by Penny Harmon
“I just wanted to see if I could give something for the shelter. When I heard what happened, I went around and collected some donations for the shelter. We came up with five-hundred. I know it’s not much, but I hope it can help them.”
Paige was shocked. Really? Donations from the place she rented from? Well, worked, too, but she hadn’t done much of that yet.
Rory laughed. “If you could see the look on your face right now! Just take it and give it to the shelter. If they need anything else, let me know.”
Paige was not about to turn the money down. The shelter was in desperate need. “How can I thank you? This is wonderful.”
“No need to thank us. Everyone here contributed. I told you. We’re like family and that includes you.” With that, Rory stepped down and said, “See you later.”
Paige sat down at the couch staring at the envelope in her hand. Family? It had been so long since she’d had one. She hadn’t given anyone in the resort a chance to even talk to her before and now they were giving her money to help the shelter?
Her stomach growled and she realized just how hungry she was. Putting the envelope on the counter, Paige went to her room and threw on her jeans and a tee. She hadn’t been grocery shopping for over a week and had nothing in the fridge.
As she drove out of the resort, she actually smiled at the guard, giving him a small wave. A big smile came across his face and he waved back. Paige was surprised by the feeling it gave her. Perhaps it was time to start making friends?
In the grocery store, she grabbed a cart and stood in the entry way. She hadn’t even made a list. Frustrated, she wheeled her cart toward the produce section and quickly stopped in her tracks. Clark stood in front of a bin full of grapes.
She hadn’t even put on makeup on! Panicking, she scanned the area and realized there was not one good place to hide without the potential of him seeing her. She could only hope that he wouldn’t turn around.
Clark was picking through the bunches of grapes turning them this way and that. He looked so serious and Paige quickly stifled a giggle. When he picked one grape off a cluster, Paige couldn’t help it. She laughed. When he turned around, she stated seriously, “You know, you could get arrested for that…it’s shoplifting.”
Clark just gave her that wide smile that made her go weak in the knees. “I promise not to do it again if you don’t tell anyone. Besides, I don’t think you can get arrested for it.”
Paige returned his smile and stated, “Well, I did that at sixteen and the police were called.”
His eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Um, yeah.”
“Did you get arrested?”
Paige hesitated for a second and then laughed. “I ran out the door before they could get there.”
Clark’s laughter probably could have been heard as far as the bakery on the opposite side of the store. “I would have loved to have seen that.”
“No, you wouldn’t. I hid for hours behind a dumpster across the street.”
Clark just shook his head. “I take it you woke up hungry?”
She nodded her head. “I did.”
“This is my usual night to shop, but not in the mood for it tonight. Still tired from last night.”
“I know what you mean, but I’m starving, so here I am.”
“Since I don’t really feel like shopping and neither do you, do you want to skip it and just go get a pizza or something?”
She froze. Go out? Like a date? How was she supposed to tell the difference? Before she could say anything, Clark whispered, “It’s not a date. Don’t overthink it. Just two friends getting something to eat because they’re both hungry.”
All she could do is nod her head again and the only thing she could think is that he had basically just told her that he wasn’t interested in being anything but a friend to her.
Remembering the gift from those who lived at the resort, she told herself that the smile and wave to the guard at the resort was just the first step. Going out for a pizza with Clark would be the second. Making friends was supposed to be a normal thing. Why couldn’t it be for her, too?
With a smile plastered on her face, she followed Clark out of the grocery store.
Chapter 6
Clark grabbed his jacket knowing that it would get chilly tonight and he wanted to make sure that Paige would have something to wear if she got cold. They were just going out for pizza again, but he was hoping that she might go out for a drink with him afterward.
He’d asked her a few times before, but she always turned him down never giving him an actual reason why. Tonight would be their seventh time going out in just a few weeks and he saw her every Saturday morning when he volunteered at the shelter. However, he’d never made a move on her. He didn’t dare.
For the last two or three weeks, he’d gotten to know her a little better, but he’d never seen a woman with such thick walls. She’d put up a barricade and he wasn’t sure if she was capable of actually letting it down.
He was actually hoping to talk to her about that tonight, but he wasn’t counting on it. The one thing he’d learned about Paige was that she knew how to change the subject without you even realizing it was being done. The one thing he learned about himself was that he was falling hard.
When he pulled into the parking lot of the pizza joint, he saw Paige’s car was already there and he was surprised to find it empty. Normally she’d wait in her car for him to arrive.
Inside he saw Paige sitting a table talking to an elderly man. He started walking toward her when he saw her give the man one of the biggest smiles he ever saw before he walked away.
“Looks like you made a new friend,” he said.
Paige grinned. “He just complimented me on my hair…told me if he could have purple hair, he would, too.”
“I always meant to ask, but never did. What’s your natural color?”
Paige looked down at the table. “Blonde.”
“Did you get tired of the blonde jokes?” he teased and watched her smile fade. “I’m sorry. That was just teasing.”
