“Maybe. Eventually. But not without a long, drawn-out battle, which he wants to avoid as much as possible.”
“Why? Owen isn’t afraid of confrontation.” God, didn’t she know that from personal experience?
Nate tapped his spoon against his saucer. “Owen is as tenacious as a bulldog, I’ll grant you that, but I get the feeling this project means something else to him.”
“What?”
“I think he’s pushing it for Jim, for everything he’s done for Owen.”
Beside him, Ally nodded. “Yeah, Jim’s been like a second father to him, the way he looked out for Owen when he moved to Sydney.”
A pause developed as Nate looked pointedly at Paige. She could guess what was going through his mind. Owen had left Burronga because of her. Had Owen confided all the details of their crazy two-week fling to Nate? The idea made her hot with guilt, but surely Owen would have kept that secret. He was a proud, private man. He wasn’t the type to bare his soul. But then she remembered all the people at the school dance who’d witnessed Owen’s ejection. Even if Nate and Ally didn’t know what had gone on between Owen and her, they were bound to know about his public humiliation. It had happened years ago, but Burronga was a small town with a long memory.
“I’m sure Owen will manage to reel in Gordon Asquith,” she said smoothly, breaking the awkward silence.
“I hope so,” Nate muttered into his coffee.
After Nate had left, Ally said to Paige, “You mustn’t mind Nate. He’s just protective about his friends, and he likes Owen a lot.”
It was difficult holding out against Ally’s friendliness. “I don’t mind, really,” Paige said. “Nate and I have never been simpatico, and that won’t change in a hurry.”
Ally chuckled. “Nate and I used to loathe one another, and look how we ended up! Take it from me, enemies can turn into lovers. It just needs a certain situation to change everything upside down.” She paused, her smile fading. “Not that I’m suggesting you can change Nate. He’s mine, and don’t you forget it.”
Paige laughed at Ally’s fierce expression. “Don’t worry. Nate doesn’t have eyes for anyone but you.”
When Ally rose to serve a customer, her words lingered in Paige’s head. Enemies can turn into lovers. Was that true? She and Owen could certainly have ended up in bed, but could they ever be true lovers? It seemed like too much bitter water had passed under the bridge. Besides, why was she even contemplating their being lovers? Their paths had crossed again—briefly—but soon they would veer off in opposite directions.
When she finished her coffee and walked to the counter to pay her bill, she saw red-haired Tyler at the register and remembered she was Ally’s business partner. Quirky crystal earrings dangled from Tyler’s ears, and silver bracelets clinked on her wrist as she worked the register. Tyler was in a friendly mood, and they exchanged a few pleasantries while Paige paid for her coffee.
As Paige pocketed her change, Tyler said, “Hey, too bad about your mum, huh?”
Paige blinked. “Excuse me?”
“I know Crystal and I have had our run-ins, but it was shabby how the network treated her. After so many years, she was an icon of theirs.”
A chill slid down Paige’s spine. “You’ll have to be more explicit.”
This time, Tyler blinked. “Oh, I’m sorry. You don’t know”
Paige’s heart began to race as she rested her handbag on the counter. “Tell me,” she said tautly. “Tell me about my mother.”
Tyler leaned forward. “Okay, it’s like this. Channel Four dropped your mother without warning. They aren’t renewing her contract. I heard it from my aunt Daphne when your mother, uh, fired her.”
Daphne had been her mother’s housekeeper. Paige stood there, stunned as the information sank in. She could hardly believe it. Crystal Kerrigan was the face of Channel Four. She’d been with them for decades, starred in so many ads, won so many Logie Awards for them. Was this why Crystal hadn’t returned her phone calls? A hurt straight from childhood closed like a fist around her heart. Her mother had shut her out. Why else had she failed to share her awful news or even contact her?
“I’m sorry,” Tyler said, appearing uncomfortable. “I shouldn’t have blabbed. I just assumed you were one of the few people who knew, but I see this is a complete shock to you.”
Paige bit her lip as she struggled for composure. “Thanks for telling me,” she responded dully, hitching her handbag over her shoulder.
“Hey, why don’t you stay awhile? Have another coffee on the house?”
