Chapter Forty-Two
Tuesday morning Paige had no reason to get out of bed. She’d peeked at the clock from under her quilt twice, but it was still before ten. Her hope to set a personal record was shattered when the doorbell rang. Paige wondered who even knew she was still alive, let alone cared enough to make the trip to her door.
Her living room was spotless from lack of use, and she threw the door open wide. The man in the blue jumpsuit looked familiar, and the roar of a diesel made her curious. Then she heard the soft bleating of dozens of goats, and a smile broke out across her face.
“Where do you want them?” It was the man who had confiscated the goats from Dallas.
“In the barn. I’ll show you.” Running barefoot across the gravel, she didn’t even notice the rocks biting into her feet. Elation filled her as she named each goat descending the ramp. Licorice, Cinnamon, Concrete, Chocolate Chip and so on. It saddened her that Petunia wasn’t among them, but soon her newborn would join the herd, and they’d all be together again.
After the goats were all settled, and the truck pulled away, she dashed into the house and picked up the phone. “They’re back! They’re back!”
Linda screamed on the other end of the line to the others in the room. “The goats are home!” and Paige could hear the cheers from the boys, Darryl and Sterling’s dad. Linda calmed them enough to talk. “So what happened? Did she settle?”
“I’m not sure,” Paige said. “The lawyer I was working with was really good. He must have done something.”
“Have you told Sterling yet?” Linda asked.
Paige squinted her eyes shut. “Could you?”
“For some reason his phone has been disconnected. We were hoping you had the number.”
“What?” Paige opened her eyes. “Did you try directory assistance? He might have changed it.”
“He’s unlisted.” Linda said. “Do you know where he lives? Maybe you could go by.”
Her chest felt hollow. “I never saw his apartment. The only thing I know is where he works.”
“Would you try there?” Linda pled.
“Of course.”
Dressed in her black pantsuit with the copper shell, Paige had straightened her hair and took special care doing her makeup. She sat in the car for half an hour before she could find the courage to at last do it. Not two steps into the lobby, Paige had a security guard approach her.
“Ma’am,” he whispered. “Are you Paige Lindon?”
“Yes,” she said.
“We have a letter for you at the front desk.”
Paige almost skipped over to it, hoping it was a message from Sterling. Once the guard handed her the envelope, she knew differently. The clipped writing belonged to Elaine, who clearly stated that if she attempted to contact Sterling again, all legal action would be resumed against her with extreme prejudice. Paige tore the letter in half and left it on the floor as she stormed from the lobby. Sterling knew where she lived. The ball was in his court.
The next day she rented another U-haul and drove south. Austin and Misty were there to greet her, along with Sterling’s family. They unloaded the goats and spent another day laying out plans to turn her barn into a manufacturing center while leaving the milking facility down south. They could transport the raw milk twice a week, a job Sterling’s dad volunteered for.
Austin agreed to stay on and assist with staging the new milking area, production and breeding. He had started a new computer app to help him while Misty was hired on as the new chief of security.
As Paige walked to the door, Linda followed her to the car. “I don’t care what my fool brother does, you are family to us. We love you and will always be here for you.”
Driving home, Paige tried to settle the emptiness that filled her chest. Though she'd gotten back her business and secured the Kellers’ income, so they wouldn’t lose their legacy, somehow it wasn’t enough. She thought of the moment when Sterling was holding her foot, saying how much he hated to lose. Well, she hated it, too. Elaine had won.
Friday morning Paige got up at sunrise. She and Linda had made another batch of daffodil soap while she was in Dallas, and Paige was excited to really push the new line. She wore the last of the pant suits she had bought with Sterling in Texas. It was linen with an ivory shell and gold jewelry. As she dressed, she remembered shopping together and the hope she felt then. If only it hadn’t all fallen away.
Paige headed to the farmers’ market early and felt confident as she made her way to her booth, carrying three crates at once. Surprisingly, when she got there, someone was waiting for her. Dotty sat in the Adirondack chair, a large designer purse in her lap. She hopped to her feet as soon as she saw Paige.
“Will you ever forgive me?”
