Addison wandered downstairs around seven-thirty, and Cody was out of his room, though not out of his pajamas, moments later. Paige steeled herself against the smoldering in her stomach at the sight of him all rumpled and handsome. She tried to pretend like their interlude in the arena hadn’t affected her and offered Cody an open smile. Fake it till you make it.
Cody smiled in return, but his eyes were guarded. Paige couldn’t blame him. If they had to walk on eggshells for a few days, then that was fine with her. She needed to be more cautious where she stepped—especially with witnesses. Thankfully, Christopher hadn’t said a word as they unsaddled last night, and for that she owed him one.
“That’s a lot of pancakes,” said Addison as she eyed the stack.
Paige laughed at herself. “It’s my mom’s recipe. I should have cut it in half.” Paige looked at the batter still in the bowl. “Maybe a fourth would have been better. We have a lot of men to feed on Sundays.”
“You must have a whole platoon.” Cody snagged the orange juice from the fridge and took his regular seat at the table.
Thankful to be on a safe topic, Paige said, “Matthew can eat eight to ten pancakes alone.”
“Whoa.”
Paige ran her hand over Addison’s mussed hair. “Jacob holds the record—twenty-one.”
Addison’s mouth formed a small O.
“We could use some of that talent this morning,” said Cody.
“Maybe Christopher is hungry.” Paige quickly sent a text before taking her seat next to Addison. She placed her napkin on her lap and looked up to find Cody considering her. “What?” She brushed at her face to make sure she didn’t have flour on her cheeks.
“You have Christopher’s number programmed in your phone?”
Paige shrugged. “We swapped last night after ...” Paige’s neck grew warm. She hadn’t wanted to bring up last night at all, and yet here she was, stumbling over her words. When Cody had left, he seemed angry, though Paige didn’t know if he was angry at her or at himself. “Um, after working with the horses.”
There was a light tap on the door and then Christopher came through, saving her from blurting out her desires right there at the kitchen table. “Smells good.” He wiggled his heavy eyebrows.
Addison giggled. “Badger wants pancakes too.” She pointed to Badger sitting on the other side of the glass patio doors, his nose leaving little squiggles and his breath fogging up the glass. “Can he come in?”
“No,” answered Cody and Paige at the same time. Cody lifted his eyebrows.
Paige cringed. “Sorry. It’s your call.” She had taken to the role of mom all too quickly and needed to watch herself. This was Cody’s home and she was a guest—a long-term guest, but a guest nonetheless.
Christopher sat across from Paige, who forked two pancakes onto her plate and reached for the fruit. He cleared his throat. “I called the stables. With the Ingalls’ Horse Show starting up, they’re booked for the week.”
Paige tucked her elbows close to her body. “I’ll start calling around after breakfast and see if I can find another stable. Thanks for checking.”
Christopher pointed a fork loaded with pancake in her direction. “I took the liberty, and I’m afraid everyone’s booked up.”
Cody’s fork clattered to his plate. “You’re telling me, there’s not one empty stall in the whole city?”
Addison swung her head around, taking in all the grown-up talk like a sponge.
Chewing thoughtfully, Christopher took a sip of orange juice before responding. “Well, there was one here and one there, but no one had three together.”
Paige closed her eyes. “I guess we could spread them out over the valley. It’s only for a week, right?”
“It’s doable.” Christopher speared another bite. “You’ll spend the week driving to three different stables, twice a day, to feed. These places don’t provide daily care.”
Cody shook his head. “Paige is supposed to be here, with Addison.” His voice wasn’t demanding or condescending. He was simply stating a fact—the reason Paige was hired.
She couldn’t very well leave Addison with a sitter when Cody was paying her an awful lot of money to take care of the girl. Maybe if she’d had more time before the ceremony, she could have had a plan in place; but with the abbreviated engagement, she’d done the best she could, and they’d all have to make some concessions. “I could take her with me,” Paige offered.
