“Where’d everybody go?” Maybe they were busy with something upstairs. She deposited the new supplies in the kitchen and started a pot of the dark roast. Her phone vibrated in her back pocket. She brought it out and read the text: When you get back, come up to the conference room. Puzzled, she walked to the freight elevator and headed up to the second floor. Paige entered the room, noting Ryan’s smile, Ted’s neutral expression, and her brother wearing his serious face.
“What’s up?”
“Have a seat. We want to discuss something with you.” Noah gestured to the chair next to him.
“Here’s your change.” She pulled the bills and coins from her pocket and placed it on the table in front of Noah before taking a seat.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us you were unemployed.” Ted folded his arms in front of him.
His hurt and disappointed expression knotted her stomach. Her eyes narrowed. “Is this going to be a discussion about all of my shortcomings?” She started to rise. “Because I could really do without that right now.”
Ryan glared at Ted before turning to her. “Nope. Ted’s done with that. Right, kid?”
“Sorry.” Ted’s face turned sheepish. “I know you’ve been through a rough patch.”
“We have a proposal we’d like to make.” Noah’s gaze went around the table and settled on her. “We’ve discussed your ideas for expanding our brick-and-mortar presence in the market, and if you’re interested, we’d like to offer you a position.” He grinned. “We even came up with a title. You’d be the VP of marketing for Langford & Lovejoy.”
Shock sent a wave of adrenaline coursing through her, and all she could do was blink.
“It doesn’t pay much.” Noah shrugged. “Room and board and some spending money are about all we can manage until things take off on your end. We can also offer a twenty percent commission on any of the sample pieces you sell.”
“What do you think?” Ryan’s face lit up with pleased expectation.
Had he engineered the whole thing? Paige frowned. “I need to talk to my brother for a minute.” Ted and Ryan both remained seated with their eyes riveted on her. She raised her brow and stared back. “Alone.”
“Oh.” Ted nodded and rose. “Sure.”
Ryan’s eyes clouded, and his mouth tightened. He didn’t say a word as he followed Ted out the door. She waited until they’d left before turning to Noah.
“Listen, Paige. Before you say anything, just listen.” He covered one of her hands with his. “I know about your ambition to take over Langford Plumbing Supplies. I even understand what drives you toward that goal, but—”
“Whose idea was it to offer me this position?” If Ryan had come up with it, that worried her. No matter what was between them, she didn’t want to have more crumbs thrown her way, especially not by him. She needed his respect, and she needed to earn her way through her own abilities. Did no one understand?
“Mine. I think you’re brilliant. Ted and Ryan agree with me. Dad’s out of his mind not to snatch you up, and I’m happy to take advantage of his stupidity.”
She relaxed, and warmth flooded through her. She and Noah had always understood each other, and she knew he wouldn’t have made the offer if he didn’t really want to. “I have a counterproposal.”
He leaned back in his chair, eyeing her speculatively. “Let’s hear it.”
“I’ll take the job with the understanding that it’s temporary. I’ll put my heart and soul into growing the store. When and if I manage to find another job, I’ll help you hire someone well qualified to take my place. I’ll provide consulting on a continual basis free of charge.” She prayed he’d understand. “I have…goals I need to achieve for my own peace of mind.”
Noah covered her hands again. “I get it. I really do. Just so you know, I’m hoping you’ll love it here so much that you’ll want to stay. Keep an open mind.”
“I love you, Noah.” She grinned.
“Ditto, Paige.” He squeezed her hands and rose. “Let’s go tell the guys.”
“I’m going to have to head to Philly for my stuff. It gets hot here much earlier than it does in Pennsylvania. I need to see Mom. Which reminds me, I promised to call home today.”
“Let’s go tell the guys first, and then you can call Mom. If you need to take a few days off, that’s fine.” He opened the door for her. “Ted will have some paperwork for you to fill out.”
