Having Justin’s Baby
Pamela Bauer

In loving memory of a very dear, courageous

brother-in-law, Clarence (Bill) Greising.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

THE SOUND OF THE PHONE ringing woke Justin Collier from a deep slumber. His right hand snaked its way under the sheet to reach for the cordless on the nightstand next to his bed.

“Justin here,” he said in a sleepy voice against his pillow.

“It’s me.”

“Paige?” He sat upright. “What’s happened? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she assured him. “Everything’s right. Really right.”

“Then why are you calling in the middle of the night?”

“It’s not the middle of the night,” she said with a chuckle. “Where’s Kyle?”

“I assume he’s in his bed.” He looked at the clock and grimaced. “Do you realize what time it is?”

“I didn’t wake you, did I? I thought you’d be on summer hours.”

Until a few months ago, Paige Stephens had shared a house in the Twin Cities with Justin and his friend Kyle Landon. The three had been inseparable since they were kids. Justin and Kyle were partners in a landscape business in St. Paul, but this summer Paige was working at the Cascading Waters Resort on Lake Superior. No way would she be calling at this hour unless it were an emergency.

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I get up at five. You should know that—you used to live here or have you already forgotten us?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten you!”

“Good. So what’s so urgent that you had to wake me before the sun is even up?”

“I’ll tell you, but first I want you to get Kyle.”

“You want me to wake him up?”

“Yes. I have something important to discuss with both of you.”

“At five o’clock in the morning?” Justin groaned in resignation. “All right. I’ll do it.” Wearing only a pair of boxers covered with images of the characters on Family Guy, he made his way down the hallway.

“Lucky for you his door is open,” he grumbled into the phone. It had been a long-standing rule that a closed door with a sock covering the knob served as a Do Not Disturb sign.

“Kyle,” he called out repeatedly from the doorway until his friend and business partner stirred.

“What’s up?” he asked as he sat up in bed. “Did I oversleep?”

“No, Paige is on the phone. She wants to talk to both of us so I’m going to put her on speaker.” Justin pressed a button, then said, “Go ahead, Paige.”

“Hey, Kyle. Sorry to wake you.” Her voiced echoed as if she were speaking in a tunnel.

“Hey—no problem. You know you can call anytime.” A sappy grin spread over Kyle’s face. Justin should have expected it. It had been that way since the fourth grade. One word from Paige and Kyle turned into a marshmallow.

Paige and Kyle made small talk until Justin finally cut in. “So are you going to tell us what’s so important that you interrupted our beauty sleep?”

“Yes. I figured out who I want to be maid of honor at my wedding,” Paige replied. “You.”

“You who?” Justin asked. “I only see two men here. I believe a maid of honor is a woman.”

“Traditionally it is, yes, but there’s no reason why it can’t be a guy. It’s supposed to be the bride’s closest friend. That would be the two of you.”

“You want us to wear dresses?” Kyle’s voice rose a pitch.

“No, I don’t want you to wear dresses,” she said with a hint of impatience. “I want you to stand up for me—just like you have for the past twenty years. You’d wear tuxes, like the other men in the wedding party.”

“But we’d be standing with the women,” Kyle pointed out.

“There aren’t going to be any women,” Paige told them. “It’s a small wedding. I’m only having a maid of honor, and Michael is only having a best man.”

“So there’ll be four men and you?” Justin asked.

“You guys sound like you don’t want to do it.” There was a plaintive note in Paige’s voice.

“We didn’t say that,” Justin told her, although one glance at Kyle told him that not even his lifelong crush on their former housemate was going to persuade him to be a maid of honor at her wedding. He was gesturing “no way” with his hands and shaking his head.

“Then what are you saying?” she demanded to know.

Justin avoided answering the question. “Is your fiancé okay with this?”

“I haven’t run it by him yet,” she admitted.

“Don’t you think you should?” Again it was Justin who spoke.

“I will, but first I wanted to ask you guys. I mean, you’ve been my best friends since the fourth grade. It wouldn’t feel right to ask someone else.”

Silence stretched between them, prompting her to ask, “You are going to do it, aren’t you?”

Justin was about to say, “Let us think about it,” when Kyle spoke. “Of course we’ll do it.”

Justin glared at him, but Kyle paid no attention. “Or at least one of us will.”

Justin frowned. “What do you mean one of us?”

“I know the three of us have been friends for a long time and it’s always been one for all and all for one,” Kyle said, “but don’t you think Paige should have only one of us as maid of honor. After all, Michael is having one best man.”

“But I can’t choose between the two of you,” she protested.

“Then we’ll choose for you,” Kyle said. “We’ll talk it over and let you know which one it’ll be. Okay?”

Justin had a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“I’m okay with that if you guys are,” Paige replied.

“Of course we are,” Kyle said.

“Justin?”

Now was his time to protest. He should have said no, but he didn’t. Because like Kyle, he didn’t want to disappoint Paige. “I’m okay with it,” he muttered.

As soon as she had hung up he turned to Kyle and said, “Why do I have the feeling that there is going to be no discussion as to which one of us gets to play the girl part at the wedding?”

“I would do it, but I can’t,” he said, climbing out of bed and pulling on a pair of jeans. “You know how I feel about Paige. It’s going to be tough enough watching her marry Michael Cross. I can’t do it standing right next to her and in front of everyone. You do understand what I’m saying, don’t you?”

Justin exhaled a long sigh. “Yeah, I understand.”

“Thanks, buddy.” Kyle clapped him on the arm as he passed him on his way out of the room. “You’ll make a great maid of honor,” he called over his shoulder as he headed down the hallway.

No, he was going to make a terrible one. Paige should have chosen someone who would be happy for her, someone who would truly share in the joy of her wedding. That someone was not him. Because like Kyle, he was a marshmallow when it came to Paige. He’d been in love with her since the fourth grade. Only no one knew.

CHAPTER ONE

“YOU’RE NOT NERVOUS, are you?” Paige Stephens asked her fiancé.

“No. Why would you think that?”

“Because your knees are creating an air current under the table.”

“Sorry.” Michael Cross stopped wriggling and gave her a lazy half smile that caused a dimple to appear in his left cheek. “Maybe I do feel a little like Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents.”

“There’s no need to. The Colliers aren’t my parents. They’re just friends.”

Paige took a sip of the ice water in her glass. Even though she didn’t want to admit it to Michael, she felt a twinge of anxiety herself. That’s why she’d chosen Betty’s Pie Shop for lunch instead of the dining room at the Cascading Waters Resort. She didn’t want to be under the scrutiny of her coworkers. The pie shop was always crowded with lots of noise and commotion. Fidgeting wouldn’t be as noticeable among clanking silverware and clattering plates.

“They must be special friends if you want them to be host and hostess at the wedding.”

“They are special. I’ve known them most of my life. I think I probably spent more time in their home than mine when I was a kid.”

“Because of their son Justin?”

“No, because Nancy ran a day care and my father made me stay there even when I was old enough to stay home by myself. I can remember the exact moment my father sat me down and told me I’d be spending the hours after school at her day care. I cried and begged him to let me stay by myself. He didn’t think that nine was old enough to be left alone and didn’t believe me when I said I could take care of myself.”

Michael smiled indulgently. “I bet you would have been just fine on your own.”

“Of course I would have,” she insisted. “I was a very responsible child.”

“I believe you.” He gave her the smile she found the most endearing of all of his grins—the one that made her feel warm and fuzzy. “You’re such a capable woman. I can’t imagine you were any different as a child.”

“What a sweet thing to say. Thank you.” She reached across the table to squeeze his hand. “No wonder I fell in love with you. You have a sensitivity that is rare in a man.”

Actually he had quite a few qualities that she’d found to be rare in guys she had dated over the past twelve years. Michael was honest. Sincere. Trustworthy.

Until she met him she’d never believed in love at first sight, but all it had taken was one look from his deep-set eyes and a slow seductive smile on his lips and she’d been smitten. She had been a volunteer in the education building at the State Fair handing out buttons that promoted literacy. He kept returning to the booth until the entire front of his shirt was covered in “I like to read” buttons. She’d been charmed from the first moment he said hello—not an easy thing for any guy to do with her, especially one who made a living teaching golf. At first she thought it was the whole preppie look he had going—the polo shirts, the casual pants, the carefully groomed black hair. But the more time they spent together, the more wonderful she found him to be.

“I aim to please,” Michael said with a lift of his water glass. Then he looked again at his watch.

“Please relax,” she urged him. “I don’t think you were this nervous when you came to Thanksgiving dinner and had to meet my father.”

“Probably because you talk about the Colliers a lot more than you talk about your dad. You’re not very close to your dad, are you?”

She rubbed the moisture from the base of her water glass with her thumb. “We have issues.”

“What kind of issues?”

She continued to run her fingers along the glass. “It goes back to when my mom died. It’s nothing, really. We get along all right—you’ve seen us together. But we’re never going to be as close as we were before my mom died.”

She was grateful that he didn’t ask why not. There were only two people who knew the root of her problem with her dad—Justin and Kyle—and they had promised her they would never say a word to anyone. Someday she would tell Michael the reason she couldn’t trust her father, but not today.

“It’s okay,” her fiancé said in understanding. “I’m not that close to my parents, either.”

“So you shouldn’t be nervous about meeting the Colliers,” she reasoned.

