The Country Bride: Billionaire Marriage Brokers Book 4

by Lucy McConnell

  Paige had told him to put their schedule on the calendar without discussing it with her, so he said, “Yeah. That’ll work.”

  “Bye, then.”

  “Bye.”

  Cody hung up and hung his head. He owed Paige a huge apology. Gabe was right; none of this was really her fault. He was the one with the baggage.

  Standing, with the weight of his past hanging on him like saddlebags, he made his way up the stairs. Addison had fallen asleep on the couch, and he paused to take off her sparkly shoes and slide her feet up onto the couch.

  Paige’s door was slightly ajar, and Cody could see her move back and forth as she organized her things. With her bright hair, she was a spot of color in the otherwise white space. Tapping lightly on the door, Cody pushed it open. “Hey,” he said.

  Paige paused in her efforts to hang up a blouse. “Hey.” She turned away and hooked the hanger on the closet rod. Keeping her back to him, she refolded a sweater.

  “I wanted to say I’m sorry for getting after you. I didn’t realize this would be such a big adjustment for all of us.”

  Paige sniffed. “It is.”

  Please don’t cry. If there was one thing that pierced Cody to his soul, it was a woman’s tears.

  His eyes traveled everywhere around the room. Paige had set up a few pictures of her family—he recognized Noah. Every image was chock-full of people, and Paige stood alone in the middle of a room she didn’t even like. Maybe she was homesick, and on top of that he’d yelled at her for trying to make a friend.

  Of course, he could only guess at the reason for her tears. Desperate for a way to stem the flood, he blurted, “You can do whatever you want with the room.”

  “What?” she asked as she turned to face him.

  Cody stared at the white wall to his left. “You can decorate or whatever in here.” He finally lifted his gaze to meet hers and found himself trapped in the swirling grays and greens. Her eyes said she wasn’t sure what to make of his offer. “I want you to feel comfortable, make it your home. So if you need or want to decorate, I think that would be okay.”

  “Thanks.” Paige offered him a small smile.

  Cody grinned, hoping to encourage the truce between them. “I’m going to make some sandwiches. Do you want one?”

  “That would be nice.”

  He took the opportunity to tear himself away. Once in the kitchen, he chuckled at himself for being stilted and awkward in his apology. Still, Paige had accepted it and moved on. Though it had been a tense afternoon, he nursed a sense of purpose and accomplishment for having pressed through and come out feeling better about himself and the situation.

  Paige was right: arguments could be productive. He glanced at the ceiling, wondering what she was doing right now.

  “Dad? I’m hungry.” Addison stood in the doorway, rubbing her eyes.

  “Grilled cheese coming up.” Cody yanked open the fridge. Food. Food was good. Food would get Paige down here with him—and Addison! Him and Addison.

  Chapter 22

  Monday morning, Paige fed the horses before Addison was awake. Cody had already left for work by the time she came back in. She was disappointed that he hadn’t waited to tell her goodbye. They’d ended on a pleasant note the night before, and she’d hoped they’d crossed a bridge. Smiling, she remembered the way Cody had run his fingers through her hair that first night, the life in his eyes. He’d been irresistible. Boss, husband, or stranger, she could have—would have—kissed him in that moment.

  His leaving early was probably for the best. The sooner they fell into a pattern, the better. The weekend had been long and taxing on her emotions. Yes, Cody was alluring, but he carried enough guilt to weigh down an ox. Every time they got close and things evened out or heated up between them, he would box himself up again. Balancing her roles as mom and wife was made all the more complicated because on one side, Addison was accepting and effortless, and on the other side, Cody skittered like a frightened steed. They seemed to do well as long as Addison was with them. When it was just Paige and Cody, they swung between the extremes like an emotional pendulum. Well, Cody swung; Paige just tried to keep up.

  Paige didn’t have much time to ponder the state of her marriage before Addison woke up. She asked for a braid for dance class, and Paige took time to do a princess-worthy do, which pleased the girl to no end.

