Scoffing, Paige said, “You don’t know that. You don’t know him.”
Penelope squared her shoulders. “I do know him. I lived with him for three months. All we’ve been doing is talking. I know him better than I know you.”
What? Paige blinked like she’d been slapped. “How can you say that?”
“How?” Penelope asked, her tone clipped. “Other than after Tyler, we’ve barely talked about anything since high school. Remember? A little after ninth grade started, and next thing I know, I’m on Paige’s hit list. I live an hour from you, and I might see you three, maybe four, times a year. And that’s only because the house is right on the beach. If not, I doubt I’d see you at all.”
Paige felt gutted. “I know, and I need to change that. I haven’t been the kind of sister you deserve. I haven’t treated you like I should, but I’ll never be able to make it up to you if you’re living here. I’ll never get to see you.”
“Move here.” Penelope grinned. “It’s beautiful. The MacLachlan’s are wonderful. Why not?”
Paige blinked. It was like she was talking to a stranger. Move here? Penelope was high. “I’m not moving to Scotland. I have a business with a business partner. I can’t just up and leave.”
“Well, I can, and I am. Angus needs to be here. Clara kept him in the States, and he needs time with his family. He has a home in California too. It’s not like I’ll be staying here all the time. Even if I was staying in the States, I’d be living with him. That house on the beach is too small for us, especially if we decide to start a family.”
“But…”
Her sister shook her head. “No, Paige. I’ve made up my mind. I have an accounting degree to fall back on. I don’t need the dog-grooming business. Plus, I want to help purchase a home here with him. We’re partners. We support each other.”
Paige stood, not quite believing what she was hearing. Her sister was willing to give up everything she had in Florida for someone she just met? “I can’t believe you’d just give up everything for this man. A man you don’t even know. A man who wanted to fix his image. A man you didn’t even like before the show started.”
Standing, Penelope faced off with Paige. “A man I got to know. A man that admitted he wanted to fix his image. A man that I’ve fallen in love with. Angus is kind, warm, and gentle. He’s beautiful inside and out. I’m not just attracted to him physically; I’m drawn to him because of who he is. Are you here to be happy for me or not?”
Paige inhaled and pinched the bridge of her nose. If she wasn’t careful, she’d drive her sister away for sure. She needed a chance to show Penelope she’d changed. That she was sorry for the way she’d treated her and that she didn’t want her getting hurt. Maybe she just needed to go ahead and apologize. Get all of the past out of the way. Maybe that would help in the weeks to come when the article came out in January. Maybe it would help show that Paige was only looking out for her.
“Penelope, I’m so sorry for the way I’ve treated you since high school. I’m so sorry for the pranks and impersonating you and the general havoc I caused you.”
Penelope grunted and rolled her eyes. “Right. And I’m supposed to believe that? Seems rather convenient now that you’re trying to keep me from moving. Another selfish Paige moment.”
“Do you remember that camping trip we took right after high school started?”
Penelope cast her gaze down and away. When she looked back at Paige, she nodded.
“You and Dad had slipped away to go do whatever it was you and Dad liked to do. Mom sent me to find you, and when I got close, I overheard Dad talking to you.”
“Overheard what?”
Paige sat on the edge of the bed. “I heard Dad tell you that you were his favorite. That he wished I could be more like you. That he wished I could enjoy the outdoors just like you. He said he thought I was too shallow. That I was never happy with what I had and that I was always wanting more.”
“What else did you hear?”
Shrugging, Paige said, “Nothing. I left. I told Mom I couldn’t find you. I was so angry. At you. At him. At camping. I hated everything.”
Penelope narrowed her eyes. “That’s why you did all those horrible pranks and tricks on me? Because of what you overheard?”
Tears pooled in Paige’s eyes. She’d carried that ache for so long. “Yes. Dad loved you best, and he thought I was a horrible person.”
“You should have stayed and listened to the rest of it,” Penelope said as she sat next to Paige.
