One Real Man (Entangled Bliss) ) (17 page)

“I—I appreciate that, really I do, but…” Hesitating, she glanced out the window. They had come to a stop outside Java and Joolz, Ally and Tyler’s art gallery and coffee shop. Inside, the store was bustling, and Ally was wiping down a counter. Paige turned back to her mother. “I’m already back on my feet. I’m over Seth and that stupid video. It’s embarrassing, but it’s not going to stop me from pursuing my career. I want to be more than just a pretty face with good connections. I want a job where I can make a real contribution, and I’ll get it on my own.”

“You’re tired and overwrought, and you don’t know what you’re saying. Wait until we get to Sydney, and we’ll discuss everything.”

If she allowed her mother to drag her back to Sydney, then she would fall into the old routines again. It would be so easy, and before she knew it she’d be back on the same treadmill, scurrying faster than ever and going nowhere. No, she was tired of all that. She had to make a clean break. Now.

“Mum, Dad, I’m sorry, but I’m not going back to Sydney with you.” She opened the car door and jumped out. Before she had time for second thoughts, she hurried to the back of the car and hauled out her two suitcases.

“What are you doing? Get back here.” Crystal was white to her hairline. She flapped her hands, looking flabbergasted. “You’re having a nervous breakdown. You need help.” She turned to her husband, who was staring openmouthed, the phone dangling from his fingers. “Edward, say something!”

Paige waited for her father to say something—anything—to her, but he just continued to look perplexed. She’d never earned his attention, she thought, more sad than bitter. She leaned in her mother’s open window. “I’m perfectly sane, Mum. I’m just getting on with my life.”

“But…but…” For once her mother was at a loss for words.

Up ahead, the broken-down bus had finally been moved aside, and traffic began to flow. A car behind them sounded its horn, the driver making irate gestures.

Paige stepped back onto the curb. “Good-bye. I’ll call you soon.”

Clearly shaken, Crystal stared at her in silence. More angry honks broke out. Edward put the car into gear and pulled off. Paige watched as the car crawled away. She could still call and ask them to turn back. But she knew she wouldn’t.

She turned away from the traffic. What now? What was she going to do? Out of the corner of her eye, she caught someone waving at her. It was Ally inside the store, flapping a cloth and smiling at her. Paige tentatively smiled back. Ally beckoned at her to come inside. Well, it wasn’t as if she had to be anywhere soon. Clutching her suitcases, Paige entered the gallery.

…

Paige could never have imagined the day she’d just experienced. It had started off amazingly with Owen in her bed, but had plunged into dark territory when she’d realized her feelings for him. Her parents’ reappearance had only intensified her anguish, and when she’d found herself stranded in Burronga with two heavy suitcases and nowhere to go, the day could have ended in misery. Instead, she was curled up on Ally’s comfortable couch with Ally in the opposite armchair, and pizza and wine on the coffee table between them.

As she reflected on the strange turn of events, Ally leaned forward to top up their wineglasses.

“Thanks,” Paige said gratefully, wriggling her bare feet. “I need this. It’s been a long day.”

“Oh, you should have said something back at the store. You didn’t need to help me all day.” Ally looked genuinely concerned.

“But I wanted to. I was glad to help.” Ally had only beckoned her into the shop for a friendly hello, but Paige had quickly seen how busy she was. Nate was away on business, while Tyler was nursing a sick child, so Ally was on her own managing a very busy store. When Paige had offered her assistance, Ally gratefully accepted.

“You were pretty good.” Ally grinned. “You talked that couple into buying those ceramics I thought would never sell.”

“At last I’ve put my marketing skills to good use.” Paige smiled back, marveling at how comfortable she felt in Ally’s presence. In the past, she’d never thought they had anything in common, but now it seemed they were slipping into an easy friendship, and she knew it was because she had changed. During the afternoon, Paige had eventually confessed that she was no longer working for Owen and was temporarily homeless, and Ally had immediately offered her a bed for the night.

Paige raised her wineglass in salute. “Thanks, Ally. Thanks for putting me up tonight.”

