In Her Sights (The Thousand Words Series Book 2) (5 page)

BOOK: In Her Sights (The Thousand Words Series Book 2)
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“I rock a swimsuit.”

Kenny grinned. “I’ll bet.” He took a drink while she laughed loud enough he could actually hear her.

“So what’s your talent?” Kenny asked.

“Would you believe singing? And, yes, I actually can. Lessons and everything.”

“Good for you. Mind telling me what the problem is then? In general? You should be set.”

“My brother. He didn’t mind his own business and leaked mine to one of the event coordinators. He’ll naturally tell the Board of Directors. It will
probably
get back to the Miss Great Lakes Board of Directors, but I can’t be sure. The sad part is, I didn’t do anything illegal, just controversial enough to make some people nervous.”

Kenny was curious, but doubted she wanted to talk about specifics. He nodded. “They have to please the masses and cater to their demographics wherever they can. We do the same. Pity to see you caught in the crossfire.”

“I’ll live with the Miss North America thing. I assume they’ll quietly eliminate me in the early rounds by scoring. No fuss. It’s how the Miss Great Lakes Board will deal with it that concerns me.”

Kenny felt for her, which he assumed she wanted. Still, why tell him? He wasn’t in a position to do anything. There were a lot of people on this boat that might be able to help her.

“Still on your side here, but why me?”

“You’re not local.”

“Exactly. There are a lot of people within yards of us with pull.”

Paige smiled. “They may help me, in return for some favor from me or my family. Or they may flip on me in return for a favor from the runner-up or her family.”

“A risk you’re unwilling to take.”

“Not yet. My brother just dropped this bombshell on me, I’m still working it all out. I probably shouldn’t have confided in you.”

Kenny smiled and shook his head.

“What?”

“It’s just funny. I read a lot of psychology books, I even took a few classes. It started for ideas for dealing with Jess and Dev. I was that desperate.”

Paige laughed. “And now I’m the one on your couch.”

Kenny took a drink while he sized her up again. “It’s a thought.”

She laughed. “If I lose my crown, you’d provide therapy? One on one, I assume.”

“Very private,” Kenny agreed, he’d be her consolation prize. “You could do worse.”

Leaning forward conspiratorially, Paige lowered her voice. “Are you sure you wouldn’t be embarrassed to associate with someone who’ll be ... well, I’m not sure what they’ll do. They don’t have grounds to ask me to step down legally.” She straightened again as she considered the board’s options.

“Just step carefully,” Kenny cautioned. “You’ll be okay.”

“I just might.” Paige looked hopeful and gave her drink to passing waiter. “You know, Miss North America, Miss Great Lakes, all the regional contestants are considered quite the prize usually. When you can catch one.”

She was flirting. Kenny smiled. Jess was going to kill him for this, but she dangled the bait and he’d bite. “You don’t say.”

“Most men looking for trophies want models, but there are fewer of us. We all come with a background of service, it looks good; multilingual, and at least some college, usually a degree. Of course we had coaches, but after a while at least a little bit of poise and diplomacy sinks in. Even into those who struggled with it. We’re all competitive though.”

“So not a good match for men who are idiots.”

“No.”

Kenny took a drink again. “Assuming everything goes as planned, when are you off work?”

“Next July.”

 

Chapter Three

 

 

Paige drove home thinking about her conversation with Kenny. He was going to be her backup if things went south with the Miss Great Lakes Board, but her talk with him made her feel better. There was a good chance she was going to keep her crown. She wouldn’t get Miss North America, that dream was over, but she wouldn’t lose Miss Great Lakes.

She didn’t need Kenny Wright.

He was interested, it would be easy to string him along.

Pulling her Lexus into the garage beside her mother’s classic BMW, Paige sat in the car for minute to think. Part of how Paige achieved all she did was that she insisted on being honest with herself. It was time to be honest. She was interested in Kenny.

Initially she only considered Kenny because, of the four members of A Thousand Words
who conveniently stepped onto the yacht tonight
,
Kenny was the least undesirable option – not a recommendation in itself. But after meeting him, Paige decided Kenny was overshadowed by his more photogenic band-mates and wrongly cast aside. If Paige wasn’t going to be the one to benefit from the injustice, she would have been outraged on his behalf. As it was, she’d happily take advantage of the rain shadow of popularity Kenny was standing in before someone else figured it out. But how? She couldn’t date him for almost a year.

Having a goal gave Paige a purpose. She exited her car and headed to her bedroom, determined to figure out how to find a means to her end.

Waking the next morning, Paige got ready for her appearance at the children’s ward for the second part of the fundraiser. She took extra care with her appearance once she realized her schedule just might allow her to drop by the studio where Kenny was recording.

She wondered how he’d take that. Most men were flattered when Paige dropped in on them, but Kenny wasn’t most men. Of course she wasn’t most women. He wouldn’t appreciate games women played, Paige decided, so she wouldn’t play them. She was interested, but she wasn’t available. There was no harm in at least telling him that much.