“I’m just wondering what their son told them about me.”

“Justin wouldn’t say anything negative,” she told him, which produced a harrumph from her fiancé. “He wouldn’t,” she insisted, although she wasn’t completely sure. Both Justin and Kyle were as overprotective as older brothers.

“He doesn’t like me, Paige.”

“Justin doesn’t dislike you,” she declared. “He just hasn’t had time to get to know you. That’s why I want you to come to the Bulldog Reunion with me.”

“About that weekend…” he said, tugging on his right ear. Paige knew it was another sign that he was nervous. “Are you sure you want me there?”

“Of course I want you there! I want you to meet my friends from college.” Her shoulders sagged. “Please don’t tell me that you don’t want to come?” She gave him her most appealing look.

He gazed into her eyes. “It goes without saying that I want to be with you. I’m just worried that the others won’t appreciate having outsiders crash what’s traditionally been a private event.”

That’s what Kyle and Justin had said when she’d suggested they bring guests to their annual retreat at the Cascading Waters Resort. The five friends who made up the Bulldog Reunion had met their senior year before college while working as kitchen and housekeeping staff at the year-round resort on the northern shore of Lake Superior. All five had attended the same college, and this would be their eighth reunion. To bring guests would change the tone and the purpose of their gathering, which was why Justin had warned her it might be the last time they had it.

Paige didn’t believe him. Amber Carlson and Ben Hendricks, who completed their circle of five, were happy with her suggestion and planned to bring guests.

“This isn’t like a regular college reunion, Michael. We’re just five friends who get together to spend a weekend in what has to be the most beautiful part of Minnesota. One thing I should warn you about though. Do not drink Ben’s dandelion wine. He brews it himself and it has quite a kick to it.”

“You know that if you don’t want me to drink, I won’t drink,” he said simply.

That was another thing she loved about him. Paige wasn’t a teetotaler, but she didn’t drink often, and it didn’t bother Michael.

“A penny for your thoughts?” he said.

“I was just thinking how lucky I am.” She glanced out the window at a view she never tired of seeing—the rocky shoreline of Lake Superior, the sparkling blue waters. “Moving up here for the summer was the best thing I could have done.”

“Then you don’t mind waiting tables at the Birchwood Room?”

Paige was an elementary-school teacher, but had taken a summer job as a waitress at the Cascading Waters Resort to be closer to Michael. “No, it’s only for the summer. Once school’s back in session I’ll work as a sub until I can find a full-time teaching position in the area.”

“I’m glad you like it here. I was worried you wouldn’t want to call this home once we’re married. I mean, you are a city girl.”

“Yes, but do you know how many vacations I’ve spent on the North Shore?” It was a rhetorical question.

“That’s not quite the same as living here year-round,” he warned her. “I hope you’re as enthusiastic about it come January.” He grinned again and the dimple in his cheek appeared.

“If you’re here, I’ll be happy.”

He squeezed her hand. “That’s what I like to hear.” He glanced past her shoulder and said, “I see a middle-aged couple who look like they’re trying to find somebody. Do the Colliers wear University of Minnesota windbreakers?”

Paige turned and caught sight of her old neighbors, Justin’s parents. She stood and waved, then sat back down, noticing that Michael’s legs were moving even faster than before.

“They won’t bite, I promise,” she said softly.

As Paige expected, Nancy and Elliot Collier treated Michael with a warmth and friendliness that put everyone at ease. That’s why she wasn’t surprised after lunch when Elliot accepted Michael’s offer to show him the golf course at the Cascading Waters Resort.

It also gave Paige an opportunity to sit under the shade of an umbrella on the tiled patio of the resort clubhouse and have an iced tea with her former day-care provider. She wasted no time in asking Nancy, “So what do you think of Michael?”

“I think he’s charming,” she said with a smile. “And he’s very attentive to you.”

“He’s sweet. I know he talks a lot about golf, but that’s because he’s passionate about it.”

“It is his work,” she pointed out. “So tell me about the wedding.”

Paige took a sip of her iced tea. “It’s going to be at the High Falls. That’s always been my favorite spot on the North Shore.”

“Ah, an outdoor wedding…it should be lovely.”

“Did Justin tell you he’s going to be my maid of honor—or maybe I should say man of honor,” she corrected with a grin.

“He did say something to that effect,” Nancy acknowledged.

Paige glanced out across the greens and saw Michael and Elliot riding on a cart. “I’m just grateful he said yes. He’s not very excited about me marrying Michael. Neither is Kyle—but you probably already know that.”

“Actually, neither one has said much about your engagement, but I’m not surprised that they’re giving you a hard time. Ever since you three were kids they’ve put themselves in the role of being your protector.”

“Well, we’re not kids anymore and I don’t need protecting. I know once I’m married my friendship with Kyle and Justin will change, but it doesn’t have to end.” It was a concern that had been on her mind ever since Michael had asked her to marry him.

“I don’t think you have to worry about that happening. Over the years I’ve seen the way you three have handled the growing pains of friendship and I’d say yours has a pretty good foundation. It can probably weather just about anything. Now finish telling me your wedding plans.”

Paige was more than happy to do as she requested. Sitting on the terrace with Nancy talking about flowers and formal wear reminded her of all those times she’d turned to her neighbor after her mother had died when Paige was nine. It was Nancy who had taken her shopping for school clothes and helped her with her homework. It didn’t matter how many kids Nancy had in her day care, she always found time for Paige.

That’s why she was disappointed when the older woman said, “It looks like our guys are back.”

Paige could have sat and talked with her for hours.

“I’m so glad we had this time together,” she said to Paige.

“I am, too. It’s means a lot to me that you’re going to be a part of our wedding celebration.”

“I’m glad that day is going to happen, Paige. You’ve come a long way from the little girl who walked into my day care and announced she was going to hate boys the rest of her life.”

“Doesn’t every nine-year-old girl hate boys?” She tried to dismiss Nancy’s comment with a chuckle, but they both knew what had precipitated the comment. Although Nancy had never pressed her to talk about her mother’s death, Paige was fairly certain that the older woman was aware of the circumstances leading up to the automobile accident.

News of the crash had spread through the neighborhood quickly. Her father and mother had been arguing. Paige had heard them. So had many of the neighbors. What the neighbors hadn’t heard was the reason why. Only Paige knew it was because of a woman her father had met during one of his business trips. That discovery had prompted her mother to pack her bags and drive off in her car. The last words Paige had heard her say to her father were, “I can’t trust you.”

“Paige?”

She realized that she’d been daydreaming and hadn’t heard what Nancy had said. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“I said I’d like to credit Justin and Kyle as being good influences on you, but I honestly think it was the other way around.”

“Does it matter?” Paige asked.

“No, not really. I’m just so proud of all of you. I think of all of my day-care kids, including you and Kyle, as my own, you know.”

“I do, and I appreciate that.”

“Good. Because I want you to know that no matter what happens between you, Kyle and Justin, I’m always here for you.”

“Nothing’s going to happen. We’ll always be friends.”

BY THE TIME Justin Collier arrived home the sun was low in the sky. Not even the approaching dusk could hide the condition of the seventy-five-year-old house he called home. When he and Kyle had bought the place shortly after graduating from college they had intended to fix it up and sell it within a couple of years. That was seven years ago. All the money that should have gone into home improvements had been sunk into the landscape company they’d started. Now their business was flourishing and the house still looked neglected. As Justin went to get the mail from the dented box nailed to the porch, he saw an exterior badly in need of attention.

He added paint to his mental list of things to buy next time he was at the hardware store. Summer was always the busiest season for J&K Landscapes and this year was no exception. Even with the addition of several new employees, he and Kyle often worked twelve-hour days. He consoled himself with the knowledge that by late fall and early winter they would have the time to work on the house. He kicked the dirt off his work boots and went into the kitchen, which showed the same signs of wear as the exterior. Faded floor tiles, permanently stained countertops and dated appliances were fine for a couple of bachelors, but he knew why Paige had been after them to update the place.

Justin grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and sat down on a wooden chair at the table. He glanced at his mail and saw little of interest except for a neon-yellow envelope. He ripped it open and found a schedule for the Bulldog Reunion. In her usual efficient manner Paige had made all the arrangements for the weekend. Only this year there was something different. At the bottom of the invitation were the words Friends are welcome. Justin frowned.

As he folded the schedule he noticed a personal note.

Can’t wait to see you. It’s been too long. Love, P

Yes, it had been a while since he had seen her but that wasn’t his fault. She was the one who had been in a hurry to pack up her things and move a hundred and fifty miles away as soon as she’d finished her teaching job. But it wasn’t simply the distance separating them. The reason it had been so long since Justin and Paige had been together was she had fallen in love. Annoyance rippled through him at the thought of Michael Cross. Of all the men Paige could have fallen in love with, he didn’t understand why she had chosen one so totally wrong for her.

He and Kyle had been suspicious of the golf pro the first time Paige had brought him home. Not that it mattered to Paige. She was in love and didn’t want to hear anything negative about her boyfriend. Ever since they were kids she’d been coming to them for advice, but before either one could tell her why he was wary of Michael, she’d looked at them and said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything.”

He looked again at the Bulldog schedule. There was hiking, disc golf, sailing, volleyball, bonfires…all the things they had done in the past that had made everyone want to continue reuniting each summer. Only this year while doing the fun stuff, Paige would be looking at Michael with that lovesick-puppy gaze. Justin didn’t want to spend one hour, let alone an entire weekend, with the lovebirds.

