"I'll come down in a few minutes." He had to clear his throat. "And before you say it - I know you're doing this for Jennifer's sake, not for me. Thanks, Paige."
She turned to face him. Her usually hazel eyes had gone dark with pain, and at the sight his breath caught in his throat. He could feel the warmth of her; it was the closest they'd been, he thought, since the day their marriage had died.
He wondered if her skin was still as soft, and before he stopped to consider whether it was wise to pursue the question, he'd put out a hand to brush her cheek.
She pulled back abruptly, as if she found his touch revolting. But he knew it wasn't distaste he saw in her eyes, in the moment before she turned away. In fact, he was almost certain it was fear.
She walked out without another word, leaving the office door open behind her, and a moment later Caleb and Jake came back in.
"Congratulations," Caleb said cheerfully. "If you can survive that without losing any blood, you're practically immortal. Though I suppose you managed it by giving Paige everything she asked for?"
"Something like that," Austin said absently.
Fear, he thought. Yes, he was almost sure it had been fear. But was she afraid of him? Of herself? Of something else entirely?
Jake gave a low whistle. "Everything? I'd say that's a red flag, clear as day. Better watch yourself, pal."
Caleb nodded. "He's right. That's one dangerous woman."
They were both obviously dead serious, but Austin almost felt like laughing.
Paige, a dangerous woman...
As if, he thought, I didn't already know that.
When Paige got back to the cafeteria, Sabrina had appropriated a pair of scissors and was snipping paper napkins into intricate, delicate cut-out snowflakes while Jennifer watched, eyes wide.
"The child has never seen snow," Sabrina explained.
"Don't expect the real stuff to be exactly like Sabrina's examples." Paige frowned. "I thought it snowed sometimes in Atlanta. You've really never seen it?"
"I don't remember," Jennifer said. "Is my daddy already gone?"
Paige was faintly horrified at how matter-of-fact she sounded. Saying goodbye to her father-or rather, not saying goodbye-seemed to be a very common thing. "Not yet. He said he'd come down in a little while to see you before he goes. How would you like to stay with me till he gets home?"
"So much for my slumber party," Sabrina murmured.
Jennifer considered. "At your house? Can I see the kitty again?"
Paige had to search her memory before she remembered the cat Jennifer thought she'd spotted yesterday under the juniper bushes in front of the bungalow. "I doubt it. It's so cold outside today that the cat will probably have gone home where it's warm."
"You're taking her to your house?" Sabrina asked softly. "What's your mother going to say about that? She called, by the way, while you were gone. You forgot to take your cell phone with you."
"I'll call her in a minute."
"As soon as you figure out a likely story? Mothers," Sabrina said. She made the word sound like an oath.
"Eileen's got the tongue of a wasp, but at least she's generally up front about things. My mother, on the other hand, is about as straightforward as a snake-"
"She means well, Sabrina. And you only get married once. Don't ruin your wedding day by getting into a quarrel with your mother about things that aren't important."
Sabrina looked thoughtful. "You know, Paige, you may have a point there."
Behind her, Austin said, "Just let Mom have her way, in the name of keeping the peace. How long have you been practicing that philosophy with the dragon on wheels, Paige?"
"Already figuring out how to get out of the deal you made?" Paige asked gently.
"Of course not. But I don't have to like everything I do." He held out both arms to Jennifer, who tossed aside the paper snowflake she'd been unfolding and rushed to him.
"Dragon on wheels?" Sabrina was frowning. "Are you talking about Eileen?"
Hastily, Paige said, "As long as you're making changes around here, Austin, how about giving the industrial spies a breather while you bring the cafeteria up to the standard of a greasy spoon, at least?"
"Great idea," Sabrina chimed in. "I'm tired of bringing my lunch when I'm planning to be here all day. Which I am, more often than not. The more of Tanner's employees discover our services, the crazier it's getting around here. When, I ask you, am I supposed to do my regular work?"
"You pack your lunch?" Paige asked in astonishment. "Sabrina, you don't know the difference between a bread knife and an orange peeler."