“Um, no…it’s okay. Let’s just say I didn’t want to be me anymore. I just wanted to be somebody else for a change and, well…now I’m just used to it.”
Sitting back in the seat, he looked at her closely. Her appearance had changed greatly since he’d first met her. She no longer put her hair up in a Mohawk and the makeup around her eyes was a lot more subtle. Her lips were now done in a light shade of pink and always looked kissable. The last thought made him smile.
“Do you take after your mother or your father?” he asked.
“My mother, I guess. I never knew my father.”
“Where’d you grow up?”
Clark was disappointed that before she could answer the waitress brought the pizza that Paige had ordered when she’d first got there as well as their drinks.
Paige gave him a smile and stated, “Hope you don’t mind, but I got onions on it.”
Clarke laughed when he saw the onions were only on half. When he’d found out that she loved onions on everything, he’d made fun of her telling her that he tolerated them, but they weren’t his favorite thing to have on pizza.
“So any new dogs come in today?” he asked. He always did. If the right dog came along, he’d move out of his apartment in a heartbeat.
“Not today, but the last Pom was adopted.” Her voice went down a notch and he knew that it bothered her. He’d tried to talk her into adopting it for herself, but she claimed she wouldn’t leave a dog home all by itself all day.
“I’m sorry. I bet it went to a good home, though,” he reached out and grabbed her hand in his. Instead of pulling it away as he expected her to do, she squeezed his hand.
“Thanks. I’m good,” she replied and let go of his hand. He wished the moment would have lasted longer.
He watched as she picked up a piece of pizza and started eating. He did the same, hopeful that tonight would be the night that she’d say yes to going out with him for drink
s.
It wasn’t long before the pizza was gone and they both pulled money out to split the tab and the tip. Outside, he stated, “I’m thinking about going over to High Bar for a drink. You want to come? I think someone’s playing music there tonight.”
“Um, another night maybe,” she squinted her eyes. “I’m actually doing something tonight that would surprise you.”
“What?” He couldn’t believe she hadn’t just come out and said no the way she always had.
“Well, it’s funny that that old man was complimenting me on my purple hair because I’m actually going back to my natural hair.”
“Really? Why? I kind of like it this way.”
“Well, Pam lives in one of the trailers at the resort and does hair, so I’m going over to her place.”
“But why?” he asked again.
“I don’t know. I thought it was time, I guess.”
“Good for you,” he said. “So when I see you on Saturday you’ll be a blonde?”
“I will be,” she laughed. “Maybe you’ll walk right past me without even recognizing me?”
“Not a chance with those baby blues,” his voice was low and he watched her face flush.
Turning around toward her car, she threw her hand in the air and waved goodbye leaving him out of breath.
Back at home, he paced around the living room. Somehow he had to convince her to actually go out with him. How he was going to do it he didn’t know. Thinking of one person that might be able to give him some advice, he picked up the phone to call his cousin Jade.
She answered on the first ring. “Nothing’s changed, Clark. Royce is still missing and, of course, nobody in this freaking town can do anything but talk about it.”
“Sorry. You sound frustrated,” he said and grabbed a beer out of his fridge. “What else is going on?”
“Oh, you know how the rest of them get. Jordan and Jenna want to fight me every step of the way, Johanna doesn’t give a shit, and Johnson’s too busy chasing girls. I’m ready to give up.”
“What about Aunt Julianne? What is she saying?”
He heard Jade sigh. “She’s so stressed about what’s going on with Royce that I don’t want to bother her with stuff anymore. She has enough on her plate.”
“Is there anything I can do?” If it was money, he’d be happy to send her what he had in savings. He’d hate to see them lose the lodge.
“No, but thanks. Besides, even if you had a couple of thousand to help, it’s going to take at least thirty grand to get this place renovated.”
Clark groaned. If he’d had it, he would have gladly sent it to her, but he only had about five in savings…not even enough to put a dent.
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you all. So anything else going on?”
“Yes, since Sheriff Richards and I have become so close, I thought I’d ask him if there were any openings and you could have a job here anytime. I guarantee it. Would you consider moving up here? I’d even give you a permanent room in the lodge.”
Jade and he were just two years apart, but he being an only child had always considered Jade and her sisters as his own. He wasn’t really close to Johnson, Jade’s younger brother, but that was his fault. He’d stopped going to Maine by the time Johnson was in his teens.
“You don’t know how good that sounds to me, but…wait ‘til you hear this. I’ve met someone.”
“Oh? That’s nice,” Jade said. “I was just hoping you’d take me up on the offer.”
Clark was at a loss for words. Any other time, she would have been excited to hear everything about Paige, but obviously, what was going on was serious.
“You know what? Let me think about it, Jade. I just started this position not too long ago and I actually do like it here in Endings. Can I give you a call next week?”
“You can, but not before I tell you that I’d even be willing to sell you a piece of land at a very reasonable price to get you to stay. Of course, on the condition that if you decided to sell, it would have to be offered to the lodge first.”
“Damn, Jade. You are not going to make this easy for me, are you?”
