such…aggravation before.
“I told you, two years ago, Alex Ramirez is not for you, Charlie. That hasn’t changed.”
She studies me as I sink into the chair opposite. “Paige, you don’t…” I shake my head, trying to gather my thoughts. “He and I, we--”
She interrupts me again. “You had a one night stand, the night of my birthday party.” Her eyes light up, daring me to contradict her.
How on earth could she have known and not said a word? The notion that she’s been walking around all this time, knowing I’ve kept this from her makes me feel sick. “I can’t believe you knew it. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I hoped it was a one time thing. I didn’t want to stir things up by talking about your booty call.”
Her cheap words dig at me. “It wasn’t a booty call.”
Resigned, she shakes her head. “I wish it had been.”
I wait quietly for her to continue.
“You should’ve seen him.” She smiles. “No shoes, no socks, his shirt buttoned-up all wrong. I’ve never seen him so un-composed. Imagine my shock when he demands to know where you live. After I’d warned you to steer clear of him not ten hours before.”
I watch every precious word form on her lips. He never called, never tracked me down, which wouldn’t have been difficult in Harlow. There’re several trailer parks to be sure, but only one with a twenty-foot tall Indian princess guarding the chain link gate. I always wondered, why not?
“He told Ken it had been the best night of his life and that he couldn’t let you just slip away.”
“But…he never came for me.”
For the first time since assaulting me, Paige looks slightly guilty.
“What did you do?” My heart is already sinking.
“I did what was best for you.”
“Meaning?”
“I told him to go home and forget he ever met you.”
White-hot anger boils inside me. “You did what?”
“Don’t look at me like that, Charlie. I was doing what was best for both of you. And Alex came to see I was right.”
I nearly knock the chair over in my hurry to stand. How could she have done that to me? She forced me to go to that ridiculous party, trussed up like a prize pig, and practically wed me to that slime-ball Spencer Ross. “I don’t understand. You’re the one that keeps telling me to aim higher with men. You send me pictures of apartments in Dallas and tell me to go back to school and--”
“I know.”
“Then why?” I shout. I’m close to tears. “Why did you get in the way? Why did you tell him not to come after me? Do you know how many nights I wondered if I’d meant anything to him? How many dates I turned down because the guys I’ve met couldn’t compare to him? Why would you do this to me?”
“Because I love you and I didn’t want to see you hurt. You don’t know Alex--”
“Then tell me.” I hiccup the last word.
Paige scans my face. Her brow creases in pain. “Alex’s family is old money,” she finally begins in a soft voice. “Not like Ken’s.” She fiddles with her hands. “Older. They came over from Spain before Texas was even a part of the United States. They settled on a huge amount of land and sold it off, piecemeal, for generations, building up a fortune, when they struck oil. A lot of oil.
“Ken’s mom showed me an early picture of the Ramirez clan. It was like Downton Abbey came to the Alamo. Their house is twice the size of Ken’s parent’s place and you saw how big that is.” She waits for my nod, indicating it’s okay to continue.
I do so automatically.
“When Alex decided to get his law degree rather than go to work in the family business, his father hit the roof.” Paige raises her hand above her head.
I shift uncomfortably, unhappy with the direction her story has taken.
“Ken says he made a lot of speeches about bringing dishonor on the family, which I never really understood. I mean, where we grew up becoming a lawyer’s about as out of reach as becoming an astronaut, but his
“I told you, two years ago, Alex Ramirez is not for you, Charlie. That hasn’t changed.”
She studies me as I sink into the chair opposite. “Paige, you don’t…” I shake my head, trying to gather my thoughts. “He and I, we--”
She interrupts me again. “You had a one night stand, the night of my birthday party.” Her eyes light up, daring me to contradict her.
How on earth could she have known and not said a word? The notion that she’s been walking around all this time, knowing I’ve kept this from her makes me feel sick. “I can’t believe you knew it. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I hoped it was a one time thing. I didn’t want to stir things up by talking about your booty call.”
Her cheap words dig at me. “It wasn’t a booty call.”
Resigned, she shakes her head. “I wish it had been.”
I wait quietly for her to continue.
“You should’ve seen him.” She smiles. “No shoes, no socks, his shirt buttoned-up all wrong. I’ve never seen him so un-composed. Imagine my shock when he demands to know where you live. After I’d warned you to steer clear of him not ten hours before.”
I watch every precious word form on her lips. He never called, never tracked me down, which wouldn’t have been difficult in Harlow. There’re several trailer parks to be sure, but only one with a twenty-foot tall Indian princess guarding the chain link gate. I always wondered, why not?
“He told Ken it had been the best night of his life and that he couldn’t let you just slip away.”
“But…he never came for me.”
For the first time since assaulting me, Paige looks slightly guilty.
“What did you do?” My heart is already sinking.
“I did what was best for you.”
“Meaning?”
“I told him to go home and forget he ever met you.”
White-hot anger boils inside me. “You did what?”
“Don’t look at me like that, Charlie. I was doing what was best for both of you. And Alex came to see I was right.”
I nearly knock the chair over in my hurry to stand. How could she have done that to me? She forced me to go to that ridiculous party, trussed up like a prize pig, and practically wed me to that slime-ball Spencer Ross. “I don’t understand. You’re the one that keeps telling me to aim higher with men. You send me pictures of apartments in Dallas and tell me to go back to school and--”
“I know.”
“Then why?” I shout. I’m close to tears. “Why did you get in the way? Why did you tell him not to come after me? Do you know how many nights I wondered if I’d meant anything to him? How many dates I turned down because the guys I’ve met couldn’t compare to him? Why would you do this to me?”
“Because I love you and I didn’t want to see you hurt. You don’t know Alex--”
“Then tell me.” I hiccup the last word.
Paige scans my face. Her brow creases in pain. “Alex’s family is old money,” she finally begins in a soft voice. “Not like Ken’s.” She fiddles with her hands. “Older. They came over from Spain before Texas was even a part of the United States. They settled on a huge amount of land and sold it off, piecemeal, for generations, building up a fortune, when they struck oil. A lot of oil.
“Ken’s mom showed me an early picture of the Ramirez clan. It was like Downton Abbey came to the Alamo. Their house is twice the size of Ken’s parent’s place and you saw how big that is.” She waits for my nod, indicating it’s okay to continue.
I do so automatically.
“When Alex decided to get his law degree rather than go to work in the family business, his father hit the roof.” Paige raises her hand above her head.
I shift uncomfortably, unhappy with the direction her story has taken.
“Ken says he made a lot of speeches about bringing dishonor on the family, which I never really understood. I mean, where we grew up becoming a lawyer’s about as out of reach as becoming an astronaut, but his
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