‘Plus.’ He smiled, oblivious to her internal wrangling. ‘She believes celebrity biographies areclassless, darling.’
Paige laughed as he, she assumed, mimicked his mother. ‘Okay, maybe not her then.’
He grinned. ‘I have some people I can ask.’
‘Excellent.’
He sipped his coffee, Paige hyper aware of his scrutiny as he peered at her over the rim of his mug. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked eventually.
Paige shrugged because, the truth was, she didn’tknowhow she felt. Not really. Talking it over with Astrid and Sienna had helped but she wouldn’t really know the extent of her feelings until she’d spoken to Bella. Which was going to be tough and she was already wishing she hadn’t agreed.
Everything inside her wanted to run far away from it.
‘I’m going to call Bella later and tell her.’ She hadn’t planned on sharing it with Oliver but she figured if she put it out there, spoke it out loud, she’d have to see it through. Plus, it was only fair she told him given he might experience some potential blow back.
Slowly, Oliver placed his mug on the table, his brows knitting together in a deep frown. ‘Whywould you do that?’
Paige blinked. So much for hoping Oliver would give her some accountability. ‘You expect me to keep this from her?’
‘Um… yes?’ His expression was incredulous. Like he couldn’t believe they were having this conversation.
‘I can’t carry this around with me and pretend it didn’t happen every time I see her or talk to her from now on.’ They’d be coming face to face in New York soon and Paige knew she couldn’t have this secret hanging around her neck on Bella’s big night. ‘She’s my friend, Oliver.’
‘Exactly.’
‘You don’t think she deserves to know that I slept with her ex? Who jilted her on the morning of her wedding viatext.’
‘Hell no.’ It was followed with a very definite shake of his head. ‘You ever heard that expression, ignorance is bliss?’
Paige frowned as realisation dawned. So, this was how some men could so easily do shitty things to women because they viewed issues through the lens of whether they could get away with it or not. She’d just thought, given all the insight she’d gleaned into him these past weeks, Oliver wouldn’t be one of them.
Which made her mad. ‘You’re only worried about how this will makeyoulook.’ She glared at him. ‘A little late for that, isn’t it?’
His lips flattened. ‘I’m a big boy, Paige. I can own my part in this but, as you pointed out, she already thinks I’m pond scum. I don’t have much to lose.’
The inference being that Paige did.And she did.
‘If you were truly team Bella you’d realise you weren’t doing it forherbenefit. You’re doing it to alleviateyourguilt. Soyou’llfeel unburdened. But what abouther?Have you thought about how badly this could hurt her?’
Paige swallowed, hating herself a little more. ‘Yes.’
He nodded as if she’d just made his point. ‘But it doesn’t matter becauseyou’llfeel better, right? Even if she feels worse.’
Paige closed her eyes. She hadn’t thought about it like that. Only how good it would feel after it was out and she didn’t have to keep it some deep, dark secret. She was being selfish and he was calling her out on it.
‘Is that what you really want, Paige?’
His direct appeal hit her straight in the feels. No, it was not what she wanted. She wanted to go back in time and not have kissed him, not have slept with him. But she had and the whole situation wascomplicated. Opening her eyes, she stared morosely at the table top. ‘She’ll feel a lot worse if she finds out another way.’
‘How’s she going to find out, Paige? Only you and I know and I’m sure as shit not going to tell her.’
But they weren’t the only two, were they? She wasn’t the only spider in this tangled web they’d weaved. Except, she couldn’t tellhimthat. Not without the whole sorry saga coming out.
Lifting her gaze to his, she said, ‘These things have a way of eventually coming out.’
He let out a slow breath, placing his palms flat on the table. ‘Okay, look… do you know what’s going on with us, Paige? What are we doing exactly? Are we a… thing?’
If Paige had been taking a sip of her coffee right now, she’d have choked on it for sure. What the hell? Where had that come from? Was he serious about havingthisconversationnow?Or was he trying to make some point? Either way, his blue eyes didn’t waver as he waited for her answer.
