Page 95 of The Payback Plan
Paige (the real one)
Oliver read the email over several times, feeling lighter and lighter each time. She was sorry. Her feelingshadn’tbeen manufactured. And she’d signed it – love always.
Love always.
She’d told him she’d loved him the day she’d left but it had got lost in the avalanche of hurt that had followed her terrible revelations shortly after.
But shehadsaid it. And so had he.
Something unlocked in his chest at the memory. And the love he’d been denying, that he’d pushed away behind a wall of rage, rushed back in. He might have been angry at her and pissed off at what she’d done but love was hard to cancel out.
Apparently.He was just new to this thing.
Picking up his phone, he dialled a number that answered on the second ring. He didn’t give the recipient a chance to get in a hello. ‘I need Paige’s address.’
‘Olly,I’ve been calling you for days!’
‘The address, Bella?’
She huffed into the phone. ‘Why?’
‘Because I love her and I know she loves me and I’m going to go and get her.’
‘Good answer.’
* * *
Paige stared absently out of the window that looked out on the Royal Mile, a tiny sliver of the castle visible if she leaned right over in her chair and cocked her head to the side. As far as house-sitting gigs went, she’d had worse. Not that she’d been particularly appreciative of the view, preoccupied as she was with thoughts of Oliver and how badly it had all ended.
She’d finally given in to the urge to make contact with him two days ago but there’d been no reply. She knew he was okay because Doris had kept her UTD with her daily check-ins but part of her had hoped he might respond.
It was futile she knew after everything she’d done but hope sprang eternal, right?
Her phone vibrated at her elbow and Paige picked it up, absently opening the text from an unknown number. It was probably just a new client enquiry.
Thank you for subscribing to LOVE FACTS! We’ll be sending you regular updates about falling in love. To STOP, reply with STOP. To see more reply MORE. Standard messaging rates may apply.
Paige frowned at the screen, taking a second or two to compute the text. Love facts? A small, confused smile pulled at her lips. Was this… Oliver? She sat forward in her chair. Her finger hovered for a beat before she typed MORE and sent it off.
Ten seconds later, three little dots danced on the screen and she waited.
Thank you for continuing LOVE FACTS! Did you know that love is addictive? When you fall in love your brain releases dopamine which is similar to a sugar rush, turning you into a love-junkie. To OPT OUT of these messages reply OPT OUT! To continue reply MORE. Standard messaging rates may apply.
Paige’s smile grew bigger. If the fact was correct, she was in serious withdrawal mode right now. She tapped in MORE and sent it off.
Thank you for continuing LOVE FACTS! Did you know that some people believe that Die Hard is a romance? And the other people are wrong? To agree press 1. Standard messaging rates may apply.
Paige laughed out loud and pressed 1. And waited again as the dots did their dance.
Thank you for your response and continuing to engage with LOVE FACTS! Did you know a heart can actually break? Research shows that break-ups can cause real physical pains in the area of one’s heart. This is known as Broken Heart Syndrome. Press 1 if you’re experiencing something similar right now. Standard messaging rates may apply.
Did she know that? Paige sobered, she sure as hell did. She pressed 1 and sent it into the ether.
Thank you for continuing to engage with LOVE FACTS! Did you know that some men will walk 500 miles to fall down at your door? To OPT OUT of these messages reply OPT OUT! To find out how many miles it is from Cornwall to Edinburgh reply MORE. Standard messaging rates may apply.
Paige blinked. Was he…? Her heart gave a funny little flutter in her chest as she dialled Oliver’s number. He picked up on the first ring. ‘Hi.’
There was a roughness to his tone like maybe hehadjust walked 500 miles and Paige’s tummy also got the flutters. ‘Where are you?’
