Wife on Approval Page 3

  "I'm headed for home right now. Why?"

  "Can you stop by Caleb's house? It's practically on your way."

  "My mother will be expecting me."

  "Fifteen minutes," Sabrina wheedled. "That's all. I picked up your bridesmaid's dress from the shop this afternoon, because I figured if you were ever going to have time to try it on, it wouldn't be during regular business hours."

  Paige tried to smother a sigh. Right now, with every inch of her body still smarting from Austin's words, she didn't want to face either of her partners. She just wanted to go home and...

  Not face your mother, she finished. A few minutes' respite from Eileen McDermott's all-observant gaze would be a blessing. In comparison, Sabrina - perceptive as she could be - was downright oblivious. "Sure. I'll be there in a few minutes if traffic cooperates."

  "Great. I want to talk to you about something, anyway." Sabrina sounded almost somber.

  Paige forgot her own troubles. "It's not Caleb, is it? mean, you haven't had a fight?"

  "Too many to count. It's our favorite pastime." The bounce was back in Sabrina's tone. "But nothing serious. It's my mother that's the problem."

  "Again?"

  "Are you sure you don't mean still? I'll tell you when you get here."

  When Paige parked her van in front of Caleb Tanner's three-story Georgian house, Sabrina opened the door to greet her and while she waited for Paige to come up the walk, idly began picking off fragments of loose paint from the siding next to the entrance.

  "It'll be a mansion again someday," Paige said as she climbed the crumbling concrete steps. "With your taste and Caleb's money, anything's possible."

  "It's just too bad I can't buy enough good weather to work on the exterior in the winter." Sabrina led Paige upstairs to a newly decorated guest room and pulled a garment bag from the closet. "Conversation later," she decreed. "Let's get the important stuff out of the way first."

  The dress she displayed was raspberry silk, in an Edwardian style which even included a tiny bustle. It was one of the most beautiful - and impractical - things Paige had ever seen. "Gorgeous," she said as she turned to the mirror, hands holding the neckline in place while Sabrina started to deal with the long row of buttons up the back of the gown. "But don't tell me Cassie's enthusiastic about this color. With that red hair of hers - "

  "She's wearing periwinkle blue, but it's styled the same." Sabrina sounded abstracted.

  Paige watched her for a moment. "So tell me what your mother's up to."

  "She invited my cousin and a friend I haven't seen in at least ten years to be bridesmaids."

  "How thoughtful of her."

  "Wasn't it, though? And that's not the worst of it. She invited them before she bothered to tell me. The first I knew of it was when the old friend called this afternoon to tell me how excited she was about being in my wedding and to ask where she should pick up her dress."

  "So what are you going to do? Look around for a couple more ushers to keep the numbers even?"

  Sabrina shook her head. "I can't add more bridesmaids, even if I wanted to. Caleb is edgy enough at the very idea of having a formal wedding. I don't dare suggest making an even bigger production out of it. Two bridesmaids, two ushers - that's his absolute limit."

  "Then if you're wondering whether I'd mind stepping aside for a substitute in order to keep the peace - "

  Paige ran a hand over the sleek heavy silk as she thought about Sabrina's truce with the parents who had once disowned her. It was, she thought, too new and too fragile to risk. And even if Sabrina's mother had veered over the line from helpful to managing...well, she was still Sabrina's mother, after all.

  Paige half turned to face her friend and went on, "Surely you know you don't have to ask, Sabrina. I wouldn't be offended, and I'm sure Cassie feels the same. And it wouldn't be too late to have the dresses altered if - "

  Sabrina's eyes widened. "I wouldn't dream of asking anything of the sort! You and Cassie are my best friends - if the two of you weren't standing beside me through the ceremony, I wouldn't even feel married."

  "It's nice to be appreciated," Paige said lightly, but she felt a tremor deep inside. How lucky she was to have friends like this. “So what are you going to do? Tell them there's been a mix-up, and talk to your mother?"