Sabrina ignored her. "And last time, I could actually have auctioned off my food to Tanner's hungry employees."
"Which says a great deal about the caliber of the vending machines," Paige muttered, "when you consider that Sabrina's idea of a sandwich is-"
"I'll get to it," Austin said. "But first things first." With a murmur into his daughter's ear and a final hug, he went out.
Looking just a little forlorn, Jennifer settled back into the booth with her half-unfolded snowflake.
Sabrina picked up the scissors again. "Paige, what deal were you talking to Austin about?"
Paige caught her breath involuntarily. "Keeping Jennifer," she said steadily. "What else? Now that I'm back, you don't have to entertain her any longer. Didn't you say you have plenty to do today?"
"And tomorrow, and the day after that," Sabrina agreed. "We really need to look for another partner. Too bad Jennifer's not just a little older. We could put her to work."
"She might like washing Ben Orcutt's dishes." Paige thought about confessing what had happened yesterday, but stopped herself. If Ben accepted her apology, there would be no need for Sabrina and Cassie to be upset by the details. And if he didn't, there would be plenty of time to share them.
Sabrina shook her head. "She can't take on that job - I don't think they make gas masks that small, and heaven knows you wouldn't dare expose a child to that mess without one." She asked carelessly, without looking at Paige, "Has he kissed you yet?"
"Who? Ben?"
"No, silly. Austin."
"Oh, him," Paige said. Deliberately, she kept her voice cool. "Only a few thousand times."
Sabrina laughed. "Better be careful who hears you say that, they might take you seriously. Anyway, watch out for him. You've heard the newest bit of gossip, haven't you? He's been on the job less than two days, and everybody in the building already knows that whatever Austin wants, Austin gets."
Paige watched Jennifer's small fingers patiently picking the snowflake apart. Whatever Austin wants, Austin gets - she didn't doubt that a bit. The evidence was right before her eyes.
Though she felt guilty about putting off the inevitable, Paige had deliberately left Ben Orcutt till the end of the workday. She had no idea what she was going to say to him. She'd built her business on a reputation for reliability, but this time she'd blown it - and she expected that he might find it difficult to forgive the fact that he had been the exception to her rule.
There simply was no adequate excuse for forgetting to come back to finish his job. To top that off, she'd probably have to apologize for her mother's tart treatment of him, as well; after all, the man had phoned with a legitimate complaint, and instead of satisfaction, or even an apology, he'd gotten a lecture on how to take care of himself....
She parked the minivan in the lot beside the towering apartment complex and leaned into the back to unbuckle Jennifer's seat belt. "Mr. Orcutt may be a little grumpy," she warned. "He's not angry with you, so whatever he says, you just ignore it. All right?"
Jennifer looked puzzled. "Is he mad at you?"
"Probably. And he has a right to be."
When Paige rang the doorbell, Jennifer stood behind her and seemed to be doing her best to make herself invisible. Paige didn't blame her. She, too, was bracing herself for an outburst.
When he opened the door, there was a suspicious scowl on Ben Orcutt's face.<
br />
Paige's smile felt as if she'd glued it in place. "I'm here about your dishes, Ben. I'd like to talk to you about how I can make up for my mistake." She stepped inside the apartment, moving with some difficulty because of the tight grip Jennifer had on the back pocket of her trousers. She was half surprised that he'd invited her in instead of shutting the door in her face. "I've brought you a gift certificate for the next time you'd like Rent-A-Wife to do some work for you. And if it would make you feel better, I'd be happy to finish up the dishes again right now, just to be certain everything's satisfactory."
"They'll do," he said. His voice was cool. "I managed."
"I wouldn't dream of charging for the service today, of course. In fact, after the way my mother bullied you last night, perhaps I should offer to pay you for putting up with her."
"Spunky woman, your mother."
Paige thought it was surely the strangest adjective ever applied to Eileen McDermott. She'd heard her mother called rude, overbearing, opinionated, manipulative, domineering. But spunky?
"She tends to speak her mind," Paige said carefully. "She doesn't mean any harm by it."
