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She couldn’t think any further into the future than tonight. “We’ll see. I don’t even have a passport. Mine expired last year and I never got a new one.” Paige focused on cutting her sandwich, rather than look at him. “How come you changed your plans and went to see your uncle?”
“Needed his legal advice.” The half smile disappeared. “Just in case.”
He didn’t need to explain any further. Mark Sherbrooke, his uncle, was the Supreme Court Chief Justice in Rhode Island. If anyone knew the law, it would be him.
Across from her, Scott picked up his coffee. “Let’s talk about something else. Derek invited us out on his boat tomorrow night. I thought we could head to Newport when you get off work and join him and his fiancée, Brooklyn. You’ll like her. Then we can spend the night at my house there. What do you say?”
“Can we talk about it later?”
“Later?” His lips barely moved when spoke.
She didn’t blame him for being upset. After all, she’d said the same thing about meeting his parents this weekend.
“Yeah, sure. Later it is.”
“Please don’t be upset. I just want time to think about it.” She didn’t want him mad at her.
“I’m not upset, Paige. I’m frustrated. Something’s going on with you. I don’t know what, but you haven’t been yourself.”
Paige shifted in her seat, unable to meet his eyes. If she denied, it she’d be lying, but she didn’t want to talk about it in here either.
“This situation with Nicole and Cooper is far from perfect, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“We’ll talk tonight. Promise. As soon as I get home.” Her time had run out.
***
Twice Scott was stopped by acquaintances as he made his way toward Derek’s table in the country club’s lounge. Already agitated from his brief encounter with Paige, he couldn’t tolerate any more small talk with people. He’d leave altogether, but he’d canceled lunch with Derek earlier so he could visit Uncle Mark. He couldn’t bail on his cousin twice in one day.
“What’s biting your ass?” Derek asked, his voice low so no one else would overhear him.
Where to start?
“Let me guess, woman problems?”
“You could say that.” Scott considered his conversation with Paige at the hospital. It hadn’t gone the way he’d envisioned.
Derek held back any more questions when the waitress approached and took Scott’s drink order. As soon as she left, Derek went into lawyer mode and started his interrogation. “Does it have something to do with why you ditched me earlier and went to see my dad instead?”
“Some of it.”
“Not much for sharing today.” Derek picked up his drink and took a sip.
What difference did telling Derek make anyway? He wouldn’t share with anyone except maybe Brooklyn. “There’s a decent chance I’m a father.”
Derek choked on his whiskey. “What? When the hell did that happen? Who’s the mother? How do you not know?” His questions came one right after another.
Before he got into it, he grabbed his cousin’s drink and took a swig, since the waitress hadn’t delivered his yet. “Nicole Sutton, do you remember her? She stopped by my place last week and delivered the news. She was screwing two other men when we dated.” Scott kept his voice low. He didn’t need anyone around them hearing their conversation. “Jordan Lee isn’t the father like she hoped. Leaves me and the other guy. I should have the paternity results soon. Visited your dad this afternoon for his advice in case Cooper turns out to be mine.”
“Don’t blame you for being pissed today. How’s your new girlfriend handling the news?”
Scott held off answering and thanked the waitress when she set down his glass. “Not well, if this week’s any indication.”
“She didn’t tell you? Brooklyn would’ve let me know just what she thought.”
“Paige says it doesn’t bother her. But something’s wrong. She’s avoiding me.”
“Hey, I have a novel idea. Ask her.”
