Page 103 of Idle

Okay, still do.

Luna, their housekeeper, invites us to follow her into the solarium, where Paige’s parents sit. I run my thumb over her diamond, trying to impart strength to the strongest woman I know. Before she leaves, Paige asks Luna to close the door.

After greetings are exchanged, I slide toward the back of the room. Standing with my legs open and arms behind my back, I observe the solarium. Considering bookcases filled with tomes line the walls, it could be called a library but for the baby grand off the to the side. Her mother sits on the sofa while her father’s seated on a leather recliner. It would look homey, if it wasn’t so contrived. Not to mention the windows overlook Central Park across the street.

My fiancée tosses her head over her shoulder, and we make eye contact. I bend my chin downward and she gives me a swift nod. She turns to face the wrath to come.

“We just came from an interesting meeting.”

“Oh really. What was it about, Paige?”

Ignoring her mother’s question, she focuses on her father. “We met with Quinn Walker. You remember her, right? The director forNYC Views?”

Her father doesn’t betray any emotion, except for his jaw becomes squarer, if that were possible. Her mother, on the other hand, babbles, “How nice.”

Paige plows forward. “It was a very enlightening meeting. She wants us to take over the show Bo and Mary Ellen won.”

“That’s wonderful,” her uninformed mother exclaims. She focuses on me. “Did you agree to do this, Jesse?”

Why would her mother askmewhether we accepted Quinn’s offer, when Paige was leading the conversation? More importantly, why hasn’t her father uttered one word since the name Quinn Walker was brought up?

Paige answers for me. “Mum, we turned her down. We didn’t win the competition and we have more than enough to keep us busy now.” She shakes her head. “Have to admit, Quinn got quite angry at our response. The network wants a change, and we were the easy solution.” She pauses. “Quinn isn’t the type to be told ‘no.’”

Like someone else in this room.

“I don’t understand—”

Ignoring her mother, my fiancée focuses her attention on her father. “Then she said the most amazing thing. She said this was what she got for working with hersister. I’m paraphrasing, but that was her gist. Right, Jesse?”

“I think her words were more along the lines of being sorry she cast her sister on the show,” I correct her. “You got the sentiment right, though.”

All hell breaks loose.

Her mother grasps her heart. For his part, her father bounds to his feet, his ankle monitor clanging against the recliner’s metal activating mechanism. “This girl has no idea what she’s talking about.”

“So you didn’t move her and her mother up to Westchester? Install them close by so you could have access to her mother whenever you wanted? Pay for all her bills? You didn’t do all that.”

With each accusation, Paige walks closer to her father, ending up right in front of him. He looks like he’s about to blow, so I stop studying her mother, who has turned an alarming shade of purple, and cross the room—ready to intervene if need be.

I place my hands on Paige’s shoulders, which have turned to granite. My woman is the bravest person I’ve ever witnessed.

“She was lying to you to get you all riled up. Did she send a film crew to follow you?”

“Renovation TV is not that kind of network.”

He pulls his hand back, and I jump in front to prevent him from striking Paige. As if sensing how stupid his move would be, or aware of the repercussions should he succeed in hitting her, he drops his arm. When I’m sure the danger has passed, I return to my spot behind Paige.

“Quinn’s older than me. You’ve been hiding a secret family all my life.”

“This is rubbish. You’re only a spoiled child with a vivid imagination.”

“I saw the photos.” Paige turns to me, lips drawn tight.

I answer her unspoken plea. “Mr. Hansen, I heard Quinn and saw the pictures. My fiancée, your daughter, who I can assure you is no child, is telling the truth.” Prick.

The man visibly shrinks in front of me, then puffs back up. He’s not going down without a fight—personally or professionally. “Alright. Fine. Quinn wasn’t lying. I moved her, Petra, and Jackie to Westchester so they’d be closer to me.”

I knew Quinn wasn’t lying but hearing him confirm it is surreal. I’ve only met this man a handful of times before now. For Paige, her world must be crashing around her shoulders.

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