Chapter 3

"Anyone for a top-up?" Hannah worked her way around the dining table, holding up a bottle of red wine. She eyed Juliet's glass. "Juliet?"

Juliet nodded, too busy enjoying the slow-roasted lamb Hannah had cooked that evening. No wonder Caz was so in love with her; she'd kept her cooking skills quiet. "Please. And I'll have some more lamb if there is any leftover."

Hannah quirked a brow. "From what I remember, you only ever ate salad. Rabbit food. Is someone keeping you busy and working up an appetite?"

Juliet felt Paige's hand settle on her thigh at that. "Maybe."

"Well, I hope that's the case." Hannah turned her attention to Caz. "Babe?"

"Definitely. And Juliet is right. This lamb is the best you've cooked." Caz winked in Hannah's direction, taking the hand that hung at Hannah's side. "Thank you for this. It's great."

Hannah leaned down and kissed Caz, smiling against her lips. "Anything for you."

Juliet's insides swirled as she relaxed back in her seat. When she'd quit law and, in turn, left Hannah at the company once she'd sold it off, she hadn't expected them to remain such good friends. There had been a moment when Juliet had been caught up in all things bar and Paige-related, but in the last eight months or so, Hannah and Caz had become a huge part of their lives. Edie, too. That child was one hell of an old soul.

"Nothing from Rachel and Andi?" Caz asked, lowering her cutlery and lifting her glass. "Hannah said you were going to get in touch with them about coming over tonight."

"Mm. I did. They're busy…again."

Caz narrowed her eyes in Juliet's direction. "You don't think they're actively avoiding some kind of friendship with you, do you?"

"I…it's hard to say, really. If that was the case, then I'd understand, but I'd also expect them to be adult enough to say that to me. I don't want to chase them if they have no intentions of joining this group of friends, you know?"

Caz nodded and then offered a smile when Hannah sat back down at the table. "What do you think?"

Hannah puffed out her cheeks. "Look, I can kinda understand where Rachel is coming from if she's avoiding Paige and Juliet."

Paige scoffed. "You…can?"

"Well, yes. She did fall in love with Juliet…let's not forget that." Hannah gave Paige a knowing look. "And you two are still together, so maybe she just feels awkward about it all. I get on really well with Rachel, and I think she's lovely, but she may need some time to understand that not everything is drama. I think the last thing she expected was to be welcomed by the four of us once she'd met Andi."

Paige shrugged. "Well, whatever. There's absolutely no ill feelings there for me. I wouldn't have given her the membership if I didn't want to see her around."

" I know that," Hannah said, helping herself to more vegetables from the bowl in the middle of the table. "We all know it. But I also understand her on a different level. On an…escort level, if you will."

"Huh." Paige lowered her fork and eyed Hannah. "Care to explain?"

"Sure." Hannah settled her hand over Caz's where it rested beside her plate. "Juliet is an attractive woman. I can see why Rachel fell for her?—"

"Now, hold on!" Paige sat forward in her seat. "If anything ever happened between you two, I don't need to know about it."

"It didn't!" Juliet and Hannah said in unison.

"Mm."

Juliet laughed, turning to Paige. "Calm down, tiger."

Hannah rolled her eyes and sighed. "Here, think of it this way. So, Caz…if you and I were nothing more than client/escort, but we decided to sleep with one another, and you felt something more without me knowing, and then Juliet shows up in my life and I'm attracted to her, how would you feel?"

Paige slumped back in her seat. "Why do we have to use Juliet as an example when it comes to fucking all of you?"

Juliet leaned in towards Paige's ear, her voice painfully low. "If you don't relax and stop taking this so seriously, I'm going to really punish you when we get home."

Paige smirked, but Hannah and Caz glared back at them both.

"What?"

Caz sniggered to herself. "You didn't say that as quietly as you thought you did."

Juliet opened her mouth to respond, but Hannah pointed a finger between Juliet and Paige. "I can see it, though."

"See what?" Juliet's brows drew together.

"How you'd be the one punishing Paige. You give off…Domme vibes since you took on that bar."

Well, that was good to know. It would also teach Juliet not to tease Paige while they were having dinner with friends. "Anyway, back to your…explanation. Caz?"

Caz cleared her throat. "If I was Rachel in the position she'd been in, then I'd be a little embarrassed when it came to seeing you and Paige again. I'd get over it eventually, but yes, I can see what Hannah is saying."

Paige sat upright, relaxing into the conversation. "I just hope it doesn't always come between plans. I like Rachel, Andi is just adorable judging by the very brief conversation I've had with her, and I really hope we can all be friends and do this sort of thing together soon. Life's too short, you know?"