He’d always considered a weekend at the North Shore to be more like therapy. No customer complaints to deal with, no long hours out in the hot sun digging and planting. It was a chance to reconnect with nature and with friends. Spending any length of time watching Paige act all lovey-dovey with her fiancé would be more like punishment.

“I hope you didn’t drink the last cold one.”

Justin glanced toward the doorway to see Kyle had come home. He looked heat weary and physically exhausted as he walked into the kitchen.

“No, there are plenty more,” Justin answered.

Kyle ambled over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of beer then dropped onto a chair opposite him. He twisted off the cap and took a long drink before saying, “I think it’s time we seriously consider accepting Harry Bonner’s offer to buy into the business.”

Justin sighed. “I thought we agreed that as beneficial as it would be financially to join forces with Bonner, it would also mean that we’re no longer a small local company.”

“No, we’d be a Midwest company. Bigger and better.” Kyle took another drink. “We could hire the additional employees we need to bid on the larger commercial projects and you and I could devote more of our time to managing the company instead of doing the physical labor. We were business majors in college,” he reminded Justin.

“I know, but I happen to like working with the trees,” Justin reminded him.

“And that’s fine. All I’m saying is that if we expand, we’ll have the option to delegate more of the work. We’ll also make more money. And that would be a good thing.” He used his beer bottle as a pointer. “We could also afford to move to a nice place—something a little more modern than this place.”

“Even if we sell the house we’re going to have to fix it up a bit…put some fresh paint on the walls.”

“Now you’re starting to sound like Paige. She was always after me to put one of those designer colors on the walls…something called Mesa Sunrise.”

Justin grinned. “It looked like pink to me.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not living in a pink house. There’s nothing wrong with white walls.”

“Except these walls look more like dirty socks.” Justin toyed with the label on the neck of his beer bottle. “The whole house needs work. Every year we say we’re going to do it during our slow season and it doesn’t get done.”

“That’s because there’ve been better things to do—like lie in the sun on a beach in Mexico,” Kyle reminded him.

“Maybe this year we should think about staying home and taking care of the work that needs to be done around this place.”

“I thought you wanted me to look up info on those nursery seminars that are being offered in Oregon—which reminds me.” He sat forward, patting his pockets until he produced a folded piece of paper. “I have the name of a contact person. Another reason why it would be to our advantage to have Bonner come on board. You and I could take the seminar at the same time and still have someone running the company back here.”

Justin pondered that a moment. “Good point. Maybe it is time we bring on another partner.”

“What about the house? Should we have a real estate appraiser come out to take a look?”

“It wouldn’t hurt, but I suppose we really ought to talk to Paige before we do anything. She has been our silent partner.”

“Well, technically she isn’t, but we’ve treated her like one since she invested her first paycheck as a teacher to help us get started.”

“That makes her a part of us,” Justin insisted.

“Then we’ll tell her,” Kyle agreed. “I’m sure she’ll say that whatever we plan to do with the business is fine with her. We’ll talk to her about it at the Bulldog Reunion.”

“Speaking of the reunion…did you see this?” Justin slid the invitation across the wooden tabletop. “I thought we told her we didn’t want to have outsiders.”

“We did, but you know Paige. Once she sets her mind to something, she gets it done. And she wanted to bring her fiancé. She called me last week.”

“I hope you told her we weren’t bringing anyone.”

“Of course I did.”

“Good.”

“But then I asked Tammy to come along.”

Justin had been teetering on the back legs of his chair, but sat forward with a thump. “Are you telling me I’m going to be the only one flying solo? Why would you invite Tammy?” Kyle had only started going out with her recently.

“Hey—I had to,” he insisted in a defensive tone. “Paige is going to be bringing that Tiger Woods wannabe and I didn’t want to have to watch the two of them play kissy face all weekend. You know as well as I do that falling in love has changed Paige and not in a good way.”

“I know it’s affected her hearing.” Justin grimaced. “She hasn’t heard a word we’ve said about the guy.”

“I think her common sense has been pushed to the back of her brain.”

Justin didn’t want to talk about Paige. “Look, I’m not going to feel much like going to the reunion if I’m the only one without a date,” he said irritably.

Kyle raised his hands. “Just chill—you won’t be alone,” he said with a devilish grin. “I asked Tammy to bring her sister Tara for you.”

Justin groaned. “Tell me you didn’t.”

Kyle was clearly perplexed. “What is wrong with you? You’ve seen Tara. She’s not only beautiful, she’s fun to be around. Why are you groaning? I did you a favor.”

What was wrong was that he felt the same way as Kyle did about seeing Paige with Michael. But having Tara there wouldn’t help. Only he couldn’t tell him that, so he said, “You told Paige we weren’t bringing anyone, which means she’s made plans for eight people, not ten. You know how she hates a change in plans.”

“I don’t think she’s going to care about two extra people.”

“Yes, she will.” The weekend was becoming less appealing by the minute. “Maybe we ought to just skip the reunion this year.”

“And what about Tammy and her sister?”

He shrugged. “We could still go away—we just don’t have to go to the North Shore.”

“That would be fine with me, but what would we tell Paige?”

Justin didn’t have to think about that one very long. “She’d never forgive us for skipping out on her, would she?”

“No, we’re going to have to do this,” Kyle stated with a shake of his head.

“And listen to her talk about her wedding plans.”

This time it was Kyle who groaned. “Don’t remind me. Ever since he gave her that diamond on Valentine’s Day she’s been like a broken record…the wedding this, the wedding that. Michael says…blah blah blah.”

“It’s only one weekend,” Justin said for his benefit as much as Kyle’s.

“So does this mean I can tell Tammy she can bring Tara?” Kyle stood, waiting for his answer.

“All right,” he said, ignoring his instincts, which told him he was making a mistake. “I’ll do it, but you’re going to owe me big-time for this one.”

“Hey—you’ll be thanking me by the time the weekend’s over,” Kyle said with a cocky grin.

Justin hoped he was right, but his gut was telling him that this year’s Bulldog Reunion was not going to be the carefree event it had been in the past. Still, he would go for Paige. He’d been looking out for her ever since that first day she showed up at his mother’s day care. There were things that friends needed to do for friends. So instead of calling Paige and telling her he wouldn’t be at the reunion, he went to look for his Bulldog sweatshirt.

CHAPTER TWO

DESPITE KYLE’S ASSERTION that it didn’t matter whether there were eight or ten people at the Bulldog Reunion, Justin wanted to make sure that Paige knew he and Kyle had changed their minds and were now bringing guests. He wanted an excuse to talk to her—something he hadn’t done for a while. So the day before they were supposed to head out of town for the reunion, he called her while he was on his morning break.

She answered her cell phone with, “You did it again, J.C.” using the nickname she’d given him as a teen.

He smiled. “You were about to call me.”

“I was. I guess we still have that special connection, don’t we?” She sounded a bit amused by their uncanny ability to sense when the other was about to phone. “Do you realize how long it’s been since this has happened?”

“We haven’t talked much lately,” he agreed.

“No, we haven’t. But I am glad you called today because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to reach you and I have to know what you think. You are never going to guess where I am.”

“Dipping your toes in the Cascade River?” It was a favorite spot along the North Shore where they’d spent many a hot summer day. They’d hike along the upper region of the Cascade River where it tumbled and fell over rocks and boulders until they reached the Upper Falls. They’d bask in the sun on the flat rocks where the falls began, before following the winding trail as it twisted and turned its way back down the hilly terrain until they reached the area where the river was shallow enough for trout fishing. That’s where they’d take off their hiking shoes and wade in the cool water, splashing around like kids.

“No.” She sounded impatient. “I’m in a dressing room trying on a wedding dress.”

Justin stifled his groan. “You’re trying on wedding dresses the day before the Bulldog Reunion? Don’t you have enough to do to get ready for the weekend?”

“Of course I do. That’s why I’m standing here in a wedding dress.”

She wasn’t making any sense. More proof that love had made her crazy.

“I was on my way to pick up some munchies for the Bulldog Reunion when I passed this consignment shop and saw this wedding dress in the window,” she continued. “How’s that for serendipity?”

Paige excited over a dress was a novelty for Justin. Unlike most women he knew, she hated shopping, which was why he liked going to the mall with her. She used the “get what you need and get out fast” approach.

“I’m telling you, Justin, this dress could have been made for me. When you see it you’ll know why I had to come in and try it on. And it’s a perfect fit. What makes it unique is that it belonged to a woman who was married in 1942.”

“You want to buy an old dress for your wedding?”

“It’s not old, it’s vintage,” she corrected him. “This dress was worn by a woman whose fiancé was going off to World War II.”

“Your fiancé isn’t going off to war, is he?” he asked, trying not to sound hopeful.

“No, but you know Pearl Harbor is my favorite movie. Justin, this dress looks like something Kate Beckinsale would have worn if Ben Affleck hadn’t gone missing and they had gotten married in the movie, which you know is what I wish had happened.”

“And that’s why you want the dress?”

“I want it because I like the way I feel in it—glamorous.” She chuckled. “Me…glamorous,” she said in a self-deprecating tone.

