Chapter 18 We’re Done #2
"I want to take one home for my boyfriend."
Just thinking about him made her expression gentler.
"I love it so much, and I think he'll love it too. I really want him to try it."
Timothy watched the way her entire face brightened when she mentioned her boyfriend and couldn't help chuckling.
"Let me go ask the owners first. Give me a minute."
Juliet's eyes widened hopefully.
Immediately clasping her hands together, she leaned forward excitedly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Her enthusiasm made Timothy laugh again.
"Don't thank me yet."
Still chuckling, he disappeared toward the back of the bar.
Left alone, Juliet remained perched on her stool with a happy smile lingering on her lips.
She picked up her glass and took another small sip while waiting, humming softly along with the music playing overhead. Her fingers tapped lightly against the stem of the glass as she swayed gently to the beat.
The atmosphere was comfortable and relaxing.
For the first time all day, she wasn't thinking about anything stressful.
Just good wine, good music, and the possibility of bringing a bottle home for Cassian.
The thought alone made her smile.
Her eyes drifted closed for a brief moment as she enjoyed the music, completely immersed in the peaceful mood surrounding her.
Because of that, she never noticed another group entering the bar.
The moment Vincent walked inside, however, a familiar voice reached his ears.
His footsteps slowed.
His brows furrowed slightly before his gaze swept across the crowded room.
Then he saw her.
Juliet.
She was sitting at the bar with a wine glass in her hand, smiling brightly to herself.
At almost the exact same moment, Vincent heard her voice.
"I want to take one home for my boyfriend."
The words reached him clearly.
His eyes immediately brightened.
The irritation he had been carrying all evening disappeared almost instantly.
A slow smile spread across his face.
Boyfriend.
She was talking about him.
Nearby, Nolan followed the direction of Vincent's gaze.
The moment he spotted Juliet sitting at the bar, a grin appeared on his face.
He bumped Vincent's shoulder with his own.
"Look at that."
Vincent didn't respond.
His eyes remained fixed on Juliet.
Nolan laughed.
"Your girlfriend is buying a drink for her boyfriend."
The smile on Vincent's face deepened.
For the first time that night, he looked completely satisfied.
"Looks like she's finally coming around."
Nolan folded his arms across his chest and shook his head.
"We came here for a night out, and now it looks like your girlfriend is about to show up and beg for forgiveness."
Vincent remained silent, but the confidence in his expression said everything.
His gaze never left Juliet.
She still hadn't noticed him.
She continued sipping her wine, swaying lightly to the music, completely absorbed in her own little world.
"I told you," Nolan continued. "There was no way she'd stay angry forever."
Vincent finally nodded.
One hand slipped casually into his pocket as he watched her.
"I knew she would come back."
His voice was calm and full of certainty.
"She's spent her entire life with me."
A smug smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"We've known each other since we were kids. There's no way she can stay away from me for long."
He shook his head slightly as though the outcome had always been obvious.
"She would never really leave."
Neither man noticed the truth.
Juliet hadn't looked in their direction even once.
She had no idea they were there.
As far as she was concerned, the only things occupying her attention were the wine in her glass, the music playing overhead, and the bottle she hoped to bring home for Cassian.
Juliet lingered at the counter, idly tapping her fingers against the stem of her wine glass while the soft music wrapped around her like a calm wave.
Every now and then, her eyes drifted toward the direction Timothy had gone, her anticipation quietly building without her even realizing it, a small smile staying on her lips as she waited.
When Timothy finally returned, she immediately straightened, her posture shifting with sudden excitement.
He gave her a quick thumbs-up before lifting a bottle in his hand.
Juliet’s face lit up at once.
"You got it!"
"I got it," Timothy said with a laugh as he stepped closer. "The boss agreed to give you one bottle. Just one, though. We can’t let it go beyond that."
"That’s more than enough."
Without even waiting for him to place it down, Juliet reached forward and accepted the bottle, holding it against her chest with both arms as though it was something fragile and precious she didn’t want anyone else to touch.
A bright, almost childlike laugh escaped her.
"Thank you so much."
Timothy watched her reaction with amusement, shaking his head slightly.
"You’ve been talking about this wine for nearly a year. I think you’ve earned it."
Juliet’s smile widened at that, and she handed over her card while still holding onto the bottle for a moment longer than necessary, as if reluctant to let it go even for payment.
She waited patiently as the transaction was processed, her gaze repeatedly dropping to the bottle sitting safely beside her, excitement still bubbling beneath her calm exterior.
Once it was done, she carefully tucked the bottle into her shopping bag, adjusting it gently to make sure it wouldn’t tilt before looking back up at him.
"Thank you again."
"Enjoy it," Timothy said simply.
"I definitely will."
With that, Juliet finally stepped away from the counter.
Her mood was light, almost glowing, as she walked through the bar.
The music pulsed softly in the background while she moved through the crowd, her shopping bags swaying lightly at her side, one hand instinctively staying close to the bag that held the bottle as though protecting something valuable.
Her thoughts drifted ahead of her without resistance. Cassian.
She could already picture him opening the bottle, the way his expression might change when he realized she had brought this for him. That thought alone made her lips curve into a softer smile as she continued toward the exit.
She was so lost in it that she barely registered the people around her.
Then her eyes landed on Vincent.
Everything in her expression changed at once.
The smile that had been there just a moment ago disappeared so cleanly it was almost like it had never existed.
Without stopping, without hesitation, she looked away.
No acknowledgment. No reaction. Not even surprise.
Just a complete, effortless dismissal.
And she kept walking.
Vincent noticed it immediately.
The way she didn’t even pause.
The way she looked through him instead of at him.
Something in his expression tightened at once, irritation flashing across his face as he stepped forward and caught her wrist, stopping her mid-step.
Juliet’s body halted abruptly at the contact, her brows drawing together as she slowly turned toward him.
"What is wrong with you?" she asked, her tone flat, genuinely puzzled rather than emotional.
Vincent’s eyes dropped briefly to the shopping bag in her hand, catching sight of the wine bottle before returning to her face.
"Didn’t you see me?" he asked, his grip still firm. "Where are you going with that?"
Juliet stared at him for a moment longer, as if trying to understand why he was even here, before her confusion deepened.
"What are you talking about?"
Vincent’s jaw tightened slightly, though he still kept his composure.
"That bottle," he said, nodding toward it. "Didn’t you buy it for your boyfriend?"
Juliet blinked once, then nodded without hesitation.
"Yes."
For a brief second, that seemed to ease something in him. A faint, almost satisfied curve appeared on his lips as if he had just confirmed something he already believed.
"Then what are you doing walking away like that?" he said, his tone softening slightly as if this was obvious. "I’m right here."
He reached for her again, this time more confidently, attempting to guide her back toward the bar.
Juliet’s reaction was instant.
She pulled her arm back sharply, stepping away from him with clear disgust forming in her expression.
"Don’t touch me."
Vincent froze for a second, surprised more than hurt.
Juliet’s eyes hardened as she adjusted the bag in her grip.
"This isn’t for you," she said evenly, lifting the bag slightly. "It’s for my boyfriend."
Vincent exhaled a short laugh, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
"I am your boyfriend."
Juliet stared at him for a beat, then rolled her eyes with visible impatience.
"No, you’re not."
She stepped back again, increasing the distance between them like she was drawing a line he had already crossed too many times.
"I already told you we’re done."