Any Kind of Life (Hush Liverpool #4)

Chapter 11

Paige unzipped her suitcase where it rested on the holder and shook her head. That hadn’t been an enjoyable journey to a new city. Far from it, actually. Between Juliet’s fears and Soraya’s thoughts playing on her mind, Paige didn’t even want to perform tonight. She wanted to pack up and get the hell out of there. As she stood in this hotel room, her heart just wasn’t in it.

Which was a shame, really, because Paige’s heart had always been in her music…even when she told those around her it was no big deal. All of this, it wouldn’t have happened without Juliet, but Juliet felt wary at the thought of Paige being here. She wasn’t sure she could finish this tour right now. Then there was Soraya and the way in which she seemed to be pushing Juliet out of all of this. What gave her the right to tell Paige who she could and couldn’t see on this tour? Paige had done her a favour in coming back, and this was the thanks she got.

She didn’t like any of this. She was the least confrontational person when it came to relationships and friendships. She just wanted everyone to get along and live a quiet, drama-free life.

As she opened her case, she found a note on top of her clothes.

I love you. You’re amazing. J x

Okay, that made her feel slightly better. Juliet was always leaving little notes around the apartment, but Paige hadn’t expected one to greet her here in Bournemouth. She lifted her phone from the bed and sent off a text.

Thank you. I miss you already x

With the idea of a short nap quite enticing, Paige closed the blinds in her room and kicked off her shoes. As she pulled back the covers on the bed, there was a knock at the door.

“One minute,” she called out, closing her suitcase again. As she reached for the door handle and opened the door, Soraya stood staring back at her from the corridor. “Oh, hi.”

“Hey, do you have a few minutes?”

Paige chewed her lip. She didn’t particularly want Soraya in her hotel room with her. One, because this was her private space, and two, because she wasn’t quite sure what Soraya’s game was just yet. If Juliet was wary, Paige probably should be, too. “I guess so. Should we go down to the bar?”

Soraya shook her head and squeezed past Paige. “No. Here is fine.”

“I mean, it’s not…” Paige didn’t move from the door, but she did turn and frown in Soraya’s direction. “You can’t just stroll in here.”

Soraya rolled her eyes and opened the blinds. “Just…sit down for five minutes. I’m not here to fuck around. I just want to speak to you.”

Paige closed the door and moved towards a single chair by the desk. “Okay. What’s up?”

“About earlier,” Soraya started, looking down at her hands when she perched herself on the edge of Paige’s bed. “I probably shouldn’t have said what I did.”

Paige snorted. “Which part?”

“About the fans thinking we’re together.” Soraya smiled weakly, briefly meeting Paige’s eyes. “I can’t control what they think, but I understand that you’re not in a position to have them freely putting that kind of stuff out there.”

“Juliet knows I’d never do anything to hurt her. But no, I don’t like it. And quite frankly, you shouldn’t expect me to.”

“This is the way it is a lot of the time. They see two people getting along—friends—and make up their own scenarios. It’s not ideal, I know that.”

“Look, this is almost over. And with the way I feel today, I just plan to keep my head down and sing.”

“The way you feel about what?”

“The last twenty-four hours.” Paige’s shoulders slumped. “Did you know about this video that’s circulating? You and I dancing at that club?”

“Of course. It’s everywhere.”

Great. That was just what Paige needed. For everyone to see it and for Juliet to feel like a fucking fool. Thank God their friends knew Paige would never do anything untoward. “And why didn’t you tell me about it? Why did I have to find out about it from Juliet when she got here last night?”

“So, something is going on, and you’re using that as an excuse. I see.”

“No. You’re mistaken. My relationship is good. It’s amazing. But I won’t have anyone trying to jeopardise what I have back at home for the sake of a fucking image they believe they have to uphold.”

“Excuse me?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You even came here today to apologise for thinking that way. Look, I don’t know what your sexuality is, I also don’t care, but don’t use me to better your image. If you’re trying your hand at some fucking lesbian awakening or something, then find someone else to experiment with.”

Paige lowered her head to her hands, shocked that she’d even raised her voice…let alone said what she had. But her head was a mess today. It didn’t matter if Juliet had promised her they were okay. Paige never should have allowed such a situation to make Juliet feel that way. If the shoe was on the other foot, Paige would have driven to the venue, too!

“I’m sorry. But I’ve been through a lot, and I can’t lose her, Soraya.” Paige eyed Soraya, quite certain she had realised her error now. “This life… It’s not me. And I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity, but when this is over, it’s really over.”

“I really wish you’d reconsider, Paige. You’re so talented.”

Paige lifted a shoulder. “I’m not cut out for this life. And it’s not even about Juliet. God, she’s done nothing but encourage me. I just…it’s not me. I can’t put my heart into something like this when I know I belong elsewhere.”

“Well, Juliet has a diamond in her life. That’s all I can say.” Soraya nodded slowly and got to her feet. “I am sorry about earlier. And you know, if she wants to join you for any remaining dates, you should invite her.”

“I’d love her to be here, but there’s stuff going on at home. It’s just not possible.”

“This bar of yours must really be something special.”

It was special. It was the place where Paige realised she could have a fulfilling life. It was the place where she’d laid eyes on Juliet for the first time. And it was the place where she’d fallen in love with the woman she would spend forever with. The Hideout would always mean the world to her. “It is. You should come by if you’re ever in Liverpool.”

“Maybe I will,” Soraya said, squeezing Paige’s shoulder as she stepped past her. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours, okay?”