“I think you are,” he told her, but she dismissed the compliment with a sarcastic “Yeah, right.”

“Did I tell you the original owner was a schoolteacher?” She didn’t wait for an answer but rushed on. “Oh, and here’s something else. Guess where the wedding took place?”

“In a church?” He knew it was the wrong answer, but he hated playing Twenty Questions, which was what she seemed bent on doing, and all of them were on a subject that he found irritating—her marriage plans.

“You know I’m not getting married in a church,” she chided him. “The bride who wore this dress in 1942 was married at the High Falls.”

“So you’re going to wear a dress that someone else has already worn to get married in the same place where you’re planning your wedding?” The significance escaped him and he didn’t pretend otherwise.

She sighed. “I should have known you wouldn’t get it. I know you find my wedding details boring, but you are one of my best friends. At least you can pretend to be interested. I thought you’d be happy for me.”

“I am happy,” he lied.

“You don’t sound like it.”

Justin held the phone away from his ear momentarily. Who was this woman? Certainly not the Paige he knew. That Paige would never have gone shopping for a wedding dress the day before the Bulldog Reunion. But then that Paige had never been engaged before, either.

“Justin, you’re there, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I’m here. I think you cut out for a second, but I hear you now.”

“Good, because I need an honest opinion and you always give me that. You need to tell me if I should get this dress. The salesclerk took a picture of me with her camera phone and she said she can send it to you.”

“Can’t you just show the dress to me this weekend?”

“If I wait till then, someone else might buy it. The clerk told me she’s already had several people asking about it. Besides, there’s no room in the schedule this weekend for us to leave the reunion and go look at it. If I’m going to get this dress, I have to buy it today.”

“But, Paige, you never make impulse purchases,” he reminded her.

“That’s why I need your help. Besides. You’re my man of honor. It’s your duty to help me select a dress.”

He frowned. “Shouldn’t your fiancé be the one helping you make that decision?”

“He can’t. It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride’s dress before the wedding.”

Justin wondered briefly if getting rid of Michael Cross could be as easy as showing him a picture. That alone tempted him to tell Paige to send the photo so he could forward it to Michael.

Paige didn’t wait for his consent. “The salesclerk is sending the picture now. Tell me when you get it.”

Justin’s phone beeped, indicating he had a message. With the touch of a button he found himself staring at a photo of Paige in a long white dress. It fell from her shoulders to the floor in a straight line that made her look taller than her five foot two inches. She looked graceful and feminine standing with her hands folded in front of her. Very different from the Paige he knew. She had always taken great pleasure in being a tomboy. Normally she wore her long brown hair in a ponytail, but today it fell across her shoulders in a way that reminded him of the film stars of the 1940s. No wonder she felt glamorous. The dress was stunning on her. The old-fashioned style suited her, reminding him that she’d never been one for fashion trends yet she always managed to look good.

“I didn’t lose you, did I? Justin? Are you there?” she called out.

“Yeah, I’m here.” He couldn’t tell her that the reason for the dead air was that seeing her in the wedding dress had taken his breath away. The thought that she would be wearing it for another guy made him sick with envy.

“So what do you think?” she demanded.

There was only one answer he could give her. “I think you should buy it.”

“Did you say buy it? You’re cutting out on me. Are you in your car?”

“Yes, but it’s not moving. I just went through the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant and I’m eating French-toast sticks in the parking lot. Paige, I think you should buy the dress. It suits you.”

“You really think so?”

“Yes.”

“I am so glad you said that because I need a dress. You do realize the wedding is only seven weeks away, don’t you? It’s a good thing I had the summer off from teaching and moved up here, because I never would get everything done otherwise.”

“You’re happy then?”

“Of course I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re giving up a lot. Your job, your friends…”

“Marriage will be worth it,” she said with confidence. “And I’m not giving up my two best friends. Oh shoot. I just got a low-battery warning on my phone. I’ve got to run. Thanks for calling me just when I needed you.”

“Paige, wait! Before you hang up I need to talk to you about tomorrow.”

“Oh, that reminds me. Could you come a little early? I want you to teach me to dance.”

“You know how to dance,” he reminded her.

“I’m not good at it and you know it,” she chastised him. “Michael took me to this nightclub in Duluth and it was the worst date we’ve ever had. He loves to dance, but once he realized I have no rhythm, we hardly danced at all. You have to help me so I don’t embarrass him.”

Embarrass him? Anger nearly had Justin telling Paige exactly what he thought of Michael Cross and his dancing skills, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. She’d still think the guy was the prize of a lifetime. “Paige, you don’t like to dance. Why not just tell him that?”

“I might like it if I were better at it,” she said. “I thought about taking lessons but that freaks me out. There’d be other people watching me make a fool of myself. At least it doesn’t matter if I look like a fool in front of you.”

His thanks must have sounded sarcastic to her ears, because she added, “Hey, that’s a compliment. So will you come early tomorrow?”

“I can’t.” He paused, thinking now was a good time to tell her that he and Kyle were bringing friends.

“Why not? I thought you and Kyle took the day off.”

“We did, but there’s something you need to know. We decided to bring guests. I know you’ve reserved the Pinecone Cabin and it sleeps ten, so there shouldn’t be any problem with two extra people, but just in case you planned any events that require partners or small groups, I wanted you to know there are going to be two more people. You’re okay with that, right?”

She didn’t answer and he worried that she was annoyed at the last-minute change.

“You did say we could bring guests,” he reminded her.

Still there was no response.

Then he saw the tiny “call ended” message in the corner of his screen. “Paige, are you there? Paige?” he asked, even though he already knew the answer. He tried calling her again, but was immediately connected to her voice mail.

Frustrated, he flipped his phone shut. No doubt her battery had gone dead. He wondered just how much she’d heard. Guess he’d find out sooner or later. He hoped it was sooner.

PAIGE CAREFULLY MOVED the plastic garment bag containing the wedding dress from the backseat of her car into the small travel trailer she temporarily called home. When she’d decided to spend the summer at the North Shore, Michael had offered to share his apartment with her until the house they had leased would be ready for occupancy. She had opted to spend her remaining days as a single woman in a campground in what Michael called her bubblemobile. Although it was smaller than an efficiency apartment, it had all the amenities she needed, but its best feature was that she could be lulled to sleep each night by the gentle lapping of waves. She also liked that she could start each day with a hike to the pebbly shore of Lake Superior or a walk through the woods.

Today, however, she realized just how small her temporary home was. No matter how many times she rearranged the things in her closet there was no place for the dress. She finally gave up trying to find a spot for it and spread it across her bed. She would figure out what to do with it after she returned from her lunch shift at the Birchwood Room. She quickly changed into the black skirt and white shirt that were the uniform of the waitstaff at the restaurant and headed for work.

As she pulled into the employee parking lot at the resort, she looked for Michael’s red Mustang, but it wasn’t in the space reserved for the club’s golf pro. He always gave lessons on Thursday mornings so why wasn’t he at work? Thinking he must have been on an errand, she parked her car and went inside.

Because the lodge’s restaurant was open to the public as well as to the guests of the resort, it was usually crowded over the noon hour, and Paige expected today would be no exception. Although the decor was rustic, with wagon-wheel chandeliers and fish and animal trophies lining the walls, crisp white linen tablecloths and fresh-flower centerpieces gave it a casual elegance that set it apart from the informal cafés along the Shore and made it a popular spot for tourists.

Although many of her coworkers were college and high-school students there for the summer, the resort relied on the local community for year-round employment. Paige had been pleased at how easy it was to renew acquaintances with staff members who had been working at the resort the summer she’d waited tables here before her senior year in college.

One of those workers, a woman named Kathy, greeted Paige when she punched in at the time clock.

“Paige! I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“Why not? I’m on the schedule,” Paige reminded her.

“Yes, I know, but…” She paused before asking, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s great. In fact it’s better than great.” She went on to tell Kathy about finding her dress, but when the older woman looked a bit uneasy, Paige said, “I’m sorry. I must be boring you. I’m like one of those windup toys once I start talking wedding stuff.”

“No, it’s all right. Don’t apologize. Your dress sounds beautiful.”

They were joined by another of their coworkers, a redhead named Rosie. As she punched her time card, she said to Paige, “You look like you’re in a good mood.”

Paige grinned. “I am. It’s a beautiful day.”

“That’s because she found her wedding dress,” Kathy added.

“Well, no wonder you’re so cheery,” Rosie remarked. “Did you get it here in town?”

“No, in Grand Marais.” Paige repeated the story she’d just told Kathy, explaining that she needed to find a place to store the gown as her trailer was too crowded. “I would ask Michael to take it but I’m not going to tempt fate.”

“Oh, noooo,” Kathy drawled. “You definitely can’t leave it with him. That would be bad luck.”

“That’s right,” Rosie agreed. Paige didn’t miss the furtive glances the two women exchanged.

“It’s too bad he’s not feeling well,” Rosie remarked.

“He’s not feeling well?” Paige frowned. That would explain his vacant parking space.

“You didn’t hear?” Kathy asked.

“Hear what?”

Again the two women exchanged glances.

“All I know is that he called in sick today and my David had to go in and cover for him.” Kathy’s husband was semi-retired and substituted for workers at the golf course when needed.

“It’s funny that he didn’t call me,” Paige remarked. “Well, I shouldn’t say that because he may have tried but my cell phone battery died on me today.”

