Not Actually Engaged (Otherwise Engaged #1)

by Jan Hinds

  Stuart lifted a fork full of pumpkin pie in the air as a culinary salute to his wife. “It’s official, my dear. Your scampering around Europe wasn’t a complete waste of time or money after all. Well done.”

  Evie’s smile wavered a fraction. “Yes, well, all this good food left a trail of dirty pots and pans in my kitchen. I’ll start cleaning up my mess.”

  Cooper and his father stood immediately. “We have a Jennings tradition that if the women cook, the men clean up afterwards,” Cooper said. “You ladies go enjoy the games, or whatever, while the men show our gratitude by doing the dishes for you.”

  Stuart, Brent, and Josh sat with stunned looks on their faces.

  Sylvia gave her husband Matt a passionate kiss. “Thank you, sweetheart. You’re wonderful.”

  Matt grinned. “Anything for you, Sweetcheeks.”

  Cooper raised his eyebrow to Paige who stood and gave him a sweet, lingering kiss that left him itching to draw her back into his arms.

  “I suppose this earns you to be ungrounded. Thank you,” she whispered.

  Cooper’s heart revved like a muscle car on steroids. “The pleasure is all mine,” he said with his lips ticked up in a grin.

  Amy grabbed Brent’s face in her hands plastered a loud wet smooch on his mouth. “I’m loving this tradition,” she said.

  Brent gave her a goofy grin and his voice squeaked when he said, “Yeah. Me too.”

  “I wasn’t planning to do dishes, but what the heck,” Joni said. She grabbed Josh’s collar, pulled him to her, kissing him soundly.

  Stuart smiled expectantly at Evie who slowly wiped her mouth with her cloth dinner napkin. “Well, ladies, it appears we’ve been given our marching orders,” she said. She stood and slowly pushed her chair back in.

  Stuart hid his disappointment poorly. His face turned red as he stood and began stacking plates to carry to the kitchen. “Well, gents, these dishes won’t wash themselves.”

  Evie took the stack of plates from his hands and put them back on the table. She laced her hands behind his neck and pulled his grinning mug down to meet her lips. Her kiss made all the other kisses pale in comparison. When their lips parted she said, “I like this tradition.”

  Stuart gave her a goofy grin, much like his son’s, and kissed her again. “I like it too.”

  Evie picked up the stack of dishes and handed them back to Stuart. She winked at him and said, “Let’s go ladies.”

  Aunt Marty stood and shrugged her shoulders. She took two steps toward the family room, turned back and pulled Cooper down so she could plant a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you. You’re a keeper.”

  Cooper hugged Aunt Marty and whispered in her ear. “Thank you for always loving Paige.”

  Aunt Marty patted his arm. “Pfft,” she said. “That’s the easiest thing I’ve done in my life.”

  Cooper grinned as he watched Paige teasing her nephews. “Yeah, me too.”

  ♥♥♥

  Cooper was elbow deep in dishwater when Stuart picked up a pan to dry. “Um, how are things going with you and my daughter?”

  Cooper glanced at Stuart while still scouring a skillet. “Great. Good.” He thought of the apprehension that had been simmering in Paige over the upcoming charity. “Actually there is something she’s nervous about.”

  He told Stuart and the other men about Whitley and the Open Hands Auction. The cleanup halted until Cooper finished telling them his concerns. “I don’t know what to do. She’s afraid no one will bid on her. Of course I will, but I don’t want her to feel humiliated, which I believe is Whitley’s goal.”

  Matt clamped his hand on his son’s shoulder. “I think I’ve got an idea as to how we can pad Paige’s fan base for the event. Don’t you worry about Paige. She won’t be embarrassed in any way. Trust me,” he said with a wink.

  Later that night, Cooper sat with his arm around Paige as she read several books to her nieces and nephews. Brent’s youngest son, Aiden, who was two, sat on Paige’s lap while his brothers, Tim, four, and Danny, six, sat on her other side. Joni’s son Jordon, aged five, snuggled between Cooper and Paige with his three-year-old sister Jenny cuddled up on Cooper’s lap.

