CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Groaning in pain, Paige buried her face in the pillow, trying to keep out the light that filtered through the curtains. Her head pounded, her mouth was as dry as cottonwool, and her stomach was doing Cirque du Soleil in her abdomen.
Where was sweet death when she needed it?
A quick inventory told her she still had all her limbs, although she wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d woken up without a kidney considering there was a huge swath of last night she couldn’t remember. Poor Nate. Paige had a tendency to get clingy when she was on the wrong side of alcohol. She’d been told that she liked to give hugs, kisses, and tell everyone how much she loved them. Some people were mean drunks; Paige was a walking Hallmark card.
Slowly – very slowly – she climbed out of bed, only noticing then that she was still dressed in the clothes she’d been wearing last night, including her shoes. Stripping down to her birthday suit, she crawled into the shower and let the steaming hot water run over her aching body.
My butt hurts. What the hell?
How she’d managed to bruise her tailbone was a mystery, one she wasn’t altogether sure she wanted to solve. Had she pissed Nate off so much he’d had to spank her to get her to behave? Had she backed into a wall? Repeatedly and with force? Luckily nothing else seemed to be damaged.
Except her dignity, of course. That definitely had some door dings in it.
Once she’d scrubbed her hair, skin, and teeth, she wrapped herself in a robe and tiptoed downstairs, her hair still wet but at least combed into submission.
“There you are. I heard the shower so I made a fresh pot of coffee.”
Pressing her fingers to her temple, she didn’t even bother to look at him, heading straight for the coffee pot. He smelled freshly showered and probably looked like a damn…well…movie star. Shit, it so wasn’t fair.
No eye contact for awhile.
“Thank you.” She poured herself a brimming mug and then added cream and sugar. Even now she couldn’t drink it black. “Um, listen, I’m really sorry about last night. I don’t usually drink so much.”
She heard coughing behind her but he wasn’t sick, the Brit bastard. He was trying to cover up his laughing.
“Just which part are you sorry about, love? Was it when I practically had to carry you home along with all the books we bought? When you wanted to go dancing? Or could it have been when you kissed me? Is that what you’re sorry about?”
Fuck and hell. In her inebriated state, had she given in to the physical attraction she’d been feeling? Nothing good could come from him knowing she thought he was handsome or sexy. Whirling around, she was forced to look Nate in the eyes. Those blue fucking eyes with the crinkles at the corner. He appeared to be amused by the entire situation and if she didn’t think she might throw up she’d kick him in the balls.
“I kissed you?” she squeaked, clearing her throat and trying again. “I mean, I kissed you? That doesn’t sound like me.”
He stood and refilled his own coffee cup before answering, leaning his hip against the counter. When he was this close it reminded her of just how much taller he was. He dwarfed her by a foot, making her feel tiny and delicate. Two things she hadn’t felt in a long time. “It doesn’t, does it? You’re always so prickly with me but I must say when you’re drunk you’re such a sweet thing. So nice and friendly. You kissed me…just here.”
He pointed to the dimple in his chin and she exhaled slowly in relief. She hadn’t laid one on his lips and propositioned him. Thank you, baby Jesus. She never would have lived that one down. A sloppy kiss on the chin wasn’t exactly fantastic but it was much better than some of the alternatives.
“I tend to get that way when I drink. I am sorry, and I’m sorry that you had to drag me back here like that. Truly, truly sorry.”
He reached into a cabinet and brought down a bottle of painkillers. She almost kissed him again in gratitude. “You’ll probably want a couple of these. Take them with a full bottle of water. That’s an order.”
She wasn’t sure he believed her. “I swear as God as my witness I don’t often drink like that and I am so very sorry.”
He was looking at her with what appeared to be sympathy. “One cider would have done it. What made you drink three?”
Good question and one she’d thought about in the shower. “The first I drank because I was thirsty. The second I drank because the first was so good and warmed me up. The third I drank because the first and second were yummy and I was bored.”
He bowed his head for a moment. “And for that I’m sorry. It was my fault.”
