Divided Interests

by Kelly Elliott

  Paige pressed her lips together tightly, then nodded. She walked over to the chair my grandmother had sat in so many times. Her hand traced along the back of it.

  “It would make a lovely greenhouse again. Or even an office.”

  That caught my attention. “An office for who?”

  When her soft brown eyes met mine, I tried not to let my breath catch. Jesus, she was stunning. The moon had risen and cast the perfect amount of light into the greenhouse. The lantern also added to her glow. I needed to look away, or the urge to walk across the room and kiss her would win over all sense.

  “It was just a thought.”

  I nodded. “Paige, how are you affording to not work?”

  She smiled. “If you think I won’t be able to pay for the taxes, you’re wrong. I’ve got a nice little nest egg built up over the years. I live a simple life, so I put a lot of money away, invested it early on.”

  The corners of my mouth rose slightly. Paige was nothing like Bianca, and I knew that was why I had even showed interest in Bianca in the first place, to take my mind off of what I’d lost. She didn’t remind me of the sweet, down-to-earth girl I had fallen in love with at such a young age. Bianca was also someone I would never have the desire to marry. Ever. How could I when I had given my heart to the woman sharing the air around me at this very moment.

  “I’m not surprised. You always were one to save,” I replied with a wink.

  I wanted to ask if she still had the account in her bank that was for her wedding. She had opened it when she was twelve and had informed her parents it was her wedding fund money. I wanted to ask, but I didn’t. She most likely had used it for college, or traveling.

  Paige kicked at nothing on the ground, then looked back at me. “I had a meeting today with Virgil, from the bank in town. There is a little bit of storefront on highway 290. I was thinking of maybe opening a flower shop.”

  This time I did smile. A full-on smile, and I felt my chest fill slightly with pride. “You always did love flowers, just like your mamma. You talked about owning a flower shop.”

  “It’s always been the long-term plan, learn the business world and then settle back here.” Her voice trailed off toward the end.

  That felt like a kick in the stomach. I hadn’t given Paige the chance to tell me what she wanted in this life. I had only focused on what I wanted. Once I’d broken up with Paige, the idea of moving back to Johnson City became a distant memory. Every trip I went on with Bianca made me feel like that much more of an asshole. The woman I had loved, planned on spending the rest of my life with, had asked me to follow her plan, just for a bit, and I wouldn’t do it. How did it make her feel to know I traveled all over the world with another woman, lived in Austin, so close to her? I’d seen her from time to time, and always hidden. I’d watch her, laughing with a friend at dinner, trying to pick the perfect cantaloupe at the Whole Foods on Sixth Street. From afar, I’d study her. I’d wonder if she was happy, who she was dating, if she’d found love again. All the while I lived a life I despised. A life that didn’t include her, and it gutted me.

  “Will you be renting or purchasing the space?”

  “Well, I have either option. Long-term-investment wise, it would be smart to purchase it.”

  “I agree.”

  She gave me a weak smile. “I was going to talk to my dad and Tom about it. Then maybe have Carl swing by and give me a bid on what it would take to renovate and redo the store front. Milo said he’d help with painting, to keep the costs down.”

  Anger boiled up all over again at Milo and his fucking paintbrush, but I tried to hide it. The sound of his name off her lips would forever drive me mad. I knew for a fact neither one of them were interested in each other, but it still boiled my blood.

  “Paige, I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have…”

  She held up a hand. “Please, can we just forget it happened?”

  Hell no, I’d never forget her desire for me because it was for me. Not for Milo or some other guy she might have wanted to hook up with. It was entirely for me, even if she didn’t want to admit it. I made her feel that way, moan that way…

  “Did I ruin your evening?”

  She gave me a sexy smirk. “Yes. You did.”

  My hand rubbed at the back of my neck. “I’m sorry.”

  “So you said. Now, we need to figure out why William wanted us in this house together. What did he want us to find?”