“No problem.”

“And thanks for not holding a grudge.”

Ally’s eyes widened. “You’re not still going on about Seth, are you?”

“No, of course not. He’s ancient history.” Paige hesitated. “I mean about Owen. He and I parted on rather bad terms, and I know you and Nate are good friends with him.”

“Ah, Owen. I was wondering when we’d get to him.” Ally chose another slice of pizza and settled back in her armchair. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you two?”

Maybe it was the wine, or the emotional wringer she’d been put through, or Ally’s nonjudgmental attitude. Whatever it was, Paige found herself pouring out her story to her sympathetic audience. She didn’t reveal everything, of course. Nothing about what had happened between her and Owen when they were teenagers. But she did tell Ally about Gordon Asquith and the importance of getting the mogul’s investment. She flushed as she related his sleazy moves on her and how Owen had dealt with him.

“Far out!” By now Ally was sitting on the edge of her seat as she lapped up Paige’s story. “Owen actually slapped the guy?” She let out a low whistle. “You know what that means. He’s in love with you.”

Paige, who had taken a sip of wine, spluttered. “I hardly think so.”

“Come on. He wouldn’t react so violently if he didn’t have feelings for you.”

Still flustered, Paige picked up a napkin and dabbed at her shirt. “I admit there’s always been…something between us, but it’s—it’s just lust.”

“Hey, don’t label it ‘just lust.’ Lust is a very powerful emotion.”

“Yeah, last night proved that.” She spoke without thinking, but seeing comprehension dawn on Ally’s face, she pushed on. “We spent the night together, yes, but in the morning we came back to our senses.”
Liar
, a voice inside her muttered. Far from returning to her senses, she’d dived headfirst into the madness of loving someone. Unsettled, she hurried on to tell Ally about her parents’ dramatic reappearance, her mother’s demands, and Owen’s refusal. Finally she halted, and silence descended on the living room.

“Maybe Owen will move out anyway,” Ally said, looking pensive. She set her wineglass down and rested her elbows on her knees to cup her chin. “If he’s lost this investor guy, then he probably won’t get his project through, will he? And if that fails, then there’s not much reason for him to hang around Burronga. Your mother might get back her house after all.”

The ball of regret in Paige’s stomach grew even heavier. “That’s what troubles me the most.” Her voice trembled, and she couldn’t stop it. Fisting her hands, she forced herself to continue. “That Owen will lose out on Bandicoot Creek because of me—because of that stupid,
stupid
video. Because I put my trust in the wrong man. Owen thought he needed my help to schmooze Asquith, but in fact I wrecked his deal.
I’m
to blame.” Too agitated to sit, she pushed to her feet and circled the carpet. “There must be something I can do, but what?”

Ally watched her prowl around the room. “Do you know any other high-profile investors?”

“What?” Pausing, Paige ran her fingers through her hair. “No, I don’t know any billionaires.”

Ally shrugged. “Doesn’t have to be a billionaire, does it? Just someone who’s ‘in’ with the council and can get the project through the approval stage. Your family’s always had a standing in this town. What about your father?”

Her father would definitely know the right people, but would he want to help her? After paying so little attention to her all her life, why would he start now? But this time was different. This time she wasn’t seeking his attention for herself, but for Owen. If there was a remote chance of helping Owen, then she had to make her father listen to her.

“Paige?” Ally’s voice broke through her concentration. “Do you think your dad might help?”

“If he doesn’t, it won’t be for want of me trying.”

Chapter Thirteen

“But you’re not moving back to Sydney, are you?” The potato chip fell from Natasha’s fingers as she stared at her brother in dismay.

“No,” Owen quickly replied. “Not yet.” Although his Bandicoot Project had taken a hit, it wasn’t dead yet. It might still be approved by the town council…and pigs might fly, too. But he couldn’t give up yet. Especially when Natasha looked so worried. “I’m just swapping houses, that’s all. I’ll still be here in Burronga,” he said more cheerfully.