“That won’t work; she starts summer dance classes this week.”
This was the first Paige had heard of a dance class. She and Cody needed to have a conversation about her responsibilities and their goals for the marriage, but now wasn’t the time. “Maybe I could drop her off at dance and then go feed …”
Addison tugged Paige’s sleeve. Her solemn face was enough to take Paige’s mind off her horse and pay attention. “Can you stay and watch?”
Paige pressed her forehead to Addison’s. “I’d love to.”
Addison smiled and nuzzled Paige’s nose with her own. Paige laughed and kissed the girl’s forehead before they both pulled back. Addison went on to eating the whipped cream off her pancakes, and Paige went back to worrying about where to put her horses.
She let out a heavy sigh and looked up to find Cody and Christopher staring at her. Christopher had a kindly smile and his eyes were soft. Cody’s mouth hung open and his eyebrows almost touched his hairline. “I-I’ve never …” He looked from Paige to Addison.
Paige smiled. Her exchange with Addison had been natural to her. Her family was probably lax compared to others when it came to personal space. The boys were constantly wrestling each other or throwing an arm around one of their sisters. As for the girls, they would braid hair, link arms, or tickle relentlessly. Looking back, Paige decided that having ten people in a four-bedroom house had created a situation where you learned to tolerate, if not enjoy, having someone close. Cody’s big house felt empty in comparison, and Paige had a surge of homesickness.
Cody snapped his mouth shut. Unsure if she’d done something wrong or really right, Paige ate in silence.
Christopher wiped his mouth and then set his napkin on his plate. “The way I see it, our only option is to leave the horses where they are for another week.”
Paige sucked in air through her teeth. “I can’t do that.” She turned to Cody. “I promised it would only be one night, and I’ll keep that promise—even if I have to take them into the next county.”
Cody glanced at Addison, who had moved through the whipped cream and was chasing a blueberry around her plate with her fork. Her tongue poked out the side of her mouth as she concentrated.
“I need your focus here.” He used his eyes to indicate his daughter. “If that means the horse stay another few days ... so be it.” Cody sank back into his chair as if he’d deflated.
Paige jerked her shoulders back and sat up straight. A whole week with her horses on the property! A week of working evenings with Christopher! Annie May had run an excellent pattern last night. There was no telling how much she could improve in a week. Having them here would cut down her training time, because Paige could work her nightly instead of every third, as she would have had to divide her nights between the three horses if they were at different facilities.
Cody ran a hand down his face. “But after that, they’re gone.” His words rang through Paige as strong as the farrier’s hammer hitting an anvil.
Still, it was more than Paige had prayed for and even better than she’d hoped. “Yeah—a week should be good.” She pressed her arms to her sides to keep from throwing them in the air.
Cody turned to Christopher. “Call the stables back today and reserve three stalls starting next week.”
“Will do,” said Christopher. When Cody looked away, he winked at Paige.
Paige had the feeling Christopher hadn’t made as many calls as he’d let on, but that was his fib, not hers, and she was willing to let it slide.
After a moment of sile
nce, Cody said, “The pancakes are delicious.”
“Thanks, Cody.” Paige smiled and slid down in her chair. Saying his name brought up all sorts of memories from last night and made her want to giggle. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as his cheeks reddened, and his dimple appeared and then disappeared just as quickly.
Christopher cleared his throat.
“What’s on the schedule today?” she asked Cody.
“We’ve got church at ten.”
Paige checked the clock on the microwave; they had plenty of time to get dressed. “I’ll be ready. Then what?”
Cody crumpled his napkin. “You want to come with us?”
Paige silently cringed. There she went again, believing that she was truly a wife and a mother who had every right—was expected, even—to attend church with her family. “I assumed …” She felt so stupid. Despite the intimate moment they’d shared, Cody didn’t see her as an equal in this marriage—she was an employee. While she didn’t feel as if he thought her below him, she also didn’t feel included in the family circle. Not where Cody was concerned; Addison and Christopher were open and welcoming. She would do well to remember Cody had a different idea of how this was supposed to go. It was difficult for Paige to remember this wasn’t all real—especially when they shared a table in their sleepwear.