“For what?” Paige couldn’t look at her.
“It was me.” Dotty took a deep breath. “I was afraid Sterling would leave, so I made a deal with Elaine and told her where you were.”
Paige put the crates on the counter. “How did that work out for you?”
“She booted me into the street just like Blanche did to Ryan,” Dotty said. “That’s his ex.”
“The emu guy?” Paige wasn’t surprised by the connection, but it was nice to have it confirmed.
Dotty almost spit. “It wasn’t his fault. Elaine pulled the same scam on his emu business that she did on yours. She promised him he’d get it all back if he fooled you, but she didn’t give him squat.”
“Excuse me if I don’t have sympathy. Because of them, I could have been committed.” Paige began arranging the soaps around her booth. “I think we’re done here.”
“No, we’ve just started.” Dotty grabbed her hand. “Sterling finally did it. In all the negotiations for you to get back your goats, he found a loophole. He’s beaten her at her own game. He quit Erickson Holdings two days ago. Do you know what that means?”
Paige was trying to be patient. “Tell me.”
“You can be together. The only reason he left you was because Elaine told him that was the only way you’d get your goats back.”
Paige stomped her foot. “He didn’t leave me. I told him to go.”
Dotty’s laugh had no humor in it. “Do you really believe that?”
Paige couldn’t think clearly. “If what you’re saying is true, why isn’t he the one here telling me this?”
“Alright, if you’re going to play hardball, then here.” She slapped a manila envelope on the counter.
“What’s that?” After her last letter from Elaine, Paige wasn’t sure she even wanted to touch it.
“Do you remember what I did when we first met?” Dotty batted her eyelashes innocently.
“Yeah, you went and yelled at Elaine for hiring me.” Paige remembered the cold greeting like it was yesterday.
“I did that to grab what was in her shred pile. Now will you look?”
With shaking hands Paige pulled out the three documents she had signed. It was the evidence she needed to take Elaine to court. “Thank you.”
Dotty flicked her wrist. “Don’t thank me, you need to thank Sterling with a huge make-out session and maybe even a ring.”
Paige reddened. “No, I think Sterling and I are done.”
Dotty pinched Paige’s chin between her thumb and forefinger, not very gently, and inspected her complexion. “Blushing like that doesn’t happen unless there are feelings in there.” She tapped Paige’s sternum. “Now, listen to me as if I were your mother because I love that boy like a son, okay?”
“Okay,” Paige said.
“I ain’t never seen Sterling as good and kind as he’s been with you. We always called him a boy scout, but at Erickson Holdings that was a relative term. His last day at work, do you know what he did? He left me his Lexus, even changed the title to my name.”
Dotty was stirring up all the hurt Paige had thought she’d put behind her, and she wasn’t willing to go through it again. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Don’t you get it?” Dotty sa
id. “Lots of things turn people bad. Ambition, selfishness, pride and anger can derail the best of us, but there’s only one thing that makes us better.”
“What’s that?”
“Love. That boy loves you, and it’s time you accept it and love him back.”
Paige could see the barricade at the entrance of the market almost ready to open, a mirror of her own feelings. “But where is he?”
“I have no idea,” Dotty said. “When he left town, it was like he disappeared. I’ve looked everywhere. He’s covered his tracks well.”
“Then how can I find him?” Paige asked.
“If you really want to, it will happen.” Dotty lifted a bar of daffodil soap and took a whiff. “This stuff is amazing, by the way.”
Paige felt a kernel of hope awaking inside of her. The air horn blasted, signaling the opening of the farmers’ market. As shoppers began their sprint towards the booths, Paige grabbed her purse, stuck the documents in it and headed the other direction.
Holding up the yellow bar, Dotty said, “Can I have this?”
“You can have all of them.” Paige said as she continued walking. “You can have the whole booth for all I care!”
Dotty called across the way. “Does that mean I’ve got a job?”
“If you want it.” Paige broke into a full out sprint to her car.
Finding Sterling was something she couldn’t do alone, but she had a pretty good idea who could help her. Going south on the freeway, she headed toward Dallas.
***