“I just needed a break,” Paige said. “And Mitch had offered me a place to hang out and…” She shrugged. “Here I am.”
“I’m so glad. We haven’t hung out in a long time, and being in Appleby last week reminded me of how much fun we have. Now we can do it here.”
Tori turned toward the swinging doors that Paige assumed led to the front of the restaurant. And a bunch of other people.
“Oh, I already ate.”
Tori glanced back. “Me too. Come on.”
Paige sighed. Tori was so nice. It was absolutely impossible to say no to her. Especially, when all she wanted was to spend time with you.
“I have to get back to work in a little bit.”
“We all do,” Tori nodded. “Come on.”
Paige glanced at Cora. The older woman smiled and nodded. Well, shit.
Paige followed Tori through the door.
It did, indeed, lead out into the restaurant. It actually opened just behind the bar. If she turned to the right, she could step through an opening and out among the tables and booths that filled the building. If she turned to the left, she would be behind the long wooden bar that had, clearly, been there for a long time. It was thick, dark wood, and was nicked and scarred.
There was a short, thin woman with salt and pepper hair that hung to her butt in a long braid behind the bar at the moment. She looked over. Her smile was bright, and she shut off the tap she’d had running into the mug she held.
But then she shook her head and kept the tap running. “Hey,” she greeted simply.
Paige looked at Tori. It seemed her friend was fighting a smile.
“Paige, this is Ellie Landry. Mitch and Josh’s grandma. Ellie, this is Paige. My friend from Iowa.”
This was Ellie.
Paige had assumed, but hearing it verified made her heart thump. She swallowed and smiled. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Ellie said, her eyes on the beer mug she set up on the bar. “Can I get you anything?”
A couple of shots of whiskey might help. “No, I’m fine, thanks,” Paige said.
“Okay, just let me know.”
Paige stood staring for a second. That was it? She’d really expected… more. Like to be surrounded by Landrys and interrogated. That’s what she’d pictured. Her on a chair in the middle of a circle of Cajuns who wanted to know why she’d broken off her engagement, when she was planning to marry Mitch, why the hell she didn’t eat meat, and what was up with all the cats anyway.
“Thanks,” she finally said to Ellie.
“Over here,” Tori said.
Paige turned, relieved to see Tori heading for a table at the back of the restaurant.
So, maybe the Landrys didn’t really care who she was and what her intentions with Mitch were. That was… great. Exactly what she wanted.
10
Tori led her to a table where two other women sat. They both had glasses of tea in front of them. They stopped talking and looked up with smiles.
“This is Maddie,” Tori said to Paige, gesturing to a gorgeous blond. “She’s Owen’s fiancée and Cora’s granddaughter.”
Paige gave Maddie a sincere smile. “Your grandmother is great.”
Maddie grinned, her affection clear. “She really is. But she’ll lecture a year off your life, without even raising her voice, if you give her reason, so don’t let that sweet demeanor fool you.”
Paige nodded. “Got it.”
“Sit.” Maddie pointed to the chair next to the beautiful brunette that, by process of elimination, Paige assumed was Sawyer’s fiancée.
Paige didn’t even think about arguing. She didn’t think she’d get far, for one thing. For another, she was curious about these women. No, she didn’t want to be the center of attention, and she didn’t want a bunch of new people up in her business and wanting every detail of her life and explanations for every one of her decisions, but she kind of wanted to know their business.
No, she didn’t miss that irony.
But these people were interesting. They had a very different lifestyle from hers, and yet, there were similarities she was already starting to see.
They got up and went to work. They took care of one another. Cora grew and used Calendula flowers. That alone was interesting and cool. And these women gathering here like this, reminded Paige of her sister, Josie, and the way she got together with her best girlfriends, Jane and Zoe. Paige had been envious of their girls’ nights and had really enjoyed the times she and Piper and Whitney had gone out together recently. The thought brought on a twinge of homesickness suddenly.
“This is Juliet,” Tori said, smiling at the brunette. “She’s engaged to Sawyer, and her brother, Chase, is one of Mitch’s best friends.”
Paige nodded. “I’ve heard about Chase.” She paused. “Well, I’ve heard about everyone.”
Juliet smiled. “It’s really nice to meet you, Paige.”
“Thanks.”
“Sawyer is so relieved you’re going to be helping out in the office.”
“Relieved? Really? I haven’t even met him yet.”
“We all are,” Maddie said. “We’re so happy with how successful the business is now, but we’re…” She glanced around. “Swamped.”
Tori groaned and Juliet giggled. Maddie was clearly proud of her joke as she grinned and continued, “Kennedy’s been feeling guilty and trying to do two jobs at once. And that makes her extra grumpy. So, we’re all glad you’re here to help.”
“Well, you’re working horribly long hours with the tours and then working on the books after hours,” Juliet said to Maddie. “And Tori’s trying to help out along with her practice and the farm.”
Tori shook her head. “But I’ve got Griffin at least. You’re helping out by cleaning up the boats and the office after you get home from New Orleans. And you hate being down by the water.”
“She’s a lawyer,” Maddie explained to Paige. “So she’s working long hours in the city before coming home and pitching in. And she’s got a little… phobia… about the water.”
“I’m fine if I’ve got my life jacket on.” Juliet waved that away.
“And your hip waders and hard hat?” Maddie asked, her tone and smile affectionate.
Juliet nodded, smiling too. “Right.”
“And Sawyer,” Tori said. “He’ll keep you safe from… whatever.”
“I don’t know,” Maddie said. “She ended up drenched the other day when she was down cleaning off the dock because he startled her, and she dropped the hose, and in some weird domino effect I can’t even explain, they both ended up soaking wet.”
Juliet rolled her eyes. “You’d think he’d know better than to sneak up on me after all this time.”
Tori and Maddie were laughing out loud by now.
“Plus,” Juliet went on. “I’m not doing anything extra that no one else is doing. Griffin’s helping, but you still have all your clients that won’t let anyone touch their animals but you.” She looked at Paige. “Tori has a clinic attached to the barn behind their house, but she ends up making more house calls than anything.”