Jennifer peeked out at him. "My daddy calls her the dragon on wheels," she offered.
Ben made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sneeze. "Dragon on wheels - that's a good one. Is this the little girl you told me you don't have, Paige?"
"That's right," Paige said dryly. Jennifer retreated behind her again. "Would you like a candy bar?" Ben asked her. Paige said, "It's almost time for dinner, Jennifer. I don't think-"
"If she's not yours," Ben said slyly, "what have you got to say about it?" He reached into a nearby dish and held out a wrapped chocolate bar that was nearly as long as Jennifer's forearm.
The child's eyes widened. She peeked up at Paige.
"Save it for after dinner, young one," Ben said. "And here, take one for the dragon - for Mrs. McDermott, too. How about you, Paige?"
A few minutes later, Paige was unlocking the minivan, her head still spinning.
"Big people are funny," Jennifer said solemnly. Clutching a gigantic candy bar in each hand, she climbed carefully into the van. "Like Mr. Orcutt."
"I couldn't agree more," Paige muttered.
"And Ms. Cade, too," Jennifer went on. "Why did she get out of breath today when you told her we were going up to the apartment to get my clothes?"
The child was right. Tricia Cade had not only had the wind knocked out of her by that announcement, she'd turned almost purple with annoyance. She'd acted, in fact, as if Paige had been purposely rubbing in the news, rather than simply informing the building super that one of her tenants would be gone for a few days.
And of course Jennifer hadn't missed that byplay. The child was frighteningly perceptive to adult nuances, Paige thought. It was just a good thing she didn't yet understand the emotions that lay beneath.
She parked her minivan beside the bungalow and leaned across to unbuckle Jennifer's seat belt. "My mother," she said carefully, "can be a little grumpy sometimes, too."
"Like Mr. Orcutt?"
"A whole lot more so. And it wouldn't be a good idea at all to tell her what your father calls her. So do me a favor and forget that name, okay?"
Jennifer nodded, but Paige wasn't certain she'd heard. The child's attention was riveted on the back of the house, where a winter-bare lilac bush bordered the steps to the back porch. "There's the cat, Paige. I thought you said she'd have gone home."
Paige could see nothing but the shifting of a branch in the gusty wind, and she suspected that was what Jennifer had seen, too. "Any animal with sense would have." She ushered Jennifer up the steps.
For an instant, as she entered the kitchen, a sense of déjà vu gripped her. Centered on the table was a vase full of flowers -a pretty autumn-colored bouquet of mums, carnations, and lilies, surrounded with dark green foliage and with a single spray of brilliant red maple leaves to accent the arrangement. Yesterday a single rose, today a whole bouquet.
She reached for the tiny envelope which nestled almost out of sight in the greenery.
From the doorway, Eileen quoted Paige's own words back at her. "Since when do you read my cards?"
Paige almost knocked the vase over. "I'm sorry. I assumed-"
"That I'm too decrepit for anyone to send me flowers?"
"Of course not, Mother." The bouquet must be from Austin, she realized. Addressed to Eileen, the flowers must have been meant as a sort of message to Paige, as well, an assurance that he was taking his promise seriously, that he was really going to try to patch things up with Eileen.
She studied the flowers once more. Somehow, the bouquet wasn't the kind she would have expected Austin to send, though it was certainly nice enough. She couldn't quite put her finger on the difference. What had she expected? Something with more class, somehow. Something more exotic, or bigger and grander...
But then, she reminded herself, Eileen would be justifiably suspicious if her ex-son-in-law were to suddenly start sending her truckloads of orchids.
And that kind of overkill wouldn't be like Austin, either, Paige thought, remembering the classic restraint of the single pink rose he'd sent her yesterday. One rose was thoughtful, perfect, tasteful. A dozen of them would have been vulgar - out of all proportion to the favor she'd done.
"They're a piece of nonsense anyway," Eileen said gruffly. "Fresh flowers are a waste of money. A potted plant - that's a little different, because it lasts. Of course, some people have more money than is good for them, so if they want to throw it away on flowers that are just going to wilt in a day or two, I guess that's their business."
