Losing Her Wings

Chapter 16

There was so much pressure it was unbelievable. And yet, it was little wonder. She was having to make a decision that would affect the rest of her life. If she married him, she would be sacrificing her own independence, her own life and at the same time probably setting them both up for a lifetime of unhappiness and disappointment. If she didn’t marry him on the other hand, she would hurt her parents and hurt Angelo yet again. Could it be possible to make them all happy? Couldn’t she tell Angelo that if he gave her some time, then she might learn to love him, in which case they could get married then and make both their families happy, and Angelo would be able to be happy in a marriage where he had a wife he loved, who loved him in return? Why couldn’t that happen…? There were so many people who could get hurt, or disappointed and she didn’t think she could handle the pressure. Right now, what Paige realised was more important, was choosing not whether she should or could ever marry Angelo, but to make a final decision. Did she choose Danny, the loyal, somewhat jealous bodyguard, or Angelo, the charming, handsome lifelong friend? They were so different it was unbelievable. And yet they both had, what could be considered, attractive and appealing qualities which would signify what kind of husband they would make.

Paige watched her father playing pool silently, turning her thoughts over in her mind, looking as though she was heavily engrossed in the game, when really, all she could see was the green felt of the table and each word that entered her head flashing in front of her eyes. But it was a hard decision to make. Danny or Angelo? Danny was twenty one, the same age as her, with a decent job as her bodyguard and he could spend time with her. Angelo was the same age as both of them, with a responsible job at a law firm, working all the hours he wanted and could, more to fill his time than anything else and she knew that if he had to make a choice, he would quickly cut his hours to dedicate his time to her. But it wasn’t the level of commitment that she had to think about. She could always complain about that after they were married. No, what needed deliberating was whether they would actually make a good husband or not, with their personality and qualities, their likes and loyalties.

On one hand, she had Angelo, who was unpretentious, intelligent and enjoyable to be around. He was real, a gentleman with every woman and handsome, he was happy to will away the hours of the day with pleasant, and somewhat teasing conversation. And yet he was a very sensual man, enticing, artistic and with one hell of a talent for dancing and making a woman feel like a real woman. He was a completely charming individual, captivating and attractive, brave and a little too indulgent for his own good. There was an unspoken, mind blowing enigma about him that retained his mysterious qualities. Angelo was the only man Paige had ever known who was so open with his heart and his emotions, who was so intriguing and delightful to be around and she knew that he was mostly underestimated. It was rare for anyone outside their two families to see that side of him and to know how kind and considerate he was, to see the sexy, teasing side of himself that he kept only for her. He had every quality in the world that Paige considered to be something she would want her husband to have. But on the other hand, there was Danny. Danny was funny and adventurous, he was a little jealous and unpredictable, but that made him exciting to be with and Paige liked that. She liked that he was daring and entertaining, a little dangerous and playful. He was an unmistakable flirt, but he was gorgeous and he knew it unlike Angelo who had no idea that he was so irresistible and attractive. Moreover, Danny had this very sexy talent of playing the guitar and he was an excellent singer, he was rambunctious and with completely predatory instincts in most situations. But he was a dreamer, with his head stuck in the clouds.

That was the problem. To Paige, although Danny had so many exciting and unusual qualities about him, he wasn’t going anywhere. He didn’t have any plans for his life and was happy to live each day as it came. He always wanted more than he had, but wasn‘t willing to work hard enough or put in the effort to get it. Whereas Angelo always strived to make the best of what he had, even if he had nothing he would be happy because like he always said ‘If you have your health, you have everything.’ He was so optimistic and happy with his place in life, even though he worked his ass off thinking that he could always do better next time. He wanted to see the world and climb the ladder of success like his father had, experiencing life instead of letting it pass him by. And that was what Paige wanted. She didn’t want to spend the rest of her life living with her parents and staying in the same town she’d been born in. The only question left for her now, was what to do with the things she’d decided. It was clear from her thoughts that Danny was in no way a wise choice of a husband and that, even though that was the direction she was hoping their relationship would go in, there was no guarantee that he ever wanted to get married, never mind to her. No, she’d made her mind up. Angelo was the smart choice. If she ever stood the chance of being happy with anyone, it was her lifelong friend who had loved her since their teenage years. Now she had to make a real decision as to what to do about it.