“I like my new title.” Happiness bubbled up. Even though the job was temporary, VP of anything sounded great on a résumé. Ideas about how to arrange the showroom streamed through her mind. Now she could contact the artists she’d talked to at the craft fair. “Do I have a budget?”
“Talk to Ted. I’m sure we can scrape something together.”
She couldn’t keep the smile off her face on the way back down to the first floor. “I bought expensive coffee.”
“Yeah?”
“As VP of marketing, I just gotta say the crap you guys get has got to go.”
Noah laughed as the elevator doors opened onto the workspace. He ushered her into the room and announced, “Meet our new vice president of marketing.”
Her eyes drew a bead straight to Ryan. Their gazes locked. Her heart stumbled, and a pang shot through her. He looked so damned pleased, and her brother’s warning hit home. If she weren’t careful, she could destroy him, and if she let him, he could break her heart as well. She couldn’t let that happen. The first opportunity she got, she had to explain her counteroffer.
This was only temporary.
Paige walked to the storefront and moved behind the counter. Perching on the stool, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and hit her mom’s number. She was not looking forward to this conversation. Maybe her mom wouldn’t answer, and she could leave a message. Coward. Her mom picked up after the fourth ring. Drat.
“Hi, Mom.” Guilt gnawed at the edges of her heart.
“Paige…”
“I know. I know. I should’ve called you back right away.” She bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry.”
“Called back? What I want to know is, why didn’t you come to us right away after you were let go from Ramsey & Weil? Your father and I have been worried sick.” She paused. “You told me you were out of town on business. Since when do you feel you have to lie to me?”
“I…I did do some business. Putting together print ads for L&L counts.”
“Paige…”
“All right. The truth is, I was too embarrassed.” Saying the words out loud, she realized how foolish she’d been.
“Don’t you think your father and I have had a few setbacks along the way? Everybody gets knocked around a little at the beginning of their careers. It’s to be expected. You pick yourself up, shake off the dust, and move on. Hiding things like this from us is beneath you.”
“I’ll bet Dad never got fired.”
Her mother sucked in a breath, but she didn’t comment. “We were worried. We didn’t know where you were or what had happened. Don’t do that again.”
“I won’t. I promise.” Her eyes misted. “I’m sorry I caused you to worry.”
“You’re forgiven. Are you coming home soon? You have no reason to hide anymore, and your father and I will help you through this rough spot.”
“No. I’m going to work for Noah and Ted until I find something else. I’ll have to make a trip home soon, though. How about next weekend? I’m running out of things to wear. Are you going to be free?”
“I’ll make sure I’m free. If you need anything—”
“I know. I’ll call you right away if I do. Thanks, Mom.” She eased the tight grip she had on the phone. “I love you.” She should’ve known better than to cause her parents needless worry. They didn’t deserve what she’d put them through.
“I love you too, sweetheart. Call me if anything changes. I’m here for you if you need to talk.”
“I will. I have to get back to work.” They said their goodbyes, and she heaved a sigh of
relief and put her phone away. She should’ve made the call days ago.
The rest of the day flew by in a blur. Paige wrangled a small budget from Ted, and she called the vendors from the fair who could supply items to create a charming nursery setting for the showroom. The glass blower agreed to provide a few of his pieces on consignment to start, with the promise that once the Americana product line was up and running, they’d buy wholesale from him. While they talked, he made an appointment to visit the showroom with his family. If she made a sale, she’d get her first commission.
Ted and Ryan came in from hanging the new sign above the shop doors out front. Both were dripping sweat. “It’s nasty out there.” Ted grabbed a few paper towels from the staff kitchen and wiped his face before walking toward the shelves to put his tool belt away.
Ryan carried the ladder they’d used and propped it up against a wall. “You about ready to head home, Paige?”
“Sure. Let’s clean up and get going.” She shut down her computer, and they all took up their closing routine like a well-oiled machine. The day had grown darker and more ominous by the hour, and the atmosphere was thick with the promise of violent weather. Ryan placed his hand at the small of her back as they walked toward his truck.