Paige put on her lipstick, then smiled. But she’d tell him over lunch. Not out, she couldn’t afford to be seen going to lunch with him. Her Sundays were hers so she’d invite him here for lunch tomorrow. Paige still lived with her mother, who could be counted on to be absent when asked to be. Plus they had the servants. Everything was above board, and yet private.

Paige grabbed her purse, and the click of her heels echoed in the open expanse of the entry as she walked slowly down the stairs. As she went, she examined the high ceilings, curved staircase with its polished banister, cold marble floors, and the flower arrangements her mother carefully placed on the antique sideboard tables with a new eye. She considered what impression the old manor might make on Kenny. Her family came from old money and old tradition. His money was new, as were likely his ideas and politics.

For the first time, Paige was briefly grateful her father lay upstairs in a coma. He wouldn’t like Kenny. In fact, her father would have agreed with Preston, and probably would have gone even further to teach her a lesson.

Pulling her shoulders back and holding her head high in defiance, Paige descended the remaining stairs and found her way to the garage with barely a thought. Her father
wasn’t
available to back up Preston and in all likelihood never would be. She’d never be daddy’s little girl again, either because he was gone or because if he ever did wake up after sixteen months in a coma – well she’d burned that bridge.

 

○ ○ ○

 

The photo-op at the hospital and visiting with the children went well, but Paige was relieved to finally get away. She was eager to go to the studio Kenny casually mentioned the night before. When she finally found it, she couldn’t believe the security, and how difficult it was to just get into the lobby. Now she faced a man who ate antacids like breath mints and repeatedly snapped at a young brunette to take a pretty blond girl shopping.

“I’m serious, Brenda, get her out of here before Jess does something stupid,” the man said.

“I can handle Jess,” the brunette smiled sweetly.

“No. I do
not
want him injured. Please? Lindsay? Dev gave you a credit card. Just go use it.”

“Alec, I’ve
been
shopping. Then we had lunch and I got food poisoning for my trouble. I’m not loving Chicago as much this time as last time,” Lindsay protested.

“Go buy lingerie or something. Body oils, handcuffs, I don’t know or care. You just can’t be here. Go. Shoo!” He waved her off.

“Fine. I’m going to go buy a wig and come back in disguise,” Lindsay told him. She stopped when she saw Paige. Brenda wasn’t paying attention and bumped into her when Lindsay stopped suddenly.

“What?” Brenda asked.

“Hold on,” Lindsay told her.

“Lindsay, you were leaving,” Alec reminded her.

“Yeah,” Lindsay called over her shoulder. She watched Paige for a moment then sighed. “Here for Kenny or Jess?”

“Kenny.”

“Better choice.” Lindsay nodded. “I’m Lindsay, Dev’s girlfriend. He gave me the heads-up last night. Jess and Kenny kind of hate me, but it’s mutual, so it’s all good.” Lindsay held out her hand and Paige shook it in surprise.

Releasing her hand, Lindsay called back over her shoulder to Alec again. “Hey, Kenny’s got someone here to see him. I strongly suggest you send her back.”

“Why?” Alec asked.

“Trust me.” With that Lindsay left with Brenda, who Paige assumed to be Bryan’s wife, following close behind. Paige watched them go then looked to Alec for direction.

“I don’t trust her. Not as far as I can throw her. She’s good with Dev though. As good as Bryan at handling him.” Alec stared at her for a moment, then sighed. “I know something happened last night, but damned if I can get details. Fine. Come on.”

Paige followed him through a door and they were buzzed through another one into a long, dimly-lit room with glass along one wall.

It was like looking at an exhibit in an aquarium. The walls were dark in both rooms and the lights in the other room let Paige focus immediately on the figures in the glass ‘tank’ in front of her.

She took a tentative step toward the glass, watching Kenny lightly fingering his guitar.

“Paige?” Jess’s familiar voice caught her attention, and she looked over to find his surprised face watching her. Guiltily, she glanced back at Kenny, who now noticed her presence as well.

“I shouldn’t have trusted Lindsay,” Alec muttered behind her. “She was just getting even with Kenny and Jess for making her life hell, wasn’t she?”

“Maybe,” Paige agreed. She wasn’t willing to make an enemy out of Dev’s girlfriend quite yet, after all, Lindsay got her back here. She was going to have to face Jess sooner or later.

“So are we calling a time out?” Jess asked, already pulling the headphones off and sliding off the tall stool he was only partially sitting on.

“Freeze,” Kenny ordered and, looking toward a tech in the sound booth, made a slicing motion across his neck before turning toward Jess.

“You didn’t see that,” Alec directed. Paige looked behind her at him, thinking that was an odd thing to say, but saw Alec was looking at a tech sitting in a dark corner in front of her. The tech nodded.

“Jess, the same rules as last night apply today,” Kenny continued, apparently unaware of what was happening in the sound booth. Paige turned to watch, smiling at Kenny as if she were waiting for him and couldn’t hear a word he was saying.

“Oh, you’re good,” Alec whispered.

“Need someone to help you manage Kenny like Lindsay helps with Dev?”