“I’m sure he would have called you if it was anything serious,” Kathy said. “He probably just has a virus.”

“It’s going around,” Rosie added. “Chelsea in housekeeping called in sick today, too.”

“She’s not sick,” Kathy said. “She’s faking it. She went to Las Vegas.”

A chill rattled through Paige. At one time Michael had dated Chelsea Kinseth, an outrageous flirt who thought no man was off-limits. She’d made no secret of the fact that she was still interested in Michael, and Paige suspected that it wouldn’t take much encouragement for her to make a play for him.

Fortunately Michael had assured Paige that he was no longer interested in the woman, whose claim to fame was that for two years running she’d won the wet T-shirt contest at a local bar. Still, Paige had to fight the jealous twinge that made her want to drive over to his place and check on him during her break. She wouldn’t, of course. Michael had given her no reason to suspect the two absences were connected. Besides, she trusted him and knew that it was simply a coincidence that they were both off sick.

The first half of her shift passed quickly as customers waited in line for the opportunity to eat the house special of red ribs and sweet-potato fries. During her break, Paige tried calling Michael’s number, but all she heard was his voice mail. She left a message for him to call her and headed over to the reservations desk to see if she could get the key to the Pinecone Cabin. She planned to stock the refrigerator with beverages and fill the cupboards with snacks.

Behind the counter was a tall slender woman named Stacy Walker, who had been an intern at the resort the summer Paige and the Bulldogs had worked as waitstaff. Now after seven years at the resort, Stacy had worked her way up to manager of customer relations. When she saw Paige, she greeted her with a smile and said, “You’re just the person I’m looking for. I have something for you.”

Expecting it to be the key to the cabin, Paige was surprised when she handed her an envelope with the resort logo on it. Scrawled across the front was her name in what appeared to be her fiancé’s handwriting.

“Was Michael here today?”

“No, he left that last night and told me to give this to you when you came to pick up the key for the Pinecone,” Stacy replied. “You are here for the key, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll get it for you in just a minute, but I need to talk to these people first, okay?” She nodded toward the end of the counter where an elderly couple waited patiently for her attention.

Paige looked at the envelope and wondered why Michael hadn’t simply called her and talked to her. Even if her phone battery wasn’t working, he could have left a voice message for her. She stepped away from the counter and ripped open the sealed envelope. Inside was a single sheet of paper bearing a note in Michael’s handwriting.

Dear Paige,

By the time you get this I will be on my way to Las Vegas. I can’t marry you. I don’t want you to think that I don’t love you because I do, but I need some time to think over some things. I didn’t want to hurt you, but right now I feel that if we were to marry, it wouldn’t be fair to you.

I’m really sorry. Love, Michael.

P.S. You can keep the ring.

For a moment Paige was too stunned to even breathe. Then she gasped and leaned up against the wall of the lobby. Michael had jilted her? Why? The question banged around in her head like a bad headache. She reread the letter and saw nothing that she hadn’t seen the first time she’d read his note. He needed time to think…he was confused…so why did he have to go to Las Vegas?

“She went to Las Vegas.” Kathy’s words echoed in her head. “She’s not sick. She’s faking it.”

Paige had a flash of memory. She was sitting in the resort’s lounge a couple of weeks ago, having a soda with some of the other waitstaff. Chelsea Kinseth entered and announced to anyone who would listen that someday she was going to go to Las Vegas to take the biggest gamble of her life. Paige had thought she wanted to get a job as a showgirl, but now she wondered if that gamble was running off with Michael.

She shook her head. No, she wasn’t going to jump to conclusions. She gazed at the diamond on her finger. Surely Michael wouldn’t have given her such an expensive ring if he hadn’t planned to marry her. She quickly reread the note, but the message was the same.

“Paige, is everything all right?” Stacy asked.

With unsteady hands Paige folded the note from Michael and shoved it into her apron pocket next to her order pad. Tears misted in her eyes but she wasn’t about to let anyone see them. “You’ll have to excuse me,” she said and rushed out the front door of the lodge and into the parking lot, where she took long, deep breaths of fresh air, willing her body not to give in to the urge to cry.

This couldn’t be happening to her. Michael wouldn’t do this to her. She walked over to the employee section of the parking lot, hoping to see his red Mustang. It wasn’t there. She followed the paved walkway leading to the golf course, her stride brisk as she made her way to the clubhouse. If there was one person who would know what was going on, it was Gus Reynolds. He was the golf-course groundskeeper and Michael’s closest friend at the resort. She found him tending the garden outside the clubhouse, his portly figure bent over a bed of impatiens.

“Well, look who’s here,” he said, getting to his feet to greet her. “I thought you’d be in Vegas by now.”

Any hope Paige had that the letter was some cruel joke was gone. “Michael told you he was going to Vegas?”

“He didn’t exactly tell me. I saw his e-ticket. We both use the same computer.” He winked. “I figured something was going on. Every time I came in here he’d be on the Internet looking at Las Vegas sites. When I saw the list of wedding chapels I figured you two were running off to get married or something.”

“No.”

His voice softened. “I’m sorry. I just assumed.”

“Stacy said he called in sick.”

“Well, I guess that’s one way of getting time off without using vacation days, isn’t it?”

Paige didn’t respond. What could she say? There could only be one reason why Michael had been using Google to search for Las Vegas wedding chapels. He was going to marry Chelsea.

Pain shot through her, making her want to crumble right there in front of Gus. But she didn’t. She simply turned around and headed back up the paved walkway leading to the lodge.

Ever since she’d read Michael’s letter she’d been fighting the tears, but on her way back to the lodge she gave up the battle. She dropped onto a small concrete bench and wept.

She hated crying. It was for wusses and she was no wuss. She especially hated crying over a guy, but this was not just any guy. This was Michael. Her fiancé. She looked again at the ring on her finger. This morning she’d dangled it in front of the consignment-store clerk’s eyes as if it was her most prized possession. Now it hurt to look at it. She yanked it from her finger and almost threw it across the carefully manicured grass into one of the golf course’s water hazards. Almost. Paige could be just as emotional as any other woman, but she had an advantage. Her brain rarely allowed her emotions to govern her decisions.

She didn’t know what would become of the diamond, but she didn’t want its fate to be the same as that of a golf ball whose owner had botched a swing. Hoping that out of sight would mean out of mind, she slipped the ring into her pocket, wishing it was as easy to hide the ugly stuff that had happened to her today.

Only there was no way she was going to be able to keep what had happened a secret. She wondered how many of the resort’s employees already knew that Michael had dumped her. Suddenly the furtive glances exchanged between Kathy and Rosie made sense. Kathy’s husband worked at the golf course. The rumor mill had put two and two together.

It was such a humiliating thought Paige didn’t know how she was going to face anyone. Maybe she wouldn’t face them. Maybe she would just go get her purse, punch her time card, walk out and never return. Ever.

The thought was a tempting one. There were only a couple of weeks left of the summer season anyway. It would be so nice not to have to face a single person at the resort. She could just imagine the looks of pity.

But as badly as she wanted to run away from it all, she couldn’t. She had responsibilities—a job, a lease on a trailer, a lease on a house. And the Bulldogs would be coming for their reunion weekend.

Her hurt turned to anger. She was supposed to be introducing her fiancé to Ben and Amber this weekend, not making excuses as to why he wasn’t there. Only, she wouldn’t make excuses. She would get through the next three days one way or another.

She pulled out her cell phone, took several deep breaths and punched the number one on her speed dial—the house phone she had at one time shared with Justin and Kyle. It rang once then rolled over to voice mail.

After the beep she said, “Hey, it’s me. I need to talk to you. Bad.” Her voice was wobbly and she was worried that they’d be able to tell she’d been crying. She took another deep breath and said, “I’m having, like, the worst day of my life. Michael’s on his way to Vegas with his old girlfriend and I’m here at the Cascading Waters feeling like…well, you can imagine how I feel…and I really need to talk to you.” Losing the battle of fighting tears, she ended with, “I have to get back to work. Call me when you get this.”

Again she thought about getting in her car and never coming back. But she knew that sooner or later she would have to face everyone at the lodge, so she went back to work.

When she walked into the Birchwood Room, the first person she saw was Kathy. “You’ve been crying?” She flung an arm around her shoulder. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“You know, don’t you?” Paige asked, even though she was almost certain of the answer.

The older woman nodded slowly. “I was hoping it was just a rumor. I’m sorry, Paige. It was a really low thing for the two of them to do. Why don’t you ask if you can take the rest of the afternoon off?”

Paige knew it would mean extra work for the remaining waitstaff. “No, it’s all right. It’s better if I keep busy. I’ll go wash up and be right out.”

“Sure. Go ahead. Take as much time as you need. Rosie and I can cover for you.”

“Thanks.” Paige visited the ladies’ restroom and washed her hands and face, determined that none of the other employees would see just how deeply hurt she was by Michael’s rejection. To her relief the lunch crowd was heavy and she didn’t have time to dwell on what they may or may not have heard. When her shift finally ended, Paige left with the knowledge that as difficult as it had been to stay at work, at least she’d had the satisfaction of knowing she’d fulfilled her obligation.

When she got back to the trailer she saw the box of decorations staring at her from the tiny tabletop, reminding her that she had another job to finish before she could do what she really wanted to do—go to bed and forget the day even happened. She needed to take the food and beverages over to the Pinecone Cabin and hang the decorations. And she would, but first she needed some time alone to let her jangled nerves rest.

