“I insist. And trust me, my mom has plenty more left on this thing.” She waved her platinum card in the air.
“I bet if she found out I was more of your dad’s friend - she’d not be so generous with your spree.” Paige raised an eyebrow.
“True, but you’re still my friend. And it’s safe to say by now that you’re more than my dad’s friend.” She grinned and pulled Paige by the hand. “Come on.”
As Katie charged forward with a sudden confidence, Paige questioned what she’d gotten herself into. She wasn’t looking for a make-over. She hadn’t even been looking for romance. But, now that she had Nick’s interest maybe a makeover wasn’t too far of a stretch.
Chapter 24
Nick tapped his foot on the floor beneath the table, and muttered, “They’re late.”
Sam’s eyes cut to his wife, Amelia, who grinned, saying, “Now that Katie’s discovered the mall – get used to it.”
Sam nodded. “I could have told you what it’s like to wait on women who’ve spent all day shopping.”
“I remember Arielle doing this sort of thing.” Nick gave a blank stare. “She’d be gone for afternoons – hours on end. But Katie - this isn’t like her.”
“Well, it looks like you’re in for another surprise. Wow,” Conner interrupted, eyes wide. He pushed his chair back, as he looked to the foyer of the restaurant where Katie and his aunt entered. If she hadn’t been standing by Paige, he’d have never recognized her.
Sam followed his son’s gaze, bowled over at the transformation. Both women looked to have completely metamorphosized into someone, who was was straight from the pages of a fashion magazine. He then looked to both Nick and Conner, not sure which of them he should address first.
He softly laid his hand on Conner’s leg. “Down boy.”
As Nick’s eyes darted toward the entrance, he felt his heart splitting in two. His little girl had grown up, and although he’d seen it happening in little ways over the last few months – he was not prepared for how mature she’d become.
He then looked to Paige, who had an equal amount of shock value. Her normally curly hair had been straightened, which made her look like a glamorous movie star, not the girl next door he was used to.
“Whoa.” His head was spinning.
Amused, Frank Knight watched both Nick and Conner, as they fumbled for a few minutes. He felt like walking over and picking up their jaws from the floor but sat still. When he to his wife, Serena, she was beaming from ear to ear at the sight of their daughter. It was a far cry from the broken girl that had moved to Granite a short time ago.
“Happy Birthday!” Maya stood and opened her arms to greet them both with a hug. After all, someone had to get this party started. It was as if everyone at the table were unable to move. “Don’t mind them. They’re just in shock.” She whispered down to Katie. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Katie blushed. She saw the way Conner was staring at her, and suddenly she felt like she should have been a bit less liberal with her makeup. She fidgeted with her purse and wondered if she could sneak off to the bathroom to wipe some of her lipstick off.
As Maya released Katie, she gave her sister a dramatic once over before drawing her in.
“Um, wow!” She took Paige by the hand and led her toward their table.
“Too much?” She asked quietly.
“Not at all.” Maya grinned. “I’d say it’s overdue.”
Paige shot her sister a curious look. “What the?”
“No, I just mean. It’s nice to see you invested again.”
“Invested what?”
“In life, sister. In life.” She kissed Paige’s cheek before finding her seat.
As his daughter nervously approached, Nick pulled her into his arms for soft embrace while sending Paige a look of approval. As Katie slowly pulled away – he held her hands and took a small step back.
“You look…” He watched his daughter’s face shine with anticipation, waiting for him to continue. “Stunning. You both do.” He smiled wistfully.
Paige released the breath she’d been holding, thankful she wasn’t in trouble. “It’s okay? I know it’s a radical change, but she wanted to.”
He sent her a reassuring wink and tugged his daughter by the hand. “Come on, birthday girl. We’re all starved. Tonight we celebrate my sixteen-year-old, who has been my rock and my angel. Happy Birthday, sweetheart.”
“Thanks.” Katie stepped toward the table expecting her dad to pull her seat out, but Conner beat him to it. As he pushed her chair forward, she shyly smiled over her shoulder.
Paige took the only open seat and sat next to her mom, which was across from Nick. As Nick stared intently across the table, she dropped her eyes to her lap. Now she was the one who hoped she hadn’t overdone it. Self-consciously, she reached to touch her hair.
She leaned over to her mom, and quietly whispered, “Do I look okay?”
“You’re a vision.” Serena patted her hand. “It seems I’m not the only one who thinks so.”
Nick’s stomach was in knots. The fact that his daughter was the center of Conner’s attention, while Paige sat only a few feet away yet too far away for his liking had him sideways. He felt like kicking Conner from under the table to give him a warning stare, but the kid was too far away. And when he looked to Frank, he knew that he was in the same boat. It would be like the pot calling the kettle black.
Once the birthday cake had been served and Katie opened her gifts, Nick was ready to call it a night. Throughout the day, he continuously replayed how Paige felt in his arms. Their time on the dance floor had completely transformed him. If he could time travel and do it all over again – he’d have done it in a heartbeat.
