Chapter 1
KEEP CLIMBING
Well, this is a huge change.
Juliet Saunders stepped out from behind the bar she’d recently purchased, stopping in the middle of the tiny room. What the hell had she been thinking when she’d turned her back on law…only to walk into this?
The Hideout.
And yes, that’s exactly what it was. A hideout. A place for people—members—to rest and reset after a hard day’s work. A space that provided a friendly atmosphere. After today, Juliet would look to introduce impressive signature cocktails. Although, she wasn’t sure she’d last the duration here. She’d never owned a bar before, but when her mother passed away six months ago—work continuing to do very little for her—she knew the choice she’d been thinking of making for a while was the right one.
She’d made the decision to quit while she was ahead.
The problem Juliet had was that the higher her profile, the more likely the criminals with the dirty money sought her out. They wanted the best to keep them on the outside, and Juliet’s name often came into play in order for that to happen. While she believed everyone was innocent until proven guilty, some of her cases had become too much.
She’d left the profession with a mark on her back, almost accepting a bribe to keep her safe, so now here she was…as far away from the criminal justice system as she possibly could be. Of course, she’d miss aspects of her former life, but in the long run, she planned to fade into the background and live a quiet existence.
Surely The Hideout was the place to do that?
Juliet shoved her hands in the pockets of her suit pants, her heels echoing through the empty room as she turned and eyed the piano in the corner. With only seven tables dotted around, the bar in the opposite corner, this surely couldn’t be hard to maintain.
All members had been given the information they required; they were aware that The Hideout had a new owner, and none of them had turned down the renewal of their memberships. Really, Juliet was lucky that the place had been set up from the get-go. It certainly made her life easier.
Startled when the bell to the side of the staircase jingled, she placed a hand to her chest, exhaling a breath. Juliet approached the bar and checked the system, smiling when she saw her new mixologist standing outside. She was a few minutes late, but Juliet could forgive her. She pressed the switch under the counter, granting access, and waited patiently.
Footsteps rushing down the stairs had Juliet quirking a brow, and then a beautiful blonde woman stopped just inside the doorway. She wore low-rise black jeans, a white shirt tucked into them with the sleeves rolled up her forearms. “Hi. Sorry I’m late. I know it’s called The Hideout, but telling me to look for the old Victorian oil lamp above the green door wasn’t much help.”
Juliet offered a beaming smile, inspecting her mixologist as she stepped further into the room. If she’d known this woman was going to be coming in for an interview, she’d have contacted her days earlier. Wow, she was stunning.
“Paige Harrison. Again, sorry I’m late.” Paige extended a hand that Juliet took. She allowed the reaction her body had, a reaction she didn’t often accept and waited for the next words to fall from such a perfect mouth. Her lips…her voice. Oh, dear. Paige lifted her eyes slowly up Juliet’s body, smiling when she reached her face. “You must be Juliet?”
“Correct. That’s me.”
Paige turned and walked slowly around the bar, whistling as she jammed her hands in her back pockets. “Gorgeous place. Very unusual.”
“Thank you. I haven’t changed anything yet—just given it a lick of paint here and there.”
“It’s definitely unique. But,” Paige said as she turned, those eyes just as intriguing as the first time. Greyish green, “how does this place make any money? Most of the city likely doesn’t know it exists.”
“It’s members only.” Juliet rearranged a few glasses on the counter, trying to keep her hands busy while watching how Paige moved around with such ease. It wasn’t often people seemed so relaxed in Juliet’s presence. But then again, they were usually looking at jail time, and their life was in her hands. “Where is it you’ve come from?”
“Oh, other end of the country. Kent,” Paige spoke over her shoulder, stepping towards the piano. She ran her hand over the flat top of it. “Do you play?”
“Me? God, no. I wouldn’t know the first thing about it.” Juliet wished she was that talented. “I was told by an old friend that you were worth contacting. That you’re one of the best mixologists around.” Juliet wouldn’t mention the fact that Paige didn’t stay at one particular bar for too long. She could get into that with her employee if or when they had more conversation under their belts. “And that your smoked Old Fashioned is the best around…”
Paige grinned as she held Juliet’s gaze. Not what she’d expected, but she could always appreciate a beautiful woman…and the pull Juliet seemed to have when it came to that beautiful woman. You’ve still got it, J. “And I hear you were the best criminal defence lawyer around.”
Impressive. Paige had done her background work. The question was…why? “I’m not sure why you felt compelled to check me out, but yes, that’s the rumour.”
“I recognised the name on your email. I figured you were someone entirely different, but then I dug a little deeper to find that I was right the first time.”
“Well, I’m no longer the shit hot lawyer I once was, so please…leave any issues you have at the door.”
Paige frowned. “What makes you think I have issues?”
“Most people do these days.” Juliet turned with a shrug. If she was going to hire this woman, she had to see what she had to offer. “So, how about you mix me a few drinks, and we get this show on the road?”
Paige lifted a shoulder, confidence oozing from her. “Sure. Let’s do it.”