  Paige followed the directions in her phone and made it to the dance studio early enough to claim a seat in the hallway. Addison waved at her through the open door a couple times. Paige snapped a picture and sent it to Cody. She held on to her phone, not expecting a reply but kind of hoping for one. As much as she enjoyed her time with Addison, she missed Cody. He brought manliness to their little group.

  The studio had light bamboo floors, a mirrored wall, and a sound system that could cause deafness in a matter of minutes. Thankfully, the music only played in spurts as the girls learned parts of the dance. Most moms dropped their daughters off at the door and drove away. Paige smiled as they made their way to class.

  One girl sniffed loudly and made a face as she passed, looking pointedly at Paige’s boots. Paige gasped in shock. She looked down at her boots. These weren’t her barn boots; they were clean, and Paige especially liked the shiny silver toes. I guess there’s one in every group.

  She took a moment to check the calendar app. Cody had filled in the dance class, dance recital, and dinner with someone she didn’t know. She sent him a quick text. Who’s Gabe?

  Old friend, came the reply.

  So it wasn’t a business dinner. Paige rubbed her temples. She hadn’t thought about double dating or spending time alone with Cody beyond their weekly scheduling meetings. She chuckled—not that their first one had gone all that well. Flirting with him during church had been fun. Touching his shoulder and being close enough to smell his aftershave was intoxicating. Could she use that word to describe sitting in church? Intoxicating? There had to be some commandment against the way Cody’s whispers made her feel.

  When the class was over, girls flooded the hallway. Many had dance bags, where they stowed their shoes. Paige wondered if she should find one for Addison.

  “I hate this skirt. It makes my butt look big,” said one girl.

  Paige did a double take. Did that just come out of an eight-year-old? Paige chuckled to herself. Wait till those hips grow in, girl.

  “Your belly is so big,” said a girl with tight braids.

  At first Paige thought the girl was talking to her, and she looked down to make sure her peasant blouse covered her skin. It wasn’t until she looked around that she realized the girl was talking to her friend. The friend had her arms crossed over her stomach, and her face was bright pink. Paige couldn’t see anything wrong with the girl. She had the normal round stomach of a healthy child and the full cheeks of youth.

  “Mom!” screeched the girl who had sniffed at Paige. “You forgot my lip gloss! I’m so embarrassed!”

  The hallway stilled as every eye turned to watch the mom’s reply. Her right hand barely paused over her phone as she handed the girl a tube. “Use my lipstick. You look pale.”

  Paige nearly dropped Addison’s jacket. If I’d spoken to my mom that way …

  The space came alive again as women and girls cleared out for the next class.

  “Did you have fun?” Paige asked.

  Addison lifted one shoulder. “I guess.”

  Paige didn’t press. The first couple days of camp were always an adjustment, and a dance class wouldn’t be any different. She hoped the class worked for Addison. Cody had sent her several links and Paige read up on Addison’s learning disorder. The therapy was much like what a stroke victim would undergo to connect synapses in the brain through body movement. Once the synapses connected, they stayed connected, and therapy sessions would taper off until they were no longer needed. At this point, Addison needed support and encouragement, and Paige would be happy to provide both.

  However, something in the slope of Addi
son’s shoulders made her wonder if dance was the right choice. Cody had been adamant—to the point Paige’s blood boiled—and so she would see it through, no matter how uncomfortable she felt in the lobby.

  She held out her hand and Addison grabbed on. “I need to stop at Ace Hardware for some paint. Do you want to help me pick out a color for my room?”

  Addison’s face lit up. “Sure. Can I paint too?”

  “I don’t see why not.” Paige grinned as they got into the car. Cody had said she could do whatever, and Paige fully intended to take him up on that offer.

  No more white walls and sheets and pillows and blankets. It was time to bring some color into the Walker household—even if it was one room at a time.

  ***

  Because of the time he’d spent with Addison and the subsequent wedding, Cody had to work late Monday night to catch up. He’d texted ahead to let Paige know he would miss dinner. She texted back that she’d save him a plate of the lasagna she’d made. Cody’s stomach growled just thinking about it.

