Wow guys. Thanks again for all the reviews and follows! I'm interested (and a little nervous!) to hear your thoughts on this one.
I woke up with a sense of unease. I tried to place where I was and why I would feel so anxious right away. Then it hit me. I was leaving back for Rosewoodthis evening. Paige's warm, strong arms were wrapped around me, anchoring me to the comfort she provided. I snuggled back against Paige's body and was rewarded with her softly moaning and holding me tighter.
"Good morning. What time is it?" Her voice was hoarse with sleepiness.
"Time for that breakfast place you kept raving about yesterday…"
"You make it sound like we spent way more time talking than we actually did." She quipped and I started laughing. I turned in her arms and lightly stroked her earlobe, knowing it was a particularly sensitive part of her body and usually commanded her attention.
"Do I have to leave today? I mean are you sure you guys can't use another assistant coach or physical therapist that doesn't actually have a degree yet?" I joked, kissing her cheek before moving to her neck. I heard her take in a sharp breath.
"Not sure if there are any openings…what about personal masseuse who gives happy endings to a particular team member?" She asked suggestively, stroking the curve of my hips.
"So sex slave huh?" I distracted her by biting down on her neck while I grabbed a throw pillow to hit her with.
"Well you could make coffee too and we can just call you a barista for professional purposes." The pillow made a satisfying, soft thumping noise against her head. She looked so shocked at my sneak attack I burst out laughing.
"Point made. Come on. Let me take you out to the best brunch place on campus." She said, pulling me off the bed.
"Hey where has Alex?" After Friday I don't remember seeing or hearing Paige's roommate at all.
"We kind of have an understanding. If she was there, she was in her room with headphones on. But she probably just made herself scarce altogether. As I have done for her many, many times." Paige explained.
"So you two have a system? Implying…that this is something you guys have done often?" I asked. I had realized after yesterday Paige had surely slept with a few girls since our breakup; she seemed much… surer of herself. Experienced.
"It might have come up a few times." She said, her voice wavering a bit. "Here we are." She said, guiding me by the small of my back into the restaurant.
We were seated right next to a large window looking out at the busy street. The place was busy and a line seemed to be starting to get in. After a bit, a server came up and handed us the menus. When he glanced at Paige, he did a double take and recognition flashed across his face as he smirked.
"I'm Matt and I'll be taking care of you two today." As he turned to me he asked if I had ever been here before…then looked at Paige and added that he knew she had been here before. She blushed and nodded. After we each ordered coffee, I tried to read Paige's expression.
"What was that about?" I inquired, arching an eyebrow.
"I come here a lot, so hence the staff tends to comment when they see me again." She explained, before suggesting I take some time to figure out what I wanted.
"We need to strategize." Paige explained, her excitement abundantly clear. I decided it would be fun to mess with her a little bit.
"What we order for breakfast?" I asked, purposefully acting confused.
"Yes! Like I get something sweet and you get something savory, and we can split. We should also get an appetizer."
"I don't know that seems like a lot of work. You obviously know what's good here, so I'll probably just order the same thing you do." I said, glancing up quickly from the menu to relish her look of annoyed panic.
"Em that makes no sense. We have to get different things and share."
"You are in college Paige. This is very childish behavior for a nice breakfast place such as this. Are you going to start drinking the creamer cups next?" I asked, gesturing to the tiny plastic cups of half and half. By now I was actively trying to hide my smile behind the menu. I could tell the instant she caught on to my game, her wide eyes slowly narrowing as it clicked.
"I see what you're doing. Well played Fields."
"Are we going back to a strictly last name basis McCullers? Even after the day we spent together yesterday?" I touched my foot against her leg underneath the table, slowly moving it up and down her calf. She exhaled loudly, shaking away a distracted look.
"Yesterday's history. Today's a mystery." She quipped. She started moving her foot against mine. "But maybe you could remind me about yesterday once we get back to my place?" She asked in a low voice. The waiter came back to drop off the coffee as we were playing footsie, clearing his throat to try and make his approach known to us.
