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What a strange woman. Despite her, this has been a good place for Evelyn, especially since she met Harry. Sometimes family isn’t what you’ve been given. It’s found. I’m so glad I found Evelyn.
Paige’s van is out front when I pull up. I find her already working at her desk, with “Hold On” by Fleetwood Mac playing softly in the background. Seems like she played Fleetwood Mac in her van the day I met her, and again at the shed. I like that we have similar taste in music. I smirk at her, and she looks at me questioningly.
“Good morning,” I say evenly as I take in the scene in front of me. It looks like a box of crayons exploded in here. Her desk looks like a Lisa Frank factory threw up on it. Her keyboard is colorful, her colored pens are organized, and colorful Post-its covered in notes are spread across her desk. She’s even a ball of color, with a headband patterned in a rainbow kaleidoscope and a dress with equally bold patterns of hot pink, black, bright blue, and yellow. To top off the look, she’s wearing bright blue glasses that pop against her bright red hair as it cascades in waves down her back and shoulders.
“Good morning.” She squints at me, and I feel like she’s trying to get a read on me—to determine whether I’m coming at her sideways, I guess.
“There’s a lot of color going on in here, Paige,” I note as I take in the rainbow print design hanging behind her desk.
“Yeah, well, I felt it was needed, Preston,” she replies, matching my tone. “There’s only so much sad beige a person can take.”
“This isn’t a nursery school. It’s a law firm.”
“And no one said it can’t be fun.” She shoots me a look of disdain. “Besides you.”
“I never said it couldn’t be fun.” I stand up straighter. “I’m fun.”
“Right,” she deadpans.
“Why do you always talk back to me?” I frown.
“Because that’s how a conversation works, Daddy Warbucks.” She smiles sweetly.
“Where’s your raccoon?” I ask, wondering what she does with him when she’s at work.
“Under my desk.” She shrugs, then turns back to her computer monitor.
I peer down, and sure enough, there he is, curled up on a cat bed and sleeping forehead to forehead with Theo. I shake my head and groan.
“What?” she asks. “You bring Theo to work. It’s only fair that I get to bring Pancake. Plus, Theo and Pancake are best friends now. It’s not nice to separate them.”
“Whatever. He just better not bother any of the clients.”
“The only one who will probably bother the clients is you, DW,” she says too sweetly.
I ignore her and head over to the coffee bar and pour coffee into one of the mugs on the shelf. I notice Paige’s head swivel, and she watches me as I take a sip. I practically spit it out and glare at her. “What is that?” I hiss.
“It’s coffee.” She raises her own mug to take a sip, then smiles sweetly. “What?”
“That isnotcoffee. That tastes like... I don’t know what that tastes like, but that’s not coffee. What did you do to it?”
“I did nothing to the coffee.” She shrugs, dismissing me. “Maybe your tastebuds are off.” She continues typing on her keyboard, not making eye contact with me.
“Never mind,” I say in disgust as I stride across the room and pour the wretched brew down the drain. I rinse out my cup. “That’s terrible coffee, and if you like it, there’s something wrong with you.”
“You could always make it yourself,” she calls back over her shoulder.
“I can’t stand you,” I retort.
“Then you better go sit down. In your office. Far, far away, DW.” She waves me off.
I glare as I head back to my office and shut the door. Theo won’t be coming anyway. The traitor loves her and her dumb raccoon. Everyone does, apparently.
8. paige
Everywhere
Beth:I need you to keep me from dying of boredom.