  “Hello!” he called as he went through the door. The house was quiet. Cody had seen Paige’s truck by the barn, and decided to see if they were out there. A glance at the clock told him it was feeding time.

  The closer he got to the open door, the harder it was for Cody to move his feet. Images of Paige flooded his mind. The way she streaked across the arena. Her happy glow. The feel of her hair sliding through his fingers like strands of silk. The soft look in her eyes. The desire that burned in his gut.

  He wasn’t strong enough to stand against a force so strong.

  He hesitated at the threshold and caught the sound of Addison’s laughter coming from the middle stall. Cody’s dress shoes were quiet on the freshly swept floor, and neither Paige nor Addison heard him approach. He glanced in and saw Addison brushing the pony while Paige braided her tail.

  “He’s a good horse, but I think Annie May is prettier,” said Addison.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “She flies when she runs.”

  “Ah.” Paige secured the end of the braid and moved on to the mane, her face thoughtful. “Annie May takes after her mom.” She sighed. “I used to love to watch your mom ride May June.”

  Addison’s hand stopped brushing, and Cody’s heart pounded so loud it sounded like a donkey kicking a metal bucket over and over again. His mind screamed at him to bang on the stall door and stop Paige, but his hands were glued to his side with fear ... fear of having his wounds reopened.

  “You knew my mom?” Addison barely got the words out, they were so quiet.

  Paige glanced at Addison and then back to her work. Cody could tell she sensed the importance of the question by the way her fingers slowed as she smoothed Buttons’ hair. “I rodeoed in the same circuit as your mom, sweetie. She was four years older than me, so I never competed with her—thank goodness. Kitty was fast, but she couldn’t beat May June.” Paige leaned closer to Addison. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

  Addison pressed her finger to her lips. A sense of quiet anticipation filled the stall. Cody’s hands went slack. He leaned closer, not wanting to miss a word.

  “Kylee was like a warrior princess on her horse—at least, that was how I saw her. When she entered the arena, you couldn’t help but watch. And man, could she fly around those barrels. It was like being able to see the wind.”

  Cody nodded. He couldn’t think of a better description for Kylee.

  Addison’s eyes were huge. “What else?”

  Paige smiled. “She was kind. I remember one time when this girl’s horse threw a shoe just minutes before her name was called. She and your mom were neck-and-neck in the standings, and I thought it was a lucky break for Kylee, because if this other girl didn’t compete, Kylee would take home the buckle.

  “But the next thing I knew, this other girl came streaking into the arena riding your mom’s horse. Kylee had offered May June to the girl even though it meant that your mom might not win.”

  “Did she?” asked Cody.

  At his voice, Addison sucked in a breath and hugged the brush to her chest.

  Paige tipped her head in contemplation. She didn’t seem at all ruffled by his appearance, and he got the impression she’d known he was there the whole time. “I don’t remember. But I’ve always remembered what she did that day.”

  Cody closed his eyes, letting the warm peace in the barn fill him from the toes up. The sense of rightness reminded him of the feeling he’d had in the car on his wedding day—the feeling that Kylee wanted Paige for Cody. Only this time, instead of letting the fear send the peace away, Cody hugged it close. In her emotionally open way, Paige let them all know she wasn’t there to replace Kylee and didn’t want them to forget her. Paige didn’t want to forget her ... which to Cody was as unique as it was precious.

  When he met Paige’s gaze over the stall door, he was entranced. Instead of Paige’s story tearing open his heart, it had been like a salve to the wounds. Kylee had never told him about that day. He had no idea who the other rider was or if Kylee even remembered the event.

  Somehow, Paige’s words had comforted him. For the first time since Kylee’s death, Cody didn’t feel alone.

  “Are you mad?” Addison’s voice was small and far away from the place Paige’s eyes had taken Cody.

  They moved at the same time, breaking the spell into tiny pieces of desire, acceptance, and need that swirled around them like dust in the sunlight. Cody had to focus very hard to answer Addison. “Who, me?”

  Addison nodded.

  “No. Why do you ask?”

  Addison went back to brushing. The words seemed to come easier when she was in contact with the pony. “You don’t talk about my mom.”