At only five foot two she could easily curl up onto the small sofa that pulled out into a bed. She sighed and closed her eyes, trying not to think about Michael and Chelsea cuddling up to one another at a wedding chapel in Vegas.

“This should not be happening to me—it’s just not fair,” she said to herself as images of the two of them together tormented her until she fell asleep.

AS JUSTIN HEADED FOR HOME he knew exactly what he wanted. A cold beer and a shower and in that order. Then he was going to meet several of his friends at the Saints game, where he’d get a couple of hot dogs and have another cold beer. It was the perfect way to spend a hot summer evening and there was nothing like baseball to take his mind off a woman he shouldn’t be thinking about. Ever since she’d sent him the phone photo of her in her wedding dress, Paige had been on his mind.

It hadn’t been one of his better days. It had started with a flat tire on his pickup that had put him behind on his appointments for the rest of the day. As part of his job selling the nursery stock, he also had to respond to complaint calls. He usually had one or two follow-up calls a week to check on the condition of the plants and trees he’d sold clients. Today alone he’d had three callbacks, but it was the last one that had been the most difficult. It was to a golf course.

After listening to Paige carry on about her wedding dress this morning, it was the last place he wanted to be. He hated golf, and the fact that Michael Cross had Paige playing the game was like a burr in his sock. Paige was no more interested in golf than Justin was, yet she now spent more energy worrying about getting a tee time than she did getting tickets to a ball game.

And if it wasn’t enough that the trees he’d sold the golf course had died, while he was doing the inspection, one of the landscape employees had tripped getting out of the way of a golf cart and broken an ankle. Justin was the one who took him to the hospital emergency room where they had ended up spending most of the afternoon. He’d had to cancel the remainder of his appointments for the day, which was not the way he wanted to start his three-day weekend.

He took an unusually long shower, allowing the water to wash away the frustrations of the day. By the time he had toweled himself dry, he felt relaxed and ready to spend the night with the guys drinking beer and talking baseball.

As he was getting dressed, his cell phone beeped. It was Kyle sending him a text message telling him that he was having a DND night at Tammy’s. They had been roommates long enough for Justin to know that DND was code for Do Not Disturb. Justin messaged him back, telling him he was going to the Saints game and would see him in the morning.

Then he finished dressing, grabbed his Saints cap and was about to head out the back door when he noticed the blinking message light on the house phone. His finger automatically hit the play button.

As he suspected, the first two messages were from telemarketers trying to convince him he needed his carpets cleaned and new windows installed. He glanced impatiently at his watch, thinking that if he had to run through a string of such calls he’d miss the start of the game. He was about to press the stop button when he heard Paige’s voice.

“Hey, it’s me. I need to talk to you. Bad. I’m having, like, the worst day of my life. Michael’s on his way to Vegas with his old girlfriend and I’m here at the Cascading Waters feeling like…well, you can imagine how I feel…and I really need to talk to you.”

It was followed by a double beep indicating it was the last message recorded.

“That son of a bitch,” Justin muttered as he took the steps two at a time. When he reached his room he grabbed the duffel bag with his Bulldog sweatshirt already in it and began stuffing it with clothes. On his way back down the stairs he called his buddies and told them he wouldn’t be at the Saints game. As he was about to walk out the door he started to dial Kyle’s cell then stopped. Kyle was DND.

So instead of phoning Kyle he went to a drawer in the kitchen, pulled out a piece of paper and began to write.

Kyle, Call me when you read this. Paige needed help so I left a day early. J.C.

As he stuck the note to the refrigerator with a loon magnet, he thought it was probably a good thing that Kyle was with Tammy tonight. Because he was a little in love with Paige, Kyle might not be able to console her without letting those emotions get in the way.

Justin, on the other hand, was much better at hiding his feelings for Paige and wouldn’t forget that she wanted him to be her friend, not her boyfriend. As he climbed into the pickup he said to himself, “Just hang in there, Paige. Your best friend is coming to the rescue.”

CHAPTER THREE

PAIGE AWOKE with a start, hearing a pounding near her head. After only a couple of seconds, she realized that someone was banging on the metal door of her trailer. She sat up and a sharp pain shot through her neck. She’d been curled up like a pretzel on the narrow sofa and was now paying the price. She peeked through the louvered window and saw Stacy in the gold blazer that identified her as one of the managers at the lodge.

“Paige, are you in there?” she heard the woman call out.

Paige stumbled toward the door and unlocked it. “I’m here,” she said, rubbing her sore neck. “I’m sorry. I fell asleep after work.” She moved to one side and gestured for her to come in. “Why are you here?”

Stacy stepped into the small trailer. “You never came back for the key to the cabin.” She dangled a large diamond-shaped plastic key ring in midair.

“Oh. Thanks.” Paige took the key from her and stuck it in her jeans pocket. “Do you want something to drink? Some water or a soda?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. What about you? How are you doing?”

Paige suspected from the look of sympathy on the blonde’s face that she’d heard the news about Michael and Chelsea. “I suppose you know what happened.”

“I’ve heard nasty rumors, but all I know for certain is that Michael quit his job.”

“He quit? I thought he’d called in sick.”

“Apparently he left a resignation letter in his desk drawer.”

Paige sank back down onto the small sofa. “I guess he and Chelsea plan to stay out there for good.” She was surprised that she could even say the words without crying. But it was as if she was talking about someone else’s life, not her own, and they came out on a note of indifference.

“I’m really sorry, Paige. For what it’s worth, that girl has no shame when it comes to men. It didn’t matter to her if he was engaged or not.”

“You don’t need to make excuses for him,” Paige told her. “Any way you look at it, it’s still the same outcome.” She swallowed back the lump in her throat. It would have been so easy to break down and cry, but she was determined not to do that. Especially not in front of Stacy, who always looked so composed. “I’d rather not talk about any of it if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Stacy assured her. “I didn’t come here to talk about Michael Cross. I just wanted to bring you the key and to let you know that if there’s anything I can do to make your Bulldog weekend easier, I’m here.” She spread her arms in a welcoming gesture. “You are still having your reunion, aren’t you?”

“I don’t see any way out of it now.” Paige tried to keep her voice even, but it wasn’t easy.

“Do you want a way out? At this time of year I’d have no trouble renting the cabin at the last minute. You’d lose your deposit, I’m afraid but…”

“No…no…I can’t cancel.” She scrubbed her hands across her face as if the motion would clear her head. “Everything’s such a mess.”

“Maybe I can help clean it up.”

“I’m not sure there is a way to clean up this one.”

Paige was grateful Stacy didn’t give her any of the words of encouragement women usually got after being dumped by their boyfriends. Stacy looked around, her gaze landing on the snacks and beverages lining the table and counter. “Is that stuff for your reunion?”

“I have a small box of decorations, too.” Paige nodded at a box on the counter beside the food supplies. “Michael was going to help me get the cabin ready tonight.”

Stacy placed a hand on the box. “I’ll take his place. I may not be as tall as he is, but I’m not afraid to climb a ladder.”

“Michael’s not afraid of heights,” Paige stated.

“Ever seen him on the chair lift at Lutsen?”

“No, but he doesn’t like to downhill ski. He does cross-country.”

“Has he hiked the Baptism River Trail with you?”

Of all the trails in the Superior National Forest, it had some of the steepest drops. She’d climbed it often with Justin and Kyle, but never with Michael. She tried to remember hiking to any of the breathtaking lookouts in the various parks along the shoreline, but most of their dates had been spent golfing. The one time they’d stopped at the Split Rock Lighthouse, he’d told her the reason he wasn’t going to climb the circular stairs to the top was he’d twisted his knee and wasn’t supposed to do stairs.

Stacy hoisted the box of decorations into her arms and said, “If you get the door for me, I’ll take this for you.” When Paige hesitated she added, “Look, there are some things you can control and others you can’t. You’ll feel better about the ones you can’t control if you take care of the ones you can.”

“I suppose everyone at the resort knows what’s happened by now.”

“Paige, you can’t worry about what people think. You did nothing wrong. Michael is the one who should be feeling ashamed, not you. Now, is there anything else you want to take over to the cabin besides what’s here?”

“The rest of the stuff is already in my trunk.”

“Why don’t we put everything in my Escape and you can ride with me,” she suggested. “There’s no reason for both of us to drive.”

A few minutes later Paige was in the front of Stacy’s SUV heading for the Cascading Waters Resort. The Pinecone was the largest of nine cabins that formed a horseshoe behind the main lodge at the resort. She took comfort in knowing that each cabin had a private parking area, which meant it was unlikely they’d run into any of the other employees.

Tires crunched on gravel as Stacy parked next to a towering white pine. Because of the wooded setting, the evening sun was but a flicker through the foliage.

Paige appreciated the fact that Stacy made no mention of Michael or the broken engagement as they hung the few decorations from previous years and stocked the refrigerator and cupboards with beverages and food. While they worked they talked mostly about the changes Stacy had seen throughout her lifetime as a resident on the North Shore. As they were hanging the last of the posters, Paige’s stomach growled.

“I bet you haven’t had any dinner, have you?” Stacy asked.

Paige shook her head. She hadn’t eaten lunch or dinner but she hadn’t exactly been hungry, either.

