Page 16 of Juno

They were all standing around the parking lot when Juno announced that she had something that she needed to tell them. Everyone gathered around her and Saint, and she suddenly felt sick. How was she going to be able to get the words out? She wasn’t, and Saint seemed to notice that. He took her hand into his and squeezed it.

“You’ve got this,” he said when she looked up at him. All Juno could do was stand there, holding his hand and smiling like a crazy person at him.

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded. “I never worked at a law firm,” she said, her voice a little shaky.

“Where did you work then?” Sprite asked.

“I’ve been working at the strip club downtown for the past four years. I couldn’t make enough money to get this place anywhere else. Secretarial jobs don’t really pay, and there was no way that I could have stayed with my parents any longer than I did. You guys know how they are.” She looked at her friends and they all stared back at her in disbelief. “Say something guys,” she begged.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Vixen asked.

“I didn’t tell anyone,” Juno admitted. “I was ashamed of where I worked, but I couldn’t quit because I needed the money.”

“Why come clean now?” Phoenix asked. “I mean, you know about my past, why lie to me?”

“I didn’t want you to have to keep a secret from everyone else,” Juno admitted.

“And I kind of blew her cover,” Saint said. “I was at the club last night and I figured out that it was Juno up on stage, even with her mask, her eyes gave her away.”

“Then, my slime ball boss took my phone and told me that I needed to kiss him if I wanted it back. He said that if I didn’t give him what he wanted, he’d fire me,” Juno filled in.

“Right, and that’s when I went back into the club to make sure that Juno was okay and found her fighting with the asshole, and got her out of there,” Saint said. “We were in the parking lot, and she fell, pulling me down with her, and that’s how I got this.” Saint held up his arms, showing off his cast.

“So, you two aren’t dating?” Dare asked.

“Um, no. I told you that because I needed to cover for Juno. I didn’t want to be the one to tell you her secret. I promised her that I wouldn’t.”

“So, you lied to me?” Dare asked. Juno hated that she had put Saint in that position. She felt bad that he lied to his brother to keep her secret. She shouldn’t have asked him to promise her not to tell anyone.

“It’s my fault that he lied to you. I didn’t want anyone to know, and I panicked. I shouldn’t have asked Saint to lie to you,” she said.

“You keep talking about your job as though you don’t work there anymore,” Vixen said.

“Yeah, that’s because I don’t work there. I refused to have sex with my former boss, so I was told to clear out my locker. Oh, and he set my car on fire after I drove Saint to the hospital in his truck.”

“So, we think that the asshole former boss is the person who set your hideous car on fire, right?” Dare asked.

“First, my car is not hideous,” Juno protested, “and yes, we think that Bruno is the one who torched my car.”

“May your grandma car rest in peace,” Vixen teased.

“I guess I deserve you making fun of my car—you know, since I’ve lied to you for four years now,” Juno said. “The question is, will you guys forgive me at some point? I know that it’s going to take some time.” She felt as though she was holding her breath waiting for them all to give her some sign that they’d eventually forgive her.

“I’m kind of happy to find out that you’re not dating my brother,” Dare said. “And I really don’t care where you’ve been working over the past four years. We’re good.” She didn’t have the heart to tell him that she had just asked his brother to kiss her again. That was a far cry from the two of them dating, but if Juno had her wish, she’d at least end up in Saint’s bed. Being a virgin at her age was embarrassing. Maybe Saint wouldn’t want her long-term, but she’d like to feel wanted for just a few days before he kicked her to the curb.

“Thank you,” she said as Dare pulled her in for a hug.

“Yeah, I’m good too,” Vixen said, joining her husband and Juno for a group hug. “You’re my friend and if you felt that you needed to keep what you do for a living from us, then you must have had your reasons.”

They released her and then turned to find both Phoenix and Sprite staring her down, arms crossed over their chests. “I’m not sure why you didn’t come to me,” Phoenix said. “I’ve never hid my having to dance in clubs to put food on the table for my little girl.”

“I know that, and I’ve wanted to tell you all about my job, but I was too ashamed,” she almost whispered.

Phoenix crossed the sidewalk and pulled Juno in for a hug. “You never have to feel that way around us, right Sprite?” she asked. They both looked over at Sprite as she sighed and walked over to join their hug.

“She’s right, but don’t lie to us again, Juno,” she insisted.

“Never,” Juno said. She meant it too. She had learned her lesson the hard way and from here on out, she was going to be completely honest with her friends—and she was pretty sure that now included Saint. She just hoped that he’d be able to handle her truth because having him push her away now would hurt like a son of a bitch.

---