She popped two of the ibuprofen and chased them with the scalding hot coffee, burning her esophagus and not giving a shit. “How is my stupidity your fault? Although if you want to take the blame I wouldn’t object.”
“Those fans,” he reminded her. “If I hadn’t spent so much time with them, you wouldn’t have drunk the third cider.”
Maybe, although this wasn’t the first dumb thing she’d done in her life. Sadly, it wouldn’t be the last. “We don’t know that for sure. I really liked it and I might have convinced you and myself that I needed another one. As for those girls, I thought it was cute the way they were gushing about you and when that blonde got up the courage to kiss you. I wished I had had the guts to do that to my crush when I was her age.”
He popped two pieces of bread into the toaster. “Who was your crush?”
“George Clooney, but then he was everybody’s crush so I guess I’m not all that original.”
Picking up her coffee cup, he placed it on the table and motioned for her to sit.
“Still, I am sorry about that. Most fans get their selfie and go but some do sort of outstay their welcome.”
Wrapping her hands around the warm mug, she took in his worried expression. He thought she’d been so upset she’d drank herself stupid. “Seriously, I wasn’t bothered. You seemed to really get off on it but I figured it would get old after awhile. I drank too much because I’m an idiot, not because I was upset with you. You’re a fucking movie star. This goes with the territory. Now if you’d gone off and just left me there, well, that would piss me off.”
“I would never do that,” he said in that upper crust British accent she loved and hated so much. This morning she was in love with it again because it wasn’t too grating on her already oversensitive hearing. “And thank you for being so understanding about my fans. Not many in my life have been so welcoming.”
“I believe you. Now do you accept my apology?”
He placed the toasted bread on a plate in front of her. “I do. Eat your breakfast.”
“No butter?” she said, wrinkling her nose.
“Dry toast will settle your stomach. Now do you accept my apology?”
“I do. Wow, we’re getting this relationship stuff down. We should be in the couples Olympics or something. If we keep this up, the next year is going to be smooth sailing, my friend.”
Shaking his head, he pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator, twisted off the cap and handed it to her. “Let’s not jinx ourselves. Now drink your water. We have a big day ahead of us.”
She almost choked on her toast. He wanted her to leave the house?
“Big day?”
“The Shakespeare tree,” he replied, rubbing his hands together with glee. He’d been talking about this goddamn tree for three days. “I’ll pack us a lunch and we’ll go later this afternoon. You’ll love it.”
He’d carried her drunk carcass over a mile from the pub with about fifty pounds of books too. The least she could do was go to the park and see this amazing, stupendous tree.
She’d smile about it too because he’d made her coffee this morning and given her painkillers. There was nothing in their agreement that said he had to take care of her when she did stupid shit.
He’d just been that sweet.
She only had one question for him.
“Nate, can you tell me how I hurt my ass?”
* * *
It was just a tree. A plain, ordinary oak tree on Primrose Hill. It wasn’t even the original tree that had been planted in 1864 to celebrate the three-hundredth anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth. They’d replanted a replacement tree in 1964. She’d heard the entire story from Nate. Twice.
But the sun was warm and the picnic was good. Nate had packed some bread, crackers, and an assortment of cheeses. There was no wine and Paige heartily thanked whatever deity might be listening for that, but he’d packed two large bottles of water which she drank thirstily, still slightly dehydrated from last night’s antics.
“This was a better idea than I thought it would be,” she confessed after popping another piece of cheese in her mouth. “Thanks for bringing me.”
His lips quirked up. “Don’t pretend you were thrilled with the tree. Yes, even I know it’s just a tree but it’s what it represents that’s important. But I am glad you’re having a good time.”
Sighing, she spotted Maxwell Hayes striding up the hill, looking right at them. “I was having a good time. I think that’s about to go out the window.”
Nate followed her gaze and grinned. “If he doesn’t apologize, I’ll punch him right in his pretty face just for you.”
