Page 94 of Any Kind of Life
God, Juliet really hoped Paige had enjoyed herself in some way.
“With my mum, yes.” Paige regarded Juliet with a simple smile. They both wished things could have been different before their mothers passed away. “She was so excited, so I had to kind of be excited with her. And she looked gorgeous.”
“I’m glad you have that memory with her.” Juliet took Paige’s hand and pressed her to the counter. “As for what I want…something simple.”
“Babe, you and simple do not go together. You deserve something really grand and beautiful. Something that suits you.”
“I have everything grand and beautiful already. I have you.” Paige rolled her eyes playfully, but Juliet meant it. She didn’t need some huge affair to flaunt what she had. The only thing that mattered was their happiness. Not everyone else. “I’m serious, Paige.”
“But—”
Juliet silenced Paige with a kiss, smiling against her lips. “But nothing. I’d rather we use the money for a wedding on something far more important. And yes, we can afford to have both, but I think a small and quiet wedding is perfect. And then the searching begins.”
“The…searching?” Paige stared back at Juliet, confused.
“Clinics. Doctors. Whatever it is we have to contend with when it comes to starting a family.”
“If you’re sure.”
Juliet was sure. So sure. “So long as you’re my wife at the end of whatever day we choose to have, then I’m more than sure.”
Paige grinned. “Say that again. The wife part.”
“My wife?”
“God, that sounds so strange. I never thought I’d be anyone’s wife again, and certainly not yours. But I think we deserve this, don’t you? I think we’re decent enough people to deserve that happy ending.”
“We really do, baby.” Juliet brushed Paige’s hair from her face and studied her delightful silvery eyes. “You deserve the world.”
“Stop saying things like that. We’ll never get ‘round to eating dinner otherwise.”
Juliet tweaked the tip of Paige’s nose as she stepped away. “Maybe you need to learn to control yourself better. It just may help you in situations like this.”
As Juliet turned for the dining table, Paige gripped her wrist. “Hey.”
“Mm?”
“You’re so beautiful.”
It seemed it was Juliet’s turn to struggle now. She adored the way Paige made her feel in a split second, and she wasn’t sure she would ever get used to it. “Thank you.”
“Now, sit down, and I’ll bring dinner over.” Paige shooed Juliet away, almost catching her on the backside with the tea towel. “Wine, babe?”
“Go on. Open that nice bottle of white I picked up in town the other day. It’ll go perfectly with dinner.” Juliet lowered herself into a seat, sitting back and admiring Paige and every move she made. “I hired the photographer this morning. For Edie’s party.”
“Oh, that’s great. Edie won’t know what to do with herself when she gets to the bar.”
“I spoke to Hannah and Caz. They’re going to tell her they’re all dropping in to see you and I before they go for a meal. Hannah is going to get in touch with Edie’s friends before then to make sure they’re all there before her.”
“I’m glad Edie found her friends. I know it was tough for her at one point, there was some bullying going on, but she seems to be fitting into the right crowd now.”
“Yeah, she is. And if those bullies so much as breathe near her, Auntie Juliet will be into that school faster than they’ve had time to blink.”
“Mm. I will indeed.” Juliet smiled in Paige’s direction as she carried two plates to the dining table. “And Auntie Paige will be right behind me.”
“Nah. I’ll already be at the parents’ house asking them if they know how to raise their feral kids.”
God, Juliet loved these conversations. Paige had really come into her own since she’d left and divorced James. Most days, it was an entirely different woman standing before Juliet. But it was a woman that she equally loved and adored.