Page 27 of His Lucky Paige

“No, problems with bad wiring…the club where we were supposed to have the wedding shower this weekend and the wedding next month had a fire last night. Don’t laugh Joel, it’s not funny,” she said smacking his arm as he doubled over.

“Come on Paige…you seriously cannot tell me that the world’s not conspiring against the two of you. First, you’re forced to come back here because of the accident putting you directly back in my path and in my arms, then the one reason you had for rushing back is taken away, and you’re looking at not being able to even hold the wedding. Tell me you don’t see that.”

“All I see is a couple extra days to catch up with my old team and make sure that they can get you all into the front part of the mine without fearing another cave-in and a slight delay on the wedding.DelayJoel, not cancellation.”

“Cancellation on what?” Sam inquired stepping out onto the patio with them.

“Paige’s wedding,” Joel snickered.

“You called it off?” Cord asked joining them. “I thought you were happy that I at least marginally approve.”

“I am happy Dad and the wedding’snotcancelled. Unfortunately, the place where we were going to hold it had a major fire last night and we have to postpone it and the shower this weekend. There’re too many people to fit anywhere else.”

“I see,” her father said thoughtfully. “Why not move it down here then?”

“You’re kidding right? There’s no way all of our guests are going to come down here for the wedding let alone the shower. No, we’ll just push it back. It’s no big deal…really.”

“I told you,” Joel whispered to Sam who handed him a twenty.

“What was that?” Paige inquired catching the exchange.

“Joel bet me twenty that you wouldn’t be back up there this weekend for the shower. Don’t worry Sis; I’ve got more riding on a big day happening.”

“Another bet you’ll lose,” Joel stated adamantly.

“Why would that be Joel?” Cord questioned.

“I swear you all never change. Did you ever bother to askme…the one who’s getting married whether or not it’s going to happen? No, why did I ever think you all would change. I’m just a girl to all of you. I couldn’t possibly make a decision as important as who I’m going to spend the rest of my life with by myself could I?”

“No,” Joel replied, “because you always make the wrong choice before the right one appears as the only option left. Paige, you’re not going to marry that joker, he only wants you for your funding…you deserve better than that.”

“Meaning what? You?” she countered. “The guy who couldn’t admit to my father that, despite everyone remaining mum on the subject for years, we were in fact seeing each other when he asked point blank and you gave him some bogus story about dating someone else? You couldn’t man up back then what makes now any different?”

“I did thatforyou Paige. I didn’t want you getting hurt doing something crazy. I thought if you transferred out like you had talked about that you’d find something else to obsess over instead of the mine,” Joel argued. “You father knewexactlyhow I felt about you, he wasn’t blind.”

“No just you were. Actually, that’s not true because you’re all still blind to the simplest fact around.” She turned to walk away but her father stopped her with a hand.

“What does that mean Paige? I think it’s past time we all had a rational discussion about the past.”

“I don’t. The past is dead and over with and so is the girl who lived it. I’mnother. If you don’t like the new Paige that’s your problem but I refuse to revert back to being her. She couldn’t make any of you see but I will. Now shouldn’t you all scurry inside and close the door to figure out what to do with the mess that’s the north passage?”

“What are you doing?” Sam questioned as she and Maggie started down the back path.

“I’m going to fly to the moon…what does it look like we’re doing? We’re going for a walk,” she tossed over her shoulder at them. When they rounded the corner, she slipped inside the back door and ran up to her room taking the maps of the mine and her bag full of notepads and made her way over to the area that had once been the north passage.

Maggie rested beside her as she worked, mapping out the damaged areas and the potential for the area that was currently nothing but a gulf of rocks. Repairing the north passage road would be easier once she knew exactly what was underneath that hadn’t been damaged but to learn that she’d need to get back into the mine. She checked her watch, ten after two…if she went now she’d be able to get to the bottom entrance of the cavern by three and from there she could see how bad the passage was.

When she arrived at the cavern, she dug out her camera and slung it over her shoulder as she picked up a few items, including her cell and an old walkie, and began to make her way through it. The damage she found didn’t surprise her too much, but it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as she had expected and if they got a crew out here, they could get the road functioning within a month she estimated.

“Want to see something interesting Maggie?” she questioned the dog plodding along beside her.

She headed back up to the cavern but when they reached the opening, she walked past it and continued up another half-mile until they reached a tiny opening barely big enough for a grown man to fit through. She ducked though there was no reason to she wouldn’t hit her head on the top anytime soon, and went towards the fading light. She lifted her camera and began to snap pictures of the area. She could remember clearly the first time she’d stood in this tiny crevice and looked out at the land that her family owned.

The feeling of pride and happiness she felt then washed through her again and she tried to compare it to the feeling she had when she saw her own home in Maine. It was nothing compared to this, and it seemed Maggie agreed as she woofed contently despite the danger that one wrong step spelled. The light was continuing to fade and she knew it was time to head back. She didn’t want to get caught working on her plans before she was ready. She’d show them how they could turn the accident into an advantage and expand their lines.

The walk back to the house gave her plenty of time to come to terms with her unfazed desire for Joel. Every time they were together all she wanted was another touch, another kiss…but she couldn’t give into it. There were so many things he didn’t know, so many things that would only tear them apart if he did but she couldn’t deny the heat that radiated between them or the constant need to be with him.

“So, what do I do Maggie Mae?” she asked the dog. “Do I see where this is going with him behind Aaron’s back? No, then I’d be no better than Kendra, would I? So, tell me girl…what do I do?”

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