“We’ll go over to the Birchwood when we’re finished here,” Stacy offered. “My treat.”

“That’s really thoughtful of you, but it would probably just be a waste of money,” she said, shoving her tape dispenser and scissors back in her tote bag. “I don’t feel much like eating. You know what I mean?”

“Oh yes, I do,” she acknowledged with a nod. “I’ve had my heart broken. I know where you’re at tonight and it’s not a good place to be.”

“No, it isn’t, which is why I think I’ll just go home and go to bed.” Paige turned off the lights on their way out of the cabin.

“No, no, no.” Stacy wagged her finger. “You most certainly will not go home and have a pity party for one. I have a better idea.”

Stacy’s better idea was to stop and pick up a couple of sandwiches at a local deli on the way back to Paige’s trailer. When she pulled up to a liquor store, Paige said, “Unless you want something, you don’t have to stop for me. I get headaches from alcohol.”

“I’ll just be a minute,” was all Stacy said before disappearing inside. She returned carrying a couple of brown bags. As she set them on the bench seat between them, the contents rattled.

Seeing Paige’s wary glance, she said, “It’s mostly fruit juices. I’m going to make us some punch.”

“You don’t need to spend your night off babysitting me,” Paige said.

“Who said anything about babysitting? I know we haven’t had a lot of time to get to know one another, but you’re still a girlfriend and girlfriends don’t let other girlfriends have pity parties for one. So consider tonight an opportunity for me to show someone in the sisterhood how to look at the positive side of breaking up. And there is a positive side. You just can’t see it yet, but believe me, it’s there.”

Paige tried to smile, but she didn’t think that anything Stacy could say or do would dull the pain of losing Michael. All of her life she’d been a “glass is half-full” person, weathering breakups with guys better than most women she knew. But never had she expected that getting jilted could hurt so badly.

When they arrived back at the campground, Stacy insisted it was too nice out to eat indoors. She instructed Paige to build a campfire in the fire pit next to the trailer while she mixed the punch.

A short while later Paige found herself on an Adirondack chair in front of a crackling fire with a sandwich in one hand and a concoction Stacy called her “men are pigs” punch in the other. Paige wasn’t sure just what it was she was drinking. While she had been gathering wood, Stacy had been inside the trailer pouring a variety of liquids into her blender. The result had been a surprisingly delicious fruit drink that had Paige wondering if it contained much alcohol.

“You make a pretty good fire, Paige,” Stacy told her as a birch log popped and sizzled in the dancing flames. “One thing I’ve learned over the years is that there is nothing that a man can do for you that you can’t do for yourself.”

Paige really didn’t want to talk about the value of men and changed the subject. “Thank you for stopping and getting these sandwiches. I guess I was hungry after all.”

“They’re are not as good as Tony’s, but they’re not bad,” Stacy said.

Tony was the chef at the Birchwood and a good friend of Stacy’s. Paige felt a bit guilty that she’d refused Stacy’s offer to eat at the resort restaurant. “You understand why I didn’t want to go to the Birchwood, don’t you? I don’t think I could have taken one more person glancing at me with that pitiful look that says, ‘Oh, you’ve been dumped, you poor thing.’”

“If they’re looking at you with pity they’re making the assumption that you’ve lost something of value,” Stacy said in between bites of her sandwich. “You haven’t.”

“You’re right. He’s worthless. So is Chelsea.” Paige lifted her glass toward the starry sky. “To the worthless Michael Cross and his worthless bride, Chelsea.”

“Uh-uh, the toast should be to Michael and Chelsea for saving you from making the biggest mistake of your life.” Stacy raised her glass to Paige’s.

Paige took another sip and suddenly realized that there indeed was plenty of liquor in the fruit drink. She felt a warmth spread through her, tickling her insides.

“A friend of mine tried to warn me that Michael would be trouble,” she said, gazing up at the stars.

“All men are,” Stacy stated with authority.

“Tell me the truth. Was I the only one who didn’t know he was still seeing Chelsea?”

“I don’t think anyone knew for sure, but it was hard not to notice how she was always hanging around him. And they did have a history.” Stacy got up and reached for Paige’s empty glass. “You need a refill.”

“Better only make it a half.” She giggled. “I think I’m getting a little tipsy.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Stacy said, and disappeared into the trailer, only to return with another full glass.

“I know one thing,” Paige said after taking another sip. “I will not get involved with someone who works at the same place as I do. Today had to be the most humiliating day of my life. I used to think the people who worked at the resort were nice, but now…”

“Hey—they are nice, but like everyone else they talk,” Stacy said in defense of her coworkers. “If you’re going to be mad at someone, it should be Michael. He’s the one who gave them something to talk about.”

“Ever since I got his letter I’ve been trying to figure out what I could have done differently in our relationship, but he acted as if he was really happy.”

“Paige, this is not your fault.”

“Then why do I feel like it is?”

“Because you’re a woman and men want us to feel that way…like we’re to blame for everything that goes wrong in a relationship.”

“Well, it doesn’t help that some women buy into that crap. Maybe our problem was about sex. But if sex was so important to our relationship, he shouldn’t have told me he understood my reasons for wanting to wait until we were married to sleep together.”

“You never had sex with Michael!” It was a statement, not a question.

Paige gasped. “I can’t believe I told you that.”

“It’s okay. I’ll treat it as a confidence. You have my word.” Stacy made a cross over her heart with her right index finger.

“I’ve always believed that I would only have sex with one man—the one I married. It was a gift I wanted to give my husband on our wedding night. That’s why Michael and I were waiting until we were married…or at least I was waiting. He was obviously doing it with Chelsea.” Paige took another sip of her punch then asked, “Do you think if I had been sleeping with Michael, he would have still run off with her?”

“Now you’re starting to sound like one of those women who believe the crap men are peddling. You and Michael had an agreement. He broke it. It’s that simple. Case closed.”

“You’re right. Even if we did have sex, he might have still run off with Chelsea.”

“Exactly.” Stacy lifted her glass in acknowledgment. “There’s no excuse for his behavior.”

“I can’t believe he dumped me like that. He could have at least told me face-to-face. He’s chickenshit. And pig shit, too.” She giggled.

“He’s afraid of heights,” Stacy reminded her.

“And bees. He runs like a girl when he sees one. He told me it’s because he’s allergic to them, but I think he’s just afraid.”

“He’s vain. Have you noticed how he can’t pass a mirror without admiring himself?”

With each sip of the fruit drink Paige found it easier to find fault with her ex-fiancé. By the time she was on her third glass of Stacy’s special concoction, she was convinced she’d been unhappy with him.

“Now aren’t you glad you’re not going to marry the man?” Stacy asked.

“Yeeeesss! I’m happy he’s gone and I hope I never have to see him again!” she proclaimed in a loud voice as she stretched her arms toward the sky.

“Didn’t I tell you I’d get you to see the positive side of him leaving?”

“Yes, and thank you, thank you, thank you,” she said, bowing theatrically. “Oooh—look, our fire is going out.”

“Got anything you want to burn? Maybe some pictures?” Stacy asked, arching an eyebrow.

Paige snapped her fingers. “That’s it. I’m going to burn his pictures. Watch my drink for me.” She disappeared inside the trailer and returned with a handful of snapshots in one hand and a cardboard box in the other. She tossed the photos onto the fire and watched them burn. “Good riddance.”

“What’s in the box?” Stacy asked.

Paige removed the lid and a pile of papers floated onto the flames. “Scorecards from our golf games. He wanted me to save them. Nobody cares about your stupid golf scores, Michael!” she shouted into the fire.

“Feel better?” Stacy asked.

“I feel great!” She ran back into the trailer and came out waving a piece of paper.

“What’s that?”

“It’s my Top Ten list…you know, my list of the ten most important traits a guy needs to have to be a good boyfriend. I thought Michael had all ten, but it turns out he was missing the most important one.”

“Which is?”

“A guy should be trustworthy.” She tossed the paper into the fire and made several more trips into the trailer, each time coming out with more things to burn. But it was the last article that brought Stacy to her feet. Folded over Paige’s arm was her wedding gown.

“I have one last thing to get rid of. I just bought this today. Can you believe that? Today of all days. I buy my wedding dress and my fiancé runs off with another woman.”

Alarmed, Stacy rose to her feet. “You’re not thinking of putting that in the fire, are you?”

“Sure. Why not? I’m never going to wear it.”

JUSTIN’S ROAD TRIP went about as well as his day had gone. After being stuck in rush-hour traffic leaving St. Paul, he’d hit road construction that caused another delay and made him wish he’d ordered more than a super-size soda when he stopped at a fast-food drive-thru. Other than three Salted Nut Roll candy bars he’d found in the glove compartment of his pickup, he’d had nothing to eat since lunch, which was why as soon as he reached Paige’s he planned to take her out somewhere decent for dinner. She could pour her heart out to him just as easily over a thick, juicy prime cut of beef as she could over a burger. But if she wanted fast food, he would sacrifice the steak.

Thinking of being with her had him pushing the pedal a little closer to the metal. As the sun went down and the air cooled, he turned off his air-conditioning and rolled down the windows, loving the feel of the breeze rushing through the cab of his pickup. He turned up the volume on his CD player so the sounds of the Dave Matthews Band blared in stereo all around him. The music was so loud he didn’t hear the siren. It wasn’t until he glanced into his rearview mirror and saw the flashing red light that he knew he’d been a little too eager to get to see Paige. He cursed under his breath and pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway.

