“It’s not that simple, Paige.”
“Maybe it is. How old are you?”
“Thirty-four.”
“So you abandoned the two things you loved the most over a decade ago, and you haven’t been sucked back in. It sounds like you don’t share your father’s lack of willpower. And yes, your hobbies were a little dangerous, but I hate to tell you, most kids—even some of us girls—go through that invincibility phase and do crazy stuff. I know my sisters and I did. Ask my parents. My mom blames us for every gray hair. It’s normal to test your limits, Trent. It’s how we define who we are. I’d worry more about someone who never tested himself and always accepted status quo.”
“I can’t take the chance that you might be wrong.”
“Then why torture yourself by becoming CEO of Hightower Aviation and in charge of an entire fleet of airplanes? That’s like a dieter taking a job in a bakery. Why not do something else?”
“Someone had to get us out of the financial hole my father had dug.”
“What about your brother or your sisters? Couldn’t one of them have taken on the role? Or were they too young?”
Brent must not have told her he had a twin. “My brother and I are…close in age, but he doesn’t have the aptitude for seeing the big picture. As for my sisters, one had just started college, and the other was barely sixteen. I had double-majored in aeronautical science and business, I was the most qualified.”
“It sounds like your education prepared you to be HAMC’s CEO. Did you always intend to assume that position?”
“No.”
“Then what did you want to do? Something with planes, obviously.”
The woman defined tenacious. “I wanted to be an air force fighter pilot.”
“Are you too old to enlist now?”
“Age is irrelevant. That part of my life is over. My family is counting on me to keep HAMC profitable. The point you’re missing is that I was willing to die to fly, to get that rush.”
“How is enlisting in the military any different than becoming a firefighter or a cop? The risk of getting killed on the job is a given. And let me tell you, plenty of cops and volunteer firefighters come into the hardware store. They’re certainly not doing the job for the money, because the salaries are atrociously low. They are committed to what they do, and they must enjoy the adrenaline rush or they wouldn’t last long. Why shouldn’t you have a job that excites you and makes you eager to go to work each day?”
Her oversimplification contradicted everything he knew and believed, knocking him off balance. But he wasn’t going to waste his breath trying to explain. Besides, he didn’t need a woman who would be gone in a matter of days crawling around in his head.
“Why did you go into hotel event planning instead of training to take over your parents’ store? From the picture in your living room, it looks like a successful business, and if you worked there for years, you’re qualified.”
She blinked at his abrupt counterattack. “The store is doing well, but as much as I love my family and our small town, I wanted out of the fishbowl. I want to see the world. Besides, my oldest sister is going to take over when Dad retires.”
She rearranged her utensils, seemingly fascinated by the task for nearly a full minute, then she offered a sympathetic smile. “You’re off the hook, Trent. We don’t have to ride any more coasters if it disturbs you.”
Her words should have pleased him. But they didn’t. She’d issued a challenge—one he was determined to meet and defeat. “This was a demon I needed to face. Thank you for forcing me to do that.”
Her smile scrunched into a grimace. “I know a little something about facing those demons.”
The ex-boyfriend, Trent realized on a fresh surge of anger.
However this ended, he didn’t want Paige to be hurt again. That didn’t mean he could afford to be a bleeding heart instead of a shark. He had a job to do—protect HAMC and Brent—and he would get it done.
He wasn’t taking the high road for Paige’s sake. He was merely being compassionate because it would further his agenda for Hightower Aviation. Terminating the relationship without causing her more pain or bitterness allowed for less of a chance of negative backlash on HAMC.
Paige’s heart pounded and her palms dampened as the chauffeur-driven car neared her apartment.
Should she invite Trent in? Their last kiss had whetted her appetite for more, but she wasn’t used to being the aggressor.
Beside her on the cushy leather seat, Trent looked completely at ease. But he didn’t reach across the seat to touch her. His hands rested on his thighs, his gaze focused ahead. They’d connected during dinner, but had barely touched since.
She bit her lip and debated closing the open window between the front and backseats to give them a little privacy. But she wasn’t sure which of the many buttons worked the partition. Blame it on her upbringing in a gossipy town, but she didn’t want to issue the invitation where the driver could overhear.
The car turned into her apartment complex. Trent leaned forward and pointed to the fire lane in front of her building. “Pull up here,” he told the driver. “Keep the motor running. I’ll be right back.”
That didn’t sound good.
Trent pushed open the car door, climbed out and turned to wait for Paige. He didn’t offer her a hand out.
She gathered her courage and stopped on the pavement beside the long, black car. “If you want to let the driver go, I can take you back to the hotel later.”
