“Hey.” Paige shuffles into the room in a white t-shirt, shorts, and fuzzy socks. Her hair is pulled back in a long ponytail, and her face is free of makeup. Fuck, she’s beautiful. “What are you doing here? Did you need me for something with Harlan?” Why is she confused to see me?
I stand, but when I take a step toward her, she steps back, and my heart sinks. I clear my throat. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to leave you like that.” I explain what happened with Amber and how her freakout upset the boys to the point that Austin started vomiting.
“I’m sorry he was sick.” She tugs at the hem of her t-shirt. “Did Beau give you my message?”
“That you don’t want to be married to me? Yes.”
Paige fights a smile and rolls her eyes. “I’m thinking maybe I should just come over if you need me for Harlan. That way, I won’t be in your hair or upsetting your kids or your wife.”
“Myex-wife. Pretty sure you’re my current wife. Besides, I thought you needed a job. Don’t you wanna work in my office?”
“We both know you don’t need me for anything except appearances with your banker. I’ll just help Sylvia at her salon. She needs someone to wash hair, do laundry, and clean up. So maybe I’ll do that.” She gives me a fake smile that’s so removed from the carefree smiles she gave me in the hot tub, it makes me flinch. “I’m not your concern, Rhett. I can take care of myself.”
I scrub a hand over my face. This is not going the way I hoped it would. But she’s not getting rid of me that easily. “Can we sit, please? I haven’t slept since our wedding night, and I’m about to fall over.”
Her eyes grow concerned. “You didn’t sleep last night?”
“I was up with Austin. Then some asshole cut our fences again, and we had to track down a dozen cattle, one of whom we chased for hours.” I sit on the couch again, and she sits on the opposite end. Fuck this shit. I reach over and tug her into my lap.
“Rhett, what?—”
“Shut up and listen.” I angle her so I can look into her eyes. “I’m sorry I was an asshole. I’m not handling Amber or my kids or all the crap I need to deal with on the ranch very well. I’m especially not good at having a new wife.” I cup her beautiful face. “But I don’t want you to feel like I don’t need you. I do. I…”
I debate what to say, but maybe Sylvia is right and I need to go about this differently. My instinct is to be the asshole I’ve always been. Except I don’t wanna be that hardass with Paige. I stroke her soft cheek with my thumb. “I like being around you, Paige. We had fun at the cabin before everything went sideways, right?”
She reluctantly nods. “But you don’t need me hanging around. I’d just be in your way, and I don’t like to be where I’m not wanted.”
I did this to her. I made her feel unwanted. If I could kick my own ass right now, I would.
“Wildflower, I always want you around. I realize our situation is unique, that you’re leaving at the end of the year, but you’ve always been special to me, and it pains me to hear that I made you feel this way. Nothing could be farther from the truth.”
When she doesn’t say anything, I take her hand in mine. “Please come back to the ranch with me. Let me make it up to you. I promise we’ll figure this out.” I kiss her wrist. “Come help me organize my office. It’ll be easier on your ankle than cleaning Sylvia’s salon.” And if I had to guess, Sylvia doesn’t really need the help.
Her eyes get glassy, and she whispers, “I don’t want to get attached to you. We agreed this isn’t forever.”
I don’t know why, but it hurts to hear that. I try to save face by cracking a joke. “So what you’re saying is you need me to be a little bit of an asshole.” She laughs, and I kiss her forehead. “Let’s try to be friends like we said we would. Once you’re healed up, you’ll go to Boston or to whatever cheer camp is lucky enough to have you.” I feel the need to underscore this point. “Paige, I can’t stay married, and that’s all about me and my issues. But it would make me really happy to have you around in the meanwhile. To make sure you get back on your feet again. Let me take care of you until you leave, sweetheart.”
A long silence stretches, and I hate that I brought up divorce. Except I was a terrible husband, and I don’t wanna make the same mistakes again. Especially with my best friend’s little sister, who deserves someone who will make her the center of his universe.
“Okay, but…” She sniffles, and the regret in her eyes kills me. “You were right about the other stuff. I don’t think we should sleep together.”
That’s fucking tragic. But she’s right. “Then we won’t sleep together. We’ll pretend we never saw each other naked.” Fat chance.
Paige nibbles her delectable bottom lip. “All right, husband.”
“All right, wife.”
Damn, I shouldn’t love how that sounds.
Feet stomp down the hall, and Baylee, who looks angrier than that bull I chased this afternoon, storms in. “Rhett Walker, please tell me you’re gonna stop being a giant dick.”
“I am, I swear.” From the bottom of my cold, black heart.
She looks at Paige, and they have some kind of silent conversation before she turns back to me. Baylee holds up two fingers to her eyes and then points them at me. “I’m watching you.”
“Wouldn’t expect anything less.”
18