When Paige whisked Katie away he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and steal her away instead, but it was Katie’s special day, and his desires would have to sit on the backburner. Although happy for they had a girls day out, he was not used to either of them spending time without him. At that moment, it became clear how equally important Paige had become in his life.
To keep his mind occupied during their shopping spree, he reviewed game footage in preparation for the next practice. But eventually, all roads led back to Paige and what kind of make-over his daughter was seeking.
He hadn’t been sure if Katie would come home with random piercings or just a new pair of jeans.
To arrive at dinner and find that his two favorite women were late had his mind was spinning in all directions. Once Katie entered the restaurant, although shocked at her new look, he was thankful she didn’t go to extremes. Now the only thing making him wish for a handful of antacids was the idea of any newfound male attention she would garnish.
“You about ready, kiddo?” He winced. He probably couldn’t call her that anymore.
Katie saw the flash of dismay that crossed his handsome face and wondered if he was displeased with her new look.
“I can return the clothes and makeup.” She touched her hair, and softly added, “And this will grow out.”
“No - I love what you’ve done. It’s just …” He hesitated. “You look all grown up, and the thought crossed my mind that I can’t call you my kiddo anymore. You’re a young lady.”
Katie’s crooked smile rocked him to his core. She gave him a look he’d not seen since she was a child, and it instantly transported him to when she was about five. In fact, he pictured that cute little pixie face, when she softly whispered, “I’ll always be your kiddo. But I have to grow up eventually.”
“I know. Come on … I’m beat.” Nick pulled her by the hand to catch up with the Knight clan.
Paige watched the conversation with bittersweet resolve, imagining what was transpiring between them. As the rest of the group made their way to the door, she waited for them to catch up.
Once outside, she noticed her nephew waiting for his chance to talk to Katie. She smiled as Nick’s daughter quietly slipped her hand from her dad’s and crossed th
e parking lot for Conner.
The symbolism wasn’t lost on either Paige or Nick, as his little girl walked toward the next phase in her life.
“You okay?” She slipped her hand into his.
He squeezed it and let out a shaky breath. “I will be. I’m going to be a wreck when she starts dating.”
“You’ll be okay.” She grinned.
“I thought she’d be the one who was a wreck when we started dating.”
Paige did a double take. “When did we start dating?”
Nick flashed a grin. “Just what have we been doing?”
“I don’t know. Fooling around? You talked about taking me on a date, but technically what we’ve been doing hasn’t been dating.”
“Why are women so literal?”
“Why do men take the easy way out?”
“Because we can.”
“You think she’s not going to make him work for her attention?” Paige glanced at Conner, who was doing his best to keep a conversation going.
“She better make him work for it. She’s worth it.” Nick’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re right.” Paige was about to tell him that it was no different than with her when her family approached them to say their goodbyes.
As Sam reached to shake Nick’s hand, her mom reached in to give Paige a hug.
“You look beautiful, honey.” Frank leaned down to give her a kiss.
“Thanks, dad.” Paige beamed at his approval.
Nick chimed in, with a sweet look. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“Good night.” Frank led his wife to the car.
“Come on, Conner! We’re leaving.” Amelia called as she unlocked their car. Sam, with his daughter in tow, piled inside and buckled up.
“Will I see you at school?” Conner gave Katie a hopeful look.
“Maybe.” She nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders.
As Nick waited for his daughter, he slung his arm around Paige’s shoulders. Her words echoed through his head. He leaned down to sweetly kiss her cheek, and asked, “Miss Knight, would you do me the honor of going on a date?”
Paige’s face lit up. “I would.”
“Great. This Friday, after the game?”
Katie slowly approached, slid her arm through his, and listened as they continued their plans. She looked up to the sky thinking this possibly was the best birthday yet. The fact that she didn’t even receive a phone call from her mom didn’t matter. She had her dad, and for all she knew Paige could be a major part of their family soon. She leaned forward and silently thanked Paige with grateful eyes.
Paige saw the look that crossed Katie’s face, unsure what was going through her mind, but was grateful for the friendship that was blooming between them. She was honored to be a part of both their lives.
After she had unlocked her car, Nick opened her door only to pull her into a soft embrace. He would have liked to have kissed her goodnight, but there was time for that.
“Thanks for a great birthday.” Katie waited her turn for a hug.
“I had a blast. We should do it again sometime.”
“I’d like that.”
Nick looked to both girls, as joy emanated from his heart and swept through every pore with an impact so deep that he felt like he could brighten the night sky with one gentle sweep of his arm.
“Good night. See you soon,” he whispered in her ear.
“See you soon, Nick Granger.” She slyly smiled in return.
Paige slid into the driver’s seat while the two of them disappeared into the night arm in arm. She started her car, unable to remember when she felt so fulfilled. As she looked at her phone for the time – it crossed her mind to call Davis and thank him for being such a poor excuse for a husband. If he hadn’t broken their marriage vows, she would have been somewhat satisfied with status quo, never knowing what true happiness was.