“If you’d like to attend, you can ride with us,” said Cody. It wasn’t an invitation. It was more of an admission that she wouldn’t inconvenience them by tagging along.
Paige thought about driving across town to worship with her family in the building she grew up attending, but decided against it. The Walkers might not be a traditional family, but part of the reason Paige was there was to be an example to Addison. Paige’s mom was a woman of faith, and if Paige was going to do this job right, then she would need to be a model for Addison as well. “I’ll be ready.” Paige smiled. “What else do you have planned?”
Cody shifted. “We usually stick close to home on Sundays.”
“We have grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch,” added Addison.
Cody grinned. “Every Sunday.”
Paige wondered if there was meaning behind their little ritual. Not knowing made her once again feel like an outsider. No one asked what Paige wanted to do, and she felt the lack of interest as a stab. Pushing it aside, she offered her plans anyway. “I still have some organizing to do in my room, and you and I should probably go over our schedule for the week.”
“Yep.” Cody stood and took his dishes to the sink. “I’m going to jump in the shower.” He put away the flour and baking soda Paige had left on the counter before disappearing into his room.
Christopher stood as well.
“Are you coming to church?” Paige asked.
“No, ma’am.” He scraped his plate. “I’m not much of a churchgoer.”
“Okay.” Paige turned to Addison. “Do you want to wear your fancy dress today?”
“Sure.” Addison jumped to her feet. She too scraped her plate, and Paige was impressed with her manners.
Christopher headed toward the door. “Thanks for breakfast.”
“You’re welcome!” called Paige as he stepped out the door. Badger wagged his tail.
Paige and Addison quickly cleaned up the remaining dishes. “I’ll race you to see who can shower faster,” said Paige.
Addison squealed and ran to the stairs. “Mark. Set. Go!” she called as she climbed.
“Hey!” Paige took off after her. They thundered up the stairs and disappeared into their bathrooms, Addison giggling the whole time.
Paige shed her clothes and turned on the shower. As she stepped into the warm water, she realized she was still smiling. Addison was a joy. The girl had some emotional needs that gaped like fissures in the earth, and Paige prayed she’d be able to meet them. She couldn’t deny that there was a connection between the two of them. Sure, there would be rough days ahead, and at some point Addison would ask Paige to prove her love by loving her through less than her best behavior. Paige could do that. She already felt as though Addison was family, and family stood together.
Cody was another matter. He might never see her as more than an employee, and that stung worse than tripping into nettle. Why should she be hurt by Cody’s unacceptance? He’d obviously thought her a good candidate for Addison’s caregiver. That should have been enough to satisfy Paige—but it wasn’t. Instead, it made her feel off center and a bit unsure of her place as his wife.
Shaken by the admission that she wanted to be Cody’s wife, Paige scrubbed her scalp. Maybe if I scrub hard enough, I can scrub those thoughts away. She had a full year in this house, and she needed to focus on Addison, training horses, and … and … and not the man who rolled out of bed looking like Paige’s dream come true. Because Cody wasn’t her dream. Annie May was her dream.
Paige stuck out her tongue. As beautiful as Annie May was, no horse could compare to the delectable Cody Walker. Paige dunked her face into the water. I’m hopeless!
Chapter 21
They were barely on time for services. Cody would have liked to blame it on Paige’s need to primp, but she and Addison had been standing by the door when he finally came out of his room.
