Page 39 of Contracted and Claimed By The Boss

Paige pressed a hand to his chest. ‘I know you’re upset, but, believe it or not, this is not as bad as it sounds.’

He scowled at her, and his defensiveness made Paige’s chest feel as if a thousand tonnes of cement were being pushed against it. On the one hand, she loved that this was his reaction, but she couldn’t help thinking again of the absences she’d felt in her own life, how, when she was a teenager, she’d desperately needed protecting. And there’d been no one.

‘How exactly is it not so bad?’ he drawled, and while she knew his anger wasn’t aimed at her, it still hurt. They were a team, fighting through this together.

‘Conflict in life is inevitable.’

‘Is this conflict? Or is she being bullied?’

Paige stroked his chest, changing her description as a concession to his point. ‘Unpleasantness is a part of life. We all have to learn to deal with cruel people, unfair situations, and the more we do it with the support and guidance of trusted adults, the better we become at managing those situations independently. Think of yourself—and me—as her training wheels. We’re here to help Amanda learn how to stand up for herself, to find her voice, and to draw her own boundaries of what is and isn’t acceptable. By going through this now, the next time something like this happens—and it will, because that’s life—she’ll be better able to cope.’

He ground his teeth together. ‘Who the hell are these kids?’

‘A couple of girls in her grade, and a few in the grade above. I think two of them are sisters,’ she said. ‘I couldn’t quite keep up, but I’ll get a clearer picture once I’ve met with her teacher and headmistress—which I’ll be doing tomorrow.’

‘Like hell you will.’

‘Max—’

‘Paige, with respect, Amanda is your job. She’s my daughter. Obviously I should be the one to sort this out.’

Paige flinched. While his statement was accurate, it was also cruel, and it cut right down to the middle of her chest. Had she lost sight of her role here? Of the fact she was the hired help? Dispensable. Disposable. Just like always. Unconsciously, she pulled away a little, putting some physical distance between them to echo the emotional wedge he’d thrust into the space.

‘That’s exactly why you shouldn’t.’ Her voice was hoarse. She cleared her throat, ignoring her pain, knowing she could analyse and explore it later. ‘You’re too emotionally involved. Try to remember, the other girls who are in this are also just getting their training wheels, learning how to interact. The situation doesn’t need hot-headed grown-ups racing down there pointing fingers. It’s a learning experience. In the first instance, the girls should be encouraged to do better. If they don’t, if this keeps happening, then you might want to consider upping the ante.’

‘I can’t believe this. I will pull her out of the school and—’

‘And what?’ Paige asked with genuine curiosity. ‘Where would you send her?’

He hesitated.

‘There are kids who make bad choices at every school. The only thing you can control is how Amanda manages herself, by teaching her resilience and perspective. Don’t overreact.’

‘What the hell are they teasing her about, anyway? There’s never been a better kid, for Christ’s sake.’

Paige dipped her head forward to hide her smile, but it was a watery smile, because again and again he demonstrated his love for his daughter, his total love, and the contrast with how Paige had been raised never failed to hit her right between the eyes.

‘Well...’ She hesitated, aware that the next statement would seem like a criticism. ‘Actually, it really started off with swimming lessons,’ Paige said softly.

‘That was a couple of months ago.’

She nodded. ‘Apparently Amanda was the only girl who didn’t have a two-piece.’

‘A two-piece? You mean a bikini?’ He stared at Paige incredulously.

‘Amanda says she got her bathers when she was much younger.’

‘Right. Reg and Cass gave them to her.’ He looked genuinely baffled. ‘But she never said she wanted anything else. They still fit.’

Paige nodded sympathetically. ‘Yes, they do, but they’re bright pink with a neon yellow frill.’

‘What’s wrong with that?’

Paige put a hand on his knee, and avoided getting into an explanation of how young the bathers seemed to the other girls. ‘And then, one of the girls came back after the holidays wearing a trainer bra, and all the other girls followed suit.’

‘A trainer bra? They’re kids!’

‘Kids,’ she said, ‘are growing up faster and faster all the time. For this generation, that’s normal.’

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