“Whew.” Relief spread over his sister’s face. “I was worried…” She chewed her lower lip. “I like having you around.”

Owen’s heart panged. Most of the time his sister was so intent on being the cool teenager, so it was good to know she appreciated his company. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he picked up the potato chip she’d dropped on her lap and returned it to the bowl she was cradling.

“And I like having you around,” he said. They were seated in the den, watching a movie and sharing the chips. “We don’t often spend a weekend together, just the two of us. Usually you have a friend with you, like that Gretel girl.” He’d been meaning to talk with Natasha about her friends, and now that they were alone, this might be the perfect opportunity.

Natasha squirmed against the cushions. “Actually, Gretel and I aren’t such good friends anymore.”

“Oh? Why not?”

She shrugged. “We just aren’t. Does there have to be a reason?”

He could feel the tension in her shoulders. “There doesn’t have to be a reason,” he said carefully, “but if there is, I’d like to know.”

He paused, but Natasha continued to study the bowl of chips. Uneasiness stirred in his gut as he recalled Paige’s warnings about Argyle House. He wouldn’t put up with anyone persecuting Natasha.
Nobody
was going to pick on his baby sister.

“If there’s any bullying, you can tell me. I know how hard it can be to fit in sometimes, and that school of yours can be daunting. If you’re not happy there, just say the word and we’ll find you a better school.”

Natasha lifted her head. “Oh, no, I don’t want to leave Argyle House. I love it there.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. No one’s bullying me. I stopped being friends with Gretel because I didn’t like the way she was manipulating me, making me do stuff I wasn’t comfortable with. I stood up to her, and she backed off.”

“Well, uh, good for you.” His sister was a lot more mature than he gave her credit for. Slipping his arm free, he helped himself to a potato chip.

Natasha nodded, her face becoming animated. “It was my fault. I was too eager for her approval, but after Paige talked to me, I realized how stupid I was. I’m hanging out with other girls now, girls who don’t push me around.”

Owen compressed his lips at the mention of Paige’s name.

“Paige was really good to me.” Natasha popped a couple of chips into her mouth. “I wish she was still here,” she mumbled around her food. “Why did she have to leave?”

The ache returned to his chest as it always did when Paige crashed back into his thoughts. “She was only here temporarily. She had better things to do than be my housekeeper.”

“Is she in Sydney?”

“I guess.”

“Don’t you still talk to her?”

“No.” His jaw hurt from the grinding of his teeth.

Natasha crunched another chip. “Are you moving out of this house because of her?”

He took a deep breath. “I’m moving out because I don’t enjoy living here. I made a mistake, and fortunately Crystal Kerrigan wants the house back anyway, so everything works out.” When he’d called Crystal, at first she had been suspicious of his change of heart, but in the end she’d stiffly thanked him and even suggested he drop by for a drink sometime in the future, an offer he had no intention of taking up.

“But this house is great,” Natasha said. “It’s big and it has a fantastic pool.”

“Is that what you want? A fantastic pool? I’ll keep that in mind when I go house-hunting next week.”

She turned to him swiftly. “No, I don’t need a pool or a big house. I’m just happy you’re staying in Burronga.” She gave him a quick hug before returning her attention to the movie playing on the television.

Owen massaged the tight spot in his temple that had taken up permanent residence there ever since Paige left. Maybe it would disappear once he’d moved out of this house with all its reminders of Paige, but he doubted it, just as he doubted that any amount of hard work would fill the yawning hollowness inside him.

…

The entrance to the Burronga Country Club featured lots of wood and potted palms. The concierge gave Owen a quick once-over and didn’t seem to find any fault with Owen’s tailored trousers, business shirt, and taupe sports jacket. After signing the visitors’ register, Owen made his way to the restaurant at the rear of the clubhouse. Anticipation tingled along his nerves. Nate had been annoyingly mysterious about this lunch meeting with a potential investor. He’d refused to divulge any details, just insisted Owen be there at one o’clock.

