Chapter 105: No Heartbreaks

"We are eating mi lady. Let's eat please." He replied grabbing his cutleries with a heart warming smile. Extremely glad that he had her back in his corner.

"Seriously though, tell me. How bad did the investment affect your finance? Is it too bad?" She asked still worried.

"No, it's not. I was just pulling your legs." He replied giving her some of his Chicken. "You can have them." He told her as he placed them inside her bowl of sauce. "I haven't forgotten the lecture I had to listen to the last time I ate chicken with you. I'm not ready for such lectures today." He said in surrender.

Paige smiled cutting out a chunk from one of the chicken thigh. "There are better ways to tell me you want to be spoon fed Simon." She said giving him the meat. Simon's lips formed a thin line as he smiled.

"Thank you." He replied taking a bite from the meat.

"So, how have you been?" She asked cutting out more meat to feed him.

"I've been alright." He told her. "What about you? How have you been?" 

Paige cleared her throat as she felt this was the moment she's been dreading. "Fine." She replied. "I've been doing great. Can we talk about Frankie now?" She asked in a low tone and her eyes lowered as well.

"No." Simon replied with finality. 

"But I want to." Paige said. "I want us to talk about my action. At least I can offer an explanation for my misbehavior. Even if the it's a flimsy explanation." Paige said dropping her cutleries.

"I don't want to talk about it Sunflower." He said. "But I have a question that I'd love you to answer." He added.

"Okay, I'm listening." Paige said.

"Why did you push me away earlier and what made you change your mind? I don't care about Tedson, I really don't want to hear a word about him. I just want to hear from you." He said. "What happened? I did something wrong didn't I?" He asked.

"No, no Simon, you did nothing wrong. It was all me. I...., I was....., I was scared." She whispered loud enough to Simon's hearing. "Honestly, you are a sweet soul. At first, it was the fear of getting my heart broken by you. So, I tried my best not to get carried away but it was so hard. Then when you shared your past with me, it opened up a whole new level of fear in me." She hesitated looking at him.

"It's okay." He reassured her. "You can say it, I won't be mad. I want to hear everything. I want to know what is on your mind." He said rubbing her shoulder gently.

"I thought about a relationship with you and all I kept seeing was guns, possible chance of domestic violence a...n...d." she paused on seeing Simon's sad expression. "Simon please." She called him holding his hands. "I'm sorry for the wrong choice of words I used." She said squeezing his fingers softly. "I do not mean to hurt your feelings."

"I'm not hurt, maybe a little. But I'm fine." He replied. "Continue, I'd love to hear all." 

Paige drew in a deep breath, then faced him. "I messed up Simon." She continued. "I realized that I was looking for perfection when I'm not even perfect. I have a past that I'm not proud of as well and my past doesn't make me a bad person, does it? She asked rhetorically. "I'm sorry," she continued "I am so sorry for judging you without putting myself in your shoes." She apologized in all honesty still holding his hands.

"It's okay." Simon replied drawing her into a hug. "It's okay to be scared. I overwhelmed you with my complicated and messed up life. I would be scared too if tables were turned." He said. "Now tell me, Did Tedson hurt you in any way?" He suddenly asked out of the blues planting a soft kiss on her curls while Paige took in the sweet fragrance of his perfume.

"No, he didn't." She replied snuggling up to Simon. He rubbed the nape of her neck with soft gentle strokes. "Thank you Simon." She murmured against his shirt.

"No, thank you Paige." Simon said. "Are you fine with me? I don't want to force you into this. It's okay if you want to be on your own." 

"What?" Paige asked sitting up. "I don't want to be on my own Simon. We spoke on phone. I want to be with you. As long as you won't break my fragile heart nor put me in harm's ways courtesy of your crazy exes." She said.

"There is no ex Baby." He replied.

"And what about the other day, at the restaurant? I got threatened with a gun. You remember, don't you?" Paige asked. 

Simon's mood suddenly dropped. He realized that it was very much possible for Paige to push him away because she was trying to protect herself. He's been careless. If he was careful and watchful enough, the imbecile that threatened her that very day wouldn't have had assess to her. He sighed inwardly. Paige might have been or pretended to be unshaken by the threat but he knew deep down, she might want to put her future safety into consideration by taking extra precaution. "I took care of it." He told her looking straight at her eyeball. "I made sure it wouldn't repeat itself again." He reassured her.

"Who sent him?" Paige asked. "If you insist that there are no crazy exes, who sent him then?" She asked again.

"Baby, I took care of it." Simon repeated.

"I heard you the first time Simon. But I insist. I would like to know who sent him. Can you tell me please." She pleaded.

"Fiona." Simon blurted out leaving Paige extremely shocked, confused, surprised and speechless. She tried saying a word but no sound escaped her lips. "She won't try it ever again. I made sure of that. She was just trying to scare you away. Fiona is just a spoilt child that always want to have her way."

"I am not meant to be this surprise, but I am. I am so fucking shocked." Paige said. "Were you guys close to each other before now? Maybe friends, childhood friends, colleagues at some place, college friends or you are just family friends?" She asked. "She must like you a lot to have gone to such length Simon." She added.

"We are none of the things you mentioned. She was a friend of Anna's at some point. But that was short lived. That is all." He explained. "Maybe she's just infatuated, but I've given her a brain reset. We are all good now." He said.

The images of that day flashed through Paige's mind and instead of feeling anger or fear, she smiled. Somehow she felt so sure that Simon would take care of her if she open herself up to him. If she allow him to love her the way he wishes to. The band playing in the background started a new soft and slow song and without warning, Paige snuggled back to her position on Simon's chest and he immediately held her close to himself planting soft kisses on her temples and curls alternately. "Women, we lot are so complicated." Paige thought to herself smiling. Simon have been clear and straight forward from the beginning that he wanted her and she was busy running around trying to make selections and try out other choices. Now look at her, back to where she belong. Oh, did she just say that? She just said that she belong to Simon didn't she? She thought to herself blushing continuously. "So, when are you planning on giving me a brain reset as well?" She asked shyly.

"It depends on the type of reset. What type of reset are we talking about right now?" He asked.

Paige looked up at him dreamily with the band playing 'Endless love by Lionel Richie' in the background. Simon blew her a soft kiss and her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. She traced his lip line lazily with her index finger while Simon parted his lips slowly. "So, no crazy exes?" She asked.

"None." Simon replied.

"No heartbreaks?" 

"No heartbreaks." Simon replied once more.

Paige lowered her head and once again snuggled back to his chest while he rubbed her back and played with her curls. A soft knock on the cubicle by Tenor announced his presence. "I'm sorry for the interruption Simon, Paige." He acknowledged and apologized. Simon nodded gesturing him to continue. "I was wondering if you will be available next week Wednesday for T&B's annual Rum night." He said. "I figured you might want to leave town after the wedding. So I had to ask early enough."

Simon turned to Paige. "Are we going to be available. He asked.

"Are we?" Paige asked back.

"Would you love to come?" He asked her.

"Yes, if you will come with me." She replied still snuggled up .

"I guess we'll come T. We'll definitely come." He told Tenor.

"Okay!" Tenor replied excitedly. I will see the both of you on Sunday and on Wednesday." He said stepping away.

"You bet." Simon added with a smile.

"What is the Rum party all about?"

"I won't tell you, it's going to be a surprise." Simon replied. "Are you still eating?.

"No, but I want wine, lots of it. I want to get drunk." She said laughing.

"Not today." Simon said in reply. "Maybe on Rum night."

"I can't wait." Paige said.