After we ordered, we both started laughing at ourselves.
"We are acting like teenagers. Even worse…maybe even preteens." I commented, and Paige just crooked her head, resting it in one hand as she looked at me.
"I don't mind."
Paige had failed to make me properly understand the portions the restaurant provided. We would definitely not need to eat again today after consuming all the eggs and waffles in the entrees.
"This is good food." I admitted. Paige nodded in agreement before standing up.
"I have to go to the bathroom. Don't even think about picking up the check." She added, rubbing my shoulder affectionately as she walked past. I checked my phone and noticed there were messages from Hanna and Spencer. Of course.
Hanna: Feel like a brand new woman yet? It will be extra cute when you guys walk down the aisle together in the wedding!
Emily: This is going to sound stupid but I feel like a brand new woman and like an old version of myself...I'll call when I get back.
Hanna: You have a flair for the poetic. Maybe you picked that up through osmosis by living in Aria's place.
Spencer: I'm happy for you two.
I saw movement out the corner of my eye, and went to put my phone away as Paige sat back down.
Only it wasn't Paige.
At first it took me a moment to place the blond, and then I remembered the party Alex was having when I first got to Stanford.
"Oh hey. Are you…Anna?" I asked, a little confused. She looked around conspiratorially, trying to make sure we weren't going to be overheard.
"Yeah. Listen I know this isn't my place to tell you, but that Paige," she then gestured towards the direction of the bathrooms, "is NOT the same Paige you were high school sweethearts with." A warm, wet bloom of anxiety started creeping through my stomach.
"What do you mean?"
"Did she tell you she never loved anyone else? That she had always been thinking about you?" She looked antsy, clearly not wanting Paige to see us talking. But she also didn't sound vindictive. She sounded like a secret was about to burst if she didn't just tell it. I could understand that feeling better than most people.
"Yes." I helplessly agreed, afraid but not knowing why. What was this girl trying to tell me? Anna flinched at my admission, slightly deterred but not dissuaded.
"Fuck. I'm not telling you this to hurt you, but I feel like you should know. Paige and I were engaged." I gasped out a breath. I felt a burst of nausea hit me. I felt numb. I realized Anna had continued and I wasn't paying any attention in my daze.
"I'm sorry what?" I breathlessly asked.
"We were engaged. She broke it off. And then proceeded to…well…sleep around. A lot." I gulped, trying to formulate thoughts but my brain was processing at too slow a rate.
"How do I know you aren't lying to me?" I mumbled. I knew it was the truth. I was much better at detecting when someone was telling the truth. She held her hands up in surrender, shaking her head slowly.
"I have no claim on her. I'm not jealous, I'm not spiteful. And I knew about you. I knew she was hung up on someone from back east. You…you seem even nicer than she made it sound." She nervously added before jumping up quickly enough to make the table wobble a bit in her wake.
And now I could see why she bolted out.
"Hey sorry it took so long; there was a line back there. Did the check come yet?" It had; it was sitting on the edge of the table. It must have come while Anna was talking to me.
"Paige. We need to talk." I said, trying to control the raging sea of emotions pounding through my chest. Paige's smile faltered; she looked puzzled at my change of mood.
"Em what…" She glanced towards the door and saw Anna walking out. "Oh. I guess we do." She grimaced in her realization.
"It wasn't true, was it? The stuff she just said?" I thought I knew it was the truth; but maybe it wasn't. The line was pretty blurry half the time.
"I…I mean…that depends on what she said." She stuttered, fumbling to place her card in the book holding the check.
"Were you engaged to her?" I quickly asked, the words hard to space in my haste to get the question out. Paige looked down, hanging her head before glancing briefly into my eyes. The fact she didn't immediately respond to the contrary told me it was true before she did. She looked like she was in physical pain as she tried to will herself to speak, opening and closing her mouth a few times before replying:
"Yes."