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Once we get back to Bride’s Paradise, I tell her, “I’d better go home and make sure I have something clean to wear.”
She points at me with her keys. “What’s wrong with the dress you have on? It’s adorable.”
“After my interview this morning, I never want to see it again. I might even burn it.”And seeing as I sweated like a whore in church, I definitely want to get a shower too. That’s when an alarming thought hits me—maybe that’s what Tim was smelling.
“Fine. Go home and find something cute, and we’ll see you in a couple of hours.” She unlocks the door, but before she opens it, she calls after me, “You’ve got this, Paige. I believe in you.”
I suppose I should take some comfort in the fact that both Tim and Missy have my back. Their pep talks remind me to be optimistic and positive. I’m no longer that girl in high school with the head gear and the scoliosis brace that compelled every adult in my life to promise the best was yet to come.
As I walk down the street to my house, I try to turn my mood around. I’m a professional, thirty-two-year-old woman with a good job and a cute house. So what if I’m still single? A lot of women don’t meet their husbands until they’re in their thirties.
Of course, they probably live in cities where there are a ton of single men. My choices in Elk Lake are pretty much limited to the postal worker with great legs and a love of women's tag team wrestling, or the kid who works the graveyard shift at the Quickie Mart. I think he’s over eighteen anyway.
Walking up the path to my house, I remind myself how lucky I am to have a roof over my head. And with the paycheck fromMidwestern Matchmaker,I’ll be able to make some much-needed improvements.
Once I unlock the door and go inside, I look around and revel in the fact that I’ve managed to buy a house on my own. Even though it’s small, it’s charming and inviting. The fireplace is the focal point of the living room, and when lit, it makes everythinglook dreamy. The light fixtures and hardwood floor are original, which I love. And while I don’t own any new furniture, I’ve picked out the best Goodwill has to offer.Yes, positive Paige is back!
After kicking off my shoes, I pad across the floor and turn on the gas to light a fire. Once that task is accomplished, I sink into one of the loveseats and work on adding to my list of happy thoughts. Unfortunately, the green-eyed devil of jealousy overtakes me, and all I can think about are Faith and Anna’s babies. While I should be delighted for my friends, that’s a task easier said than done.
I do not want to be one of those maiden aunts who babysits so her married friends can go out for a childfree night. I don’t want to be the fifth wheel at dinner parties who people are always trying to set up with random single men that cross their paths. I can just hear Missy now. “Yes, he’s a bit short, but at five-five he’s still taller than you.” That comment is followed by even more depressing ones. “Bald men are said to be the most virile.” “What’s a little extra around the middle?” And my favorite, “Eleven fingers isn’tthatuncommon.”
Crap.
I force myself off the couch to find something nice to wear. I’m going to flip the narrative on my own, even if it kills me.
Which it might.
CHAPTER FOUR
TIM
Working at the country club feels more like hanging out with extended family than actual work. I grew up here. I spent my summers playing tennis and chilling by the pool. When I was old enough, I worked at the snack bar and bussed tables in the dining room. Everything about this place is familiar and full of happy memories.
“Hey, Tim,” Terry Filipo, the club manager, greets me as I walk into the office.
“Hey, Terry. What’s up?”
He hangs up the telephone before saying, “The folks fromMidwestern Matchmakerwere hoping you’d stop by so they can run over their shooting schedule with you.”
“Are they still down in Conference Room B?” I ask while taking off my coat and hanging it on one of the hooks on the wall.
“Yup. I can go down if you don’t have the time,” he says eagerly.
Shaking my head, I tell him, “I’ve got it. It’s kind of exciting having something being filmed here, isn’t it?”
He nods his head. “With the pool, tennis court,andgolf courseclosed for the season, it gives us something other than Christmas parties and baby showers to focus on.”
“And now that the holidays are over, all we have are baby showers.” Even though summer sports are the crux of our business, the dining room stays pretty full year-round. That’s largely due to the fact that we’ve added family game nights and murder mystery dinners to give people a destination.
Terry groans. “I’m so bored around here, I took a nap under my desk yesterday.”
“Why didn’t you just sleep on the couch?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I wouldn’t want the boss to see me napping on duty.”
As I’m the boss, I can’t help but appreciate his sense of humor. “Good thinking. Plus, that way, the couch stays open for me.”
I grab a pad of paper and a pen from my desk before making my way back to the elevator. Once I get out on the first floor, I realize how sparse everything looks now that the Christmas decorations are down. I know a lot of people love putting their decorations away and starting the New Year fresh, but I’m not one of them. If it were up to me, I’d keep the Christmas tree up year-round and just change the trimmings to fit the season. The only problem is that I love fresh trees, so by the time January rolls around, all that’s left are bare branches and a pile of needles beneath.
