Paige separated her whites, darks, lights, and towels into four different piles and poured liquid detergent into the washer. Then she added a full scoop of powdered OxiClean and the appropriate amount of fabric softener and tossed in all her white clothing. She turned the washer on, closed the top of it, and went back into the kitchen. She’d eaten lunch with Camille about five hours ago, but she was starting to get hungry again.
Poor, poor Camille and all the trouble she was dealing with. Having an affair, lying about it, and then trying to figure out what she and her children were going to do now that Pierce was gone. If things had been different between them, and Paige had loved her the way most sisters actually loved each other, she might feel sorry for her. But the truth of the matter was, she didn’t. She did care about Camille, she guessed, and she loved her niece and nephew for sure, but she couldn’t and wouldn’t allow Pierce to go back to them. She couldn’t let him slip through her fingers after all the hard work she’d put in, not to mention all the waiting she’d done. Plus, PJ and Crystal would be fine. They would still have an extremely close relationship with their father and would go on to be very happy children, once they saw that their father was better off with their auntie.
Paige went into the living room and turned on Kem’s CD and then walked back into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator, pulled out a head of lettuce, an onion, a tomato, mayo, ketchup, and a package of Jennie-O ground turkey patties. She loved almost anything made of turkey, but this particular ninety-three percent fat-free version with natural seasonings was her favorite.
She turned on one of the burners, pulled a nonstick saucepan from the cabinet, sprayed it with butter-flavored Pam, and opened a package of whole wheat buns. She pulled one of them out, placed both halves in the skillet, and let them brown for a few minutes. Then she removed the buns, set them on a plate, and sprayed them with fat-free butter spray. This product really did taste like real butter, and she was so glad Karla had suggested she switch from one of the other brands to this one. Finally, she placed her turkey burger in the skillet and cut up her veggies. It wouldn’t take more than ten minutes or so for it to cook all the way through, so Paige leaned against the counter, thinking. She thought about how neat it was going to be once she was finally able to fix meals for Pierce. It would be such a joy, having a reason to prepare all the complicated recipes she’d been wanting to try. Of course, Camille was a pretty good cook, too, and Paige quickly gave credit when it was due, but she wasn’t better than Paige. Camille even admitted it herself, so this was yet another way Paige would be able to satisfy Pierce more favorably.
When her burger was ready, Paige melted a slice of lowfat cheese on it, removed it with a spatula, and placed it on the bun. As soon as she did, her doorbell rang. She wasn’t expecting anyone but grinned when she realized it might be Pierce and rushed to the door.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t him.
“What do you want?” she said and Owen brushed past her without being invited in.
“Is that any way to talk to the man who loves you? The man who was interrogated by the police and willingly gave them a DNA sample? The man who still wants to marry you?”
“I can’t believe you came by here without calling,” she said, closing the door.
“Oh, so now I need to ask permission?”
Paige sighed and went back into the kitchen.
“You’re too much,” he said, following her. “So, I guess I don’t even exist now.”
“I was just about to have dinner, Owen, so what is it you want?”
“The same thing I’ve always wanted. For you to be my wife.”
Paige took a bite of her sandwich and wished he’d leave her alone.
“So, you’re not going to say anything?” he asked.
“What is there to say?”
“A lot.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Okay, look, baby. I’m sorry I came over here unannounced, but I can’t help how I feel. I’m in love with you, Paige.”
As hungry as Paige had been, her appetite suddenly vanished. “Owen, we’ve already been through all of this. The night you proposed and then again a few days later.”
“I know,” he said, moving in front of her. “But I really wish you’d reconsider.”
Paige sniffed her nose a couple of times and frowned. “Have you been drinking?”
“Well, if I have, it’s because of you.”
“Owen, I’d really like you to leave.”
“No. I’m not leaving until I get what I came for. I won’t go until you agree to marry me.”
His words were a bit slurred, and Paige didn’t like where this impromptu visit was going.
“Owen, I’m sorry things didn’t work out between you and me, but you and I are over.”
“You lowdown trick.”