  Cooper laughed with the children as Paige brought the characters to life with her voice and expressions. He could spend the rest of his life sitting next to this funny, beautiful woman. Warmth settled in his chest as he realized that was exactly what he wanted to do.

  Brent and Josh watched from the doorway until Paige finished the book she was reading. Brent clapped his hands together. “Bedtime. Aunt Paige and Uncle Cooper have agreed to watch all of you tomorrow while the rest of us go shopping so we need to let them get some rest or they won’t have the energy to keep up with you,” he said as he gathered Aiden up in his arms and carried him to his sleeping bag.

  Cooper tried not to limp as he walked out of the family room with Paige. “Where am I supposed to sleep,” he whispered.

  Bright pink splotches colored her cheeks. “Apparently my parents don’t believe we have separate bedrooms. They think that was all for show. My mother put us both in my old room.”

  With a tilt of his head, Cooper ginned and wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “I’m finding more and more things that I’m grateful for,” he whispered.

  Paige held up a warning finger to him. “Don’t you start getting any ideas, mister.”

  He grabbed her finger and kissed it. “Too late.”

  Paige opened the door to her room and Cooper’s shoulder’s slumped at the sight of her sleeping bag spread out on the floor. “Spoil sport,” he grumbled.

  Paige laughed. “You get the bed and can have the bathroom first,” she said as she tossed him his sleep pants and a t-shirt.

  By the time Cooper came out of the bathroom, Paige had changed into her pajamas and was snuggled into her sleeping bag. He climbed into the bed, trying to discern if she was asleep or awake. “What’s that?” he asked peering at her. “Is that a spider climbing on your sleeping bag?”

  Paige was out of her sleeping bag in a flash, stomping on it and half crying, half moaning, “Where is it? Did I get it? Oh, I hate spiders.”

  Cooper felt a little bad at how upset she was. He took hold of her hand and pulled her to the bed. “Come here. It’s okay. I’m sorry. I guess that wasn’t funny,” he said with a chuckle.

  She smacked him on the arm. “Are you nuts? You just about gave me a heart attack.”

  Cooper gathered her into his arms. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” He shook with laughter as he held her back pressed firmly to his chest.

  She twisted in his arms. “So not funny,” she said smacking his chest with her palm.

  He gave her a peck on the lips. “Admit it. It was a little funny.”

  With a shake of her head, her frown ticked up in a grin. “Was this your plan?”

  His chuckle slowed. “I didn’t think it through, but I won’t argue with the results. I’m so glad to not be grounded anymore.” He captured her lips in a kiss that quashed his laughter. “Paige, I want you.” He rolled her onto her back. “Honey, I l—”

  Paige scooted off the bed and ran to the door. “Um—I—uh, think I’ll go camp out with the kids.”

  She scooped her pillow off the floor, shook it vigorously, and ran from the room.

  Cooper flopped onto his back and released a frustrated breath. “I’m an idiot.”

  Chapter Ten

  By the night of the Open Hands Auction, Tina had worked her fashion magic. The gown she designed hugged Paige’s curves to her waist and then flowed to the floor in flattering lines that camouflaged the now twenty-five more pounds she wanted to lose. The periwinkle blue fabric had a lavender luminescence when the light hit it and enhanced her vibrant blue eyes.

  Paige stared at her image in the mirror. “Tina, I’m in awe. If it wouldn’t wrinkle the gown, I’d bow down in reverence to your magnificent designer skills,” Paige said as she turned to look over her shoulder in the mirror. “I scarcely recogn
ize myself.”

  “I’ve been wanting to design a dress for you for as long as I’ve known you. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity.”

  Paige touched up her lipstick. “I’m so glad I won’t have to face my low-bid humiliation alone, but I thought Zach was going to take you tonight.”

  “I couldn’t let him do that. He’s still struggling to get his landscaping business established. He was going to use most of his working capital to pay the entrance fee. Besides, my father insisted to take me so I don’t roust him out of bed in the middle of the night to rescue me again.”

  “Well, I’m grateful to have him going if only to have another friendly face to give me courage. I wish my dad could come, and Aunt Marty too. I could always count on the two of them to help me feel like a better person than I am.”

