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,