Austin, Paige thought, had his work cut out for him.
Eileen peered past Paige. "Who's that standing behind you?"
For an instant, Paige had entirely forgotten Jennifer. It was funny, she thought, how quickly one became accustomed to a small hand clinging to one's pocket flap.
She said firmly, "A houseguest who will be staying with us for a couple of days. This is Jennifer."
"Come out so I can look at you, child."
Jennifer took a cautious step forward. "I have a candy bar for you," she volunteered, and held it out.
Paige noted that in the heat of the child's hand the paper wrapper had crumpled and the chocolate had softened, so the giant bar was now shaped in a gentle curve.
"Very sweet of you." Eileen said dryly. "I'm sure that was all your own idea."
"No," Jennifer said innocently. "It was Mr. Orcutt's. He gave me one, too. Do you have legs under that blanket?"
Paige braced herself for a lecture on why little girls shouldn't ask rude questions, but her mother merely pushed aside the quilted lap cover.
Jennifer's brown eyes were wide as she surveyed Eileen, who had hunched down a little in her wheelchair. "Is that why your chair has wheels?"
"Yes, because my legs don't work very well."
"Will they get better?"
"Probably not. Do you have another name, or are you just Jennifer?"
Here we go, thought Paige.
"I'm Jennifer Weaver," the child said.
Eileen's lips pursed, and her eyes turned to ice. "So that's it."
Jennifer crept a little closer to Paige.
Paige moved quickly to take a shallow dish from the cupboard and the milk carton from a low shelf on the refrigerator door. She poured a splash of milk into the dish and held it out to Jennifer. "Maybe you can tempt the cat out of hiding," she suggested. "Put this at the bottom of the steps, and then sit at the top very quietly and watch."
Eyes alight, Jennifer dropped the chocolate bars on the kitchen table and seized the dish with both hands.
"If the cat comes out don't try to touch it," Paige called as the child slid out the back door.
"I wouldn't hurt her." Jennifer sounded insulted at the very idea.
"I know you wouldn't but the cat doesn't understand that. It might be wild, and it could scratch you."
Eileen sniffed. "Now we'r
e not only taking in neglected children but we're feeding stray cats?"
Paige closed the back door. "She's not neglected. Austin had to go out of town suddenly. He had arrangements made for her, but they fell through. And I don't think there's really a cat at all. I think Jennifer saw a branch move and imagined the rest. But the activity will entertain her for a few minutes." She squared her shoulders. "While we talk."
"Not a bad idea," Eileen said. "What are you thinking of, Paige McDermott? Isn't it enough that he used you once and discarded you the moment he didn't need you anymore? Now he's back. And not only does he still seem to have all his manipulative charm, but obviously that little girl has inherited it, as well. It appears he chose his weapon well."
So much for the flowers, Paige thought. The bouquet had been a waste of time and effort; Eileen had written it off as no more than an expression of Austin's manipulative charm...
But then, Paige thought irritably, what sort of fool would think that a simple bouquet could heal years’ deep wounds? No matter what he'd written on that card...
Actually, she realized, that was what had been nagging at her all along. She'd expected something better of Austin. Something more imaginative. Something more effective.
"How you feel about Austin is your business, Mother," she said. "I understand that you still resent him and that you feel you have good reason, but-"
"Feel? Like I've imagined what he did to you?"
"What he did to me is my business. In any case, you will not take out your frustrations with Austin on his daughter."
"Just don't expect me to take care of her."
"I wouldn't dream of asking."
Eileen gave a snort. "Then I'd say we've both made ourselves pretty clear."
"Good. You'll treat Jennifer like -"
"He's got you wrapped tight around his finger again, doesn't he, Paige? Throwing his daughter at you to take care of... Has he talked you back into bed yet?"
Despite her best efforts, Paige felt herself color violently. "Of course not."
Eileen's eyes narrowed. "Does that mean he hasn't tried? Or that he hasn't succeeded?"
Wife on Approval Page 9
