Bride For A Year. Kathryn Ross
were still as close as ever.
But now, for the first time, Paige found she didn’t want to confide in her friend. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Rosie, it was more that she didn’t want to voice the extremely personal nature of Brad’s proposal—the fact that he had suggested a relationship based purely on business reasons hurt in some strange way. She tried to tell herself that it was her pride that was hurting, but deep down she wasn’t too sure.
‘Have you forgiven him over the money?’ Rosie asked, her eyes moving over the pallor of Paige’s skin.
She shrugged. ‘I suppose if, I’m honest, I can’t really blame him totally... What is it they say? Never a lender or a borrower be?’
‘I’m sure if he could have afforded to let your father’s loan ride he would have,’ Rosie said with a nod. ‘He’s a decent guy.’
‘Yes...’ Deep down Paige wanted to believe that. But the fact that Brad had openly told her he could afford to let the loan ride and had chosen not to did still grate rawly. Her father had been so broken up just before he had died... The memory was pitiful and it tore at Paige.
‘I’m glad that you two are friends again,’ Rosie continued briskly. ‘Brad must be pretty upset at the moment, anyway. I believe he and Carolyn Murphy have split up.’
‘He mentioned something,’ Paige said noncommittally.
‘Apparently she has ditched him for Robert Hicks.’
‘Really?’ There was complete amazement in Paige’s voice now. Strangely she hadn’t for one moment considered the fact that Carolyn might have been the one to finish with Brad.
Rosie grinned. ‘I knew that would surprise you. You’ve always had a soft spot for Brad, haven’t you?’
‘That’s in the past.’ Paige tried to sound firmly convinced and ignore the little whispering voice inside her that wanted to argue with that.
‘Sure.’ Rosie wasn’t at all taken in by Paige’s reply. ‘But you’re right, Carolyn must have been crazy to finish with Brad; he is gorgeous. If I weren’t a married woman, and didn’t adore my Mike, I’d be interested myself.’
‘How do you know that Carolyn finished with him? Did Brad tell you that?’
‘No, of course not. Mike sees a lot of Brad these days as he’s going to be managing Brad’s campaign for mayor. But I don’t think they discuss things like that... Well, if they do, my husband certainly hasn’t repeated it to me. No, I met Carolyn in town a while ago and she told me herself.’ Rose wrinkled her nose. ‘She’s extremely confident, you know, and I must say she looked fabulous. Made me wish I’d stuck to my diet last year.’
‘You don’t need to diet, Rosie,’ Paige said quickly. Rosie Jefferson was an extremely attractive blonde. She wasn’t fat, she just had a curvaceous figure.
Rosie shrugged as if she didn’t agree but wasn’t going to argue about it today.
‘So what did Carolyn say?’ Paige reached to pick up her coffee from the table.
‘Get this.’ Rosie’s eyes twinkled with good humour. ‘She said, and I quote, “I’ve finished with Brad. He was getting rather tiresome. Robert has asked me to marry him and I’ve accepted.”’
‘Marry him!’ Paige’s eyes widened. ‘She’s marrying Robert Hicks!’
‘Just goes to show you can’t take anything for granted.’ Rosie nodded. ‘I think we were all convinced that Carolyn would marry Brad. They seemed like the perfect couple, didn’t they?’
‘Yes, they did,’ Paige agreed quietly.
‘Of course, Robert comes from an extremely wealthy family. They own a lot of property in San Francisco. Carolyn was telling me that they are going to live there after the wedding.’
Paige wondered if deep down Brad was heartsore about the whole thing.
‘Anyway, the coast is now clear. As far as I can make out Brad isn’t seeing anyone at the moment...not a girlfriend on the playing field.’
‘I’m sure that won’t be the situation for very long.’ Paige sipped her coffee then met the gleam in her friend’s eye. ‘Don’t look at me like that. I’m not in the slightest bit interested any more,’ she said staunchly.
Yet despite the strong words, despite everything that had happened to turn her against Brad, she knew very well that she was far more interested than she should be. She wondered if the fact that Carolyn had finished with Brad had triggered his decision to propose to her. Perhaps he had been counting on Carolyn to be by his side during the elections and now that the love of his life was going to marry someone else he had decided just to cut his losses and make a marriage purely for business reasons. ‘Anyway, once this place is sold I shall be moving away. So it’s irrelevant who Brad is seeing or isn’t seeing,’ she said firmly, trying very hard not to care.
Rosie frowned. ‘You aren’t really serious about leaving the valley, Paige? Surely you could find a job around here? You’ve only just graduated from college; you’ve got bags of qualifications.’
Paige shook her head. ‘I’m going to make a fresh start,’ she said with gentle determination. ‘I couldn’t bear to stay around here and see this vineyard being run by someone else. It would just break my heart.’
‘I don’t want you to leave, Paige...’ Rosie looked over at her, a sudden serious light in her eyes. ‘Especially now.’
‘Believe me, I don’t want to go—’ Paige broke off and frowned at her friend. ‘Why especially now?’
‘I was going to ask you to be godmother to our baby.’ Rosie smiled, happiness radiating through her every word.
‘Rosie! You’re not!’ Paige put her cup down and squealed with delight.
‘I am.’ Rosie nodded. ‘Four weeks pregnant.’
Paige moved to throw her arms around her friend.
‘It just seems that everything is going right at last,’ Rosie said, her eyes misting with sudden tears.
‘Oh, Rosie, it’s wonderful news. I’m so happy for you both.’ Paige squeezed her friend warmly before drawing back.
‘So you can’t go away...not now,’ Rosie said earnestly. ‘I want you to stay. I want you to settle down here and be as happy as Mike and I are.’
‘I don’t think that’s possible,’ Paige said with a tremor in her voice.
‘Anything is possible,’ Rosie said with strong conviction.
The sound of a car driving up outside made Rosie break off. Paige went to glance out of the window. A bright red Porsche had pulled in alongside Rosie’s old car and her Jeep.
‘It’s Brad,’ Paige murmured, her body filling with sudden apprehension.
‘Anybody home?’ His voice, strong and decisive, filtered through from the front hallway a moment later.
‘He acts as if he owns the place already,’ Paige said with annoyance. ‘Just barges on in when it suits him.’
Rosie smiled. ‘We are in the kitchen. Brad,’ she called out cheerfully.
A few seconds later he appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking tanned and powerfully attractive in his jeans and a navy blue polo shirt. ‘It seems I’ve arrived just in time,’ he grinned, eyeing the coffee pot on the table.
‘You certainly have.’ Rosie was the one who got out another cup and poured the drink for him. ‘Good to see you, Brad.’
‘It’s good to see you too...and looking so well.’ He smiled and kissed the side of Rosie’s cheek as he passed her. ‘I’ve just come from your house. Mike was telling me the good news. Congratulations.’