He heard her laugh before she disconnected the call. Move to Maine permanently? What about Paige? He wanted to find out what it was between them. He didn’t think he could leave without finding out.
Chapter 7
Saturday morning Paige awoke with a start. The week had dragged, but today Clark would be in to walk the dogs. She hadn’t seen him since late last week when they’d gone out for pizza.
In all reality, she’d actually been happy that he had been working extra shifts to cover for someone else. It had been her choice to go back to being a blonde and she wasn’t entirely sure she was happy with it.
Pam had done a great job. It wasn’t that. It was just that the blonde girl had disappeared years ago. Every time she had looked in the mirror over the past week, she’d had to remind herself how that girl was gone now.
It had taken her a few days, but she was finally feeling confident regarding her choice. Pam had also styled it in a manner that made her look more sophisticated. She would still wear her punk clothes when she wanted, but at least now she had more options. A purple Mohawk gave her too many limits when it came to clothing.
Today she’d chosen to wear a pair of khaki capris with a light blue top. Something a normal person would wear. She wondered if Clark would even notice.
She wasn’t disappointed. The minute Clark had seen her he had walked up and stuck out his hand for her to shake. “Hi, I’m Clark Wentworth. Have you seen Paige Ellison this morning?”
Laughing, she playfully punched him in the arm. “Stop it! You’ll make me paranoid.”
“Don’t be. You look…you look amazing, but honestly, you did before.”
Paige smiled. She knew he was being nice. She knew she looked more attractive now, but he was too nice of a guy to say anything.
“Come on. We just got two Golden Retrievers in that need to be walked. These two have to be adopted together. They’re owner just passed away and they’re heartbroken. No way could they be separated.”
“That’s a shame. Let’s just hope someone adopts them soon. I’d hate to see them not get adopted out. How old are they?”
“Eight year old sisters and they are the sweetest things,” she said. It broke her heart that she couldn’t adopt them. If only she had her sanctuary. She’d take them in a heartbeat.
Clark grabbed her hand. “Damn, Paige. I don’t know if I want to see them. I’m serious. Right now, I work too many hours and my landlady would evict me, but they sound perfect. Not only that, I’ve had an offer to move to Maine. I just don’t know…”
“What? You’re moving?” Panic set in. She couldn’t imagine not having Clark around now. He’d become…well, one of her best friends. Of course, if she was honest with herself, she’d realize he was much more than that. For now, that’s all she would admit.
Clark turned around to face her. “Um, no…not yet anyway. I’ve been offered something that’s going to be hard to refuse, but...I don’t want to move.”
Looking up at him, she thought she saw something in his eyes, but before she could say anything, Michael, another volunteer came around the corner.
“Hey Paige! Can I take the retrievers out?”
“Um…” she looked at Clark.
Clark shook his head and Paige smiled. “Sorry, Michael. We were just heading there. However, there is a lab mix that needs some exercise today…he’s a wild one. He’s in twelve.”
Grabbing Clark’s arm, she steered him in the other direction. “Our girls are this way.”
Twenty minutes later, she could only smile as Clark sat on the grass between the two dogs each vying for his attention. When he stopped petting one to pet the other, the one he stopped petting would bring its paw up and put it on the arm he was using. Each time it made him laugh.
“What do you think about these two?” Paige asked.
“I hate you right
now,” he laughed. “I should have said no.”
“No, these girls deserve some fun. This is the happiest I’ve seen them since they got here. I wish so badly…” She stopped in midsentence, knowing that wishing generally got her nowhere.
Clark looked up at her seriously. “You wish what?”
Paige shrugged her shoulders. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t do it right now anyway.”
“What are you talking about Paige?”
“I’ve always wanted to run a sanctuary for abused animals or animals that were old and no one wanted. You know, give them a chance to live out their last years in peace.”
“That sounds…perfect. I can see you doing it, Paige. Why don’t you?” he asked.
“I can’t afford it. I would need a lot of land and…it’s almost impossible.”
She watched as Clark massaged both dog’s necks giving them both the same attention. He smiled at her and she felt something stir inside her.
“Don’t ever give up on your dream…it’s a good one.”
“Yeah, well, it’ll be awhile, that’s for sure.”
Clark stood back up and both dogs let out a whine. She laughed, but stopped when she saw the serious look on his face.
“Paige, I…uh…I don’t want to move before I figure out this thing between us.”
She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want him to leave, she knew that for certain. But, she wasn’t sure about anything at this point. Every time her mother had gotten involved with a man, she’d given up another part of herself. She knew she was nothing like her mother, but was she willing to risk it?
“I…um…” she could barely speak.
Clark reached out and took her hand. “Paige, don’t tell me you don’t feel it, too. I know you do.”
Looking up at him, she whispered, “I do, but…”
“There are not buts. We owe it to ourselves to figure this out. Are you willing?”
Her heart pounding and her breaths shallow, Paige could only nod her head.
She was surprised, and more than a little disappointed, when he gave her hand a squeeze and stepped back. “Well, then, we’re going to have to do something different. Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?”
