Page 30 of Mr. Fixer Upper
Paige groaned. “How long do you think they’ll play this out until they give up on it? I’m not bringing anything to the table with my scripted behind-the-scenes observations.” Yesterday she’d muddled through it, avoiding any emotional hotspots in her answers to Andy’s questions and guessed that she came across as more hostile than anything else.
“It’s all part of the game.” Felicia had been in the game for a good number of years more than Paige. She’d seen it all as reality TV evolved. “You know, just because the network is hoping for some crazy affair with you and Gannon doesn’t mean it’s a terrible idea.”
Paige gaped at her friend.
Felicia shrugged her broad shoulders. “All I’m saying is don’t let them pull your strings, and don’t let them scare you off of something that might be great. Just because they want it for ratings doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t be a good thing for you personally.”
“Me and Gannon?” Paige was still stunned.
“The way you two rub each other the wrong way? That’s all spark. You just might combust someday.” Felicia glanced over her shoulder at her name being called. “Looks like I’m up in darts.” And with that, she left Paige gaping after her.
She didn’t have much time to be shocked. The Friday night entertainment, a five-piece country cover band, was pumping out an enthusiastic beat. Cat spotted her and towed her out onto the crowded dance floor.
“Let’s see if your feet remember how to do anything besides stand all day,” Cat yelled over the music.
Paige gave up on trying to think or maintain her wallow and matched Cat’s footwork. Cat loved to dance when she was sober, and she became much more aggressive about her love when she drank. It was Paige’s job to keep her entertained and hydrated so she didn’t try to disappear with a stranger or drink so much that she’d be suffering the next day.
It wasn’t necessarily a hardship. Paige appreciated the chance to kick back during the back-to-back shoots. There was something about letting go of everything else and just following a beat with her body that felt good. It helped that she’d taken a ton of hip-hop dance classes with her girlfriends in college. Together, she and Cat were drawing attention, and since it had nothing to do with Gannon or her job, Paige embraced it.
Cat whirled off with a guy in a checkered shirt and cowboy boots waving over his broad shoulder. Paige turned to head to the bar on a quest for water when she found herself making eye contact with warm brown eyes and a cute smile. The man wore a golf shirt and cargo shorts. Preppy without going too far into the country club direction, he had short blondish hair and no wedding ring.
“Hi,” he said, almost shyly.
Paige smiled in response. “Hi.”
“Can I buy you a drink?” He wiggled the empty beer bottle in his hand.
“I’m on a quest for water,” Paige told him. It was as much the truth as a test. There was always the guy at the bar who “jokingly” tried to ply a single woman with alcohol even when she said she was just drinking water.
“I’d be happy to accompany you on your quest,” he offered.
Passed the test. Paige’s smile was even warmer now. “Sure.”
They made their way to the bar, a dark, sticky slab of wood similar to every other bar in every other town. There, Cute Blond Guy flagged down the bartender. He ordered “a water for the lady” and introduced himself as Marcus.
“It’s nice to meet you, Marcus of Hydration. I’m Paige.”
“So, come here often, Paige?” he grinned.
She laughed. “First time ever. I’m only in town for the week. Doyoucome here often?”
He shook his head and handed over the water the bartender passed to him. “I’m not a regular. I just met a client for a drink, and then I saw you.”
Sweet and honest. She liked that.
Paige felt a change in the atmosphere as if the temperature in the bar suddenly rose a dozen degrees. And there was Gannon. Clean jeans, flip-flops, and a t-shirt that molded to his spectacular chest, he stood in the doorway surveying the lay of the land.
Her heart limped unevenly in her chest.
When the hell had that happened?When did a distant and completely understandable appreciation for his fine form transfer into an actual crush? She had Marcus standing in front of her, an actual nice guy who was interested in her, and she was drooling over a man who had proven himself to be too temperamental to be trusted.
As if he’d locked on to her thoughts, Gannon met her gaze from across the space. The corner of his mouth tugged up.
A loud whoop originated from the dance floor. “Paigey!”
“Does she belong to you?” Marcus asked, pointing in the opposite direction with his bottle. Cat who was now riding the shoulders of the hulking plaid shirt cowboy and waving like she was on a bull.
Paige sighed. “She’s going to knock herself out before she passes out.”
