Page 10 of The Hideout

Juliet noted the tension in Paige’s shoulders as she passed her by, but she’d let it go for a few more minutes. Paige looked like a deer caught in headlights this evening.

A deer with the most beautiful voice in the world…

* * *

Paige felt like a complete fool this evening. Not only had she made the stupid decision to unleash the pent-up musician in her, but Juliet had walked in on it. How the hell did she explain and apologise? How did she convince her boss that she wouldn’t fool around again with the piano in the corner of the bar? She wanted to run, to hide from the way she was feeling, but she couldn’t. She had a job to do. A commitment to Juliet.

Paige hadn’t been able to control herself, plain and simple. That piano had been calling her name since the moment she’d laid eyes on it…and knowing she was alone earlier, Paige had craved to stroke the keys. To remind herself what it felt like to sing. To be in her happy place.

She pulled her shoulders back and approached Juliet’s table. Two coffees sat waiting, along with Juliet. “Hey, I can just drink this while I work. It’s no problem. I have a few things to set up before we open.”

“Sit down, Paige.”

Here it came. The telling off for fucking around with things that didn’t belong to Paige. She slowly lowered herself to the couch, her hands clasped in her lap. “I…want to apologise. Before you say anything, I really want to apologise.”

Juliet crossed her legs. Those long, slender, silky legs. Paige could barely focus. “Apologise for what?”

“Playing around with the piano. It’s just…I haven’t had the chance to play in a while, and it was just sitting there. But it won’t happen again. Please, give me a chance to show you that I can be the staff you need. I won’t let you down again.”

“Let me down? Paige, you haven’t let me down. What I walked into…I have no words.”

“Like I said, it doesn’t mean anything. I had a few minutes to myself, so I thought I’d play. But I know I’m here to work the bar; you don’t have to worry about that.”

Juliet must have noted how Paige wrung her hands in her lap, sitting forward and placing a hand to Paige’s bouncing knee. “Hey. What’s going on?”

“Nothing. Why?”

“Because you’re a nervous wreck, and I don’t understand why.” Juliet squeezed Paige’s knee, her hand remaining. “I walked in today to the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. Your voice is astounding, Paige. You surely know that.”

“It’s just a pub singer pipedream thing. Everyone always tells me I’m wasting my time, and they’re right. It’s a hobby. Something I enjoy when nobody is around.”

“Look, I don’t know who is telling you that you’re wasting your time, but they’re talking shit.” Juliet held up a hand when Paige tried to protest. “I’m sorry, but they are. They’re talking complete shit. You have a talent, and I’m sorry if you can’t see it in yourself, but I do.”

“Thanks.” Paige focused on her now still hands. And then her eyes darted towards the hand on her knee, rubbing soothing circles against Paige’s black fitted pants. “Just a bit of fun, you know?”

“It’s more than fun. It has to be. If I could convince you to sing for me right this moment, I would.”

Paige turned her watch towards herself. “Yeah, we have to open soon. And whatever you heard, it must have been the acoustics playing with your ears. I’m nothing more than a pub singer, trust me.”

“Who told you that?” Juliet asked.

James, Paige wanted to answer…but didn’t.

“A few people over the years.” Paige lifted a shoulder, enjoying the caffeine relief Juliet had placed in front of her. “Hey, I was wondering if I could whip up some signature cocktails? Maybe something that represents you? Something for the bar, you know?”

Juliet’s brows drew together. “Something that represents me?”

“Yeah. Something classy. Intelligent. Something that screams Juliet Saunders.”

Paige caught the blush as it worked up Juliet’s neck. “You want to make a cocktail based on me?”

“Why not? This is your bar, and people love that kind of thing. Think about it and get back to me. I’ll do my research in the mornings when I’m lying in bed with a coffee.”

“I’ve started doing that. Lying in bed with coffee.”

“Feels good, doesn’t it? I love the morning. When it’s early enough that it’s quiet. Before people have started going about their day. There’s something about the stillness of a morning coffee in bed.”

“I have to agree.”

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