Page 21 of The Hideout

“That’s fucked up.”

“Why? Not everyone is in a position to put themselves through meaningless dates and whatever else. Some don’t have the luxury or the time to pursue woman after woman. I was one of those women for a long time. Too long. Nobody is to blame for that, I cared too much about my career, but it’s done now. I guess I just found it easier to call her up than create dating profiles online.”

“Why online?”

“Have you tried to pick a woman up in a bar?” Juliet asked, laughing. “Actually, don’t answer that. Of course you have. You’re a bloody mixologist. I bet you have them drooling over you every night.”

“I haven’t been on a date since I was twenty-three.”

“Because you don’t need to. How many women have you been with in the last twelve months? God, to be young and free again.”

“Actually, none.”

Juliet scoffed. “Bullshit.”

“I haven’t. I don’t have time to date with working.” Paige hated lying to Juliet. This woman was as open and honest as they came. But she couldn’t reveal who she was or the life she had. “You’ve seen it yourself. I work every night.”

“Okay, but what happens when you meet someone at work. A colleague?”

Oh, don’t even go there. Paige didn’t need Juliet putting those ideas in her head. “It’s never happened before, and I don’t imagine it’ll happen any time soon.”

Juliet smirked, covering her mouth with her coffee cup. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

Paige’s phone interrupted them when it started to ring in her pocket. She removed it and silenced it when she saw Harriet was calling.

“You don’t need to take that?” Juliet asked.

“No. Just a friend. I can call her back later when I’m home.”

“Okay.” Juliet placed a hand on Paige’s knee, leaning in. “Did you want to grab some pancakes while we’re here?”

That thought alone had Paige never wanting to leave Liverpool. Juliet was fun, she was flirty, and she was on the market. It was a shame Paige wasn’t. She knew becoming friends with Juliet outside of work could be problematic, it was quite clear they were both interested in one another, but Paige was an adult, and she knew when to step back. Today wasn’t one of those times. “I’d love to.”

* * *

Juliet dripped chocolate sauce down her chin as she laughed, her breath hitching when Paige reached out and caught it on the pad of her thumb before it went directly to her white blouse. She stared at Paige, her body tingling when Paige slipped her thumb into her own mouth and cleaned the chocolate sauce off. “Clumsy.”

“Or…preoccupied.” Juliet smiled, staring down at her pancake on the cardboard dish. “What do you think of them?”

Paige’s body remained far closer than Juliet expected as she said, “Gorgeous. Really gorgeous.”

“Best in the city.” Juliet looked back up at Paige, noting the want in her eyes. Why was Paige playing hard to get? If this day had told her anything so far, it was that they clearly had something going on between them.

“So I’ve heard.” Paige’s voice dropped a little lower, her eyes glazing over. “Or was it…best this side of the country?”

“Depends who you ask. They’ve been known to be an acquired taste.”

Paige smirked as she shook her head. “Good thing they’re absolutely my taste then, isn’t it?” Paige continued walking, her head bowed as she remained a few steps ahead of Juliet. But that was okay. It meant Juliet could admire Paige without her knowing. “We should probably head back soon. I need to change before I start my shift.”

“Right. Yes.” Juliet snapped out of her perfect afternoon with Paige, completely forgetting it would have to come to an end at some point. “I’ll probably get in a little earlier than usual. I have a stock order to put in.”

Paige slowed her pace until Juliet was by her side. “I still can’t believe someone like you decided to just take on a bar. Do you have any idea of the closing rate these days?”

“I think it’s a case of knowing what you want and pursuing that. If you put the effort in, you can be happy with your achievements.”

“And when it doesn’t work out?” Paige asked, glancing at Juliet briefly. “Does that mean you fucked up, or it just wasn’t meant to be?”

“I guess it depends on whether you tried hard enough to make it work.” Juliet was fully aware of the cryptic conversation they had fallen into, but if this was how Paige needed to do things, so be it.

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