Page 51 of Happily Ever After

Resolve.

And a real need to put an end to this whole Darcy thing as swiftly as possible.

She knew Cece was going to see Maude about digging into Darcy again, but Paige didn’t know how either of them thought they’d find anything new.

She caught her reflection in the mirror as she brushed her hair into shape. She looked upset. That wouldn’t do. She took a few breaths, forcing the lines out of her face.

She practiced a smile until it looked real.

She needed to be calm. And she needed to stay that way. She couldn’t march into the Colony office heated and on the offensive. She wasn’t going to give anyone the satisfaction of thinking this rattled her. Not only that but going in angry wasn’t going to help her accomplish anything with anyone in administration.

Darcy was counting on the power of intimidation with Paige and the other Bees.

Paige snorted as she grabbed her keys. She was not about to back down. She hopped into her golf cart and set out to see what information she could gather. Her stomach rumbled, but she’d eat when she returned home.

Maybe she’d be able to put a stop to this whole thing today. Wouldn’t that be something?

The Colony office sat quiet, the parking area mostly empty, the sun bouncing off the windows. Maybe late morning was their slow time.

Paige took a breath before getting out of her cart, steadying herself the way she always did before a meeting that might turn adversarial.

She didn’t expect that, but she wasn’t sure what was going to happen. She wasn’t here to argue, though. She was here to understand exactly what Darcy was trying to do. She also hoped to leave with a clear understanding of what the community rules, regulations, and bylaws allowed for.

And perhaps didn’t allow for.

If she couldn’t get the answers she wanted, she’d at least get up-to-date copies of those things and pay Joe to tell her what she needed to know and how to proceed.

Cece had landed herself a good one there.

Inside, the air-conditioning hummed softly, the temperature cool enough that Paige was glad she’d chosen jeans. She approached the front desk with a polite smile, one she hoped invited cooperation.

The receptionist, a woman too young to live in the Colony, glanced up.

“Hi, good morning,” Paige said. “I’d like to talk to someone about a proposal that’s been mentioned recently. The one regarding private clubs that meet regularly.”

The receptionist’s desk plaque showed her name as Danielle. “Are you referring to the one brought up recently about open access?”

“Yes,” Paige said. “I believe that’s the one.”

“Just a moment.”

Paige waited while the receptionist made a call. She rested her fingers lightly on the counter and kept her posture relaxed and her expression neutral. She reminded herself this couldn’t be about emotion. This had to focus on policy.

And if the policy didn’t support having their book club, she’d cross that bridge when she came to it. She really hoped that wasn’t where this ended up, though.

A few minutes later, the receptionist stood. “If you’ll follow me.”

Paige’s sandals clicked softly against the tiled floor, her thoughts already organizing themselves into questions. Darcy wanted to frame this as fairness. Paige wanted to know where she’d actually gotten the idea it wasn’t fair. From the bylaws? Because of some precedent? Or was it simply something she’d dreamed up in that crazy head of hers?

If Darcy was going to play procedural games, Paige would meet her there.

And this time, she intended to know the rules better than Darcy did.

The receptionist stopped at a modest office tucked just off the main corridor. She leaned in. “Jerry? This is…” She looked at Paige.

Paige checked the nameplate and title on the door, brightened her smile, and stuck out her hand. “Paige Wheeler, nice to meet you, Mr. Franklin.”

Jerry Franklin stood as she entered, setting aside a folder and offering a polite, professional smile as he shook her hand. The community manager was definitely old enough to live here. The receptionist went back to her desk.