Trent went still. His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed. Then his gaze focused on her mouth and her stomach fluttered. He shook his head. “We both need an early night.”
Ouch. She winced and turned for the stairs, pride stinging. Trent accompanied her to her door, keeping at least a yard between them. Why the distance? Did he regret his earlier confession?
Conscious of the driver’s clear view of them from the other side of the railing of her second-story, end-unit apartment, she fished out her key and shoved it into the lock with a less than steady hand, then opened the door and crossed the threshold. Trent didn’t follow inside. “Come in.”
“Not tonight.” He punctuated his reply by stepping back, but once again his eyes focused briefly on her mouth. But he made no move to kiss her. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Trent? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing. Good night, Paige.”
Heart sinking, she watched him jog down the stairs until his blond head disappeared from view. She had a lot of work to do to get used to this seduction thing, because she sucked at it. But tomorrow was another day, and she’d step up her game.
“Hightower Aviation. Nicole speaking,” Trent’s sister answered the phone early Wednesday morning.
“I have a job for you. Make it a top priority.”
“Well, hello to you, too, Trent. Ryan and I are fine, thanks, and our baby is growing so fast I’m starting to look like I’m carrying twins.”
He rubbed a knuckle against his temple. “I’m glad your little family is well, but I’m going to have to skip the niceties. I’m scheduled to lead a seminar downstairs in fifteen minutes.”
“Right. Go ahead. What do you need?”
“Contact the owners of McCauley’s Hardware, Bait and Tackle and arrange for as many of the family members as possible to fly Vegas. I specifically want Paige McCauley’s sisters on the flight, but if her parents can make it, get them on board, too.”
“A tackle shop? Are they a potential client?”
“No. The store’s in South Carolina. I don’t know which city, but somewhere west of Charleston. Line up a jet for them. Arrange for hotel rooms at the opposite end of the strip from the Lagoon at HAMC’s expense.”
“Um…Trent, you do know that Vegas is extremely popular at Christmastime, don’t you?”
“Find them rooms regardless of the expense.”
“Do you have the travelers’ names?”
He couldn’t remember her sisters’ names. “No. Ask for one of the store owners. That’ll be Paige’s parents. Get them to give you the information. Tell them you want to get their daughters out here to see their sister.”
“What about specific dates?”
“I need them here no later than Sunday morning, the twentieth.”
“Of December?” she squeaked.
“Yes.”
“That’s only four days away. You know we’re always stretched at Christmastime. Our planes are booked months in advance, and believe it or not, even pilots like to celebrate the holiday with their families. Vacation days are already set.”
“Nicole, you are the best client aviation manager on our payroll. You can pull this off.”
“I could put them on the plane with Brent—”
Alarm shot through him. “No. Whatever you do, keep the McCauleys away from Brent and Luanne. I don’t even want them landing in the airport at close to the same time. Brent’s coming in Sunday afternoon. Keep it that way.”
She groaned. “What has Brent done now?”
Nicole had done her share of fulfilling Brent’s impossible promises. “After you pull this off I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. Right now I don’t have time.”
“You mean if I pull this off.”
His gut clenched. “Failure isn’t an option. If you can’t find anything else, use my jet and crew.”
He had to get Paige’s siblings out here. If he couldn’t get her out of town, the least he could do was get her out of the hotel.
“I can’t do that unless you stay an extra night. Your crew will have exceeded its allowable hours.”
“I’ll stay.” To make sure nothing went wrong. “Do whatever it takes.”
“That’ll push you tight to get back for the board meeting Tuesday. With the upcoming holiday there won’t be time to reschedule it.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Yessir. I’ll call with updates as soon as I have them.”
“Leave a message on my room phone rather than my cell. I’ll be in seminars and business meetings all day. And Nicole, one more thing. Tell the McCauleys this is a surprise gift for Paige. They need to keep their plans a secret.”
“Oh, Trent, that is so sweet. She must be a very special lady for you to go to all this expense.”
He recoiled at the mushy tone of his sister’s voice. “It’s not sweet. It’s not personal. It’s business.”
He didn’t do sentimental, and his strategy had nothing to do with the fact that he actually liked Paige. That she’d benefit from his plan was purely incidental.
Six
H aving a chauffeur had temporarily derailed Paige’s plan last night, but today she’d brought her A game.She’d dressed for success in a microknit wraparound top that flattered her curves and slinky slacks that made her legs look longer. She’d even found sexy high-heeled boots in the back of her closet comfortable enough to wear on the hike to the Sahara Hotel, home of tonight’s roller coaster.