“See you tomorrow, Ted,” Ryan called.
Ted nodded. “The sign looks great, by the way, and welcome aboard, Paige.”
“Thanks.” She waved and climbed into the truck. As soon as they were on the two-lane, she said, “I made a counteroffer to Noah.”
“Oh?” Ryan’s brow creased. “What was that?”
“It’s temporary.”
He glanced at her. “What’s temporary?”
“My job with L&L. I’ll stay until I can get my career back on track; then I’ll help with finding my replacement. I’ll always be available as a consultant.”
His grip on the steering wheel tightened, and his jaw clenched.
“You know what my motivation is and what I hope to accomplish,” she reminded him. “Nothing has changed.”
“And you know there’s no guarantee your father will hand the plumbing empire over to you one way or the other,” Ryan snapped. “You could end up spinning your wheels in that direction your entire life—without ever gaining any ground.”
“I thought you weren’t going to be the worm in my apple,” she snapped back.
“I thought you had more common sense.” He shot her an incredulous look. “Do you enjoy beating your head against that brick wall, or are you just so hardheaded it has no effect?”
She averted her face. “Ouch.”
“Paige,” he gritted out, “why do you want to set yourself up for the same misery over and over? Let it go.”
“Listen to you.” She glared. “Have you let go?”
“We aren’t talking about me.” His eyes flashed with hurt, and he shook his head slowly. “I’m not the healthy one here, and I’ll be the first to admit it.”
Guilt sent heat rushing to her face. “I’m sorry. I’m being defensive, and you didn’t deserve that.”
“No apology necessary. It’s your life. You have the right to screw it up however you see fit.”
“How very sideways of you,” she cracked. “Wherever I end up, it doesn’t mean we can’t continue our friendship.”
His grip on the steering wheel went white-knuckle. “Is that what this is?”
She nodded, unable to form words around the constriction in her throat. She’d hurt him, and that sent a sharp pain through her as well. They turned into her brother’s driveway, just as the weather siren went off. “Great.”
Ryan parked the truck, and they hurried out. Ceejay stood on the side of the porch with Toby in her arms, shouting at her daughter, “Lucinda, come inside right now!”
Paige followed the direction of Ceejay’s stare. Lucinda was near the walnut copse, with her back to her mother. “What’s she doing?”
“She’s looking for our stupid dog. Sweet Pea hates the siren and storms. He’s hiding.” Ceejay called her daughter again.
“We’ll get Lucinda and Sweet Pea.” Ryan started toward the trees, just as the branches began to whip around with the rising wind. “Take Toby to the cellar. We’ll be right there.”
Ryan’s stride ate up the ground, and Paige had to run to catch up. “Lucinda, let’s go,” she urged.
“I gotta find Sweet Pea,” she pleaded. “He’s ’fraid of storms.”
“I’ll get the dog.” Ryan put his hands on Lucinda’s shoulders and tried to get her moving. “You go in with your aunt.”
“Sweet Pea,” Lucinda cried, refusing to move from the spot.
The wind that had kicked up mere seconds ago disappeared. A greenish cast and stillness settled over them, and a chill ran up her spine. “Now, Lucinda. Sweet Pea will be all right. Animals have instincts about the weather. He’ll know to hole up somewhere.”
“Who told you that?” Ryan’s expression turned skeptical while he searched the tall grass growing by the edge of the trees.
Paige grabbed her niece’s hand and started pulling her toward the house. “Come on, Ryan,” Paige called. “This storm is going to hit any second.”
“You go on. I’ll be right in.”
She hoisted Lucinda into her arms. “Leave the dog. Let’s go.”
He must’ve sensed something in her tone, because he stopped searching and turned to her. “I’ll be fine. Take Lucinda to the cellar, and as soon as I have the dog, I’ll follow.”
“No. Come inside with me now. You are not putting your life on the line for a dog.” Her heart hammered against her ribs, and Lucinda’s tears dampened her T-shirt. “Please.” She couldn’t disguise her rising panic. “Please,” she repeated.
