Page 66 of Any Kind of Life
“It’s just that I really thought things were good between us. Perfect in my mind. But maybe I’m just not good enough. Coming from such an abusive relationship, I guess I didn’t know what I was doing, and maybe you need more—I don’t know.” Paige clasped her hands under her chin, her elbows resting on her knees as she sat forward. “If you said those things earlier because you just don’t love me, then I need you to be honest with me, Juliet. But if this is about my safety, then I can’t walk away from you.” Paige’s bottom lip trembled as tears slid down her face. “I-I…I don’t want any kind of life without you. I can’t imagine packing up and leaving.”
“Paige, come here.” Juliet reached out a hand, relieved when Paige took a seat on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry.”
“Is that what this is? You’ve fallen out of love with me?”
“No, baby.”
“Is it about Soraya? Do you not trust me? I know we let it lie when you came to see me that time, but I thought you believed me.” Paige frowned. “I’d never do anything to hurt you, and if I have to prove that to you, I will.”
Juliet held Paige’s hand tight, the pain in her eyes devastating. “Paige, I made a mistake. Maybe I should have given myself some time to wake up and come around properly. Maybe I should have just kept my mouth shut.”
“If it’s how you feel, then I need you to be honest with me.” Paige lifted Juliet’s hand and kissed it. “I’m sorry if I’m not enough for you.”
“You’re so much more than I ever could have dreamed of,” Juliet said, staring deep into Paige’s eyes. “I don’t want you to leave. I don’t ever want to see the day when you walk away from us. I had a moment, my fears got the better of me, and I’m so sorry for hurting you.”
Paige broke down at the side of the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Juliet wanted to wrap her arms around her, to kiss away the pain she had caused, but she couldn’t. Fuck Cara for doing this to them.
“Once I’m out of here, we focus on us, okay? No tours, no paranoia about who is around, just us.” Juliet smiled when Paige held her hand against her cheek. “I love you, Paige. I love you so much, and I always will.”
“D-do you remember anything after she left the bar? Do you remember when I got there?”
“Vaguely. Bits and pieces. But nothing I could explain.” Juliet wasn’t sure she wanted to remember anything from that day. The aftereffects were bad enough. “But I do remember you being there. Holding me.”
“I-I asked you to marry me,” Paige said, her voice low. “I never wanted that moment to be like that, the day when I asked you to be my wife, but I couldn’t risk losing you and you never knowing I wanted that with you.”
Juliet swallowed as she stared back at Paige. God, she wished she’d remembered that one piece of information. It was the only part she wanted to remember.
“You said yes.” Paige regarded Juliet with one of her signature smiles. “You said yes, but I don’t know if you meant it. Whether it was just because of what was happening in that moment, you know?”
Juliet slid her hand from Paige’s cheek and cupped her chin. “Ask me again.”
“I don’t even have a ring to give to you. I wasn’t prepared.”
“I don’t need a ring, but I do need you to ask me again.” Juliet hadn’t imagined in her wildest dreams that anyone would ever want to marry her. She had spent her entire life wishing for the perfect future, only for it to never happen. But then she found Paige, and everything aligned for her. If this woman wanted Juliet to be her wife, she would never turn her down. Marriage or not, Juliet wanted to spend forever with Paige. “Please, baby. Ask me again.”
Paige turned on the bed, facing Juliet fully. She studied her, stroking a thumb against Juliet’s knuckles, the pain lessening in her eyes. “Will you make me the luckiest person in the world and marry me?”
“Yes.” Juliet drew Paige in, kissing her for the first time in too long. She couldn’t imagine a world where she didn’t have this life anymore, and she’d known it this morning as she had foolishly said something entirely different. “I’d marry you over and over if I had the chance.”
Paige pulled back suddenly, the smile she wore almost blinding Juliet. “That’s what you said when I asked you last time.”
“I did?” Juliet lifted a brow. “Well, then, I guess it was meant to be.”
“God, I can’t wait until you’re back home with me.” Paige touched her forehead to Juliet’s, her eyes closed. “I miss you so much.”
“I miss you, too.”
“I’m staying the night with you here. I don’t care what they say; I’m staying.”
Juliet wasn’t going to argue about that. The thought of lying here alone, a million thoughts running through her mind…she didn’t need that. If Paige could convince the staff to let her stay, then Juliet would have the perfect night.
Just get better so you can go home.
Chapter 24
Juliet carefully reached for her water on the table next to her bed, groaning now that her pain meds had started to wear off. She was due more soon; hopefully, she could manage until then. Paige had gone home to shower and change, so this silence provided Juliet with the perfect opportunity to understand how stupid she’d been when she woke up yesterday afternoon.
Oh, it was more than stupid.