“Well, I had to repay you for my surprise wedding!” She smiled happily at him.
“I thought we were just picking up Owen and heading out for a quiet dinner at the Red Possum with a few people.”
Sighing, Owen rubbed his aching temples. “We should have done that instead. Then I wouldn’t have to feel out of place here just because I’m not dressed to impress.”
Ally shook her head at him. “Why rent this place if you don’t feel comfortable in it?”
Owen studied his canvas sneakers, unable to answer Ally’s perfectly reasonable question.
“He’ll get comfortable soon enough,” Nate answered for him.
Ally still looked doubtful. “It’s a big house for just one person.”
“My sister will be spending some of her weekends here,” Owen said.
“Plus you need a place like this for impressing investors and businesspeople.” Nate waved his champagne glass around. “You’ll be doing a lot of entertaining if you want your Bandicoot Creek to succeed.”
Owen couldn’t suppress a grimace. He already felt like a fraud holding a casual get-together for a few friends. How would he handle a crowd of rich, influential strangers all carrying a born-to-rule mentality? He’d feel like a phony, but he’d do it, if that was the only way to bring his dream to fruition.
“You should ask Paige for a few tips on entertaining.” Ally flashed an impish grin at him.
He stared at her. “Gee, and I always thought you were a sweetheart.”
“She’s a sweetheart with a surprising kick from time to time,” Nate said, grinning, too. “I take it you won’t be asking Paige for tips on socializing?”
“I’d rather have my chest waxed.”
Nate chortled. “I’d like to see that. You could use a bit of manscaping.”
“Manscaping! What the hell? I don’t have dirty fingernails or hairs sprouting from my nostrils.” He glanced at Ally. “Well, do I?”
She just grinned at him. “Don’t worry,” Nate answered. “Everyone knows you’re a bloke’s bloke, no doubt about it.”
Owen muttered beneath his breath. He could scrub up just as well as Nate, if he wanted to. But he didn’t.
“Owen doesn’t need a makeover,” Ally declared.
“Thank you.”
“I like it that your success hasn’t gone to your head, like it did to Seth. He used to be the nice boy next door, and now he’s a first-class scumbag. I’m so glad he jilted me.”
Owen made a sympathetic noise. “I heard about that. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. Seth did me a huge favor. I’m only sorry that Paige got caught by him.”
Nate snorted. “Come on, don’t waste any sympathy on Paige. She wanted to marry a rich stockbroker she could boss around, and Seth fit the bill. She was so determined to have her big society wedding, she would’ve bulldozed anyone who got in her way. And remember what a cow her mother was to you about the flowers?” His face grew ruddy.
Ally rubbed her husband’s shoulder. “You big galoot,” she said fondly. “I’ll admit I’m not especially fond of Paige. She’s so immaculate and standoffish. But it can’t be easy growing up with a mother like Crystal Kerrigan and having to live up to her standards. Maybe we should cut her some slack.”
Owen rubbed his chin. If only he could be as magnanimous as Ally, but she didn’t know what he’d suffered at the careless, manicured hands of Paige. If she did, she might not be so ready to forgive.
Paige tensed as she heard someone approaching the kitchen. No doubt this was Owen come to chew her out some more for being rude to him in front of his friends. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, but instead of Owen, it was Ally who entered the kitchen.
“Hi,” Ally said. “Hope you don’t mind me coming in here.”
“Of course not,” Paige answered, the words coming out brittle. “You’re the guest.”
Not wanting to look idle, Paige turned to the sink and picked up a kitchen towel. As she wiped a plate, she was all too aware of Ally’s presence, and the reversal of their fortunes stung her. Once upon a time she’d looked down on Ally with pity as the girl not good enough for Seth, the girl with nothing except a run-down gift store. But now she was the girl Seth didn’t care for; she was the girl with nothing exceptexcept a suitcase full of designer clothes and a lowly job with a boss who despised her.
“Did Owen send you to check up on me?” Paige demanded.
Ally’s eyes widened. “No, he doesn’t even know I’m here. I think he feels a bit embarrassed after his little outburst earlier.”
Paige almost snorted. If Owen was embarrassed, what about her?
