And after that, Paige thought as Alan led her to the dance floor, after that, everything had moved far too quickly. Alan’s father wanted him to head up the South American branch of the firm, which meant that the wedding that had been planned for next June was moved back to November, and the long engagement Paige had anticipated had become one of the shortest on record. Three days, she thought again, as his arms slipped around her, three days…
‘Hey,’ Alan said gently, ‘come back, Paige.’
Paige looked up at him and shook her head. ‘Sorry. I was just thinking—I can’t believe the wedding day’s so soon.’
He drew back and grinned down at her. ‘It’s too late to get out of it. What would Aunt Dorothy think?’
Paige gave him a quick smile. ‘That I was silly to give you up.’
Alan laughed as he spun her across the dance floor. ‘That she’d been done out of the chance to attend the party of the year. Aunt Dorothy and Mother spent half the morning talking about Mother’s plans for the wedding.’
‘Only half the morning? I’d think our wedding deserved more than that.’
‘It did. Aunt Dorothy spent the rest of the time giving me the benefit of her experience.’
Paige laughed. ‘Is she an expert?’
‘In a way.’ He grinned and drew her closer. ‘The old girl’s been married three times. I’ll probably have to listen to more advice from my big brother, too.’
She laughed again. ‘Don’t tell me he’s been married three times.’
Alan chuckled. ‘Quinn? Not likely. No woman’s ever going to catch him.’
‘Terrific,’ Paige said teasingly. ‘What kind of advice can you get from someone like that?’
‘A speech that starts, “You’ve got to be crazy to do this, old man”. You know, the usual “I’m older and wiser” nonsense big brothers always give.’
‘And when do I get to meet this paragon?’ Paige asked, tilting her head to the side and smiling at her fiancé.
‘As soon as he gets here. He’s due tomorrow, but with Quinn you never know. He…’
‘Alan, you don’t mind if I dance with my daughter, do you?’
Paige looked up as Alan let go of her and her father took her into his arms.
‘Of course not, sir. Paige, sweetheart, I’ll get us some champagne, OK? I’ll be back in a minute.’
Her father cleared his throat as Paige settled into his arms. ‘Your mother’s worried about you,’ he said without any preliminaries. ‘She sent me to ask if everything was all right.’
Paige looked at Andrew Gardiner in surprise. ‘What do you mean, Father?’
‘She says you’ve been acting as if you were a million miles away.’ The music changed to an old-fashioned waltz and her father guided her across the floor. ‘I told her it was just last-minute jitters.’
Paige nodded. ‘I guess.’
Her father peered into her face. ‘Alan is right for you, Paige. He’s a fine young man. I’ve got to know him during the years I’ve worked for his father, and…’
It was the same speech her father had been making for months, ever since she had let slip the fact that Alan had proposed.
‘Father,’ she said gently, ‘you can relax. I’m marrying him, remember? I finally took your advice.’
Her father looked at her. ‘I only want what’s best for all of us.’
Paige laughed. ‘All of us? I’m the one who’s getting married, not you.’
‘It’s just a figure of speech, child. You know what I mean—if you’re happy, your mother and I are happy.’ Her father smiled at her. ‘You are happy, aren’t you?’
Paige nodded. Of course she was. Alan was, as her father had insisted, a fine man, and she did love him—in a way. And, if that was enough for him, it was enough for her. It was more than enough for her, she told herself as her father waltzed her around the dance floor. She’d had her taste of what everyone called the great passion, and she knew it for the fiction it was. She’d tried to tell that to Alan the day they’d become engaged, but he hadn’t given her the chance. And it was just as well. Perhaps he could teach her heart to soar and her pulse to sing. And if he couldn’t, then his pleasure would give her pleasure. That would be enough. It might even be best. It would…