Tyler was just being nice, but Paige had to get away. “I—I’d love to, but I have to shop for groceries.” She fled out of the store.
The following day, Paige was changing a lightbulb in the vestibule of the main house when the doorbell rang. She opened the door, expecting a deliveryman, but instead found an unwelcome sight.
“Aunt Lucinda!” she stuttered. “What a surprise.”
Sixty, rich, and reed-thin, Lucinda Kerrigan eyed her dourly. “Not a welcome one, I suppose.” She swept into the house like a snowstorm, her polished shoes clicking on the parquet flooring. “I heard the most appalling gossip at the club today and came over to get to the bottom of this nonsense.”
Paige inhaled. “What nonsense?” she asked, knowing full well what was about to descend on her.
“This nonsense about your parents renting out the house. Surely that can’t be true!”
“Wellit must be, because I can’t get hold of them and Owen—Mr. Bellamy has a valid lease.”
Aunt Lucinda’s rigid stance grew even stiffer. “Mr. Bellamy indeed! I hear he used to be the caretaker here.”
“That was his father.”
“Just as bad. The point is, he’s not a fit and proper person to occupy this house. This property has been in the Kerrigan family for generations. We can’t let any upstart move in and start acting lord of the manor. I’m disappointed in you, Paige. You should have come to me as soon as it happened so I could put a stop to it.”
Paige blew out a sigh of exasperation. “It has nothing to do with either of us. For whatever reason, Mum and Dad decided to rent out this place, and there’s nothing anyone can do.” She was still hurt by her parents’ silence, but she wouldn’t tell Aunt Lucinda about her mother’s losing her TV contract. Her great-aunt had never warmed to Crystal or her television career, believing she was too lowbrow for the Kerrigan family.
“Hmpf,” Aunt Lucinda huffed. Shrewd eyes pinned Paige. “And what are you doing here if the house has been rented out?”
Paige folded her hands together, knowing the truth would have to come out. “I work here,” she said simply. “I’m Mr. Bellamy’s housekeeper.”
Her great-aunt’s face became pinched. “So the rumors are true? I didn’t want to believe that Astrid girl. I told her it was impossible that you’d stoop to keeping house for your former caretaker, but you’re telling me it’s true?”
Her great-aunt’s outrage would have been comical if it hadn’t grated on Paige’s nerves so severely.
“I needed a job and a place to stay for a few weeks.”
“Again, you should have called me. I would have put you up! Instead, you’ve debased yourself and made our family the laughingstock of every gossip in town. How can you work for trash like him?”
As Paige stared openmouthed at her great-aunt, a shadow appeared at the front door, which was still ajar.
“Am I interrupting anything?” Owen walked in, the stoniness of his jaw indicating he’d overheard their conversation.
Aunt Lucinda eyed him coldly. “You must be the Bellamy boy.”
“And you are?”
“Lucinda Kerrigan. I hope you’re taking good care of my brother’s house.” Her tone was unashamedly skeptical. “There’ll be hell to pay if you damage anything.”
A white ring formed around Owen’s mouth, but before he could reply, a sudden commotion sounded as two teenage girls appeared behind him. Natasha and Gretel, Paige saw, her heart sinking. Gretel glanced curiously at the adults.
Owen turned to them. “You two go up to Natasha’s room right away,” he ordered.
Natasha made for the staircase, but Gretel dawdled behind. “Oh, but I want a chocolate milkshake.” She pouted at him. “Can’t your housekeeper make us milkshakes and bring them up to us?”
A vein throbbed in Owen’s temple. “Upstairs. Now,” he barked. Sniffing, Gretel obeyed. When the girls had disappeared, he turned his attention back to Aunt Lucinda.
“My aunt was just leaving,” Paige preempted him, trying to diffuse the ugly situation.
“Good.” He gestured at the open door.
Aunt Lucinda glared at him. “I won’t be satisfied until I get to the bottom of this.”
“When you do, you’ll find a watertight lease.”
“I don’t know why you want to live here.” She cast a disparaging glance over him. “One look at your shoes tells me you don’t belong here.” And with that she left.