Chapter 29

Paige watched Juliet from behind her sunglasses, enjoying the quiet of a late morning on the dock. They had decided to sit outside one of the bistros and drink coffee, and even though Paige knew it was time to leave, she didn't want to. She wanted to sit here and admire Juliet. It was all she ever wanted to be doing.

She smiled when the server placed the bill down on the table. Juliet hadn't even flinched, and right now, that was a positive. It didn't take much for Juliet to feel uneasy lately, and yes, that extended to the simple task of a server approaching the table.

"I've got the bill, babe. Did you want to keep walking or head home?"

Juliet turned to Paige, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "I'm enjoying being out of the apartment. Let's keep walking."

"Perfect. I'll just go inside and pay, okay?" Paige rose to her feet, looking down at Juliet. "You good?"

"I'm fine. Just enjoying the view." She looked back out at the dock and sighed. "I'm so lucky to have you in my life, Paige."

Paige grinned. This ‘gazing longingly' Juliet was one of her favourite Juliets. "Right back at you, babe." Paige rushed inside and paid their bill, opting to leave Juliet for as little time as possible.

Yesterday had been a mixed bag of emotions for them both. Paige had hated seeing Juliet so up in the air, then they'd had an amazing evening with Hannah and Caz, and then what followed…well, Paige hadn't expected it at all. But if Juliet felt as though she was in a place where she wanted to be intimate again, Paige wouldn't turn her down. Their intimacy was the only thing nobody had interfered with in recent months.

She landed back outside on the walkway between the bistro and the dock edge. Juliet smiled out at the water, her shoulders relaxed. If they could have little moments like this in the coming weeks, then life would begin to return to normal. The normal Juliet so desperately craved last night.

Normal . Paige snorted and shook her head. Nothing would ever be the old normal again, but in some ways, Paige was happy about that. Their normal had once consisted of watching their backs and living their life under Henry's constant gaze.

This new normal surely had to be better.

"Ready, gorgeous?" Paige placed a gentle hand on Juliet's shoulder and leaned down, kissing her cheek.

"Sorry, I was in a stare." Juliet got up and turned to Paige. "Gorgeous day, isn't it?"

"Any day I get to spend with you is a gorgeous day." Paige linked her arm through Juliet's, squeezing Juliet against her. "Sometimes it's just nice to sit, drink coffee, and people watch."

"I didn't realise how much I needed the fresh air." Juliet turned her head to Paige briefly. "Makes you feel alive."

Paige's heart fluttered at that. Just weeks ago, this may never have happened again. If Juliet hadn't pulled through, she wouldn't be walking with Juliet right now, arms linked. "Hey." Paige stopped them close to the art gallery. "I hope you know how proud I am of you."

"For what?"

"Fighting. Coming home to me." Paige's emotions threatened to spill out, but she managed to contain them. This wasn't a time for tears. It was a time to put the next stage of their life together into some kind of motion. "It's only coffee, but I've had a great morning with you."

Juliet brought a hand to Paige's cheek, caressing it slowly. "I've had a great morning with you, too."

"And now I really need you to come somewhere with me." Paige leaned into Juliet's touch, smiling as she closed her eyes. "I don't think I can wait much longer."

"I don't understand."

"Just come somewhere with me, okay?" Paige looked back at Juliet, those beautiful eyes stealing Paige's heart all over again.

"Okay."

Juliet strolled down the high street, her hand tightly held by Paige's. They hadn't once disconnected since they'd left the dock, and Juliet suspected it was Paige's way of making her feel at ease. Whatever she was doing, it was certainly working. This morning, Juliet barely remembered the last couple of months. She sure as hell hadn't thought about Cara today, and if she had it her way, she wouldn't think about her in great detail ever again.

"Where exactly are you taking me?" Juliet turned another corner with Paige, but she didn't really know this area of Liverpool. "You've got us lost, haven't you?"

"No, I have not!"

"Paige, I don't know this area, so surely you don't either." Juliet didn't want to admit it, but she was beginning to tire. This was the most she had done since before her attack. "Where are we?"

Paige stopped in the middle of the street and looked left, then right. Her gaze landed on a particular shopfront, and then she dragged Juliet towards it. "There! Got it! Knew I wasn't lost!"

Juliet grinned at the look of pride on Paige's face. Her fiancée was adorable; there were no two ways about it. "Fine. I apologise."

"You can make it up to me. I just haven't decided how yet." Paige winked as they stopped outside a jeweller. "Time to make this official, babe."

Juliet's brows drew together. "I'm sorry?"

"You and I. Engaged. It's time for you to pick out your engagement ring."

Juliet's heart burst, but this wasn't necessary. "Baby, I don't need a ring to know what we have."

"And neither do I. But I want you to have a ring. Whatever ring you fall in love with." Paige looked back at Juliet with a pleading in her eyes. "Please? At least look…"

"Okay. Let's look." Juliet would give Paige anything she wanted. If that included a moment like this, picking out an engagement ring, then she would revel in every second of it. As they entered the store, Juliet tugged on Paige's hand. "But what about you? You don't have a ring."

"I'm good without one. It's not really my thing. Wedding ring, absolutely, but I prefer less on my hands."

"Are you sure? We could pick out one for each other." Juliet felt it only fair that they both wore one. Yes, Paige didn't wear much jewellery, but this could surely be an exception.

Paige wrinkled her nose slightly. "Maybe. But it'd have to be something that really caught my eye. I'm more focused on you getting yours."

Juliet cocked her head. "God, I love you."

"You just love my ideas," Paige said, winking as she turned to the woman behind the small counter. "Hi. I called this morning about bringing my fiancée in to try on some engagement rings."