  Paige sat down on the old chair with a frustrated sigh.

  “I don’t think he was trying to play matchmaker. It was something else.” She went on, leaning back in the chair in deep thought. That’s when I saw it. A paper sticking out of the bottom of the chair, maybe?

  “There’s something on the chair.”

  With a scream, she leaped to her feet. Paige ran over and jumped into my arms. She scared me so bad with her sudden movements that I didn’t have time to laugh.

  “Get it off me!” she yelled, shaking her hair and letting out small yelps.

  “Paige! I didn’t mean a bug!” I said, trying not to double over with laughter, setting her down on her feet. “I meant there was something sticking out of the chair, like paper.”

  She stopped jumping around. It was adorable as fuck to watch her toss her hands in the air and swipe at bugs that weren’t even there. The way her ponytail swung around inspired amazing dirty thoughts.

  “Jesus, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” she said.

  “Just so you know, that’s not how I want to gain your half of the house.”

  She snarled at me then looked back over to the chair. I pulled the seat cushion up and gently tugged on the piece of paper sticking out.

  “What is it?” Paige asked, hitting me on the side of my arm. She always had been impatient.

  Giving her a look that told her to settle down, I carefully unfolded it and read it out loud.

  “M, will you do me the honor of having dinner with me? I have a very important question to ask you.

  Yours truly, William”

  Paige and I lifted our gaze from the paper to each other. We both smiled.

  “What do you think he asked May? To marry him?” Paige asked.

  “I don’t know. The date on the note doesn’t make much sense. I didn’t think they were engaged that long.”

  I looked back down at the paper, then at the chair. “We need to take that seat off.”

  “You’ll ruin the chair, Lucas.”

  Without paying any attention to her, I leaned down and pulled at the chair bottom.

  “Lucas!” she protested, but stopped when it popped off and revealed a little chest.

  “Is that the chest?” she whispered.

  I shook my head as I reached for it. “No, the chest we’re looking for has a lock. Remember, the key?”

  “That’s right,” Paige said, reaching over and gently touching the chest. “What is this?”

  “Maybe a jewelry box?” I said, slowly turning the latch and opening the box.

  “It’s empty,” Paige said, disappointment laced in her voice.

  With a wide grin, I lifted on the little tab sticking up on the inside of the box, and it revealed another folded-up paper.

  “It’s another letter!” Paige screamed right into my ear.

  Jerking, I glared at her. “Yes, and now I’ve lost all hearing in that ear, so thank you.”

  She shot me a dirty look. “Open it, Lucas! See what it says before I do more damage to you!”

  I handed the small box to Paige and unfolded the paper. It was old and brittle.

  “My Dearest M, you have forever saved my broken soul. You were brought into my life when I thought all hope was lost. I give you this conservatory to do with as you wish. It is my wedding gift to you.

  Yours truly, William”

  One quick glance at Paige, and I couldn’t help but smile and shake my head. “The old man was a romantic.”

  “Stop it! Keep reading.”

  When I
looked back at the paper, my smile faded, and a lump formed in my throat.

  “What’s wrong?” Paige asked.

  “The date is wrong.”

  “What do you mean, the date is wrong?”

  “The wedding date. It’s earlier than Granddad and Gram’s wedding.”

  “Maybe they changed the date, got married later than they had first intended.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe. That’s weird, though. They didn’t get married for almost another year after the date on this letter.”

  A strange feeling came over me. An uneasiness I wasn’t sure how to respond to. It felt like I had stumbled upon a secret, one that I wasn’t supposed to find.

  “Lucas, is everything okay?”

  I looked at Paige. “Yeah, it’s fine. Maybe it’s like you said, they just had a long engagement. But Granddad used to talk about their rush to get married because they couldn’t wait.”

  Paige chewed on her lip and I knew we were thinking the same thing. Granddad had always said his relationship with Grams had been a whirlwind. They married quickly, for reasons beyond their control.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking? About the stories of their…”

  “Whirlwind romance? The quick wedding?”