Chapter 25
As Conner tossed another football toward the target, it dawned on Nick that he’d seen a real change in him. He’d not only turned things around on the field – but had started getting real serious about turning up on his doorstep every chance he got. With each throw, the kid became more focused. He looked like a man on a mission.
Nick lifted an eyebrow, impressed as he flew through his drills with intensity. Finally, he lifted his whistle and blew.
“That’s enough for today!” He cupped his hands to his mouth. “Bring it in!”
His motley crew jogged over with Conner, at the helm, to take a knee in front of their coach. His heart warmed to see the difference in their teamwork, and he knew his quarterback’s leadership had a lot to do with it. With his motivation behind the scenes, he had been leading by example.
“I want you all to know how proud I am to have you on my team. I’ve seen a turnaround in the last two weeks, and I can tell you from experience that the competition should be very afraid.”
A collective yell went up.
“Because you’re working as a team. You stopped playing for you …” He poked one of the kids in his chest, and continued, “And started playing for the man next to you.”
He saw the serious stares and the heads nodding throughout. They were totally bought in, which was good. This was a team he could win with.
“It doesn’t matter how many skills you have on the field if you’re not playing smart and with heart. One player shining doesn’t do the rest of you any good. But when I see you rising above yourself to bring glory to your teammates – I also see a champion team in the midst.”
“Oorah!” A few guys in the crowd yelled.
Nick’s eyes filled with warmth for his guys. “We have a game tomorrow against Woodbridge, who stomped our butts last time we played. They’re going to think this is an easy win! Are you going to give it to them?”
“No, Coach!” They stood in unison.
“Good! Go hit the showers!” He grinned and spun on his heels.
“Um, coach.” He heard from behind. When he turned, he saw a very apprehensive quarterback standing his ground.
“Yes, Conner.” He nodded, inviting him to walk with him.
“I don’t know if you noticed, or not …” He wasn’t sure how to finish.
Nick raised an eyebrow, waiting.
“But I took what you said to heart.” Conner turned back to face the field.
“I noticed.” He slapped a hand on Conner’s back.
“So, does that mean I can start tomorrow?” His curious eyes searched his coach’s face, looking for any indication.
Nick grimaced, and decided to put the kid out of his misery. “Yes.”
“Sweet!” Conner jumped in the air.
“But only if you keep showing up to play. If I see any hint of the Conner who was more interested in his game off the field versus on – then you’ll be on the bench.”
“Nuh uh. Not gonna happen, Coach.” Conner trailed Nick toward the tunnels. “While we’re talking…”
Nick internally groaned. He had a feeling this was coming. He kept up a brisk pace, making Conner chase him as they took the corner to his office.
“What’s up?” He laid his clipboard on his desk and grabbed his jacket.
“Well, if you haven’t noticed …” Conner wasn’t sure how to bring up the subject of Katie.
Nick wondered how long it would take him to approach him about his daughter. Oh, I’ve noticed.
“I’ve been to your house a few times but have missed getting to see Katie. I didn’t think she’d be so hard to track down. She avoids me at school.”
Nick grinned at the distress that was crossing the young man’s face. He’d like to think of him looking like a toddler who was on the verge of tears, but he looked more like a young man fighting the tides of unrequited love.
“Okay. Where is this going?”
“Sir, I just wanted to know the best way to approach her. And I just wanted to know if I’d done something to upset her. It’s like I have the plague or something.”
Nic
k chuckled, and thought about something Paige said a while back. “Maybe you just need to prove yourself to her. After all, it was only three weeks ago that you were flirting with a few girls on the practice field right in front of her.”
“Well, that was before her transformation - and mine.”
Nick shrugged. “You’ll figure it out. Girls like grand gestures from what I’ve heard. Maybe do something big to get her attention?”
He walked away leaving the kid to fend for himself. Since when did fathers give dating advice about their daughters? All of the sudden he felt sick. His baby was growing up and garnering the attention of the opposite sex.
Ugh! He reached for his keys, slid into the front seat, and reached for his cell to call Katie. He pulled her contact up and smiled at her lopsided grin, as her photo displayed across his smartphone.
He was the father of a pretty impressive kid, who was not only a beautiful person inside and out, but she was just as brilliant as she was beautiful. After all, she wasn’t making it easy for Conner, which made him proud. His daughter was worth the effort, so he was pleased to see her make the kid work for her attention. Now he just hoped his quarterback wouldn’t break her heart.
Chapter 26
It was as if the stars were staring down at them, as both, Paige and Nick, settled on a cushion in the back of his truck. Nick pulled her close to breathe in her scent. As the mixture of florals and fruit swept through his senses, he was never more thankful she’d agreed for a drive after the dinner.
“You warm enough?” He pulled a thick blanket from the bed of his truck to wrap around them.
“Mm-hm.” She dropped her head back on his shoulder to take in the dark sky. “You ever wonder what’s out there?”
Nick chuckled. “Nope. I’m more interested in what’s going on right here.”
He swept her hair back from her neck and softly nuzzled her warm skin.
Paige let out a soft moan and twisted to face him. “Do you have to do that?”
“What?” His face was full of feigned innocence.
Second Chances Page 14