  "You think I haven't already? Their feelings were hurt, and Mother cried and said she was only trying to help." Sabrina sighed. "I'm just afraid of what this desire to be helpful will make her do next." A knock at the door made Sabrina break off, and she went to open it.

  Paige turned back and forth in front of the long mirror, admiring the play of light and shadow against the distinct weave of the fabric, only half hearing the murmur of the butler's voice at the door.

  Sabrina came back to the mirror, her eyes alight. "Now that's downright lucky," she said. "That I called you over here tonight, I mean. Austin's in town - you must have just missed him at his apartment."

  "Actually," Paige began.

  "He's downstairs right now, in fact - he stopped by to say hello. It's so sweet of him, I think, to make a courtesy call on his first night in town. Hurry and change out of that dress so you can come down and meet him."

  "Sabrina, I - " Paige's throat seemed to swell shut.

  "On second thought, don't change." Sabrina grabbed her arm. "Come down just as you are."

  Paige said flatly, "I can't."

  "Why not? You mean, the dress? It only matters that Caleb not see my wedding gown before the ceremony, you know. The bridesmaids' dresses don't count. Come on, Paige - oh, I didn't get nearly all the buttons fastened, did I? Here, turn around and let me finish."

  Paige didn't move. "Why are you so anxious for me to meet Austin? And why right now?''

  Sabrina's eyes sparkled. "You think I'm trying to fix you up, don't you?" She chuckled. "Darling, I've known you for more than two years, and I've learned the lesson well. I would never dare try to organize anything which even faintly resembled a date for you."

  "That all sounds good," Paige said suspiciously, "but - "

  "I just think you should get to know Austin. If Rent-A-Wife is going to keep on taking care of Tanner Electronics' employees, it wouldn't hurt a bit for all three of us to be on speaking terms with the new CEO."

  Paige bit her lip. She could hardly argue with that. And it was a little late to start explaining that she'd gone well past speaking terms with Austin Weaver, all the way to ferocious argument and accusation, earlier this very afternoon - to say nothing of sharing the whole history of her relationship with Austin Weaver while the man himself was waiting just downstairs...

  "All right," she said finally. "I'll come down. But I'll have to get into my own clothes first. I can't walk around wearing this elegant dress and my everyday loafers." And I'll take my own sweet time about changing, Paige told herself. With any luck, Sabrina would mention that Paige was upstairs, and Austin would set a speed record for the door.

  "On second thought," Sabrina murmured, "if you're trying to look your best for him, Paige, perhaps I should try to organize a date!"

  But Paige's luck was cold indeed. Either Sabrina hadn't commented about the friend who'd be coming down in a few minutes, or Austin had seen no acceptable way to excuse himself, for when Paige came down the stairs she could hear the murmur of several voices in the living room.

  Among them she had no trouble picking out the low, rich tones of Austin's voice and the high notes of Jennifer's.

  Though why, Paige asked herself, should she leap to the conclusion that he'd be uncomfortable enough to run just because she happened to be on the scene?

  You'd better get over the idea that you're anything more than incidental to him, she told herself. And the sooner, the better.

  As the man had said himself this afternoon, he had gone on with his life - and straight on, at that, barely even pausing over the little matter of a divorce. Jennifer's childish soprano ought to be reminder enough of that; even if Paige had once been the most
important thing in Austin Weaver's life - which seemed increasingly doubtful, from the evidence at hand - she had long since ceased to be significant.

  Just as he was no longer significant to her. She'd made a mistake earlier in the day, allowing herself to put too much importance on the past, allowing herself to become shrill over something which didn't matter at all anymore. Now that she'd realized her error, she could be every bit as indifferent to Austin as he was to her.

  She paused in the doorway, taking in the scene at a glance. Austin was seated on the couch, with his back to her and his daughter nestled up against his side.

  Knowing she could still walk away, Paige had to force herself to step into the living room.

  Sabrina passed a cup to Austin and asked, "You've already been to the apartment, of course? How do you like it?"

  "It's very nice. I understand Jennifer has you to thank for the fact that her room looks exactly like the one she had in Atlanta."