“Kenny’s not bad, usually, but I wouldn’t say no.”

“Kenny,” Jess said, setting down his headphones.

“You weren’t serious about that statement about Cassie. You haven’t even talked to Paige. It won’t happen, Jess.”

“First of all, I don’t get Cassie. You think I don’t know that? Second –” Jess broke off and sat on the stool again, knocking the headphones onto the floor in the process. Behind him, Dev exhaled loudly.

“Dev, that better not have been a sigh of relief,” Jess called over his shoulder.

“It won’t last. It’s just nice to dream,” Dev answered. Behind the drums, Bryan quietly laughed.

“What
?” Jess demanded.

“Talk to Kenny,” Dev answered.

Jess eyed Kenny silently.
“You
and Paige?”

“Maybe. The opening round looked promising. Is it going to be a problem?” Kenny asked. He took off his guitar and stood it in a nearby stand.

“What happened to the ‘she’s off limits because she’s wearing a sash’ speech?”

“She’s a temp,” Kenny said. Paige almost lost her composure at the slam, but forced herself not to give any sign that she heard the slight against her title. “Once she retires the crown, the rules change.”

“And then?”

“Look deeper than the fuck-me pumps, Jess. She has a brain. You don’t know how to play for more than a one night stand and I got the impression that’s not what she’s looking for. Or will be some time next year. If I’m wrong, I’ll give her your number.”

Jess paused and Paige felt it took him forever to consider Kenny’s argument.

“Good luck,” Jess said with a nod.

“Thanks,” Kenny said. He walked past Jess, patting his shoulder on the way by, and came into the sound booth where Paige waited.

“I really didn’t expect to see you today,” Kenny said.

“I’m sorry for just dropping by. I didn’t mean to cause trouble with Jess. Why didn’t you just mention that I know a lot of other beauty contestants? Won’t he want hook ups?”

Kenny froze. “You heard all that?”

Paige smiled. “Every word. So is it all worked out or will there be an encore?”

Alec laughed, earning a warning look from Kenny.

“Show’s over. We’re fine.” Kenny glanced through the glass at Dev and Jess.

“You’re not convincing,” Paige smiled, reaching over to tuck a strand of his hair behind his ear. It was longer than on their last album cover and she wondered what prompted the change.

“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing.” Kenny returned his attention to her guiltily. Paige didn’t know what it was, but it wasn’t nothing. The mysterious Cassie, she’d bet. Now wasn’t the time to pry into that, she hadn’t established enough trust yet.

“All right. I’ll let that slide,” she said, reaching into her purse and pulling out a calling card. Most people didn’t bother anymore with such antiquated ideas as calling cards, but Paige liked them. They were handy sometimes. She handed it to Kenny, who looked at it in surprise.

“I wanted to invite you to dinner,” she explained.

“I thought you couldn’t date.”

“I can’t. But Sundays are my own time, usually. And it’s just me and my mother at home, although she makes herself scarce when I ask. You won’t even see her. The servants will be there, but they signed non-disclosure agreements.”

Kenny didn’t say anything, he just looked at her as if he was undecided.

“Are you going to make me beg?” Paige asked, repeating his question from last night.

“Would you? I can’t picture it,” Kenny responded automatically.

Paige smiled. “Please? Early dinner. How about six? Then we have all night to talk.”

“This isn’t playing with fire?” Kenny asked.

“It’s probably safer than talking with you for as long as I did on the yacht.”

Finally, with a nod, Kenny consented. “All right. Although I think you’re taking a big risk.”

“I’m not. I’ll explain it tomorrow,” Paige promised with a smile. “Just you though. No flowers, no bottle of wine, box of chocolates, nothing. Okay?”

“Do you even eat chocolate?” Kenny asked with a smile.

Paige looked affronted. “Of course. I pay dearly for it though, so not often.”

 

○ ○ ○

 

Kenny wasn’t intimidated by Paige living in a mansion. He did his homework after meeting her on the yacht. Her family’s money originated in shipping, then tobacco farming, but they moved north after the Civil War and returned to shipping, then a brewery, then back to shipping until prohibition ended. If you dug a little deeper to get specific dates, read between the lines, and remembered your history, it was sordid and colorful. Now they owned magazines, printed magazines. Kenny wondered if they were going to return to shipping. Piracy was profitable in Indonesia and the Indian Ocean. Besides, who bought physical magazines anymore?

What her family did made little difference to him. They didn’t seem to be a particularly loyal bunch either, but Kenny didn’t have to deal with them tonight. It was Paige he was interested in. He rang the doorbell, patting the plastic box in his front slacks pocket with a single rose bud in it. She said no flowers, it wasn’t technically a date after all, but he cheated.

Paige answered the door herself, something Kenny wouldn’t have counted on. She gave him a smile that lit up her face. At that moment, with the sun casting a warm glow on her combined with her natural radiance, Kenny felt he would have given anything to have her. That it’d be a year before he could even think of it was depressing almost beyond measure.

BOOK: In Her Sights (The Thousand Words Series Book 2)
9.5Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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