"I think that is a very good way of putting it." Caz pushed her dinner plate away, smiling at Paige. "Now, can we change the subject before someone splits up?"

"Hang on." Paige turned to Juliet and eyed her. " Nothing ever happened between you and Hannah, right?"

"It wasn't Hannah. It was Eva. And no, nothing ever happened."

Paige wrinkled her nose as she eyed Hannah. "Eva? You called yourself Eva?"

"I know. I know."

Caz leaned in. "I'll have you know that Eva was very sexy."

"Eva also didn't want to be in the line of work she was in," Juliet said, offering Hannah an understanding smile. "Right?"

"You're right. But I can't complain. I found a friend for life when I met you and the woman of my dreams when I met Caz. I'd say it worked out pretty well for me in the end."

"And you never had an issue with Hannah working for Juliet?" It was time for Paige to grill Caz. "I'm sorry, but I've just realised that we've never actually spoken about those days."

"I…didn't." Caz hesitated as she spoke those words.

Juliet and Hannah both raised a brow at that. Juliet was very fond of Caz, they were good friends these days, but she found it hard to believe that Caz had never once thought about the ex-escort relationship carrying over into business.

"What? I didn't." Caz waved a hand. "Not really. Not deep down."

"One tiny hiccup," Hannah explained, clasping her hands under her chin. "We almost broke up because of it, but I think we were far too involved with one another by that point for jealousy to really get in the way."

Juliet tried to recall any hiccup that had involved her being Hannah's client. "When was this? I don't remember you and Caz even being together when I was your client."

"I… It wasn't that time. It was once you were my boss."

Paige drummed her fingertips against the table. "Interesting."

"Yes, baby. It is interesting." Juliet mirrored Paige's position, eyeing both Hannah and Caz. "Well?"

"When we were in London, Caz showed up to surprise me." Hannah entwined her fingers with Caz's. "Which, by the way, was one of the sweetest things she could have done for me back then."

Ah. That time. Juliet had felt the tension in the room as she'd introduced herself to Caz, the tension in the handshake too, but she'd put that down to it simply being the first meeting. "When I was in your room." Juliet nodded slowly, recalling the conversation she'd had with Hannah before Caz had arrived. A mistake on Juliet's part and one she was very lucky to not lose a friend over. "I'm sorry. I had no idea it had been an issue for you both."

Caz laughed. "Oh, it's fine. We're all here, aren't we? We're all friends, and we're all in love with the people we should be in love with."

Juliet lifted her wine glass. "We certainly are. And you know what? I couldn't ask for a more perfect group of friends."

Juliet felt Paige palm her knee, and then she leant in and kissed Juliet's cheek. "Couldn't have said that better, babe."

Paige crept up the stairs, smiling when she heard her own music playing from behind Edie's bedroom door. She had returned home from her friends twenty minutes ago, only saying a brief hello before retreating to her bedroom. She seemed a little strange around Paige lately, so Paige had decided she would check in with Hannah's daughter.

She knocked on the door, waiting until she was either called inside or Edie opened her door. She didn't want the kid to feel uncomfortable.

The door opened, and Edie stared back at her with wonder. "H-hi."

"Hey, kid. Got a minute?"

Edie nodded and stepped to the side. "Okay."

Paige shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans, stepping into the room. Edie's bedroom was immaculate, but every inch of Hannah and Caz's home was. "You didn't stay downstairs for long before. Is everything okay?"

"Yes." Edie shifted from left to right, her cheeks red. "Are you leaving now?"

"No, we're going to stay for a while. Don't you want to come and join us?"

"N-no. It's okay. I have homework to do."

Paige sat on the edge of Edie's bed, patting the space beside her. "Come and sit down."

Edie did so, picking at her fingernails when she rested her hands in her lap.

"Edie, is everything okay? Is school going well and stuff?"

"Yeah. I got top marks on some mock GCSE exam we did the other day. Mrs Churchill says I'm doing better than my predicted grades."

"That's amazing. But you're way more clever than all of us lot put together." Paige winked, nudging Edie with her shoulder. "If school is good, then is there something else on your mind?"

Edie chewed her lip, her eyes still focused on her hands.

"If there was something, you know you can talk to me, don't you? Anything at all. And I'd help in any way I could."

Edie turned a little, finally looking at Paige. "You know, because you're famous now? Well, does that mean you won't be friends with my mums anymore?"

God, Paige didn't know what to tackle first. The fact that Edie thought she wouldn't be friends with Hannah and Caz anymore, or the ease at which she spoke ‘her mums'. "Me? Not be friends with you and your mums? No way. We're all practically best friends. I won't be around for a few weeks, but once I'm home, I'll be here to hang out with everyone again."

