Page 93 of Between the Lines

She stared out the window, letting her mind wander. Who else? There were a few names she’d circled but hadn’t yet gotten around to emailing. People with interesting stories who probably didn’t think of themselves as interesting. It was funny how often those made the best stories.

She was halfway through mentally drafting another outreach message when her phone rang.

Paige’s name lit up the screen. Cece answered on the second ring. “Hey. What’s going on?”

Paige didn’t waste time with small talk. “I have a question for you, and I want you to think about it as a journalist, not just as my friend.”

Cece sat up a little straighter. “Okay.” That didn’t sound like a sentence that would lead somewhere good, but she was listening.

Paige let out a breath. “Would you consider interviewing me for your podcast?”

Cece blinked. That wasn’t what she’d expected. She hesitated. Paige seemed to take that as Cece needing more info.

“I mean as myself,” Paige said. “Not reinvention tips or skincare or anything about my TikTok, unless you want that. I mean really talking. About my life. My marriage.” She swallowed audibly. “About why it ended.”

Cece’s mouth came open as she suddenly understood what Paige was after. “This has to do with Darcy.”

“Yes,” Paige said without hesitation. “She left a comment on my Luminelle post. Enough to make it clear she’s still trying to intimidate me with what she knows. Randi saw it, too, and she’s furious. I’m not happy, either. In fact, I’m tired of waiting to see what Darcy does next. I want to take her power away from her.”

Cece leaned back, eyes on the ceiling as she realized what Paige was handing her. A real bombshell. “You’re thinking of preempting her.”

“I am,” Paige said. “And not in some vague, defensive way. In a real way. On my terms. If I tell the story openly, there’s nothing left for her to threaten me with.”

“That’s a big step,” Cece said. She didn’t want Paige to regret this later, but she also understood the idea behind it. Frankly, it was a brilliant, brave move.

“I know,” Paige replied. “I’m not taking it lightly. But if I’m going to do it anywhere, I want it to be with someone I trust. Someone who won’t treat it like gossip or make it into more than it is.”

Cece closed her eyes for a moment. This wasn’t just content. This was Paige sharing something sensitive. Something that still gave her pain. “You realize this will get talked about,” she said. “It’s what people do. They’ll listen and they’ll talk. Some of them will judge.”

“I already live with that,” Paige said. “This would just be me telling the truth instead of letting Darcy tell her version of it. And it will take the power away from her.”

“That it will.”

“I’m done with her thinking she has leverage over me,” Paige said. “In fact, I might mention that she’s the reason I’m speaking out now. I wouldn’t mention her by name, just in a vague way. What do you think?”

Cece was quiet again. She thought about the podcast, about the direction she wanted it to take. About honesty, and second acts, and how often women were expected to carry shame that wasn’t theirs.

Finally, she said, “I think I’m happy to give you a venue. And listen, you don’t owe anyone details you don’t want to share.”

“That’s why I came to you,” Paige said. “Because I knew I could trust you.”

Cece exhaled. “All right. Let me know when you want to do it and we’ll make it happen. Whatever it takes.”

Paige’s voice softened. “That’s all I was hoping for. Thank you.”

Cece smiled, even though Paige couldn’t see it. “You didn’t come to the wrong person.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Essie walked slowly along the waterline, the leash loose in her hand as she let Maple set the pace. The sand was warm under her feet, as it was well into midmorning, but the beach still felt like her own private retreat instead of a shared resource.

A few walkers passed in the opposite direction, nodding or smiling, but no one lingered. Everyone seemed to have somewhere to be. Those who were laying out or sitting under umbrellas were either sleeping or reading. It was quiet in the best way.

Maple seemed to understand the beach was something special. Essie had no idea if she’d ever been before, but she acted like it was new to her.

Maple paused often, her nose down to get all the good sniffs as she investigated shells, a washed up jellyfish, and bits of seaweed with serious focus. Essie was happy to stop and let Maple do her thing.

After she was satisfied, she’d trot forward again as if she’d reached some important conclusion. Her ears twitched at every sound. A louder than usual wave, a gull crying overhead, the faint sound of music farther up the beach. But not once did she pull or strain.