Page 17 of The B Side

The worst thing was that it felt like she was being punished simply for being gay. Like she’d told Darcy, she’d known logically this would likely be the case, so it felt foolish to be so upset. But she was.

And, like she’d told Darcy, she fucking hated that.

“Your choice.” Robbie held his hands up before he asked, “So, when are you heading to Pineford for the wedding?”

Juliet worked her jaw back and forth, then she finally answered, “Tomorrow morning.”

Robbie let out a long, deep sigh. “Whew. I got a little nervous for a second that you were gonna tell me that you weren’t going to your girlfriend’s sister’s wedding. Which–” He gave her a look. “Would be totally crazy. Right?”

She pursed her lips at him. Unfortunately, Robbie knew her far too well by now.

She’d hesitated in answering because she’d been debating going. Darcy had given her the out; she’d told Juliet that she’d understand if she wasn’t going to be there.

And Juliet… waffled.

On one hand – the biggest hand – she didn’t want to let Darcy down. Hell, she didn’t even want to let Blythe down. Somehow, over the last two years, she’d come to really care about Blythe in her own right.

But, on the other hand, what if Juliet’s presence – and therefore, her presence with Darcy as a couple – overshadowed Blythe on her wedding day? This obviously wasn’t something Darcy had thought about, but Juliet was always the one thinking more about the optics.

Maybe she should have waited to come out until the wedding was all over, so it didn’t spill over to cause tension with Blythe. Another aspect that had been weighing on her.

“I didn’t think it was going to be this hard,” she finally stated, quietly, leaning heavily back in her chair.

And fuck all if she’d thought that label execs wouldn’t be taking her calls. She’d known it wouldn’t all be sunshine and roses, but… she was Juliet Jacobs. Her last two albums had been back-to-back successes, top of the charts. And Darcy?!

“What, did you think coming out was gonna solve all your problems? Come on, Juliet. You’re a hell of a lot smarter than I am, and I knew that wouldn’t be the case.”

“Of course I didn’t,” she managed not to snap, but she did roll her eyes. But come on. “I never thought it would be easy.”

Hence why she’d been in the closet in the fucking first place.

Fine, so she’d also had Harrison and Copper Canyon to contend with, but… she’d known what it would be like. In theory, anyway.

“But I hate feeling like I’ve traded a handful of problems just to be handed back a handful of different ones. I thought it would get easier in some regards, at least.”

That maybe it would be easier for her and Darcy to just live their lives. Their life, their shared life.

Robbie nodded slowly, rubbing over the stubble on his chin. “Okay, sure. I get that. And, I mean, I do see what you’re saying. The hate is, like, intense.”

“Yes, thank you. I’m living it.”

“And so’s Darcy.”

Juliet’s stomach clenched. “Yes.”

Darcy was also living in it. Darcy was the one who’d dealt with the paparazzi drama, and the subsequent meetings with their lawyer.

Which had happened because Juliet had decided it was right for them to come out. It wasn’t just her neck on the line; it was Darcy’s. And the guilt of what was playing out, affecting Darcy, too… it gnawed away at her.

The only thing Juliet had ever wanted since she’d fallen for Darcy had been to make her life easier.

“But,” Robbie started, before he trailed off and gave a little sigh. “It must kind of feel like a relief, right?”

The way he looked at her, with a hopeful searching glint in his eyes, hit home in a way Juliet hadn’t expected. He was looking at her like he wanted to live vicariously through her.

And maybe, in a lot of ways, he did.

That look pinged something deep inside of her that she hadn’t anticipated, making her breath catch in her throat, the emotion hammering through her.