Page 26 of Any Kind of Life
Paige blushed. “You’ve heard me sing hundreds of times now. Fucking hell, I’ve played piano for you naked before today.”
“It’s not the same,” Juliet whispered, stroking Paige’s cheek. “It could never be the same as what I’ve just experienced out there.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Enjoy it? Oh, I cried my way through the first two songs.”
Paige held onto Juliet’s waist, gazing into those eyes she’d missed. “Thank you for always supporting me.”
“I should have been here before tonight. I’m so sorry. I promise to make more time for you, for your talent. And when the world tour happens, you have to agree to it. You’re too good to stand behind that bar, baby.”
World tour?
Agreeing to it?
Paige was entirely lost with where Juliet had heard that from. What world tour? She didn’t know anything about a fucking world tour. “Excuse me?”
“The selfie on social media last night. Soraya asking fans if they wanted to see the two of you travelling the world…”
Paige frowned, suddenly startled by a knock on her dressing room door. Juliet stepped away, allowing Paige to take care of whatever was waiting on the other side. She opened the door, and Soraya grinned.
“That was amazing, gorgeous. Best night yet.”
Paige just stared, not understanding what the hell was going on. “T-thanks.”
Soraya squeezed past Paige, stopping dead in the middle of the room when she saw Juliet perched on the arm of the couch. “Oh, uh…you have company.”
Juliet got to her feet and offered a dazzling smile. “I’m not company. I’m Paige’s partner.”
“Oh! Juliet! Lovely to meet you.” Soraya leaned in and hugged Juliet, but Paige saw how she tensed. Juliet wasn’t in the habit of hugging random people. She preferred the handshake approach. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight. Paige kept that quiet.”
“She didn’t know. I thought I’d surprise her.” Juliet stepped around Soraya, not star-struck in the slightest, and took Paige’s hand. “Isn’t she amazing?”
Soraya nodded enthusiastically. “I didn’t ask her to come on this tour for the hell of it. Your partner is a very talented woman. Which is just what I needed in a support act.”
Juliet appraised Soraya, standing heavier on one leg. Soraya could be intimidating to the average person, but Juliet had dealt with every last personality in the past. “Best of luck for tonight.” She smiled, snaking an arm around Paige’s waist.
“Y-yeah, thanks. I guess I’ll see you both out there.”
Paige cleared her throat. “Actually, I was planning to head back to the hotel early tonight. Even before Juliet surprised me, I was never staying until the end of the gig. Last night destroyed me, and I need to get a decent night’s sleep.”
Soraya eyed the clock above the mirror. “It’s only just gone eight.”
Paige shrugged. “Trust me, I need the sleep. I’ll see you in the morning, okay? Just throw me a quick text and let me know what time you guys are leaving.”
“Perfect.” Soraya strode out of the dressing room, closing the door as she went.
“Sorry, babe. Did you want to stay and watch the show?” Paige frowned. “Wait! How did you get a ticket? It was a sellout.”
“I’ll…tell you later.” Juliet kissed Paige’s cheek, letting go of her waist. “And as for the show, I just want to be with you, so I don’t mind what plans we have.”
“Can we go back to the hotel? Order in room service and just…relax?”
“That sounds like the perfect night to me.”
Juliet shrugged her leather jacket off, throwing it over the back of a chair in Paige’s hotel room. Her suitcase sat unzipped on the floor under the window with clothes spilling out of it, but the bed was made as perfectly as it always was. “Nice room.” Juliet scanned the area, smiling at the stack of tea bags and the bottle of honey close to the kettle. “What time did you eventually wake up this morning?”
Paige turned, yawning. “It must have been midday.”