One Week Later
Paige smiled at Owen Richardson, her boyfriend of one year, and wondered how she’d tolerated him for so long. But she knew why. He worshiped the ground she walked on, and the sex between them could sometimes be out of this world. Still, he was no Pierce Montgomery. He wasn’t even half the man her brother-in-law was, not when you compared their looks, charisma, and personality, and Owen’s financial situation had never sat well with her either. Of course, there was no denying that he did earn a great salary as a fireman, but he didn’t bring in nearly enough money to excite Paige. He didn’t make the kind of money that would keep her satisfied or afford her a much more glamorous home—something much better than the average-looking one she lived in currently.
Owen took a bite of the chicken quesadilla they’d just had delivered and then drank a sip of soda. “Such a great movie, isn’t it, baby?”
“Yeah, it really is,” Paige said, referring to The Blind Side, which she’d already seen with a friend when it was first released at the theater and also two other times on one of the pay channels.
“I just love how the Tuohys took in Michael Oher, loved him like he was their own child, and also made sure he got a great education. Not to mention, you could tell he’d been a great kid all along. Just needed someone to guide and care about him.”
“Yeah, that really was sweet of them,” Paige said, barely paying Owen any attention because she was now daydreaming about Pierce—wondering what he was doing and whether he was thinking of her as well. Oh how desperately she wanted to be with him and couldn’t wait to begin implementing the fabulous strategy she’d come up with. Her plan was absolutely brilliant, and she couldn’t help smiling when she thought about the future outcome. Just visualizing the two of them together forever made her tingly all over.
“Paige!” she heard Owen yelling. “Have you heard a word I said?”
“What? Of course I have.”
“Then why did I have to call your name three different times before you answered? I mean, what are you so preoccupied about?”
“Nothing.”
“It doesn’t seem like nothing to me.”
“You’re just paranoid.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he said, turning back toward the television with an annoyed look on his face.
Paige knew he hadn’t believed her and now had a slight attitude, but in truth, she couldn’t have cared less.
They watched another twenty minutes of the movie, and then out of nowhere Owen’s face softened and he got serious. He muted the volume on the remote and turned his body completely toward her. Paige wondered what this was all about.
“You know,” he said, “I’ve been debating whether to have this discussion with you for a good while now, but for some reason, tonight feels right. We just made the most passionate love, and I’ve never been more sure about our relationship.”
Paige wasn’t sure she liked where this conversation was headed and didn’t say anything.
“You know I love you, right?” he said, continuing.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“I love you more than anything in this world.”
Paige fell silent again, and when Owen moved from the sofa and down to the floor on one knee, her heart dropped. He positioned himself directly in front of her and then pulled out a tiny royal blue velvet box. “Paige Donahue, will you marry me?”
Paige was taken aback and still had no words to speak. She tried answering him, or at least to make some sort of comment, but she couldn’t.
“Sweetheart, I know we haven’t spoken much about marriage, but I don’t think my feelings about you have ever been a secret. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you, so how about it? Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
“I… I… Look, Owen,” she finally said. “This is truly very kind of you, but I’m sorry to say that I’m not ready for marriage.”
Owen stared at her, clearly hurt by her rejection. “But why?”
“Because I’m just not.”
“So does this mean you don’t love me?”
“No. It doesn’t mean that at all, but I have to be honest. I love you, but I’m not in love with you.”
Owen sighed deeply, got to his feet, and sat back down on the sofa. Paige saw how devastated, heartbroken, and confused he was, but there was nothing she could do about it.
“I’m really sorry,” she said innocently.
Owen set the tiny box down on the glass coffee table. “Wow,” he said, shaking his head. “I feel like a complete fool. Especially, since you’ve been telling me for months that you did love me.”
“That’s because I do. But not in the way a woman should love a man when she’s ready to marry him.”
Owen looked at her, noticeably perturbed. “Well, Paige, if you weren’t in love with me and you’ve known that you weren’t all this time, then why have you been allowing me to pay half of your car note every month and take you shopping in stores I really couldn’t afford? Not to mention the cash I gave you from almost every paycheck.”
“I don’t get what you mean,” she said, acting as though she didn’t understand what he was saying.
“You know exactly what I mean. Why did you use me the way you did?”
Paige raised her eyebrows, now losing patience with him. “Look, Owen. I never forced you to do any of those things. You helped with my car payment and bought nice things for me all on your own.”
Owen folded his arms. “So, not once did you hint around about how tough things were for you or how hard it was paying all your bills? Not once did you tell me you were experiencing a slow period with clients and that you didn’t know what you were going to do?”
Paige looked away from him, knowing she had hinted a few times about her eight-hundred-dollar Lexus car payment on purpose and how she had also lured him into high-end department stores, only to express how much she loved a certain dress or handbag. She’d told him how she wished she could buy some of those things but just couldn’t afford it. She’d done this because she’d learned early on that Owen did care a lot for her and wanted her to be happy. She’d discovered how compassionate he was, and, right or wrong, she’d preyed on his sympathy every chance she’d gotten. Now, though, she wanted nothing to do with the idea of marrying him and hoped he would eventually understand that.
“So, what does this mean for us?” he asked, still angry. “I mean, do you think you’ll ever be in love with me? Will you ever want to become my wife?”
Paige hesitated for a few seconds, then said, “No. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see that happening.”
“Wow,” he said.
Paige placed her hand on the side of his arm. “I really am sorry.”
Owen grabbed his jeans and sweater from the back of the sofa and slipped them on. “I don’t know when I’ve ever been more disappointed or pissed off. But hey, I guess it is what it is.”
“I never meant to hurt you, Owen. I never meant for things to turn out this way,” she said, because she honestly hadn’t planned on their relationship ending so soon. Although, deep down, she had to admit that she wasn’t terribly bothered by it, because once she and Pierce finally got together, she would have had to end things with Owen anyhow. She would have had to notify him abruptly, and that scenario might have made things worse.
Owen pulled on his leather jacket and walked toward the front door, and Paige followed behind him.
“I know I’ve apologized, but I just want to say again how sorry I am.”
“I’ll see you later, Paige,” he said, opening the door.
“Owen, I know you’re upset right now, but I do hope we can still be friends.”
Owen walked out of the condo and never looked back at her.
Paige watched him stroll toward the driveway and get into his car. She truly was very sorry, but she could never love him the way he wanted her to, so there was no sense delaying the inevitable. Surprisingly, though, she did feel a little sad and felt bad for Owen, but she had to move on. What she had to do now was focus on more critical matters—her brother-in-law—and this, of course, made her smile again. The whole idea of it all lifted her spirits and made her want to take a shower and turn in early. That way she would have even longer to dream about her future husband.
Yes, life was going to be just grand once Paige became the next Mrs. Pierce Montgomery—something that would happen a lot sooner than anyone could imagine.