  “Nonsense. You only need to take a good long look in the mirror,” Tina said as she forced Paige to look at herself again. “You are a beautiful woman, and not just skin deep like some of the women who will be there. You don’t have to flaunt your beauty, but you should own it enough to enable you to walk with confidence and poise tonight.”

  Paige took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Confidence and poise. Do you really think Pudgy Paige can pull that off?”

  Tina threw her hands up in an exasperated motion. “If I could get my hands on every kid who taunted your childhood with that name, I’d wring their scrawny necks. Since I can’t, you’re the one who has to deny them the power of continuing to diminish you. Repeat after me: There is no Pudgy Paige.”

  It took an elbow in the ribs to force Paige to repeat it. “There is no Pudgy Paige.”

  “There is only Pretty Paige,” Tina prompted.

  Paige peered at herself. “Pretty Paige?” Her own eyes softened as she considered her own beauty. “Pretty Paige.”

  “That’s right. Now let’s get a move on. I can’t wait to see Cooper’s face when he sees you tonight.” She took her phone out of her clutch purse and readied the camera. “I’m going down first so I can get a picture of his expression, and to get a picture of you two together.”

  Paige waited a few minutes as she summoned up her courage and gave herself another internal pep talk. As she descended the stairs, she saw Cooper at the bottom of the steps with his head down. He leaned with both hands on a silver handled cane in front of him.

  Tina stood on the other side of the steps. “You can look now, Cooper.”

  When his face turned to Paige, his look of wonder and adoration stole her breath away. “Paige, you look enchanting,” he said. “Go upstairs and put jeans on.”

  “What?”

  “I’m serious. I don’t have enough money to outbid everyone if you go looking like that.”

  Paige laughed as she stepped down next to him and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Tina did an amazing job, didn’t she?”

  Tina looped her arm in her father’s elbow. “Paige, will you stop giving me all the credit and accept the fact that you are one hot woman? Tell her, Dad.”

  Darren Pruitt cleared his throat. “I’ll defer to your generation as to her level of hotness, but Tina is right, Paige. You’ve always been lovely and tonight you are exceptionally so. I’ll also take a father’s prerogative to agree that Tina is extremely talented and equally gorgeous.”

  Paige felt her face heating up. “All right, the sooner we get going, the sooner we can get this evening over with.”

  Cooper helped her on with the wrap Tina made to match her dress. He whispered in her ear, “I can’t wait to get you back home tonight. Your limousine awaits.”

  She grinned. “We’re going in a limo? I’ve never ridden in a limo before. Does it turn into a pumpkin at midnight?”

  “If I say yes, can we leave early?” Cooper said, putting his hand on the small of her back.

  She loved the warmth his touch gave her. Being with him felt easy and natural. Did she dare believe they could be a real couple? Why was she guarding her heart when it was already lost to him? So what if things didn’t last between them? If she didn’t take the risk, the heartache would be the same. She waited on the porch as Cooper locked the door. Tina and Darren were getting into the limousine when Cooper pocketed his keys and smiled at her. “Are you ready?”

  Paige touched his arm. “Before we go, I feel I owe you an explanation.” She felt the familiar flames on her face and was thankful for the shadows of the porch. “I know I’ve been somewhat distant since Thanksgiving. It isn’t because I don’t trust you. I don’t trust me and how much I’ve grown to—um, care for you. I felt I had to ground myself from kissing you.”

  Cooper traced the side of her face with his fingertips. “I officially unground you.”

  “Sorry, you don’t have the authority. Besides, if it was up to you neither of us would ever be grounded.”

  His warm, deep chuckle warmed her heart. “Guilty as charged.”

  ♥♥♥

  They arrived at the War Memorial Coliseum and were dropped off at the entrance. With still a long way to walk, she worried about Cooper. He didn’t show any signs of being in pain so she gave up the hope of getting him to forget about the evening and just go home.

  When they reached their table, Sylvia and Matt Jennings were there waiting for them, along with her parents and Aunt Marty.

  Her mother spluttered, “Paige, is that you? You look divine.”

  Paige searched her mother’s face for sarcasm and waited for a snide comment. After an uncomfortable pause, she said, “Thanks, Mom.”

