Page 40 of Any Kind of Life
“Just a week to go now.” Soraya nudged Paige’s shoulder.
“Yeah.” Paige’s eyes reluctantly drifted away from Juliet. If Soraya started with the world tour conversation again, Paige was out of here. “We have so much to do in the next few weeks. I can’t expect Juliet to get ready for the reopening without me.”
“This bar means a lot to you, doesn’t it?”
“It means a lot to me because it means a lot to Juliet. And it’s where we first met one another, so it’s hard not to love the place, you know?” Paige found it hard to believe that so much time had passed since that afternoon she first walked into The Hideout. Her life had changed drastically, but it had changed for the better. “I…owe a lot to Juliet. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
Soraya’s brows rose. “Why is that?”
“I was in an abusive marriage before we met,” Paige said, scanning the space around her. Everyone was busy with their own conversations. “I’d already left him when I travelled to Liverpool, but he wasn’t the kind of person who would just accept that. Then I took the job at Juliet’s bar, and we fell in love. I was in the closet before then.”
“I see.”
“Things got a little…uncertain at one point. My ex-husband was actively looking for me.” Paige wouldn’t go into the details from the day she went back to Kent. It was something she chose not to relive. “Anyway, to cut a long story short…I decided I would leave the UK and head for Europe. Set up some kind of life away from here.”
Soraya rested her head in her hand, propping her elbow against the back of her seat.
“That was when I really knew Juliet was the one for me.” Paige smiled, sipping her beer as she lowered her eyes to the table. “Instead of begging me to stay, she offered to help me leave if it meant I would feel safer. She told me she could let me go because she loved me.”
Paige wasn’t sure why she was having this conversation with Soraya—she didn’t particularly care what she thought about their relationship—but it was important to Paige that Soraya knew it wasn’t Juliet holding her back with future tours. Even if Soraya denied that. It couldn’t have been further from the truth. Whatever Paige wanted, Juliet would always support. And yes, if that meant her being away for months at a time, she would grin and bear it.
“I know you want me on the world tour with you, but it’s just not me. Juliet keeps telling me I should do it, that I should follow my dreams, but if I’m being completely honest, Soraya…she is my dream.”
Soraya blinked rapidly, a tear or two falling down her face. “Wow. That was powerful.”
“It was the truth.” Paige lifted a shoulder. “I’m so grateful for this opportunity, but I do have to go back to Liverpool when this ends next week. Maybe you won’t ever understand why I choose the quieter life, but I do, and that’s what matters.”
“You know, I do get it. I understand.” Soraya nodded slowly as she looked between Paige and Juliet. “I didn’t at first, but now I do.”
“I’ve had an amazing time, I won’t lie. But I know I’m going to have an equally amazing time back at home with Juliet.” Paige’s gaze drifted back towards Juliet, her smile spreading when she walked towards the table. “Hi, babe. You enjoying yourself?”
“I am. Seth and Caleb are great. They speak very highly of you.” Juliet slid into the seat on the other side of Paige, trying to read the atmosphere at this table. “Is it always this busy after a show?”
Paige looked around. “It’s been much busier in other clubs. Mid-week, student night. These places tend to be packed.”
Juliet rolled her lips inward, then got to her feet. “Come on. You and I are dancing.”
“Oh?” Paige would never turn down a dance with Juliet. “I like your thinking.”
Juliet reached out a hand to Paige, guiding her out of her seat and towards the dance floor in the VIP section they’d been shown to on arrival. Paige had always felt odd being sectioned off from everyone else—she was no different to the other people drinking in here—but tonight, she was happy about it. It meant they didn’t have to worry about anyone questioning who Juliet was. As she pressed her body to Juliet, Paige was beginning to understand why Juliet had wanted people to know Paige was involved. It certainly would have made life a lot easier in the moments they were together in public.
But did it really matter now? In a week, Paige would be back in Liverpool and working behind a bar. She would be the mixologist again, and this would all be in the past. When that time did come, nobody would bat an eyelid as to who she was or who she was dating. Perhaps that was for the best.
Juliet dipped her head towards Paige’s ear. “You two were talking quite amicably just then.”
Paige drew back a little, searching Juliet’s eyes. God, she was gorgeous. “We were. Soraya knows where I stand now, so life on the tour will be better.”
“Good. I’m glad you’ve both come to a decision.”
Paige sensed there was a ‘but’ coming…
“But you know I want you to do what’s best for you, Paige. You know I’ll always be back at home waiting for you.”
“I know.” And Paige did know. Still, it didn’t change a thing for her.
“I love you, and I cannot wait until I’m admiring you in the kitchen every morning again.”
Paige could hardly wait for those moments either. All she had ever wanted was the simple life. To love and be loved. To find that one person who understood everything about you but wasn’t afraid to question anything. Paige had it all…and she could never possibly want or need a different life. Juliet Saunders was quite simply her everything.