At least this was distracting him from the black mood he’d sunk into. Maybe for a few hours he might even stop thinking about Paige. So far, everything he’d tried to scrub her from his thoughts had failed miserably. Work hadn’t helped, especially when he’d had to tell Jim that the weekend had been a disaster. Jim hadn’t pressed him for details, the old guy probably sensing his hair-trigger mood. The house seemed to mock him now, and he spent as little time there as possible.

Just outside the restaurant he paused to give himself a mental shake.
Man, you’re letting Paige Kerrigan torture you all over again
. He wasn’t a martyr. He wasn’t going to waste any more time on her. He would push all thought of Paige to one side and focus on this business meeting.

Shoulders squared, he made his way through the restaurant. He spied Nate sitting with another man at a table near the terrace. The man had his back to Owen and at first glance didn’t appear familiar. Owen walked up and clapped his hand on Nate’s shoulder.

“Hi, Nate.”

Grinning a welcome, his friend stood to shake his hand. “Glad you could make it.” He gestured toward the stranger who had also risen to his feet. “I’d like to introduce you to Eric Jensen. Eric, this is Owen Bellamy.”

Owen froze, hand half outstretched.
Eric Jensen? What the hell was going on?

The other man shook his immobile hand. “Afternoon, Owen. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

Eric Jensen. The smooth golden boy who’d taken Paige to her school dance. The rich, handsome star who’d stood and watched while he was evicted from the hall. Dammit, there was no getting away from Paige.

“Why don’t we sit?” Eric suggested. Still good-looking and prosperous, judging by the expensive watch on his wrist, he seemed a little on edge.

“Not yet.” Owen pinned him with a heavy stare. “Does Paige have anything to do with this meeting?”

The other guy fiddled with his watch before lifting his hands. “Well, yes. She approached me and said she knew of a lucrative property development I might want a piece of.”

“She told you about my development?” His mind raced. Had Paige betrayed him? Had she leaked confidential details to her old friends? Acid stung the back of his mouth. His hands clenched spasmodically.

“Not in much detail, but enough to pique my interest.”

Slowly Owen unclenched his hands. “Didn’t know you were interested in property development.”

“I’m the managing director of the family company, Jensen Capital. We’ve been around for generations. Took some hits in the past decade, but we’ve got a strong balance sheet, and we’re on the lookout for some good projects.”

The man spoke easily and without bragging, but Owen couldn’t shake his suspicion. “I don’t understand why Paige approached you. Are you two friends?”

“Uh, I wouldn’t go that far.” Eric’s face grew slightly pink. “I really haven’t spoken with Paige since that school dance…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “To be honest, back then I felt she just used me to make you jealous, and I was right because she avoided me afterward. Didn’t speak with her for years until a few days ago when she came to see me about your development. I thought she was pulling my leg, but she was very persistent. In the end, I agreed to Nate setting up this meeting, but to be honest, I’m still a little skeptical.”

Owen’s mind hummed, but out of the turmoil he grabbed hold of one fact. Paige was trying to make amends. She didn’t love him or want to see him again, but she was sorry for what had happened with Asquith, even though she was blameless. She’d gone to a lot of effort to get him another potential investor, but why did it have to be Eric Jensen? The guy was part of the establishment, and that would help with the planning approval, but he was the complete opposite of Owen. Plus, given their shared messy past, there was a helluva lot of awkwardness between them to overcome.

But he’d learned a lot about himself in the past few weeks. He could work with Eric, despite their differences. And besides, Paige had put aside her pride to approach Eric—that wouldn’t have been easy for her—so he owed it to her to give this meeting his best shot.

“I’m a little skeptical, too.” Owen looked Eric straight in the eye. “But I’m loath to throw away Paige’s hard work. Why don’t we sit down and see if there’s any way we can do business?”

Eric hesitated, but when he finally nodded, the tension between them slackened. “Sure, why not? Let’s order lunch. They do a great beef burger here.”

An hour later, Eric departed, leaving Owen and Nate alone at the table.

Owen spread his hands on the tablecloth. “So,” he said without preamble. “Where is she?”