  Aunt Marty hugged her and whispered, “Evie wants to mend all the bridges she burned. Give her another chance, sweet girl.”

  Paige nodded and made the rounds of hugs and cheek kisses. “I had no idea you were all going to be here.” She cast a sidelong accusing look at Cooper.

  Stuart motioned to Matt Jennings. “Cooper told us about the evening, but you can thank Matt for arranging the surprise. He invited us to come join you.”

  She gave Matt another hug and whispered, “Thank you.”

  Matt hugged her. “To me you’re already my daughter and I’d do this for any of my children.”

  Paige blinked back tears.

  Tina and Darren stood by quietly while Paige accepted compliments. “I want you all to meet my good friend Tina Pruitt and her father Darren.” She made the rest of the introductions.

  Aunt Marty struck up a conversation with Darren and put him completely at ease.

  Tina and Paige exchanged delighted smiles.

  Matt managed to procure two more chairs that they squeezed around the table. Stuart insisted Darren take the chair next to Aunt Marty. Whenever Evie tried to inject herself into Aunt Marty’s conversation, either Stuart or Paige diverted her attention.

  Evie’s struggled with irritation at the two of them, yet never stooped to snide comments as she normally did. Her attention was completely diverted when Paige turned the topic of conversation onto the wedding. That kept Evie and Sylvia engaged in a discussion that no one could interrupt.

  Cooper squeezed Paige’s left hand, quietly making polite conversation with Stuart and his father. His touch infused her with a calm confidence. If her mother had nothing negative to say, perhaps the evening wasn’t going to be as bad as she feared.

  After a few minutes, Matt leaned toward Cooper and said, “Don’t look now, but Sawyer Pierce just walked in. Alone.”

  Cooper gave Paige a worried look. “Honey, no matter what happens, do not go anywhere with him.”

  She looked at Cooper like he was crazy. “I don’t want to go anywhere with anyone but you.”

  He looked at her with tenderness. “Yeah, well, Sawyer can be persuasive. The guy is obsessed with taking every woman I date. Remember he even went so far as to marry the last one.”

  Matt leaned forward and whispered to Paige. “He did Cooper a favor with every one of them. If you think about it, if it wasn’t for Sawyer, Cooper might not have found you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to my
son.”

  Paige touched Matt’s arm, her heart filled with gratitude for Cooper’s wonderful parents. She basked in the love surrounding her. Had she ever felt this happy before? She shook herself mentally, silently chiding herself for forgetting their engagement wasn’t real.

  Sawyer Pierce came straight to their table. “Mr. Jennings, Mrs. Jennings. It’ good to see you both again.”

  Matt stood and shook his hand. Sylvia gave him a polite smile that lacked her usual warmth.

  Sawyer spoke to Cooper without looking at him, his eyes roving over Paige. “Cooper, it’s been a long time. I’m glad to see you out and about.”

  She’d never seen Cooper look so filled with anger. He squeezed her hand under the table. His angular jaw tensed and a vein in his temple throbbed. He took her hand in his and whispered in her ear. “Please, trust me.”

  She felt the tug on her ring clear up to her heart. When she lifted her hand to look at her naked finger, Evie, Sylvia, and Aunt Marty all gasped.

  Cooper stood and nodded. “Pierce. I didn’t expect to see you here,” he said.

  Sawyer’s eyes never left Paige. “It’s a good cause and all. Natalie asked me to be one of the bachelors. I heard you were off the market. Is this the lucky lady?”

  Paige stood next to Cooper. When he made no effort to introduce them, she extended her hand. “I’m Paige Vaughn. I’m Cooper’s—”

  “Paige is my personal assistant.”

  Tina’s hand slapped the table, but the sound seemed muffled by the murmurs around Paige and the pressure in her ears. She felt her face burning, from humiliation, hurt, and anger.

  The band struck up a slow song and Sawyer held out his hand to her. “Paige, would you care to dance?”

  She glanced at her left hand and gave Cooper a scathing look. “Since I don’t seem to be otherwise engaged, I’d be delighted.”

  As she walked away, she heard Aunt Marty above the others chastising Cooper. “Are you out of your freaking mind?”