“It’s an awkward situation.” Ally leaned against a kitchen stool, looking like she was about to settle in for a long chat. “It can’t be easy for you being the housekeeper here, but at least you’re in your own home.”
No, she wasn’t. She was banished to a hovel. She slept with a can of bug spray under her creaky old bed, while the rhododendron bushes scraped and screeched against her tightly shut windows. She wasn’t home; she was in a nightmare.
“It’s strictly temporary. I won’t be here for very long. I’ll be returning to Sydney soon.” As Paige spoke, she realized how important it was to hear herself say those statements. Verbalizing her goals made them more concrete. She would escape from this hellhole. She would pull herself back to where she belonged—which was definitely not being Owen’s damn housekeeper.
Ally nodded, her expression even more sympathetic. “I heard what Seth did to you,” she said softly. “It was despicable. I can’t believe he’d be so callous. He wasn’t like that before.”
Paige drew in a breath, her chest too tight. “You mean, before he met me.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean that!” The other girl’s face dropped. “I meanbefore you and he went to live in London. From what Nate’s told me, it sounds like that’s when he changed, when he started mixing with a different crowd.”
Reaching for another plate, Paige wearily rubbed the back of her arm across her brow. She was so tired of analyzing her failed marriage. What did it matter when or why Seth had changed?
“I’ll get over Seth.” She pulled back her shoulders, lifted her head. “After all, you did.”
Ally nodded. “It’s good you’re Owen’s housekeeper.”
The plate almost slipped out of Paige’s hands. “Good? Afraid I have to disagree with you on that one. The pay stinks and Owen isn’t nice.”
“Aww, I know he was blunt with you earlier, but that’s just his way of hiding his insecurities. He may not admit it, but he’s lucky to have you as his housekeeper.”
“Insecurities? Owen has insecurities like I have pimples.” As soon as Paige said that, she sneaked a quick peek at her reflection in the nearby stainless steel toaster. No, no pimples, thank God. She straightened to find Ally gazing at her, head tilted in speculation.
“He’s not looking forward to all the business entertaining he’ll have to do soon, especially in this town where everyone knows what he used to be. You could give him a few tips, maybe even be the hostess for him.”
Paige threw back her head and burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it; Ally’s suggestion was so ridiculous. As she sobered up, she realized Ally looked a little peeved. “Sorry about that.” Paige shrugged, returning her attention to the dishes. “But the idea of me playing Owen’s hostess is just so” She shook her head. “So bizarre.”
Ally chewed her lip for a while. “Maybe I’m wrong, then.” She pushed herself upright and headed for the door. “I’d better get back to the party.”
Damn, Paige thought. Now she felt bad for mocking Ally, even though it hadn’t been intentional. She’d even begun to appreciate Ally’s presence in the kitchen, but now she’d pushed her away. “Uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to” Shoot, she didn’t even know what she wanted to say.
“No worries.” Ally paused at the door, her expression thoughtful and not unkind. “If you ever need any help or just want to chat, you should stop by my store. It’s called Java and Joolz, right where my old gift shop used to be.” She disappeared before Paige could say anything.
Alone, Paige exhaled slowly, puzzled by the conversation and her reactions to it. Ally was the kind of girl she’d never have considered possible friend material in the past. They were so different, and yet Ally had invited her to drop in at her store, as if she liked Paige. Well, maybe she would visit her one of these days. If she had the time. If she was still here in Burronga. If she was still Owen’s housekeeper.
When it was almost time for bed, Paige realized her wristwatch was missing. She’d taken it off in the main house and forgotten it there. For a moment she contemplated leaving it until morning, but the watch was a treasured present from her godmother, and she couldn’t remember exactly where she’d left it in the kitchen. If she didn’t retrieve it now, she’d be restless all night.
Sighing, she slipped on a light cardigan and left the cottage. She didn’t have a flashlight, but the path was well lit. As she neared the house, she saw a few windows were still lit up but there was no noise or chatter, so clearly the guests had left. In the kitchen she soon found her wristwatch and strapped it on. She was about to leave when a muffled noise made her pause. It seemed to be coming from the pool house. Curious, she padded down the side passage leading to the conservatory. As soon as she entered, she stopped, wishing furiously she hadn’t been so inquisitive.