"Ah. Paige?" The woman asked as she lifted a few trays out from a glass case. "I took the liberty of selecting some of our finest."

"Perfect." Paige placed a hand on the small of Juliet's back, encouraging her closer to the counter. "Take a look, babe."

Juliet scanned the gorgeous items laid out on the velvet cushion, her heart racing at the thought of being married to Paige. A wife had been Juliet's goal in life as she was excelling in her career, but a wife like Paige? Well, that was one of those unimaginable situations people often put themselves in. In Juliet's world, women like Paige didn't exist. Not really.

Spoilt for choice, Juliet decided she wanted something understated. She knew what Paige meant to her, and she knew the love they had for one another. It was unnecessary to select something extravagant. Simple yet stylish was what Juliet wanted.

"See anything you like?" Paige draped a loose arm around Juliet's waist, kissing her shoulder as they moved down the options.

"I…think so. I just want to check I've picked the right one." Juliet eyed Paige and smiled, shoulder-bumping her. "Though, I picked the right one some eighteen months ago now."

"Oh, that was smooth." Paige flashed one of her gorgeous smiles and shook her head. "I can't wait until everyone knows. Juliet Saunders, officially off the market."

The woman's head shot up. "You're Juliet Saunders?"

Juliet winced. She didn't want any of what she knew was coming. Yes, there had been a number of news articles about her attack, but people had left her alone up until now. That's because you don't leave the apartment anymore.

"Yes. That's me."

"Oh, how are you, love? Recovering well, I hope."

Juliet regarded her with a small smile. The people of Liverpool generally spoke to you as though they'd known you for a long time. "I am, thank you."

"Bastards!"

Juliet's brows rose at that, but then a smile curled on her lips. Again, the people of Liverpool rarely held back on what they thought. "Yes. Something like that." She scanned the rings once more, satisfied with the one that had caught her eye. "This one, baby." She pointed it out to Paige, but Paige didn't seem as enthusiastic. "You…don't like it?"

"I mean, it's lovely. I just thought you may have picked something more…you."

"More me?" Juliet lifted a brow. "I don't know what that means."

Paige guided Juliet away from the counter, smiling at the woman before she did so. "I just thought you might have picked something a little more out there, you know?"

Juliet understood that, but she wanted simplicity. The fact Paige had asked her to marry her at all was more than Juliet ever could have wished for. She meant it when she said she didn't need a ring. She was doing this only for Paige. "The one I've picked is perfect, Paige."

"Babe, if this is about how much they cost…"

Juliet took Paige's hand and squeezed. "It's not."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. The simple band with a simple stone is perfect, Paige."

Paige lifted a shoulder and walked back over to the counter. "Okay."

"Thank you," Juliet whispered as she stepped up behind Paige and wrapped her arms around her waist. "For being the perfect woman."

Paige settled her hands over Juliet's, both of them startled by a flash through the window of the store. "The fuck was that?"

Juliet froze. Someone had taken their picture.

She turned her face away from the window, anxiety tugging in her stomach. She knew her life wouldn't return to normal, and this was proof of that. Ronnie may be dead, but it seemed he likely had loyal friends after all. "Paige, c-can we go home?"

"Yeah. I'll just pay, and then we're out of here."

"No, I mean…can we go right now?" Juliet shook where she stood in the middle of the store, feeling as though someone would come bursting through the door at any moment. "What if it's one of them?"

Paige turned and handed her phone to Juliet. "Call Henry. Ask him to pick us up outside here in the next few minutes." Paige turned back to the counter and eyed the woman serving them. "Are you able to lock your door for us?"

"Of course." The woman reached under the counter and smiled. "Done. But there is a fifteen-minute delay on it. You won't be able to leave until that time runs out."

Great. Now Juliet was locked inside a store and couldn't get out when she needed to. This was a nightmare. She quickly unlocked Paige's phone and sent a message to Henry.

Can you pick us up from the jewellers on Finch Street. ASAP. Someone is taking our picture!

Juliet locked Paige's phone and shoved it in her pocket. A day that was supposed to be beautiful and unexpectedly romantic was turning out to be just another day filled with shit.

"I know him!" the woman spoke up suddenly as she peered through the window. "It's one of those bloody paparazzi!"

"I'm sorry?" Paige followed her to the window. "How do you know that?"

"Had a footballer and his wife in a couple of weeks ago. He bloody hounded the poor couple from the moment they arrived. I had to clear the place for them and let them out the back door."

Paige sighed. "You hear that, babe? It's just paparazzi."

Juliet didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This feeling of being constantly on edge was really tiring her out. She turned to Paige and the store owner. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, love. I had to ask him to leave once they'd escaped out the back. I don't know why he's here now, though. Maybe because of your news articles?"

Juliet smiled. "No, he's not here for me. He's here for my fiancée."

Paige groaned and turned away. "I'm not starting all this shit. I'm not being chased down the street. I was a fucking support act. Nothing more."

"A support act who is seeing record numbers of downloads and streams. Don't sell yourself short, Paige. You've earned the right to be known."

"Well, I don't want to be known. I just want to come into stores and buy you nice jewellery."

Juliet grinned as she looked out of the window. The paparazzi was sitting on a wall across the street, waiting to pounce again. "Maybe we should escape out the back door, too. He'll be sitting there a while before he realises we've gone."

Paige took the small bag from the counter and shoved her receipt in her wallet. "Good idea. Can we do that, um…"

"Ivy. And of course you can." Ivy cocked her head towards the back of the small store. "Follow me, ladies. I'll get you out of here no problem."

And just like that, the good people of Liverpool came through for them.