Page 8 of Tangled in Temptation

Timothy sighed, his gaze still fixed on the spot where Paisley disappeared. “Regina is taking her back to Germany.”

I felt a lump forming in my throat. I’d never seen him this frazzled, this undone. He seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, and for a moment, my resentment melted into concern. Yes, I was angry with him, but my concern for Paisley trumped that.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured.

“Thank you for dropping off the bike,” Timothy said curtly, turning to go back inside.

“Wait,” I called after him. “Are you okay?”

He turned to look at me, and his expression said he wasn’t. I thought he might tell me to go to hell after I was so cold to him last night.

“No, Catherine. None of this is okay.” He ran his hand through his hair, explaining why it looked the way it did. “I didn’t anticipate Regina refusing to leave and then using Paisley against me. I’m livid. I’m livid because I didn’t know this was coming. I’m fucking pissed that this is happening. So, no. No, I am not okay. Paisley isn’t okay. I’m pissed that she’s here and won’t leave. I’m fucking furious that it’s going to take an act of heaven to get this woman out of my house. And you know what else? I’m pissed that you got sucked into all of this.”

I was caught off guard by the raw honesty in his words. The anger radiating from him was palpable. But it wasn’t just anger. He was hurting. He was torn up. I found myself wanting to comfort him. The poor man was going through it. But I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to get in the middle of whatever drama was happening within those walls.

“Can I talk to Paisley?” I asked hesitantly, my gaze searching his for permission. She was one I could talk to without worrying about getting my heart broken.

Timothy nodded, looking a little disgusted as he turned and walked back inside, the door slamming shut behind him. I hated that I couldn’t comfort him. I was certain Regina was still inside, and I didn’t want to kick that hornet’s nest. I had a feeling me comforting Timothy might just make things worse for him. I didn’t want to add to his suffering.

I followed the path Paisley had taken into the garden that lined the side of the house. Paisley sat on a bench, her face buried in her hands. I approached her slowly, unsure of what to say. “Paisley, are you okay?”

She looked up, her eyes red and puffy. “My mom is taking me back to Germany. I hate it there. I don’t want to go. I don’t speak the language. I have no friends.”

A surge of empathy washed over me. “I’m so sorry, Paisley. Is there anything I can do?”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing anyone can do. I’m her prisoner. I have no rights. No say.”

“Is boarding school that bad?” I asked gently. “I’m sure you’re not the only American there. Have you tried to make friends?”

Paisley nodded, her voice choked with emotion. “I hate it there. I hate everything about it. I just want to be a normal kid and go to a normal school. I hate the cliques and drama.”

I tried to offer comfort. “Maybe you’ll come back soon. It might not be forever.”

“Yeah right,” she muttered. “I’m screwed.”

“I’m sorry,” I sighed.

Paisley’s eyes flashed with anger. “I’m mad at you, you know? You moved out, and now everything is all messed up.”

I took a deep breath. “Paisley, it was supposed to be temporary. This was never my home.”

She shook her head, her frustration evident. “He has never been happier than when you were around. Now everything is falling apart. He’s sad now.”

“I didn’t mean to cause any of this. I never wanted to hurt anyone.”

Paisley cut me off, her voice accusatory as she turned her anger on me. “You broke his heart. He loved you, and now everything is ruined.”

“But Paisley,” I started, my voice faltering under her accusations. “Love isn’t always enough.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her expression puzzled but still flaming with anger.

“Sometimes, there are things that get in the way. Things you can’t control.”

“Like my mother?”

I nodded, swallowing hard against the lump forming in my throat. “Yes, like your mother. But not that she’s in the wrong. I don’t know what that relationship is. There are a lot of other factors. You guys have some family issues, and I am not a part of that. I don’t want to get involved.”

Paisley was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was softer. “You could have tried harder. You could have stayed.”