“Is there a problem, Officer?” he asked in his good-citizen voice.

“Know how fast you were driving?” the policeman asked.

“Sixty-five?” Justin ventured to guess.

“Eighty-two. Could I see your driver’s license, please?”

Justin didn’t miss the way the officer’s eyes scanned the cab of the pickup. Surely there was nothing suspicious about a guy’s having three empty candy wrappers and a super-size beverage cup from a fast-food restaurant on his front seat. So why was the man’s face wrinkling as if there was?

“Are those your shoes?” he asked, pointing to the pair of athletic shoes on the passenger-side mat.

“Yes.”

“You’re not driving barefoot, are you?”

“No. I have on sandals.”

“Step out of the vehicle, please.”

Justin climbed out, smoothing down the wrinkles of his khaki shorts as he unfolded his long legs. The officer looked at his feet, then back up at his shirt. Justin was grateful he wasn’t wearing a T-shirt with some irreverent saying on the front. It was only because experience had taught him it would be wise not to challenge the authority of anyone wearing a badge and carrying a gun that he managed to stay calm and wait for the officer to issue the ticket. As he pondered his situation, he thought it was a good thing that Michael Cross had left town or else Justin might have kicked his skinny little ass when he got to the resort.

But he didn’t want to waste time thinking about the weasel. Paige was the one he worried about. He hoped she was all right. Knowing her, he expected to find her at home cleaning her tiny trailer. That’s what she usually did when she was stressed—organized her cupboards and drawers. She loved to put things in order, especially when her mind was in turmoil.

Paige wasn’t like most women he knew. She got angry and got over it. She didn’t dwell on the bad stuff. She couldn’t. It just wasn’t in her nature. And she rarely resorted to tears. That’s why today when he’d heard her voice crack with emotion he knew that this breakup was different from others. And that was the reason he had immediately jumped in his pickup and hit the road. She needed him.

Yes, it was only as a friend, but that was the way it had always been and he’d accepted it could be no other way a long time ago. Even if Paige had given him any indication that she wanted to take their friendship to the next level—and she hadn’t—he wouldn’t have been able to follow through on it. The reason they’d been able to stay close for so long was because early on in their friendship they’d agreed that no matter how tempting it might be to test the waters of romance, they were first and foremost friends. It was why Kyle hadn’t acted upon his adolescent crush on Paige. And why neither of them would ever know of his love for her.

Justin couldn’t risk losing her. If she were to ever find out that he had feelings for her, she might withdraw emotionally. It was the kind of revelation that once it was out there, you could never take it back. He’d been friends too long with Kyle and Paige to take such a chance.

So Justin’s was the shoulder Paige cried on when she needed one—which was seldom. More often she simply used him as a sounding board. Although he knew she had a soft center, she’d spent most of her life showing the world how tough she could be. She’d get angry, talk about the problem, then get over it and move on. It was one of the things he loved about her. Her resiliency. That and the fact that she wasn’t the kind for emotional outbursts. He could use some of that self-control himself as the officer handed him a speeding ticket.

By the time he reached the campground where she was staying it was dark. He’d only been to her place once—when he and Kyle had helped her move. He followed the dirt road that wound through the campground, looking closely at the numbers that identified the different sites.

But he didn’t need a number to point out where Paige lived. She was standing on a lawn chair swinging a wedding dress around as if she was getting ready to toss it into the campfire. “What the…” he mumbled to himself as he scurried out of the truck.

“That better not be the dress that nearly cost me a client this morning,” Justin said as he approached the campfire.

Both women turned at the sound of his voice. “Justin! You’re just in time. Get it? Just-in?” She giggled and he raced over to swoop her off the chair.

“Hey—what are you doing?” she protested.

“Bringing you down to my level so you can give me a proper welcome and thank me for coming to you in your hour of need, although it looks as if you’ve been doing all right without me.”

With the wedding dress still in her arms she pulled him to her and gave him a hug so that he nearly got a mouthful of satin.

“You came all the way up here to make sure that I was okay?”

“Yup, once again Justin to the rescue.” He looked over his shoulder at her companion. “I have a habit of doing this.”

“What a good friend you are,” Paige gushed as she released him. “I am so glad you’re here. You’re just in time to see me burn the last reminder of the chickenshit.”

When she moved to toss the dress into the fire, he stopped her. “You’re not burning that thing. It has a history.”

“Oh, you mean the schoolteacher and the soldier.” She sighed. “They were so in love.”

“That’s why you shouldn’t burn the dress.” He took the gown from her hands.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her,” the blond woman said, and suddenly Paige found her manners.

“Justin, you remember Stacy, don’t you? She’s in charge of customer relations. Stacy, this is Justin, my best friend and maid of honor.”

“Maid of honor?” Stacy lifted her eyebrows inquisitively.

“It’s a long story,” Justin said. They made small talk, and Justin told her that he was one of the Bulldogs and would be staying for the weekend.

Stacy finally said, “I really should get going.” She turned to Paige. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“You don’t have to go because Justin came,” Paige told her.

“No, but it’s late and I do have to work tomorrow.”

Paige covered her mouth. “Oh, I forgot. Thanks for all your help tonight,” she said, giving the other woman a hug.

As Stacy prepared to leave, Paige said, “What about the stuff you bought for the men are pigs punch?”

Stacy dismissed her concern with a flap of her hand. “Keep it.”

“Men are pigs punch?” Justin repeated.

“It’s really good,” Paige told him. “You have to try it—even though you’re not a pig.”

Justin looked at Paige. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, I am. You’re my best friend.” Then she turned to Stacy and gave her a hug. “Thank you so much for teaching me how to see the positive side of getting dumped.”

Justin was at a loss for words. He’d expected to find Paige angry and hurt, but he hadn’t expected to find her drinking. He asked Stacy if she needed a ride home, but she assured him she’d had only one glass of the punch a few hours earlier, so she was fine. As she drove away, he knew the first thing he had to do was put the wedding dress out of sight.

“What are you going to do with that?” Paige asked as he started walking with the dress toward his truck.

“Put it away so you can return it and get your money back.”

“I don’t care about the money. I want to burn it. Bring it back here,” she ordered him.

He ignored her and kept walking. He was fairly certain that come tomorrow she’d be glad the satin gown wasn’t among the ashes of the fire pit. “You may feel differently tomorrow.”

She followed him. “No, I won’t. I don’t ever want to see that stupid dress again. I don’t want any memories of Mr. Michael ‘I’m a chickenshit’ Cross.”

“Then I’ll return it for you.”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“Because you said there’s a story behind it,” he said, draping it across the seat of his pickup.

“Yeah, and it’s a nightmare. You can take it back to the consignment shop but no one’s going to want to buy it now. Everyone in town knows what happened.”

He could see it would do no good to argue with her as to the worth of the dress so he simply said, “Then we won’t return it. Why don’t you go inside and get me a beer.”

“I don’t have any beer but Stacy left the punch and it’s really good. You can drink it even though you’re a guy.”

“Maybe we should have some coffee.”

“Coffee? You don’t drink coffee.” She gave him a puzzled look before saying, “Ah, I get it. You think I’m drunk.” She giggled. “I’ve only had two glasses, Just-in.” She stressed each syllable of his name. “Enough to make me realize I’m better off without Mr. Chickenshit.”

“You just made my point. You’re swearing, which means you’ve definitely hit your limit of alcohol.”

“You’re sounding like a big brother again, Just-in. I don’t need a big brother tonight. I need a friend. And if you are my best friend you will help me celebrate the end of my engagement.” She held up her left hand and wiggled it in the air. “See. No ring.”

His eyes widened. “You didn’t throw that in the fire?”

“Nope. I flushed it down the toilet.” Seeing the expression on his face, she laughed. “I’m kidding. It’s inside. Now, are you going to join me in a glass of punch or not? Stacy made it extra weak because she knows it doesn’t take much to give me a headache.”

“Why don’t you just bring me a soda.”

She shoved her fists to her waist. “Did you or did you not drive all the way up here a day early to help me make it through the nastiest day of my life?”

“I did,” he assured her.

“Good, because that’s what friends do—they’re there for each other when you need them, and right now I need you to be my best friend, not my big brother. Nothing bad is going to happen to you or me just because we have a couple of glasses of men are pigs punch.”

He thought about it briefly and decided if sitting around the campfire drinking made her forget about her broken heart, who was he to say she should stop? “Okay, go inside and get us some punch.”

As she climbed the steps to the trailer she called out over her shoulder, “If you’re not going to burn the dress, we’re going to need more wood for the fire. There’s a pile of it on the other side of my car.”

While she was inside he gathered several birch logs and added them to the fire. It was quiet on her campsite. A small awning extended from the trailer under which she had a bistro-size table and chairs. Although the campsites were fairly close together, trees afforded a privacy that made it feel as if they were in the middle of the wilderness.

Justin leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of nature all around him. The steady chirping of the crickets, the buzz of insects. He smiled to himself. Paige loved the outdoors and didn’t mind the bugs. It was one of the many things he found attractive about her. She wasn’t given to princesslike behavior. If a spider crawled up her leg she wouldn’t run screaming in circles.

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