Addison was dressed in the same pink creation she’d worn to the wedding. Paige had braided Addison’s hair from one side of her head to the other, where she’d secured it with an elastic and created a messy bun. Paige’s hair was left free, the curls cascading across her shoulders and down her back. She wore a simple navy wrap dress and a pair of grey boots with a high shine and silver-tipped toes. Her jewelry was made of leather and silver, which gave a casual look to what would otherwise have been an evening party dress. Cody found the effect appropriate for church, though the way his skin tingled was not at all church-related. The insane desire to kiss the soft, creamy skin of Paige’s neck and have her hair brush his cheek was almost more than he could handle.
Clenching his jaw had been his only recourse, and it made for a tense ride to church. To take his mind off areas he’d rather it not stray to, Cody thought about breakfast. The way Paige and Addison had connected in such a short time was beyond him. How was it possible for two people to fall in love so quickly? Neither had said the words, and still there was no doubt in Cody’s mind that they’d bonded.
One comment from Addison about wanting Paige to stay for class, and Paige instantly read the girl’s insecurities and responded appropriately. The look of love in Paige’s eyes when she kissed Addison’s hair was too plain to miss—even for Cody. Christopher had caught it, too, but Cody wasn’t sure Addison or Paige was completely aware of what they shared.
A new worry formed in Cody’s mind. What would happen to Addison when Paige left? It seemed so far away that he easily brushed that worry aside. He had enough to concern himself with at the moment.
Cody shepherded Paige and Addison into a pew. Addison had gone first, so he ended up next to Paige. They stood for the opening hymn. Cody mumbled along with the organ; Addison followed along, nowhere near the right key; and Paige harmonized.
Cody glanced at the hymnal. Only the soprano line was written, and yet Paige sang a beautiful alto accompaniment. He shook his head. She could cook. She could ride. She could train horses. She braided hair. She’d managed to capture Addison’s heart. And now she could sing.
“Something wrong?” Paige asked as they took their seats.
“Is there anything you don’t do?” he asked, hoping his admiration came through and he didn’t sound snarky, because he felt snarky. It wasn’t right for one woman to have all that talent.
Paige bit her bottom lip and looked up as if she were thinking really hard about the answer, but Cody could tell she was giving him a hard time—and he liked it. “I can’t think of anything.”
Cody laughed out loud and quickly covered it with a cough. The silver-haired woman in front of them threw disapproving looks over her shoulder.
Paige nudged him with her elbow, her shoulders shaki
ng with laughter.
Cody was never irreverent in church. He and Addison came every week, and they sat quietly during the sermon, shook hands with the preacher, and never made waves. So why, on his first week as a married man, did Cody find that he couldn’t help himself from talking through the sermon? “Can you dance?” he asked.
“Two-step, waltz, and I can line dance like a champ,” she whispered back.
The woman glanced over her shoulder again. Pastor Levi had already made announcements and was pointing to a verse as he read a scripture; Cody had no idea what he was talking about. He leaned closer to Paige, the scent of honeysuckle filling his senses. “Play the piano?”
Paige put her hand on his shoulder and turned, her breath brushing the sensitive skin under his ear. “The fiddle.”
“Really?”
“We have a family band of sorts. For the camp.”
“Oh.” Cody was overwhelmed with what he didn’t know about his wife. Did she say she had three brothers? A sister? Pamela had mentioned a camp, but he had no idea what that had to do with a family band.
Paige’s arm slipped back to her lap, and Cody searched his mind for a way to get it back. Sitting quietly for a moment, he pondered his next question. He wanted something out of the ordinary. Something not as personal as a list of his in-laws. That was too much. “Can you make jewelry?” he whispered.
Paige held up her wrist and nodded toward her leather cuff.
Cody was impressed. It didn’t look like a preteen’s craft project. It looked like the expensive ones he’d seen at the mall. “Did you make your dress too?”
Paige shook her head. “But I could have.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Pickles?”
“Sweet and dill.”
“Salsa?”
“Mild and spicy.”
“Paint?”
“Walls, but not art.”
“Tile?”
The Country Bride: Billionaire Marriage Brokers Book 4 Page 13