Paige’s eyebrows pinched together. “What?”
Penelope put her arm around Paige. “He wished you could be more like me when it came to being outdoorsy, that you could enjoy the quiet. But he said he loved you just the way you were. That you were his favorite city girl. That you were his favorite Paige. He just wanted you to be happy, and you always seemed unhappy. He wanted to figure out what to do to help you.”
“He said that?” The words came out just above a whisper. She’d held on to her dad’s words since she was fourteen. She’d spent her life thinking she wasn’t good enough and that he didn’t love her.
“Yes, he said that. I was his favorite outdoors kid. And I was, Paige. I loved being outside, sitting in the quiet and just soaking in everything. You loved phones and fashion and everything city life had to offer. I didn’t. You also seemed unhappy, and no one knew why.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks, and Paige tried to wipe them away. “All this time, I thought he hated me. It’s why I hated him.”
“He didn’t hate you. He loved you just the way you were. Dad tried so hard when we got back, but you just shut him out. You never even gave him the opportunity to know why you were so angry.” Penelope put her other arm around Paige. “Dad loved you. Why didn’t you just talk to him?”
Looking back, Paige wished she had. Things would have been so different. But she was young and so stupid. “I don’t know. I was fourteen and already insecure because you were so perfect. I guess I figured he’d just confirm what I already felt, and I didn’t really want to know. It was easier just to be angry and push him away.”
“You thought I was perfect? That’s why you were so angry with me?” Penelope’s voice rose.
“Yeah, and I couldn’t take out my anger solely on Dad. After what I overheard, I was more than angry with you. I hated you. I wanted you to hurt like I was hurting. But you never did. I’d do horrible things to you, and you’d keep going like nothing fazed you.”
Penelope exhaled slowly. “You’re wrong. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve cried because of the things you’ve done to me.”
Paige wrapped her arms around Penelope. “I’m so sorry, Penelope. I wish I could take it all back.”
“I wish you could too, but you can’t. What you can do is be happy for me now. Support me now. Get to know Angus and his family.”
Paige let her go. “I can try, but I don’t know how I’m supposed to get to know someone whose profession is pretending to be other people. How can you possibly know who he is?”
Penelope smiled. “I just do. And if you can’t trust him, trust me.”
Paige trusted her, but she didn’t think she could ever trust him. The story she’d told the reporter made her cringe, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to do anything about it just yet. She’d watch Angus, and if she got the impression he wasn’t being honest, she’d step in and let the story run. There was plenty of time to kill it. “Okay.”
“Well, it’s about stinking time,” Sarah said as she stepped into the room. The fuzzy lime-green bathrobe she’d had since she was a freshman in college had more hangtags than a department store, and her hair was wrapped turban style. “All this time, and all you two needed to do was talk a second.”
Paige laughed as she wiped her face clean. “Yeah, I know.”
“I told you so.” Sarah smiled.
Paige scowled and grabbed her pillow.
Sarah’s eyes widened. “Don’t you dare!”
/> Paige pitched the pillow at her and cackled.
“Oh, it’s so on,” Sarah said and tackled her.
It felt like Paige had been away from home since she was a kid and she was just returning. The three of them being in the same room, talking and laughing like all their cares had been barred at the door. Paige felt relieved and sad at the same time. If she’d just said something years ago, things would’ve been so much different. She couldn’t change the past, but she could keep the future from hurting her sister.
Chapter 14
“So, from what I heard last night, ye and yer sister had a good talk,” said Rory.
Penelope and Sarah were inside a shop looking around while Paige stood outside waiting for them. They’d spent the morning touring Lauriston Castle and then walked to a small pub. He was told they wanted to window shop, but so far, it had been less window and more actual shopping.
Paige blinked. “What?”
“I could hear yer laughin’ all the way downstairs.”
Chuckling, she nodded. “Oh, yeah. We cleared some things up, and I hope it’s the first step to mending our relationship.”