  Paige didn’t answer; she simply looked at the box, then back up at me.

  With a sigh, I said, “We need to find that goddamn chest, and now.”

  Paige

  LUCAS RUSHED OUT of the greenhouse and down the path, back to the house.

  “Lucas! Wait! Where are you going?” I called out as I attempted to follow him without tripping over a rock or stick.

  “The attic. It has to be in the attic. It’s nowhere in his room; I’ve been looking,” Lucas called out.

  Once we got back into the house, I rushed ahead and stepped in front of him, blocking him from going up the stairs.

  “Stop for one second, please.”

  “Why? I figured you were ready to get all of this over and done with. The only way we are going to get any answers is to find the chest.”

  I walked up two steps backwards, then placed my hands on his shoulders to keep him from moving.

  “Trying to search in the attic in the dark isn’t going to help. We need to do it in the morning.”

  He shook his head. “We need—”

  “To calm down. Lucas, these letters were written before your grandmother and grandfather were even together. You’re reading into this and getting all the wrong ideas about their relationship. Take a breath and think for a moment.”

  He looked down to the floor and sighed. “I just don’t understand what’s happening. What is he wanting us to find, Paige? And does it have anything to do with us?”

  “It has to! Why would he give us both this house? We can’t overthink it. They had a long engagement, or maybe they broke up for a while. Or they did get married, and that’s all that mattered in the end.”

  His eyes jerked back up. “They broke up?”

  “I don’t know. But we know they got married, they were happy, so let’s just take a moment and not freak out. We’ll find the answers, Lucas. I know we will.”

  He nodded. “You’re right. I guess I felt, hell, I don’t know what I feel anymore.”

  I squeezed his shoulders. “We’ll figure it out, Lucas. First thing in the morning we can tackle the attic.”

  “This would be a hell of a lot easier if you just sold me your half.”

  I shook my head, then folded my arms across my chest. “Wasting your breath, Lucas. Why are you ready to sell this house? What are you afraid of? I know you well enough to know that money cannot be the driving force behind why you want…”

  My voice trailed off, then my eyes widened.

  Lucas looked directly at me, and I could see the truth, threatening to spill out.

  “Are you doing this because you’re still angry with me?”

  He looked away. “You’re right. We need to take this up again in the morning. I’m exhausted and ready for bed.”

  He turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm. “Lucas, please tell me you’re not selling your family’s home as a way to punish me and rid yourself of the guilt of walking away.”

  When he didn’t respond, I had my answer. I covered my mouth with my hand, and I nearly stumbled on the steps.

  “You would be that cruel, that insensitive to sell this place because you know how much I love it?”

  “It’s late, Paige. I’m tired, and right now is probably not the right time to talk about this.”

  I let out a harsh laugh. “You broke up with me. You were the one who left me standing there while you turned your back and left. You walked away from us! It wasn’t the other way around.”

  He looked pissed. Very pissed, but I didn’t get the feeling it was at me. More at himself because he knew I was right. I swallowed hard as I took a step backward, up another step.

  I should have stopped, but the more I thought about it, the more ticked off I got.

  “If anyone should be pissed off, it should be me!”

  He laughed. “Enlighten me on your reasoning, Paige.”

  Heat flashed over my body. This impossible man. “You didn’t want to travel, remember?”

  His face turned white as a ghost.

  “You needed to be here, in Texas. With your daddy and William, helping them with the business. I believe those were the words you used when I told you I wanted to study international business. Travel and see the world a bit before we settled down. I wasn’t asking you to do it forever. Just long enough to learn about the business world so I could follow my dream of opening the flower shop. In Johnson City. You didn’t give me a chance to even tell you all of the details of my plan. All you heard was I wanted to leave you. You were stupidly jealous and didn’t trust me. Do you know what it was like for me to hear your momma or William talk about you when I would come back to visit? Your mother told me you and Bianca, your new girlfriend, had gone to Europe on a three-week tour. How you’d come back from California only a few weeks before that and were jetting off for her…job.”