“Sure. And thanks…for coming here and apologising. It means a lot.”

“Okay, and where are we up to with the plastering and skimming?” Juliet sat in the office at The Hideout, massaging her temples. It was nine in the evening, and she was beyond tired, but she wanted to get on top of everything while she was here.

“Finished. Almost ready for painting. We’re looking at a few more days, and then the painters can come in and take care of the place.”

Juliet was impressed. She hadn’t dealt with builders much over the years, but she’d heard horror stories about their time management and no-show abilities. Seemed she’d struck the jackpot with this company. “Perfect. I’ll be here tomorrow to see how everything else is going.”

“No problem,” The contractor said. “We can probably clear out most of the mess tomorrow.”

“Great. See you tomorrow.” Juliet lowered her phone as she cut the call and rested back in her seat. She hoped Paige would be just as impressed as she was.

Paige .

Juliet smiled when she pressed the screen of her phone and brought up their most recent selfie. Paige had eyes that she could get lost in for days…weeks, even. When they’d parted this morning, Juliet had sat in her car for almost thirty minutes trying to find the strength to drive home.

She rocked back in her chair, her hands clasped under her chin and her elbows propped up on the armrests. Yesterday could have gone an entirely different way when she’d brought up the social media issue. Paige had every right to question Juliet’s motives for being in Leeds, but she meant it when she’d told Paige that the social media comments had kicked her into visiting rather than being the sole reason. They’d worked through it pretty quickly, and Juliet felt lighter for it.

Her phone started to ring on her desk. It was a FaceTime call coming through.

It was Paige.

Juliet grabbed the device with both hands, answering the call as quickly as she could. When Paige’s face popped up on the screen—a little grainy—she smiled. “Hi, baby. I didn’t expect to hear from you.”

“I’m in my dressing room. I’m done for the night, so I thought I’d spend some time with you.” Paige frowned, leaning in closer to the screen. “Are you at the bar?”

“I am. I was just getting some updates from the contractor. I’ll be leaving soon.”

“Are you alone? Is Henry there with you?”

Juliet nodded. “Henry is outside.”

“Okay, good. I hate knowing you’re there alone. You really should be at home where I feel better knowing you’re safe.”

“I am safe, Paige. Nobody can get into the building, and Henry is sitting outside as always.”

Paige dragged a hand through her hair, sighing. “Fine. If you’re sure.”

“I am sure.” Juliet reached for the travel mug she’d brought with her, sipping her coffee. They didn’t need to discuss fears tonight. They’d done plenty of that recently. “How was the set tonight?”

“Great. I wasn’t really feeling it when we got here, but yeah…it ended up being really good. Maybe I should go on stage pissed off more often.”

Juliet leant in, propping her phone up against her computer screen. “Why were you pissed off? Is everything okay?”

“Soraya and I may have had cross words while we were on the bus. Nothing to worry about, though. It’s all okay now.”

Huh. Soraya was beginning to piss Juliet off too. She barely knew the woman, but something about her didn’t sit right in Juliet’s gut. “What happened, Paige?”

“She claimed that the whole social media thing was working in our favour. That the fans love it. And yeah, she’s right in that they do love putting two and two together and getting five, but I’m not into that. I’m not going to play along with something that’s not true for an image. I don’t need to do that, you know? People either like my stuff or they don’t. I’m not going to cater solely to the queer community to further my career. No way.”

“She said that?” Juliet’s brows rose.

“Mmhmm. Then she came to my hotel room once I’d checked in.”

Juliet’s stomach sank. Knowing Soraya was in close proximity to Paige…and alone, well, Juliet hated it. “Right.”

“She apologised. Realised that what she’d said wasn’t cool.”

Juliet appreciated Soraya’s apology, but that woman was still walking on very thin ice. “I’m glad she came to that realisation.”

“I’m so ready for this to be over.” Paige groaned, the layout of the room changing in the background as she lay down on the couch.

“I’m sorry. I really wish you were enjoying this more than you are.”

“No, I am. I just can’t deal with the unnecessary drama. I don’t want it in my life.”

Juliet smiled weakly. By going there yesterday, she suspected she’d added to that unnecessary drama Paige spoke of. “If I caused this, then I really am sorry, Paige.”

“You haven’t caused anything. You just opened my eyes to what was really going on because I like to bury my head in the sand.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that’s what you do. You simply prefer to work and leave it at the door, you know?”

“I am glad you showed up last night. I just wish we could have had more time together. I’m sitting in this dressing room alone when I could be at a hotel with you. But I know you need to be in Liverpool for the bar stuff. Still, it doesn’t make me miss you any less.”

“I know, baby. You’ll be home soon, though. Just focus on that.”

Paige smiled into the camera. “You look tired. You should go home.”

Paige wasn’t wrong. Juliet was close to barely functioning. “I will. Can I call you when I’m home? Maybe we could lie in bed and just talk?”

“Deal. I’ll be leaving here by eleven. The hotel is only around the corner. They invited me to stay on the bus with them, but you know me…I prefer an actual bed.”

“Actual beds are far more fun.” Juliet winked, reaching behind her phone and powering off her computer. “Now, I should go because I don’t want you to see the bar at the minute. I want it to be a surprise when you get home.”

“It’ll be done by then?” Paige’s eyes widened when Juliet nodded. “Oh, my God. I can’t wait to see it. And you, of course.”

“Good save.” She rose from her chair, taking her jacket from the back. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours, okay?”

“Okay. And, babe?”

“Mm?”

Paige smirked. “Make sure you’re naked when you call back.”