Page 28 of The Hideout

“Just a minute,” She called out, getting to her feet. Paige rushed to the sink and splashed her face with cold water, pulling her hair up into a bun. Well, a half-bun, half-ponytail. “Coming!” She reached the door and pulled it open. “O-oh. Hi, morning.”

“Hi, Paige.” Juliet stood nervously out in the corridor, casting her gaze on the criss-cross carpet. But Paige understood. They hadn’t really parted on the best of terms last night. “I wondered if you had a couple of minutes?”

Paige opened the door. “Sure. Come in.”

Juliet smiled as she slipped past Paige, looking delicious in a pair of casual jeans and a V-neck T-shirt. Paige was well aware of the fact her boss had a great arse but in jeans? Oh, boy. “Thanks. I won’t keep you long.”

“Is everything okay? If this is about last night, I’m sorry for anything I said out of turn. I got your voicemail, but I thought it was best to let it lie. I’m not one for confrontation.”

Juliet stopped at the kitchen island in Paige’s open-plan living space. “It is about last night. What Rachel said. She was way out of line, Paige. I’m sorry.”

Paige held up a hand. “First of all, I don’t know why you are apologising. You’re not responsible for what comes out of her mouth. And secondly, I really don’t have it in me today to care about someone I don’t know, nor do I wish to know. Rachel is into you, and I get that. Who isn’t?”

“You. You’re not,” Juliet said, closing her eyes briefly. “But that’s beside the point. I just wanted to drop by and see that you were okay. I think sometimes she forgets that she’s not my girlfriend…and she never will be.”

Paige would be lying if she said she hadn’t kept an eye on Juliet coming home last night. And when she had heard the lift, she was surprised to look through the peephole in her door to see Juliet alone. “Just last week, you claimed she wasn’t anything to you anymore. Last night, that was so far from the truth.”

“I didn’t even want her to be at the bar.”

Paige held up a hand. “Juliet, I don’t know why you think you have to explain yourself to me. I’m just your bartender.”

“Rachel was only ever supposed to be a means to an end for me. She’s a high-class escort. If I wasn’t paying her ridiculous amounts of money, she wouldn’t be all over me. I can assure you of that.”

“I’m not convinced by that, but okay.” Paige lifted a shoulder.

Then her phone buzzed in her hand. She looked down at the message, her heart sinking to the pit of her stomach.

End of the month, Paige. And then we put a stop to this once and for all. If you don’t show, I’ll be at The Hideout to collect you myself!

Paige stumbled back, gripping a stool at the breakfast bar. Juliet instantly offered an arm, holding her upright. “Is everything okay?”

She pressed a palm to her forehead, smiling weakly. “Yeah. Fine. Just lightheaded again.”

“Have you eaten?”

Paige nodded, lifting her shaking body onto the stool she was resting against. James was coming for her. It was time to go. “Yeah. Uh, I can only stay at the bar for another week, and then I have to move on. I’m sorry.”

Juliet frowned. “N-no. You can’t leave yet.”

“I have to. I’ll help you fill the position if you want. I’m not sure Cara is going to take you places on her own.”

“But—” Juliet’s voice broke, surprising Paige. “I thought you enjoyed working with me. You seemed right at home.”

Paige smiled, cocking her head. “I was.”

“Is this because of Rachel? If it is, say the word, and I’ll make her understand. I never want you to feel uncomfortable, Paige.”

“Rachel is the furthest thing from my mind. She just thinks I’m trying to get my hands on her woman, and I’m really not.” Paige shrugged the hand on her shoulder away. “Please make sure she knows that, Juliet.”

“I’m not her woman.” Juliet backed away, resting against the counter. “But something is going on, and I’d like to think that you trust me. Let me figure it out with you. I don’t want to lose you, Paige. You’re a part of The Hideout.”

“I’ll never really be a part of anything. But thank you for being so welcoming. I’ll miss working for you.” Paige gingerly climbed from the stool, throwing her phone onto the couch. “I should start making some calls. Look for a place to visit and digs to stay at.”

As Paige walked away, Juliet took her hand suddenly. “Come over for dinner tonight.”

“Sounds lovely, but I can’t. There’s some open mic night thing on in town, and I stupidly decided to sign up for it.”

“Oh, where? Can I come too?”

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