“That’s good.”
“I think so.”
Rory chewed the inside of his cheek a second. He needed to right things from the day before. “I wanted to apologize for springin’ Penelope’s move on ye. I didnae know she’d nae told ye.”
Paige shrugged. “It’s okay. Well, not okay that she’s moving here, but it’s okay that I know now.”
Rory nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He’d enjoyed spending time with Paige at Lauriston. She was witty, intelligent, and interesting. Instead of being childish and weird, he wanted to ask her out, but it had been so long since he’d been genuinely interested in someone that he felt awkward.
“You okay? You look a little pale. If that’s possible.” Paige pulled her lips in like she was trying to hold in her laugh.
Rory laughed. “I want to ask ye somethin’, but I’m a little afraid.”
Her eyebrows lifted to her hairline. “What could you possibly want to ask me that has you afraid? I mean, I know I was a little cantankerous yesterday, but overall, I think I’ve been on my best behavior. Which, for me, is saying a lot.”
“Would ye go out with me tonight?” The words came out rushed.
Paige’s mouth parted slightly. “Like on a date?”
“Aye, but it’ll be nae hard feelin’s if ye say—”
“Yes.” She smiled.
“Yes?” A thrill of excitement traveled through him.
“Yes.”
Rory’s pulse jumped. He’d expected her to shut him down immediately. Then the thought occurred to him that maybe she was just being nice or that she wanted to get to know him for her sister’s sake. “Do ye mean that?”
Paige smiled, and her cheeks turned light pink. “Actually, I’m flattered. But I do have to ask, why?”
“Why?” Because he was a glutton for punishment? “I thought it’d be nice to go out with ye. To get to know ye a little better. Maybe hear more about how this change came about.”
“Okay. How about you? Will I get to know you a little better?”
He had no idea, but he was for trying. “I would think so, but I’ve nae been on a date in a while.”
“It’s not as hard as you think. You eat. Talk about junk the other person has no interest in, and then you pretend you want the person to call you because you don’t want to come across as a cold, bitter jerk.”
Rory chuckled. “That easy, eh?”
They locked gazes, and Paige smiled.
Another jolt of excitement hit him and raced down his spine to his toes. Those alluring bright green eyes were like a lighthouse. Full, blush-pink lips that desperately needed to be kissed. It felt as though he’d stuck his finger in a light socket.
Suddenly, his excitement took a dive as Alana seemed to stand right behind Paige with an accusatory stare. And then that unfaithful feeling he always had when talking to another woman began to seep back in.
He pulled his gaze from Paige. “Ye know, maybe it’s a mistake. Maybe we should just keep things at arm’s length. I wouldna want to make things messy.”
Paige looked gut-punched. “Oh, okay.” She took a step to move away, and Rory touched her arm.
Mentally, he chastised himself. What was he doing? He just needed to go for it. “I’m sorry. Forget what I said. Be ready at seven. I’ve got the perfect place. I have plenty of junk to talk about that ye’ll have no interest in whatsoever. I’ll even pretend I want to call ye later.”
He hoped he hadn’t blown it. Those feelings of betraying Alana weren’t Alana. They were him and him alone. Angus was right. She’d want him to be happy. If nothing else, a date with Paige would be fun. At least, he thought it would be.
She chewed her lip, letting the silence linger a second. “Are you sure? My ego can only take so many blows.”
Rory winced. “Aye, I’m sure. I’m sorry about that. I promise tonight I’ll have at least one interestin’ story that will hopefully explain what happened.”
“At least one interesting story? That’s not how it works. You’re supposed to be completely boring. By the end of the date, we’re both supposed to be mentally measuring the windows to see if we can escape through them.”
“Oh, is that how it is?” He laughed.
“Of course. I’ll have on a killer outfit. You’ll think things are going to be great. Then I’ll turn into the most annoying date to ever be dated. It’s the law of the dating jungle.” She shrugged, but the corners of her mouth tugged upward.