  “Never?” squeaked Paige.

  Addison shook her head.

  Paige sucked in a breath and held it. Where her hands had been steady before, they now shook.

  Unwilling to let her suffer under her uncertainty when she’d done everything so very right, Cody entered the stall and laid his hand over hers. The particles around them exploded at the touch of her skin. Paige gasped, and Cody held her fingers to keep her from pulling away—the sensations too pleasurable to release. It was only a moment before he realized she was holding just as tightly to him as he was to her.

  Cody answered Addison, though his eyes never left Paige. “It was hard to talk about her because I missed her.”

  “I want to talk about her. Is that okay?”

  Cody nodded. “We can talk about her whenever you like.”

  “Can I talk to Penny Paige, too?”

  Paige smiled, and Cody’s hand went slack. “Anytime, sweetie.”

  Addison nodded. She finished the section of hair and brushed her hands off. “I think Buttons is done.” Throwing her arms around the pony’s neck, Addison said, “You’re beautiful, Buttons.”

  Paige slipped away and gathered several brushes and combs. Cody picked up what was left before following her into the tack room. He could hear Addison saying good night to each of the horses.

  Paige had given him something no other person could give: she’d given him permission to hang on to all the beautiful things he loved about Kylee, without the threat of a new woman wanting to take them away. Paige wouldn’t urge him to get over Kylee ... but her eyes held an invitation, a thrilling enticement.

  Paige dumped her things into a bucket. Cody crossed the small space between them, stopping mere inches away. The air filled with his ragged breaths and Paige’s gasps.

  “Cody?” she squeaked.

  Cody couldn’t find his voice. He reached out, slowly, cupping her face with his hand. Paige moaned and her eyes fluttered shut. Cody leaned in, intent on tasting her lips as though they were forbidden fruit.

  “Dad?” Addison called. “Penny Paige?”

  Paige jolted back, banging into the bucket and alerting Addison to their location. Her hand flew to her lips. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

  “Sorry?�
�� Cody asked. There was nothing for Paige to be sorry for. He was the one who had touched her. He was the one who wanted her. Her eyes swirled, the greens and grays competing for space and indicating her uncertainty.

  Maybe he was the only one wanting here. And if he wasn’t the only one, then he’d have to be careful he and Paige weren’t caught by Addison. His daughter might have been the catalyst that brought them together, but Cody wanted a chance to win over Paige on his own. He stepped back just as Addison entered the room, and threw his arms open.

  Smiling, Paige held out her hand. “Come on, let’s get you in the bath.” Cody tried to catch her eye, but she kept her focus on Addison.

  He cleared his throat. “I’ll be in to tell you a bedtime story. How about one with a warrior princess?” Cody’s voice caught. This sharing memories was going to be harder than he thought. But with Paige around, he felt like he could do it.

  Addison’s chin lifted, but no words came out. She nodded and hopped to the floor to take Paige’s hand.

  Cody watched them go, waiting for that moment when Paige looked back. She never did, and her steps were absent her usual bounce.

  Cody kicked the wall. What must Paige think of him? One minute he’s talking about Kylee and the next he’s trying to kiss her. If only he didn’t feel so drawn to the woman. If only she didn’t feel so … right.

  Chapter 23

  By Wednesday they’d settled into a routine, and Paige felt herself relax within the structure of her days, though she wasn’t any more relaxed when it came to Cody. Not after that almost kiss. She was so embarrassed at the way she’d reacted to his touch, offering her lips up like some desperate woman. Who does that? Not Paige. She’d never thrown herself at a man in her life. Yet there she was, puckering up like a lemonhead.

  Cody didn’t seem as affected by the moment as she’d been. He was Mr. Calm and Collected, though he kept at least twenty-four inches between them at all times.

  After tucking in Addison and leaving her and Cody to share another warrior princess story, Paige made her way out to the barn. With the summer heating up, the days lengthened, giving her more time in the arena. A good thing, because every time she was not busy, her mind wandered to Cody. Cody’s eyes. Cody’s nearness. Cody’s lips. It was enough to drive a woman insane.