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“Why, Liv?” Harriet, their accounts lady, looked distraught. “I thought you were happy here?”
“I am. This place has been like a second home to me… but there are other factors involved. It’s not anything to do with work, I promise.”
A couple of people exchanged knowing looks. For fuck’s sake, was she that bad at keeping a secret? Liv gritted her teeth and pretended not to notice the looks. “Meg and I will probably leave toward the end of the week. I’ll throw us all a farewell party before we go.”
She’d also make sure to give everyone substantial bonuses for all their good work, but Liv would save that to be a surprise.
She spent a little more time in the office, answering questions and reassuring anyone who was anxious about the coming change.
Liv finally returned home, wishing she could stay at work longer, just to avoid the wrench of pain seeing Juliette brought every time Liv laid eyes on her. However, she had stuff to do. She had already rented a storage unit to start sneakily moving her stuff to. Once she had everything assembled – taking it out in dribs and drabs – she would pack it all into a couple of suitcases and head off to the airport with Meg.
Despite her heartache, Liv was filled with excitement at the thought of this new chapter in her life. She may never truly recover from Juliette, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t take whatever happiness she was still capable of having.
This was going to be a new start for her, and she couldn’t wait.
10
Juliette
The days were much the same. Wake up. Force herself to shower and eat. Try and fail to paint. Lunch. Try to paint again. Mope. Do her best not to cry. Splash some paint onto canvas and throw the canvas away in a fit of frustration. Dinner. Sleep, dreaming of Liv.
Juliette was sick of the dull, dreary thing her life had become, but she didn’t know any way out of this miserable existence.
She was trying, she really was. Juliette had been happy before Liv came into her life. Logically, she should be able to be happy again. After all, her life didn’t look any different to before Liv had entered it.
Juliette was different, though. Liv had changed her, and she wasn’t sure if she could ever go back. She tried to take comfort in the fact that she still had her mother’s love. Ever since she was young, she and Laura had been all the other had.
Now Laura had Kane, but she and Juliette were still close.
Juliette wished she could confide in her mom, but that simply wasn’t possible.
It was late when she got home from the grocery store. She had been procrastinating leaving, wanting to wait for Liv to be home before she got back.
Liv had been working later and later recently, but it was already dark. She should be home soon. As much as seeing Liv hurt, it was better to hurt than not see her at all. The memories were bittersweet, but being without Liv was just bitter.
When Juliette arrived home, she was pleased to see Liv’s car in the driveway. She walked inside, going to the kitchen to pack the groceries away.
Liv wasn’t there, but Laura was, working over the stove. The enticing aroma of stir fry filled the room.
“Hey, Juliette. Thanks for the groceries. Why don’t you set the table? Kane said he’ll be working late, so it’s just the two of us tonight.”
Juliette frowned. “Where’s Liv? Was she going out for dinner?” Why, then, was her car in the driveway?
Laura sighed. “Let’s go to the lounge.” She turned the stove off. “We need to talk.”
Juliette’s breath caught in her throat. Those words were never followed by anything good. There was only one thing she could think of that could bring such a serious expression to her mom’s face.
She knew. Fuck, she was about to kick Juliette out of the house, wasn’t she? Juliette did her best not to hyperventilate as different options spun through her head. She could try to deny it, but she had no idea what kind of evidence Laura had against her. She could promise to change, but Juliette knew that would be a lie.
Like it or not, she was thoroughly gay, and her sexuality wasn’t going anywhere.
She sat down on the sofa, clasping her hands to hide how hard they were trembling.
“Liv is gone.”
Oh shit. Laura wasn’t kicking Juliette out of the house – she was kicking Liv out of the house. Of course, Laura would blame Liv for ‘corrupting’ Juliette. It would be easier than blaming Juliette. But how could Kane allow her to chase his own daughter from her home?
“You can’t – this is Liv’s home. It’s my fault. I’ll go. Leave Liv be.”
