Page 26 of Happily Ever After

She sat for a moment, thought about hitting Record, then changed her mind almost immediately.

Not yet.

She got up and walked into the kitchen, poured herself a glass of water, and took a few slow sips. The house was perfectly quiet, which was fantastic for recording, but she could practically hear her heart beating.

She was definitely nervous and she wasn’t sure why.

Sure, tomorrow, the interview would go live, but she was ready to share this part of her past with the world. It was the right thing to do. Maybe it wasn’t her timing, but Darcy had pushed her too far.

This needed to happen.

Maybe what she was worried about was Darcy. And how she might react.

Well, that was on Darcy. Come tomorrow morning, that woman would no longer have a hold over Paige. She exhaled, some of her nerves leaving with the breath.

She thought about the interview at Cece’s studio. The way the words had come out better than she’d expected. She was proud of how calm she’d been. How she’d gotten through the whole thing without breaking down, even though she’d felt like it. And then the relief she’d felt afterward. She definitely hadn’t expected that. It was as if a weight had been lifted. Maybe, in a way, it had been.

Paige went to the living room and sat again, this time staying put. She picked up her tablet and glanced at the notes app she’d opened earlier. A few short lines. Basically, just reminders to keep her on track and make sure she got all the pertinent information out there.

She propped the tablet up on the stack of books on her coffee table so she could glance at it if necessary.

Paige made sure her remote control for the light setup was on and pressed Record.

“Hey, there,” she said, then paused and started over.

She exhaled, then tried again. “Good morning, or whatever time it might be when you see this. I wanted to let you know that I’m about to share something deeply personal with you.”

Better.

She spoke slowly, choosing her words the same way she always did when it mattered. “I recorded an interview for a podcast this week that’s just gone live. As I said, it’s deeply personal, and it’s very honest. It’s something I’ve kept private for a long time.”

She glanced at her notes and reminded herself to smile enough that her words seemed positive, not dire.

“I had no intention of sharing this information, but someone in my life decided it gave them leverage over me.” She let her smile disappear. “If you know anything about me, you know that’s not something I was ever going to be okay with. I’m stronger than that and I will not be bullied.”

She let the smile come back. “I’ve decided to take that person’s leverage away from them and tell you my story in my words. No varnish. Just the truth of what happened.”

She lifted her chin slightly. “Not because I owe anyone an explanation, but because I’m not about to let someone else have that kind of power over me. If you want to know more, you can hear it for yourself on the Real Life: Take Two podcast. I’m the second episode.”

She pointed down to where she’d be adding the link. “That’s where you want to go. I hope it resonates with you. Have a wonderful day.” She smiled more fully. “I know I will.”

She let the words hang there, then ended the recording.

Paige sat for a moment, remote warm in her hand. She was still nervous, but it was done. She could relax now.

She saved the clip and set the phone down. She’d edit the video before she went to bed tonight so it was ready to go first thing. It was time to get to the pub and enjoy dinner with the man who was fast becoming the love of her life.

By the time Paige locked the front door, the video was saved and the tripod was back in the hall closet.

Putting things away always gave her a sense of calm. Like finishing that one thing took away a small amount of chaos. Whatever the reason, it worked.

The pub was busy without being too loud, but she’d come to expect some noise. The dinner crowd was settling in. Ceiling fans turned slowly overhead, and the air carried the savory aroma of something fried and a hint of beer.

Paige spotted Graham immediately. He was at their usual table near the back, same instant smile when he saw her walking toward him. He got up immediately.

“Good evening,” he said, greeting her with a kiss before pulling out her chair.

“Good evening to you,” she said back, sliding in. The vinyl seat was cool through her jeans.