Nate swallowed the last of his coffee and raised his eyebrows. “She?”

“You know who I’m talking about,” Owen replied impatiently. “Paige. She’s been in contact with you. She’s back in Sydney, right? What’s her address?”

“You’re keen to see her all of a sudden. Is it because she went out of her way to get Eric Jensen for you?”

Owen frowned at his friend. “She ‘got’ Eric Jensen because she felt bad about what happened with Asquith. That’s all.”

“So why do you want her address?” Nate challenged him.

“Because…” Owen blew out his breath as the force of his emotions crushed him. “Because I should be glad my project has another chance. I should be pleased my sister is settled. I have so many reasons I should be happy, but the truth is I’m not, and Paige has everything to do with that.” He halted, aware that he’d just spilled out his guts to Nate. But he didn’t care; he cared about only one thing. He lifted his head and glowered at his friend. “Are you going to stop dicking me around and give me her address?”

“Are you going to race up to Sydney right now?”

“Yes.” If he left now, he’d be in the city by six, given the traffic.

“That desperate, huh?”

“You have no idea.”

Nate grinned. “You’re in luck. You don’t have to travel far because she’s right here in the club.”

“What?” Owen reared to his feet, his thoughts whirling. “Where? Why?”

“She was anxious about this meeting. She came down today so I could debrief her as soon as possible. But you can do that for me.” Nate motioned with his head. “She’s in the Waratah Room on the other side of the building.”

Owen was already pacing away when Nate called after him, “It’s members only over there.”

He didn’t stop, didn’t care. Nothing could prevent him from laying eyes on Paige today.

…

But when Owen arrived outside the Waratah Room, he found himself hesitating. Through the glass-paneled doors, he spied a large room furnished with plump couches and table lamps. Small groups of well-dressed people murmured together, while several old men dozed in wingback armchairs. On the glass panel of the doors were etched the words
Members Only
.

Craning his neck, he saw Paige, the familiar sight of her ash-blond hair making his heart contract. She had her back to him as she talked to her companion, a crusty matron he recognized as Aunt Lucinda.

Doubt spasmed through him. Sure, Paige had set up the meeting with Eric Jensen, but that was only to make amends for his failed deal with Asquith. She’d only done it out of pity. Not because she was in love with him, or wanted to see him again. Especially not in this swanky country club, in front of her peers.

His hand dropped from the big brass handle. For a moment the years fell away, along with his achievements and his wealth, and once again he was the inferior punk locked out from his betters, the pool boy pressing his nose against the glass to catch a glimpse of everything he desired.

No. Not anymore
. He gripped the brass handle again as fresh determination rushed over him. He was through with his insecurities. No one could make him feel inferior without his permission. Wasn’t that what Eleanor Roosevelt had said? She was completely right. He had something to say to Paige, and nothing, no glass door, no Aunt Lucinda, no inferiority complex, was going to stop him.

He pushed open the door and strode across the thick carpet. Aunt Lucinda glanced up and frowned at him, but he barely noticed her, all his attention focused on Paige, who slowly turned in her chair at his approach.

“Hello, Paige.” His voice was thick, strangled with emotion.

Oh God, she was so awe-inspiringly beautiful. Tailored herringbone pantsuit, black leather boots, white silk shirt. Classy, elegant. Only, her eyes were wide and she chewed at her lower lip as if she were nervous. Nervous? About him?

“Hi, Owen.” Her husky voice sent a thrill down his spine.

“This is a members-only lounge,” Aunt Lucinda snapped. “If you don’t leave, I’ll call the manager.”

Several people nearby glanced up, curious. He couldn’t pay attention to anything but the anxious look on Paige’s face. Was he making a fool of himself again? Embarrassing her in front of her peers? Stuff that. It couldn’t be helped. He was who he was, and he had to do this.

“Can we go somewhere quiet to talk?” he asked her, his body rigid as he waited for her answer.

Slowly she rose to her feet. “Uh, sure.”

“Paige, what are you doing?” Aunt Lucinda protested.