Would it be too much to ask Kennedy to stop over there and assure everyone that she’d already taken care of threatening Paige and that everything was cool?
Kennedy was at the door when she swung around. “You know what it is?” she asked.
“What what is?”
“The reason I’m feeling protective of Mitch.”
Oh, that.
“I’ve been thinking about it all morning. It’s so weird. But here’s why.” She crossed back to the counter. “Mitch was raised by just his dad.”
Paige nodded. She’d known that, actually.
“His mom left when he was a baby, and his dad needed help. He came to the family, of course. My mom, my aunts and uncles, my grandma and grandpa, Cora, everyone pitched in and helped raise him. He’s more like a brother to all of us than a cousin.”
Paige pressed her lips together.
“But he’s not like a brother in that he never seemed… or seems… to take anything for granted. Like he knows we all love him and are there for him, but he’s always just grateful. My mom used to say that she wished he’d understand that they all took care of him out of love. It wasn’t a favor or an obligation. But he lives his life grateful for all of that.”
“Grateful,” Paige repeated. “Like he doesn’t think he deserves it?”
“I remember my mom arguing with his dad. His dad would always tell him to not be any trouble and to be helpful and to be sure that everyone was glad he was around.”
“Oh.” Paige’s heart squeezed.
Kennedy nodded. “I know. I don’t think my uncle Sean meant to make Mitch feel bad. He was grateful for their help, and he didn’t want Mitch to be any trouble. But, obviously, that kind of rubbed off. That’s why Mitch will always go above and beyond. Now it’s just a habit, just who he is. But it comes from growing up feeling like he had to pay people back for the things they did for him.”
Paige didn’t know what to say. She had the urge to go to Mitch and wrap him up in a huge hug and assure him that he was wonderful and she loved having him around and that he didn’t owe her, or anyone, anything.
“Anyway,” Kennedy said. “That’s why I’m feeling protective.” She grinned. “Thank God I figured that out because wow, that’s weird.”
Paige actually laughed at that.
Kennedy was still grinning when she said, “So don’t fuck with him. He’s sweet. And I do not use that term lightly when it comes to Landrys.”
Paige swallowed and nodded. “Promise.”
“Great.” Kennedy turned on her heel and left.
And all Paige could think was dammit.
She’d used the P-word.
She’d promised to be good to Mitch. She’d promised one of the scariest of the Landrys that she wouldn’t hurt Mitch.
She blew out a breath.
She should go home. She should pack up and go back to Appleby before she messed more things up here.
But you’ve already agreed to do this job for at least a little bit.
Yeah. She hadn’t promised to stay for any period of time, but of course, they expected her to help out at least for a little bit.
Expected.
That E-word wasn’t much better.
And, she’d also made the date-night and non-date-night agreement with Mitch.
Again, no specific commitment to a period of time, but he was certainly expecting them to hang out tonight and go to the crawfish boil on Friday.
And she wanted to. She wanted to date Mitch.
Ugh.
On impulse, Paige pulled out her phone and sent off a text to her sister Josie.
Did you talk to Mom?
Josie responded right away. I did. She’s relieved you’re okay. Mad you didn’t call her. Curious about Louisiana.
Yeah, that all seemed about right. Paige had called Josie last night to check in and assure her sister that things were fine. She knew that Piper and Whitney had already talked to Josie the day Paige left and convinced her that Paige was safe and happy and had a plan. Josie had then, by default, been the one to tell their mom and the rest of the family where Paige was and what she was doing.
Last night, she’d talked to Josie personally.
Her sister wasn’t as adventurous as Paige, or at least that was how it seemed to everyone, but Josie did have the travel bug and understood wanting to get out and see some of the world.
She was also a hopeless romantic. No doubt Josie thought Paige and Mitch were going to fall madly in love and live happily ever after. That was truly what Josie wanted for everyone she knew. So, she was far more supportive of this trip than their mother or other sister would be.
She’d be a great middle man—woman—for Paige.
Paige: I started my new job, and everyone is so nice, and I’m staying with a friend in a nice house. It’s fifty-six degrees today and I’m good.
Those were all the things her mom would wonder about.
Josie: I’m glad. And Mitch? You’ve seen him? He was glad to see you?
Paige: Yes, I’ve already seen him, and he was thrilled to see me.
She thought about that answer. He really had been happy to see her. That was so nice. Sure, she’d had a few minutes of doubts and nerves, but she hadn’t honestly doubted Mitch. Not for long.
He really was a good guy. She totally understood why Kennedy felt protective of him. She felt a little protective of him. His mom had left, and his dad had made him feel like he had to work to not be a burden on his family.
Josie: I miss you already, but I hope you’re having fun, and I have to admit, I’m jealous of the spontaneity.
Paige smiled at that. Josie was awesome. Sure, in Josie’s mind, the ultimate happiness was marriage and family and a job she loved in their hometown. And there was nothing wrong with that. But if Paige told her that she was honestly, fully happy working at a swamp boat tour company and doing otter yoga, Josie would be happy for her.
Her mom would be too. Mostly. Dee would be less thrilled about the distance between Appleby and Autre. She’d want to know what was going on with Mitch. She’d look up facts about Louisiana and send Paige tips on what to do if she ran into an alligator and probably mail a care package of mosquito repellent and sunscreen because she’d know Paige was making her own. They would never be as good at the really strong store-bought stuff.
But, at the moment, anyway, that made Paige smile. She and her mom were very different people. But Paige knew Dee loved her. Paige knew she gave Dee headaches and kept her awake at night sometimes with worry, but never had Dee said or given the impression that Paige was any kind of burden. Dee had happily sent Paige, Josie, and Amanda to relatives’ houses for dinners, to spend the night, for help on homework, and so on. She’d asked for help at times, like Mitch’s dad, but she’d never told the girls to not be a problem. Dee had, in return, helped out with nieces and nephews as well. It was what family did. Paige had grown up knowing that she could depend on not just her mom and dad and grandparents, but all of her aunts and uncles and even friends of the family. Of course, all of those people were also ready to scold her if she got into trouble or misbehaved. But even that, she knew now, was out of love. And she’d never felt indebted.
Thinking about it now, she realized it really was nice to have so many people looking out for her.