  "Does it?" Sabrina asked earnestly. "I hoped it would. All the photos you faxed helped, of course."

  "But there aren't any right-sized hooks," Jennifer said earnestly. "My size, I mean."

  Sabrina frowned. "Oh, dear. I didn't even think of that. It must be because I don't have any little girls of my own."

  "I wanted to ask about making the apartment a little more child-friendly," Austin said, "with lower closet rods and coat hooks and shelves that she can reach. Is that the sort of thing Rent-A-Wife does?"

  "All the time." As Sabrina settled back with her own coffee cup, her gaze lighted on Paige in the doorway, and she said with a twinkle, “But that kind of job would be Paige's department. Both Cassie and I are hopeless with hammers and drills and screwdrivers, you see. Come on in, Paige, so I can introduce you."

  Austin looked over his shoulder, set his cup down, and got to his feet. His expression was bland, Paige saw, showing no recognition, no irritation - and no surprise. He was obviously waiting for her cue, she realized.

  She came forward, hand outstretched. Sabrina was watching them fondly, Paige saw, like a matchmaking mama. Annoyed, Paige said under her breath, "Sometimes I wonder what you are good at, Sabrina Saunders!"

  "Isn't it obvious?" Sabrina said brightly. "Human relations are my specialty."

  Before she could go on, Jennifer bounced onto her knees on the couch, leaned over the back toward Paige, and said cheerfully, "Hello. I've forgotten your name, wasn't that silly?"

  Paige saw Sabrina's eyebrows soar. "Do you know what?" the child went on engagingly. "Daddy told me I probably wouldn't see you again."

  Paige thought she saw a flicker of annoyance cross Austin's face.

  Jennifer's announcement was interesting, Paige thought, in several ways. Because the child had taken her father's statement seriously enough to repeat. Because he'd said it in the first place. Because it so obviously indicated that he intended to avoid Paige. And most of all, because he was clearly put out at his daughter for bringing the matter up.

  "Again?" Sabrina asked.

  "We've already met," Paige said. She tried to make it sound casual. 'I was just leaving the apartment this evening when Mr. Weaver and Jennifer arrived." She offered a hand to the child. "Will you shake hands? I wouldn't dream of patting you on the head, you see."

  Jennifer giggled. "She tried again when we were leaving to come over here. It's because my daddy is - "

  "Very tired from a long drive," Austin said smoothly. "And it's time for us to go. Thank Ms. Saunders again for your room, Jennifer."

  "It's nice," the child said dutifully. "I didn't want to leave my other one, you know, because my mother planned it all for me before she died."

  I don't have a forwarding address, Austin had said. Paige had thought he was simply being irreverent. Only in retrospect did she hear pain under the flippant words.

  Paige closed her eyes and heard in her brain the echo of every catty comment she'd made in that short conversation with him this afternoon. The relationship obviously wasn't successful.... People do crazy things after a divorce.... Your bad choices aren't my responsibility.... At least I learned my lesson....

  Her head ached at the memory of every one of those statements - all unfounded, all judgmental, all wrong. Dead wrong.

  Why had she never even considered the possibility that Jennifer's mother had died? Why had she so blithely assumed that relationship, too, must have ended in divorce?

  Because, Paige accused herself, he divorced you - and you wanted to believe that he couldn't commit himself to another woman any more than he could to you.

  She'd been determined to believe him incapable of forming a lasting bond with any woman. Even though she'd been faced with the fact that he'd devoted himself to his daughter - evidence that he was capable of loyalty - Paige had chosen to consider it unimportant. She'd told herself that to a man, his own little girl was a whole lot different than an adult woman.

  She tried to catch his eye, but Austin had focused all his attention on Sabrina, sparing only a nod to Paige before turning toward the door.

  "It's time for me to be going, too," Paige heard herself say.

  Austin paused, a hesitation so brief and so quickly masked that she found herself wondering if she'd imagined it. But as he held the door for her, she saw a speculative glimmer in his eyes.

  She didn't know if she was more annoyed with herself for making a probably rash move, or with him for reading unwarranted meaning into it.