  He closed his eyes, regret evident.

  “Do you have any idea what it was like to open a paper and see a picture of you and Bianca in New York City, or London? Or Paris? Let’s not forget the trips to Paris. You didn’t want that with me, but you certainly wanted it with her and followed her wherever she wanted to go.”

  His eyes opened, and he shook his head. If I hadn’t known better, I would swear I saw tears building in his eyes.

  I felt my own slip free, and I quickly brushed them away. “Do you have any idea how that made me feel? Years later, how much that still hurts?”

  “Paige.”

  “Don’t you dare Paige me. You’re on some damn vendetta to hurt me. Well, newsflash, Lucas Foster, I will never feel the type of pain I felt that day you walked away from me. From us. And I’ll never forget how painful it was to see you with…” A sob escaped, and I wanted to scream. “To see you with her, looking at her like she was your…”

  “Don’t say it because that isn’t true. You know that’s not true.”

  “Shut up!” I yelled, more tears threatening to spill. “I hate you for making me feel this way. I hate that you made me question our entire relationship. Why I wasn’t good enough, but she was.”

  He shook his head harder, but I kept going.

  “I know I’m not the beauty she is. You don’t have to remind me with your stupid comments that I’m not a supermodel.”

  With that, he came to life. “What in the fuck are you talking about?” he asked, his brows pulled in confusion.

  I lifted my chin and folded my arms over my chest. “I knew you were angry with me, but I honestly never dreamed you’d want to hurt me…again.”

  “Hurt you? You have it all wrong.”

  “Do I?” I asked, letting out a bark of laughter. “You might as well put your fighting gloves on because no matter what we find in this house, or whatever game William wan
ts us to play, I’m in it to win. I will never let go of this house, Lucas. Never.”

  I spun on my heels and marched up the steps. A part of me wanted him to come after me. Explain why he was doing this, tell me that everything I was thinking was wrong. But he didn’t. When I shut the door to my bedroom, I let out a shaky breath and dropped down to the floor. With my hands covering my mouth to keep quiet, I finally let my tears fall free.

  The morning light shone through the window. It felt like I had only fallen asleep an hour ago. I groaned when I looked at the clock. I had fallen asleep only an hour ago. Fabulous. That’d make for a wonderful morning look.

  I pulled the pillow over my head and groaned. Now I’d have to face Lucas after I spilled all that out last night.

  Just as I decided to roll back over and get some more sleep, not ready to face any part of this day, a knock on my bedroom door made me sit up fast. Almost too fast. A wave of dizziness hit me. Was it Lucas? A part of me hoped and prayed it was. The other part, not so much. But who else would it be?

  “Yes?”

  “Are you still sleeping?”

  “Milo?” I asked, climbing out of bed and rushing to the door. Thank God. I opened it and found him standing there, a cup of coffee in one hand, paint samples in another.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, confused.

  He laughed. “You told me to come over this morning, even though Lucas told me not to. You never sent over the colors you wanted, so I brought paint samples for the living room, the bathrooms, and the study.”

  I closed my eyes. Holy hell, it had slipped my mind.

  “Shoot, I forgot. Sorry, things got a bit…crazy last night.”

  He looked past me into the room. “Hot date?”

  I laughed. “Ha! Not that crazy.”

  He lifted a brow as if to say he didn’t believe me. I stepped aside. “Take a look for yourself. The only other soul in this room is my newfound cat.”

  “I believe you.”

  His face didn’t agree with him. “Seriously, I’m alone. Look!”

  Milo chuckled and took a quick step into the room, “Paige, you don’t need to explain yourself to me. You’re a grown woman. Although, I was thinking you and Lucas would have finally worked your shit out by now.”