Rory grinned. He liked her. She was easy to talk to, and she made him laugh. When Penelope had described her, he’d never expected her to be so charming and sweet. He’d expected what he’d experienced yesterday. The Tasmanian devil. But here she was, and in a little over a week’s time, he’d gone from only thinking she was cute to wanting to know everything about her.
He’d watched her at the festival before asking her to dance with him. His niece had taken her by the hand, running her from one end of the town to the other. Just as she’d returned to her table, Kyle had asked her to dance. Most women would have told him they needed a minute, but she’d quickly accepted. She was good with them. Actually, she was good with his whole family, even going so far to go out of her way to talk to his mum. They’d laughed heartily a few times, and it had warmed him to see it.
She’d taken the news of her sister moving hard, and to a degree, he couldn’t blame her. Not really. Of course, she could have handled it better, but if it were him finding out from a near stranger that his kin were moving away, he wasn’t sure he’d have handled it any better.
“I’ve dealt with farm animals. I think I can handle the datin’ jungle,” Rory said.
Paige chuckled. “Oh, you think herding a couple of sheep makes you an expert, huh?”
“Naw, especially where datin’ is concerned.”
“Yeah, me either, but I have to admit, of all the people who’ve asked me out, I’m especially looking forward to going out with you.”
Rory’s smile faded, and everyone around them disappeared. “I’m thinkin’ the same thing.”
Paige stuck her hands in her back jean pockets and rocked back and forth on her heels. “Uh, you think what happened with Angus and Penelope happens a lot?”
The question caught him off guard. It took him a second to answer. “Naw, but I think it happens when it’s supposed to happen.”
Paige nodded and lifted her gaze to his. “I’m starting to think that may be true.”
The sound of the shop doorbell rang, and the moment was gone. Rory wished it could have lasted just a bit longer. His heart was racing so hard he could hear it in his ears. He wasn’t sure what had happened with Angus and Penelope. Angus had always been the one to fall in love easily. Rory wasn’t. It had taken years to ask Alana out. Well, he had loved her long before, but acting on it had taken a lot longer than it should have.
“Hey, you two!” Sarah said.
“Uh, hi. Get all your shopping done?” asked Paige.
“Are you kidding?” Sarah craned her neck, looking down the sidewalk. “I see at least fifty more shops”
Paige sighed and rolled her eyes to Rory. “I bet you didn’t think you were signing up for this.”
“Three lassies from the States?” Rory quipped.
“True.” Paige giggled.
The door jangled again, and Penelope walked out holding two bags. “That shop was great. I swear I don’t remember shopping being this fun.”
Rory looked at his watch. Less than five hours until his date with Paige. It both excited and terrified him. What if his supposedly charming self wasn’t so charming in an extended stretch of time? His heart raced a little faster. Again, the urge to break the date raced through his mind.
No. He’d spent years in love with Alana and waiting. Their hourglass of sand had run out, and he’d been left wondering what would have happened if he’d acted sooner. No, this time he wouldn’t be slow. This time he’d grab the moment and hold on with white knuckles.
“Okay, let’s keep going, then. I’m just glad I wore tennis shoes; otherwise, I think I’d be hobbling by now.” Paige looked down at her shoes and wiggled her feet.
Both women looked down at their shoes. “Yeah, these flats are okay, but I should have gone with my sneakers,” said Sarah.
“These boots are warm, but they were not made for walkin’.” Penelope laughed.
“All right, let’s go. I think I see a shop with my name on it this time,” Paige said and smiled as she looked at Rory.
Rory returned her smile. “Lead the way, lassies.”
Chapter 15
“I want to stay out until I’m sure they’re asleep. Just an FYI,” Paige said as Rory opened the door of his SUV.
“That bad?”
Yep, but they’d be worse when she got back. “Not bad. I just don’t want to answer questions when we get back.”
Mending The Billionaire Scotsman (MacLachlan Brothers Romance Book 2) Page 7
