Epilogue
Juliet was still breathing heavily after her final performance.
The crowd at Harrison’s Christmas at the Ranch Festival was still applauding her after she’d finished her set.
They loved Half-Truths.
Everyone loved Half-Truths; it was more of a hit than Whiskey and White Lace had been. Which, really, didn’t come as much of a surprise.
Not only had Darcy worked with her on it behind the scenes, but she’d served as her inspiration. Juliet… she’d never had real inspiration before. The raw emotion, the passion, the yearning, the desire – she’d written it in her songs for a long time.
And she’d felt it before, too. But nothing like what she felt for Darcy. Nothing even came close.
She double checked her phone, just to make sure.
There it was. 8:03P.M.
Her scheduled performance, as dictated by the contract she’d made sure to have drawn up by her lawyer and signed by Harrison to make sure it was all official as could be, ended at eight o’clock sharp.
Juliet had performed her heart out. She’d given everything she could, because tonight she might technically be performing for Harrison, but it was the last damn time.
And she’d never felt so alive.
“Thank you all for being such an incredible audience,” she spoke into the microphone. “I’ve been performing at Harrison’s events for a long time, as many of you know. But what many of you don’t know is that tonight is my final show for Harrison.”
She’d given him everything she’d been legally obligated to since she’d released Half-Truths, and she hadn’t given him anything he could hold against her. So that when tonight rolled around, she’d be free and clear.
She turned slightly to the left, knowing exactly where Harrison was standing. He had a perch on one of the other side stages that he loved to hover around. Like he was a king observing his peasants.
Juliet locked eyes with him for only a few seconds, before she continued, running her eyes over to the right side of the mainstage.
A real smile tugged up at her lips as she looked at Darcy, who was standing just far enough away not to be visible.
She didn’t take her eyes off of Darcy, as she continued to speak, “To make tonight even more memorable, I was thinking about doing another song for you all. My favorite song on the album, really, is the title track, and I believe, if you are all on-board, we can get Darcy Kincaid out here to join me in singing it.”
Darcy’s eyes widened slightly. She’d joined the audience in clapping for Juliet, but her hands froze where they’d made contact together, cocking her head at Juliet in question.
She stared, intently, at her. Letting Darcy know that she meant it, that she wanted her out here on this stage.
Darcy had questioned whether or not she should even come here tonight. But Juliet needed her.
Her Copper Canyon obligations, and thus her Harrison ones, were done. And she needed Darcy at her side when that happened.
When Juliet nodded at her, a smile bloomed over Darcy’s face. She was in.
Juliet had known she would be.
She had already given Darcy’s in-ear monitor to Andrea, the stage manager, this afternoon, when she’d been doing her soundcheck, so it was already ready to go. She appreciated how promptly Andrea had just approached Darcy to give it to her.
The sound setup wasn’t close to as high-tech as it would be during most of their performances, on bigger stages, on tours, in studios.
But that made it simple for Juliet to be able to switch off the microphone so it was no longer live as Darcy approached. “Are you okay with this?” She murmured. “I know I sort of put you on the spot.”
“Sort of?” Darcy joked, shaking her head as she adjusted the monitor in her ear. But her eyes were so soft. “I’d be honored to sing with you. I always am. If you’re sure.”
She didn’t mention Harrison’s name, but Juliet knew what she was double-checking. And she didn’t miss a beat. Didn’t feel nervous about it one bit, as she nodded. “I am so sure.”
“How do you want to do it? Just like the way we do at home?” Darcy whispered.
Juliet’s stomach jumped despite them not having a hot mic. At home. At their shared home. Where Darcy had worked with her on these songs, refining and calibrating them until they were the best they could be.
Making Juliet more excited than she could possibly have imagined about no longer being a solo act. So ready for what would come next.
For the chapter of her life that she’d never let herself dream about, but she was racing toward it with abandon because Darcy was here with her.
“Just like the way we do at home,” she confirmed, glancing down at Darcy’s lips. Licking her own.
Her heart skipped a beat, because she’d just done that. Stared at Darcy’s beautiful, talented mouth and licked her own lips in a way that was likely very obvious for everyone watching.
Color splashed in Darcy’s cheeks, and Juliet could tell from the slight hitch in her breathing that she was into it. Juliet knew that Darcy was ready for them to be public whenever she was; she’d made that clear to Juliet over the last several months.
The corner of her mouth tugged up into a knowing smile, as she asked, “Ready?”
“More than,” Darcy returned, her voice low.
Juliet shivered, as she turned back to the crowd, and switched the mic back on.
Nothing in the world could replicate the feeling of singing with Darcy. She’d not only made peace with that, but was thrilled about it. Because that was going to be her life now.
And she wouldn’t have to stop herself from looking at Darcy when they sang, anymore. She wouldn’t have to attempt to contain how electrified she felt inside.
She felt it now, as she decided to turn and look directly at Darcy, as they sang the bridge together. Exactly the way they did at home, but hadn’t ever done in public.
Darcy was already staring at her.
You know that I only sleep when you share my nights/
And when I dream, it’s your name shining up in lights.
Baby, in the evening shadows I can’t deny that it’s only you/
But in the light of day, I’m the biggest curator of half-truths.
When the music played out, they didn’t move back.
They stood so close.
So close, Darcy’s chest brushed against hers with every inhale.
Their eyes locked, and she could feel Darcy’s warm breath on her mouth. Juliet lips again, her heart jackhammering in her chest.
So close.
And everyone was watching.
And she was done with it all. She’d created her fifth and final album with Copper Canyon. She’d done the tour. She’d finished with Harrison. She was done being Juliet Jacobs, Country Sweetheart.
She could see the anticipation in Darcy’s eyes, and she felt the spark in her own core, spreading through her entire body.
“If you want to kiss me, then do it,” Darcy breathed. Her words were barely audible, but Juliet’s very soul recognized them.
She recognized them from the first night they’d hooked up. That night, she’d put the ball in Darcy’s court, made her take the final step.
And now, she could see that Darcy was giving Juliet the control. She was giving Juliet the control here, after she’d spent so long not having it over this part of her life.
That part was over.
She leaned in, closing her eyes as her lips brushed against Darcy’s.
Technically, she knew the sound everyone made was as loud as a roar. But Juliet heard nothing over her own heartbeat. She didn’t care about anything else.
She felt Darcy’s lips curve against her own in the softest of smiles, and she reached down, intertwining their fingers tightly as she pulled back from their kiss.
Then she laughed when Darcy followed her for an inch or two, before realizing.
Darcy’s fingers tightened around hers, as they both blinked their eyes open. Meeting and holding one another’s gaze, checking in that everything was okay. That everything was as it should be.
Without another word, without so much as another glance, Juliet walked offstage, hand in hand with Darcy.