  "I do hope I haven't left you with a wrong impression," she said tartly as they stepped off the concrete porch and onto the uneven gravel of the driveway. "I certainly wouldn't want to put myself in the same category as the super at Aspen Towers, coming up with one reason after another to cling to you. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

  "For what?"

  "For assuming..." She realized too late that she had an extra - and very interested - listener, and tried to be oblique for the sake of the eavesdropping child. "It never occurred to me... I mean, that it might not have been divorce. Why didn't you bother to correct me, Austin?"

  Austin shrugged. "I suppose because it didn't matter."

  He obviously wasn't saying that his wife's death didn't matter. So, since it was perfectly clear what he was thinking, Paige told herself irritably, he might as well have just come straight out and said it. Because it doesn't matter what you think of me.

  She felt awkward. "Of course not," she said quietly. "As long as... I mean, before it comes up again... perhaps we should talk about how to deal with the past."

  "Our shared past, you mean? Don't you think it's a bit late for that? You seem to have made your choice already this evening when you referred to me as Mr. Weaver."

  "Oh. I suppose so, yes." She paused beside her van, fumbling with her keys. "Anyway, I'm sorry."

  Austin walked on toward the Jaguar parked just behind her van, then turned to face her once more. "I don't suppose it's any of my business," he said finally, "but why haven't you told them? Your partners, at least?"

  Paige didn't look at him. "Because it wasn't important for them to know."

  "Really?" He opened the back door of the car for Jennifer and closed it behind her. "That's very interesting."

  "I don't understand what you mean."

  "Just this." He took a few steps toward her and leaned against the front fender of his car, arms folded across his chest. "If the fact that we were once married isn't important, Paige, then why on earth are you choosing to make a state secret of it?"

  CHAPTER THREE

  WHEN Paige came in the back door of the little bungalow, pausing to hang the minivan's keys on the hook in the entryway, her mother was in the kitchen, stirring a saucepan of soup on the range.

  The flickering light of a muted television set reflected off the chrome frame of Eileen's wheelchair as she turned to face her daughter. "You were in such a hurry to take out the garbage this morning, Paige, that you forgot and left the milk on the top shelf of the refrigerator again. You know I can't reach
all the way up there to get it."

  Hello, darling. Did you have a good day? You look worried.

  I am, Mother. Austin Weaver showed up in my life again. You remember Austin? The man I thought I loved?

  Paige smothered a twinge of regret at the thought of a conversation that would probably never happen. It was hard sometimes for her to remember the woman Eileen had once been, before the debilitating effects of her illness had made her so negative, so hard to please.

  "I'm sorry to have caused you the inconvenience, Mother." Of course, Paige thought, considering the state of mind she'd been in this morning - knowing she would be spending the day among Austin's possessions and in Austin's new home - it was a wonder she hadn't put the garbage in the refrigerator and the milk on the curb.

  "Because of your thoughtlessness, I had to eat my cereal dry."

  "I'm sure Linda next door would have been happy to help."

  "You know how much I hate asking for favors from anyone." Eileen cleared her throat and went on with a determined note in her voice. "At any rate, it's done now, and there's no point in dwelling on it. You were obviously too eager to get away from here even to notice what you were doing. I can't help wondering, though, what you had on your mind this morning that was so important to you."

  So much more important than I am. She didn't say it, but the hint was apparent in Eileen's tone.

  Paige picked up a stack of pink message slips from the desk in the corner of the kitchen. "I knew it was going to be a busy day, that's all."

  "It must have been. You're quite late."

  "I stopped to try on my dress for Sabrina's wedding."

  Eileen shook her head. "I wish you weren't going to be part of that circus."

  "She's one of my two best friends in the world, Mother. And despite the sheer number of guests who'll be attending, she's planning a simple and very tasteful wedding. There will be no elephants, no lion-tamers, no cotton candy, and no sequined top hats - I promise."

  Elaine sniffed. "I notice you didn't bring the dress home. Does that mean you don't want me to see it till it's too late to object?"