That made Paige laugh. “His pretty face? What about your pretty face? Don’t you have a play or something coming up?”
“I have a photoshoot tomorrow so perhaps you have a point,” Nate smirked. “You’ll have to punch him yourself.”
“Whatever happened to chivalry?”
Nate didn’t get a chance to answer as Max was right up on them by then. Leaping to his feet, Nate greeted his friend cautiously, his jaw tense. Paige had meant it when she said she didn’t want to cause trouble between these two but it looked like it was unavoidable. She was going to have to be the adult today.
“Hello, Max,” she said, looking up and shielding her eyes from the sun. “Would you care to join us?”
Lips twisting, he glanced at Nate. “Do you mind, mate? I’d like to speak with Paige alone just for a moment.”
Paige nodded her consent and Nate gathered up some of the paper plates and napkins. “I’ll take these to the rubbish bin but then I’ll be right back.”
Max settled on the blanket next to Paige. “Thank you for speaking with me. Nate mentioned that you two were going to be here today and I thought it might be a good venue for an apology. I’d like to say how sorry I am for how rude I was that first night. It was unforgivable and I hope you can give me another chance. I’m told I’m not a bad chap when you get to know me.”
She’d had time to think about that night. “You did it because you were worried about your friend. It’s not a perfect excuse but it’s a decent explanation.”
“I really am sorry. I can see now how happy Nate is. You two seem good for each other.”
She was shaking her head before he finished his sentence. “We’re not together like that. We’re friends, that’s all.”
Rubbing his chin, Max contemplated her words. “That’s all good, of course, but Nate does like you. A great deal. He talks about you constantly. He’s very proud of you.”
“I’m proud of him too,” she said defensively. “Doesn’t mean that there’s a romance brewing here. We’re helping each other, nothing else.”
Nothing else. Nada. Zip.
“If you say so. Nate is happy though, which bodes well for the next year. Looks like he chose well.”
It had slipped her mind that out of all the women Nate could have fake-dated he’d chosen her. It was a weird kind of honor.
“So far, so good. I do accept your apology, Max. I’m sure you’re a nice person and that we just got off on the wrong foot. Well, maybe.”
His grin was lopsided. “Maybe?”
Smiling, she spied Nate jogging up the hill. “Or maybe we’ll hate each other’s guts when we get to know each other better. At this point anything could happen. I think the most important thing is that you and Nate stay friends no matter what. I vow right now that even if you and I can’t get along that I will never stand between you and your friend.”
Coming to a stop right in front of them, Nate’s gaze darted from Max to her. “Kiss and make up?”
Laughing, Max stood and brushed off his jeans. “We made up. We thought we might save the kiss for when we’re alone. Thank you for giving us a moment. I need to be off. See you at the photoshoot tomorrow.”
Without a look backward he was off, leaving Nate and Paige by themselves. Crouching down, Nate began packing up their food.
“He’s in the photoshoot as well?” she asked, watching his retreating figure disappear in the distance.
“He is,” Nate confirmed, closing the basket with a flourish. “It’s a fashion shoot for a designer who I cannot name but you’ll be able to see tomorrow.”
A grin spread across her face. “Are you going to wear a suit?”
Damn, he looked fine in a suit.
“I don’t know. It’s up to them. Why?”
She stood so they could fold up the blanket. “No reason. What do you have planned for us tonight?”
They’d decided to see the play another time when she was feeling better. He’d given the tickets to his neighbors who had almost cried with gratitude. Apparently they were hard to get seats.
“I thought we could watch a movie or something. Even order pizza later if you’re hungry. Do you like Jurassic Park?”
Not at all. It scared the shit out of her. There were dinosaurs in a kitchen.
Creepy velociraptors. In. A. Kitchen.
“We can watch that,” she said, not voicing her fears. He was smiling like a little kid, excited about the prospect of dinosaurs and a pizza. She couldn’t harsh that buzz.
“Really?” His blue eyes lit up with joy. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive, handsome. Dinos and pepperoni.”
For a movie star he was easy to please.