Page 46 of The Hideout

“I’m feeling good. About us. Everything else is just a lot.”

“Understandable.”

“It’s hard to know what to do and when to do it, you know?” Paige felt incredibly lucky to have someone like Juliet by her side. Someone who didn’t demand she be open about who she was. Someone who didn’t beat her to make themselves feel better. “I want so much to just tell everyone about leaving James, about who I really am, but then the coward in me prevails, and I talk myself out of it.”

“Your safety is what I’m concerned about more than anything. When the time is right, you’ll come out, but until then…I just want you to feel safe, Paige. Because the rest doesn’t really matter. Not to me, anyway. You have me regardless of who knows the truth.”

Until when, though? Paige wanted to ask. She couldn’t expect Juliet to keep their relationship quiet forever, nor would she ever want her to. But she appreciated what Juliet was saying. “I don’t want to hide anymore.”

“I know.” Juliet took Paige’s hand on top of the sheet, squeezing it. “But let’s just go slow with all of this and not worry about it.”

Paige would love nothing more than to forget James existed and enjoy her life, but it really wasn’t that simple. The thought of him creeping up unexpectedly was enough for Paige to always watch her back. Even when the truth came out, she knew she wouldn’t fully settle. Stepping away from her marriage wasn’t going to be so cut and dry. “I really wish I didn’t have to worry about it. But you’re right. I do just want to enjoy being here with you.”

“Then we should do that. Enjoy one another.”

Paige lowered her coffee cup to the bedside table, turning back and snuggling into Juliet. “We should. Because if I’ve realised anything since I came to Liverpool, it’s that I never want to leave.”

“Oh. Any particular reason why?” Juliet asked, holding Paige against her.

“One or two reasons. Mostly…a certain woman.” Wrapped up in one another, Paige offered a contented sigh, sinking further into not only Juliet’s bed but the world she was slowly creating with her. “Maybe I’ll tell you all about her someday.”

Chapter 15

I WON’T LET YOU GO

“I like what Juliet has done with the place.”

Paige turned at the sound of a voice, smiling when a well-suited man stood on the other side of the bar. “Yeah, it’s great.”

“And you’re the new mixologist, I assume?” He held out his hand, and Paige took it.

“That’s me. Paige. You are?” Paige drew back her hand, taking a bar towel as she wiped down the oak between them.

“John. Long-time member. Just arrived back from a month-long golfing trip to Alvor in Portugal. There’s just something about this place, though, that keeps me coming back.”

“Well, we’re very happy to have you here.” Paige threw a thumb over her shoulder. “What can I get you?”

He rubbed his chin, perusing the bottles behind Paige. He seemed like a nice guy, respectful and polite. “I’ll just take a scotch for the time being. Your choice.”

Paige quirked a brow. “Macallan? We have a lovely 12 double cask in at the minute.”

John winked, pointing to Paige. “I like you. You make good choices. I’ll take a double.”

Paige prepared John’s drink, sitting it on a napkin in front of him. He placed a £50 note down and turned to walk away. “John, your change!”

“Keep it, love.”

Paige stared down at the £50 note in her hand, her brows raised. She rung up the cost of the whiskey on the cash register and then shoved the change into her tip jar. At this rate, she could buy her own apartment in the next couple of years. She could live off the tips alone.

The security system flagged, a smile spreading on Paige’s mouth when she watched Juliet let herself into the bar. Could she re-watch the footage when she needed to? When she wanted to admire Juliet? That woman was something else. And as Paige had opened up to her last week, it was in that moment that she’d really noticed it. Paige…was so into Juliet, and there was no denying it. Now, she had to decide what to do about it. She was yet to contact James and call his bluff.

She cleared her throat when Juliet stepped into the bar, watching her move with so much grace. She lifted her eyes to Paige, wearing that gorgeous smile, along with a tailor-made black suit. “Hi.”

“Hey,” Paige said, a bar towel slung over her shoulder. She felt Juliet’s eyes on her, her stare burning through her as it travelled down her body. Juliet…was checking her out. Oh, God. Stop! Paige wasn’t sure she’d ever get over those looks. How it made her feel. “Can I get you a drink?”

Juliet practically draped herself against the bar as she sighed. “What would you recommend?”

“Sex on the bar?”

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