauren continued. “And then I spent probably more time than I should admit going through your content. You have a wonderful on-camera persona and a real honesty about you that we just love.”
Paige glanced back at Graham, who was watching her, eyebrows raised in gentle curiosity.
“Thank you,” she said, still not sure where this was headed.
“We’re launching a new regional campaign,” Lauren said. “And we’re looking for a brand representative. Someone who actually uses the products, who can talk about them honestly, and most importantly, resonates with our target audience. Women in your age bracket.”
Paige’s fingers tightened around the phone. “I’m not a model,” she said reflexively.
“That’s exactly why we’re calling you,” Lauren replied without missing a beat. “We’re not looking for airbrushed perfection. We’re looking for trust and what we like to think of as an aspirational presence. We believe that’s you.”
Aspirational. The word left Paige speechless. Her mouth came open, but she had no idea what to say.
Fortunately, Lauren continued. “We were hoping you might be interested in a paid partnership. Granted, this is not how things usually work with influencers, but we think you’re something special.
We’d like a series of four initial posts to start, possibly more if it feels like a good fit on both sides. ”
Paige swallowed. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting this.”
“We figured,” Lauren said warmly. “And we understand. Why don’t you take some time to think about it? I can email details and the contract for you to read over. No pressure at this point. We’re happy to talk more.”
“Yes,” Paige heard herself say. “That would be great.” She gave Lauren her email address.
They wrapped up the call quickly, promises of follow-up and next steps exchanged politely. When Paige lowered the phone, she realized her heart was beating faster than was probably healthy. Good thing she spent so much time at the fitness center.
Graham was still watching her. “Well?” he asked. “Everything all right?”
Paige let out a soft laugh, part disbelief, part nerves. “A cosmetics company just asked if I’d like to represent their line.”
He blinked. “You don’t say. Jolly good.”
“They have a whole line of makeup and skincare for mature women,” she added, as if that explained everything.
Graham smiled slowly. “That sounds like a rather significant opportunity. Was the compensation reasonable?”
“I have no idea. She’s emailing me the details so I can look them over.”
“What do you think about it?”
Paige looked down at her phone, then back out at the water, sunlight dancing across the surface like it was completely unconcerned with the fact that her life had just shifted slightly off its axis.
“I think,” she said carefully. “That things might be getting bigger than I planned.”
Graham reached across the table and rested his hand over hers. “Is that a bad thing?”
She didn’t answer right away. She didn’t know yet. “I’m really not sure.” Paige stared at her phone a moment longer, thumb hovering uselessly over the screen.
Graham watched her with that quiet patience she was coming to recognize as his default. “You should tell Randi,” he said. “She’ll be thrilled.”
Paige let out a little laugh. “She’ll probably think this is the most obvious thing in the world and wonder why it took them so long.”
“Sometimes that’s exactly the perspective you need,” he said. “Someone who already assumes you belong in the atmosphere you’ve just entered.”
“I’ll text her now, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
She exhaled and typed a quick text, her thoughts going faster than her fingers.
Just got a call from a cosmetics company about a paid partnership. I’m sitting at lunch with Graham trying to pretend this is a normal sentence. Unbelievable, huh? Call you later.
She set the phone down, then immediately picked it back up when it buzzed a second later. Not a call, but three excited emojis and a WHAT??? that made her laugh.
Graham smiled. “There it is. She’s happy for you, isn’t she?”
“She is.” Paige shook her head. “But I haven’t even seen the details yet.”
“And after you do,” he said. “Maybe you can get Joe to look it over as well. Let him give you his professional take on the contract.”
She looked over at him. “You think I should have a lawyer read it?”
“I do. You’ve been offered something of value,” he replied. “Which is very flattering, but you want to be sure it’s actually a good deal for you. After all, they need you more than you need them.”
“That’s a good point.” She would definitely talk to Joe about vetting the contract.
The thought hadn’t occurred to her until Graham said it, but it made the whole thing feel manageable.
Less like stepping off a ledge and more like taking a careful step forward.
Joe could tell her if it was a good deal or if she need to just flat-out walk away.
Because Graham was right, it was flattering. But she wasn’t about to sell her soul, either.
She rested her hands in her lap and glanced back out at the Gulf. “This started as something small, you know?” She took a breath. “Just me sharing my new life because it made me feel like I was taking power back for myself that way. After everything I’d been through, it was exactly what I needed.”
“And now,” Graham said. “It’s become more than that. And that’s what’s bothering you, isn’t it?”
She nodded. “I don’t want it to turn into something that doesn’t feel like me.”
“Then don’t let it,” he said. “If you don’t want to do this, you can turn it down. I won’t think less of you. I’ll respect whatever decision you make. So will your friends.”
She smiled at that, the tension easing out of her shoulders.
“All right,” she said, picking up her drink. “I’ll read the email when I get home. Then I’ll call Joe. And at some point I’ll let Randi interrogate me properly.”
Graham lifted his glass. “A sensible plan.”
She clinked her iced tea against it, feeling the buzz of something exciting coursing through her. She had no idea if she’d do this or not. But it was very flattering to be asked.