Edie smiled. "Are you sure?"

"You're stuck with me, kid. Whether you like it or not." Paige grinned, picking up Edie's phone where it sat on the bed. A playlist was visible on the lock screen. "So, what do you think about this stuff you're listening to?"

It was still Paige's music that was playing.

"Any good?"

"Amazing. You're so talented. All my friends are jealous that I know you."

"You did tell them that I'm basically your auntie, didn't you?"

Edie took her phone from Paige and turned it over. She reached for a sharpie on her desk and regarded Paige with a shy smile. "Would you sign my phone case for me?"

"Sure. Anything else while I'm here?" Paige took the phone and scribbled her name across the back of it. She side-eyed Edie, adoring the grin Hannah's daughter wore. Who knew she could make a child so happy just by singing and playing piano.

"Um, can I have a look and bring some stuff downstairs in a minute?"

Paige nodded. "Of course. I'm not going anywhere yet. Here for a few hours."

Paige got to her feet, surprised when Edie followed and wrapped her arms around her. "Thanks for being great, Paige."

"Hey," Paige said, pulling back and holding Edie by the face. "I'm still just the same person I was before all of the lights and crowds. And soon, I'll be that person all over again."

"I wish I could see you live. Mum tried so hard to get me tickets. For me, her, and Caz, but the site crashed."

No. That wouldn't do. If Paige couldn't get her favourite people tickets to see her perform, what was the point in all of this?

"Leave it with me. I'll get you tickets." Paige embraced Edie again, ruffling her hair as she moved towards the bedroom door. "I'll see you downstairs, okay?"

"Kay."

Paige left Edie's bedroom and took the stairs two at a time. She heard everyone laughing in the living room, Juliet's mirth noticeable and one of her favourite sounds. As she entered, everyone fell silent.

"Um, did you want me to go back out so you can carry on the conversation?"

Juliet reached out a hand, beckoning Paige towards the couch in the window. "No. I want you right here next to me."

Paige flopped down and sighed. "Your kid is adorable, by the way. She's under the impression that I won't be your friend anymore now that I'm famous or something."

Hannah tipped her wine glass towards Paige. "And I hope you gave her the correct response. Because if you change and I lose one of my best friends, shit is going to get serious."

Paige dragged a hand through her hair. "Honestly? I can't wait for this tour to end, and it hasn't even begun."

"Why?" Caz perked up.

"I just prefer to be here, like this, with the real people in my life. Not the band and Soraya and all of her group. They're not my people at all. I don't think the unexpectedness of it all has helped, either. Europe was great, but it was enough for me. It was never a plan to tour the UK with her, too."

"Well, we'll be here waiting for your return."

"When I was speaking to Edie," Paige sat forward and lowered her voice. "She was saying you tried to get tickets for one of the shows."

"Yeah. It was a waste of time. The site crashed within three minutes, and then the tickets were gone."

"Why didn't you say? I can get you a few tickets if you want some. Since the supposed love of my life isn't interested in taking even one, you guys are welcome to them. I'll see what I can get my hands on, okay?"

"No, Paige. We don't want to be those people. I'll pay for them the next time you're touring."

Paige snorted. "Well, you'll be waiting a long time. Once the UK leg is over, I have a lot to get on with here in Liverpool." Paige squeezed Juliet's knee. "Right, babe?"

"Mm. Though I have told you that you should consider continuing. It just makes sense."

Paige rested her head on Juliet's shoulder. This was where she wanted to be. Not in some hotel room with terrible TV. "I prefer the bar. It's more my style."

Caz whistled. "That's a big sacrifice. You have the chance to travel the world. To perform to sell-out crowds. Yet you choose a bar on a back street in the city."

"Correction, I choose Juliet . I understand what you're all saying, and I appreciate that you think I'm capable of taking on something so mammoth, but Liverpool is where I want to be."

Hannah relaxed against Caz, beaming a smile. "I admire that. It tells me everything I need to know about you."

"I think you know me well enough by now, but yeah…I know what I want, and it's not spending my life on the road. It's here, in this amazing city, with this one." She turned her head and smiled at the very woman who had effectively saved her life. In more ways than one. "And if you can't get on board with that, then it's your own problem, babe."

"Oh, I'm on board with it. Of course I am."

"Paige!"

Paige jumped at the sound of Edie's voice. She shot up from the couch and followed the voice. Edie was standing at the top of the stairs, holding her phone up. "My friends are all on Zoom waiting to meet you."

Paige poked her head around the doorframe, smirking at Hannah. "Be right back. Your daughter and my groupies are waiting for me. And as for those tickets…I will get you some!"