He took off his cowboy hat and raked his fingers through his hair. “All right. I’m right behind you.”
“Sweet Pea!” Lucinda squirmed to get out of her arms.
Paige held her niece tight and ran for the front door. “Hush. Sweet Pea will be fine.” They got to the front door, and Ryan reached around her to open it. The moment she was inside, the wind started howling again, and marble-size hail pummeled the house and ground. The sirens kept up their wail, and everything went as dark as night. Paige rushed to the cellar door off the kitchen and hurried down into the musty dampness with her niece held securely in her arms. It wasn’t until they were in the small windowless root cellar that she realized Ryan was not behind her. “Shit.”
Lucinda gasped and pulled back to peer at her. “You said a bad word.”
“I couldn’t help it.”
Toby sat in the midst of his toys in a portable playpen. The oil lamps Ceejay had lit cast a dim yellow glow over the old wicker furniture set up around the space so they could sit out any storm in relative comfort.
“Ryan is still out there,” Paige muttered. “He’s looking for the dog.” She put Lucinda down and walked to the bottom of the stairs.
Ceejay’s cell phone rang, and her sister-in-law answered.
Paige knew it was her brother checking to see that they were all safe. Straining to hear Ryan’s footsteps on the floor above, she silently fell apart. Panic, anger, and fear swirled through her until she couldn’t breathe. She imagined the worst. He’d be hit with lightning or a falling tree. Maybe he’d be swept up into the funnel of a tornado. Oh, God. Please don’t let anything happen to him.
“Ryan will be fine.” Ceejay put her hand on Paige’s shoulder. “He’s within sight of the house. It’s not like he’s stranded out in a field somewhere.”
Paige nodded. A boom of thunder exploded, shaking the house. Hail hitting the outside walls pinged in her ears, and the wind took on the cadence of a freight train. Still, she strained to hear the reassuring thump of Ryan’s footsteps above. She held her breath, and her eyes never left the door at the top of the stairs. She didn’t want anything to happen to him. She didn’t want to lose him for any reason. Not now. Not ever. Crap.
The door at the top of the steps flew open, and Ryan
appeared at the top, carrying the soaking mutt draped over his shoulders. He picked his way carefully down each step until he reached the bottom. “Get the door for me,” he told her as he squatted to free the dog.
Relief swamped her, followed by rage. Paige raced up the steps, slammed the door shut, and ran back down, ready to kill him. “Don’t ever do that again,” she growled with her hands fisted by her sides.
“Don’t ever do what again?” He swiped at the rainwater dripping from his face.
“You said you were right behind me, and then you disappeared. I can’t believe you’d risk your life that way for a dog,” she gritted out. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?” Her voice broke, and she had to turn away.
“You had no reason to worry.” Ryan drew her into his arms and held her. “I’m fine, darlin’. I was never in any danger.”
“You ran out into a storm, Ryan—into hail, lightning, and possibly a tornado! Who does that for an animal?” she cried.
“Look.” He nodded toward what he wanted her to see.
She followed his gaze to Lucinda and Sweet Pea. Her niece had her face buried in the wet dog’s fur and her arms wrapped tight around his thick neck. Toby patted the mutt’s head through the slats of his playpen. Sweet Pea’s tail thumped against the floor.
“I didn’t put my life at risk for the dog. I did it for them.” He leaned back to peer into her face. “Besides, I was close to the house. Oklahoma is smack-dab in the middle of tornado alley. Don’t you think I know how to handle that kind of danger?”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her cheek against his chest, soothed by the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Surrounded by his strong arms and enveloped in his scent, she felt her own racing heart slow and the tension gripping her leach away. Oh, man. She’d already given him her heart. Without even realizing, she’d done it—she’d fallen for Ryan Malloy.
The Difference a Day Makes (Perfect, Indiana: Book Two) Page 15