Paige raised her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. You lowdown, connivin’, schemin’ trick. You used me and played me like some childish knucklehead, and I want back every dime I spent on you.”
“You must be out of your mind.”
Owen grabbed both of her arms, squeezing them with all his might.
“Owen, stop it! You’re hurting me.”
“I’m not playing with you, Paige. I want my money, and I’m not leaving here until I get it.”
“Let me go!” she said, trying to escape, but she couldn’t.
“Give me my money, and I will.”
“I said, let me go!” she demanded, and this time she broke free. “You’re nuts.”
Owen looked at her with glazed eyes and left the kitchen.
Paige rushed behind him. “Where are you going?”
Owen kept walking until he entered her bedroom.
“Owen, get out of here or I’m calling the police.”
“Go ahead,” he said, snatching her purse from the bed, unzipping it, and tossing out every item inside of it.
“What in the world are you doing?”
Owen ignored her and opened her wallet. “Is this all you have?” he said, pulling out four twenties. “Well, at least that’s a start.” Then he pulled out a folded picture. “Whoaaaa, now what do we have here?”
“Give it to me,” she said, desperately reaching for it.
“No,” he said, slightly staggering. “Now, why would you have a photo of you, your sister, and your brother-in-law with your sister’s face crossed out in black marker? And why is there a heart drawn next to Pierce?”
“That’s none of your business,” Paige said, still trying to recover her property.
“I thought you and your sister were close.”
“We are, and you know it.”
“Doesn’t look that way to me. No, what this looks like is you hating your sister. It also looks like you have some sort of infatuation with your brother-in-law.”
“You’re sick.”
“No, I don’t think so, and maybe this is the real reason you don’t want me.”
Paige snatched the photo from him, hurried back into the kitchen, and grabbed her phone.
But Owen charged after her, half staggering again, and took it away from her. “You’re not callin’ anybody.”
“You’re drunk,” she said and thanked God her phone rang.
Owen blinked a couple of times. “Now, let’s see who we have here.”
“Give me my phone, Owen.”
“Hello?” he said. “Sure, she’s right here, Karla. And how have you been doing? . . . Good . . . So have I. Well, actually, that’s a lie, because I just found out your girl here hates her sister and has a crush on her husband. But I’ll let her tell you about that.”
Paige grabbed the phone. “Girl, Owen is over here acting like a madman.”
“What?”
“Yes, so will you please call the police?”
“Okay, I’m goin’,” he said, walking toward the kitchen doorway. “But I’m tellin’ you now. I want every dime of my money, or I’ll have to tell your sister what I saw.”
“Owen, please go.”
“No problem. Oh, and I hope you don’t forget what I told you the other day. People should be very careful when they play with other people’s emotions.”
Paige stared at him, and thankfully, he left.
“Girl, Owen is crazy,” she told Karla. “First he came over here without calling, and then he started rantin’ and ravin’ about all the money he’s spent on me. He’s so pissed off because I won’t marry him.”
“After hearing him like this, I guess so. And what in heaven’s name was he talking about when he brought up Camille and Pierce?”
“I don’t have a clue, and I don’t think he does either. He practically reeked with alcohol.”
“Geez. He almost sounds like some kind of fatal attraction.”
“I hope not,” Paige said, even though Owen was starting to worry her. He was acting way out of character and not like the man she’d known for many months.
“Still, I think you should take every precaution, and if he bothers you again, I would call the police and file an order of protection.”
“Hopefully, he won’t be back and won’t ever call me again.”
“Man, I guess you never know people, do you? The Owen I met always seemed so nice.”
“Yeah, I thought the same thing until now.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I will be.”
“Do you want me to come over?”
“Do you mind?”
“Of course not.”
“Thanks, Karla.”
“See you soon.”
Paige was glad Karla was coming by, but what troubled her was that photo Owen had spotted. How could she have been so stupid, carrying such a tell-all item in her wallet and risking someone seeing it? But what had been the odds of Owen bursting into her room and searching through her personal property? She hoped he was planning to keep his mouth shut. Although since he was noticeably intoxicated, there was a chance he wouldn’t even remember.
This was the most Paige could hope for, anyway.