Page 76 of The Hideout

“Paige is leaving.” Juliet stared out of the windscreen, tears blurring her vision. “And there’s nothing I can do to stop her. I wouldn’t do anything to stop her. She…God, she’s in a bad way, H. Black eyes, possible broken ribs, bruising all over her.” Juliet almost didn’t stomach that, but she fought back the urge to empty the contents of her stomach. “I wasn’t there to protect her, and now she’s leaving.”

“That’s not on you, Jules. It’s on that shithouse husband who beats women.”

Juliet smiled weakly. “Maybe so, but I should have known. I should have made her listen. I…should have been there with her.”

“Everything will work itself out in the end. It always does.”

Juliet placed her hand on the door handle, nodding slowly. “I hope everything works out for her how it’s supposed to. She deserves far more than this. Let me know when you’re leaving for Kent. Don’t go until someone is watching this place.”

“Got it. Take it easy, Jules. I’ll call you.”

* * *

“Well, I didn’t expect to meet you in a place like this.” Hannah whistled as she came down the stairs. “You do realise I’m not your escort anymore, don’t you?”

Juliet smiled from the darkened corner of her spot in the bar. “I’m aware. But this isn’t a business call. It’s…a friendly call.”

Hannah frowned when Juliet’s voice broke. “What’s going on? And why the hell are you sitting here in the dark?”

Juliet slid a coffee towards Hannah, urging her to sit down. “I took the liberty of assuming I still knew your coffee order. But since I don’t seem to be able to get anything right lately, I’m probably wrong.”

“Any coffee is good coffee for me today.” Hannah slowly sat down beside Juliet, her brows drawn together. “Please don’t be offended, but you look like shit. Is everything okay?”

Hannah was the only person who would get away with saying such a thing to her. And that was purely down to the fact that she knew Hannah was right. When Juliet had reached the bar, she’d been shocked when she looked in the bathroom mirror.

“Honestly, no.” She ran her hands down her thighs, puffing out her cheeks. “How’s Caz and Edie?”

“Yeah, they’re good. Edie is excelling in school, and Caz loves the headteacher job. She’s come into her own since she took it. I’m so proud of her for doing something for herself, you know?”

Juliet’s bottom lip trembled at that. She’d give anything in this world to feel even an ounce of what Hannah felt with her partner and daughter. “I’m happy it’s all worked out for you.”

“Really? Because you don’t look it.” Hannah reached for her coffee, sitting back on the couch. “Is that why you stopped calling? Because it all worked out for me?”

“God, no. I’ve been busy getting this place set up and whatnot.”

“I…don’t follow.”

“Oh, I own this. Early retirement wasn’t really working out for me. I was bored to fucking tears.”

“Wow. I never once pinned you for a bar owner. But hey, if it makes you happy, that’s great.”

“It did. For a short time. I mean, the place makes a lot of money, but…everything else is falling apart.”

“Juliet Saunders’ life does not fall apart.” Hannah laughed, and shook her head. “What happened? Did your nail technician cancel your appointment, and now the end is nigh?”

Juliet’s mind flashed back to a time when Paige was behind the bar. Her smile and how it lit up the place. Her gentle but sexy voice as she spoke with clients. God, she’d never look at this place the same way again. Perhaps if Paige had joined further down the line, she would feel different about being here without her, but she hadn’t. Paige was The Hideout. Tears brimmed in Juliet’s eyes, her chest tight. “No.”

“Juliet Saunders also doesn’t cry, so what the hell is going on?” Hannah shifted closer, placing a hand on Juliet’s knee. But that supportive touch only had Juliet sobbing into her hands. “Juliet?”

“I had it. Almost, at least.”

“H-had what?”

“What you have. She started working here the night I opened. Paige. Mixologist.”

Hannah smiled when she noted that look in Juliet’s eyes. But it was hard not to show how fond of Paige she was.

“We flirted from the get-go. She was just so easy-going with a great personality. You know, the kind of person you want to bump into every day?”

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