Tis The Season for Secrets (Village of Yule #2)

27. Juliet

J uliet’s one goal for the evening was to get blind drunk and make an absolute fool of herself by singing as loudly and as off-key as humanly possible. Dancing– check. Singing off-key – check. Drunk – not even close. She feared it would be one of those nights when it didn’t matter how many overpriced margaritas she had, she’d remain sober as a sailor on land.

“I need water,” Margot pleaded, taking her hand as they pushed through the sweaty, crowded club to the front of the bar. Usually, Juliet didn’t particularly enjoy the smell of sweat or having drinks sloshed over her every few minutes, but after the last few days, she needed to disappear into a sea of carelessness. The gold tinsel decorating the edge of the bar irritated her skin as she ordered another margarita from a bartender with a skull tattoo on his neck.

Margot chugged her water, swaying to the remixed Christmas music. Skull-Neck blended some ice for Juliet, but another bartender walked over and turned off the blender before turning to approach them, without their drinks.

“Sorry, ladies, but you’ve had enough for the night,” she said, raising a pierced eyebrow.

“It’s only my third drink!” Juliet called over the music. She’d never been cut off before. She glanced at the group beside them, clearly much worse for wear, being given a tray of shots.

“Boss’s orders.” The bartender shrugged. “Though Mr Bryce said you’re welcome to head to the private rooms upstairs. There’s a private bar, and he feels you’ll both be more comfortable there.”

“Mr Bryce! Harvey must own this place.” Margot side-eyed Juliet, but before either could respond, the bartender moved on to the next customer. Juliet tried to wave down someone else to make the drinks, but the other bartenders in their tight black shirts and slacks pretended they didn’t exist.

Defeated, they made their way to an empty table. Most were too busy dancing to sit.

“Why would Harvey cut us off? How did he even know we were here? You aren’t even drinking, and it’s not like I’m falling over myself,” Juliet complained.

To add insult to injury, a sealed bottle of sparkling water and two glasses were dropped off at their table.

“We could try the private bar upstairs. It’s getting really crowded down here,” Margot grumbled.

“I want to dance, not sit in some stuffy room,” Juliet groaned, but Margot was too busy texting to listen.

“Will and Harvey are here?” Her eyes darted to the door.

Juliet didn’t have to search the crowd long before spotting them. Margot waved them over. Will looked the same as the night they’d first met in his long black coat over a blue shirt and black trousers. He whispered something to Harvey, who looked more relaxed in a dark red sweater and tan trousers, and his serious gaze cut through the cheerful room as he searched for her. Worried that he would find out she’d told Margot about Yule, Juliet wanted to sink into the leather booth. She also wasn’t ready to tell him about her conversation with dear old Dad.

The dance floor was the only way to avoid any conversation about the day she’d had – even if her legs were a little numb from dancing and the generous margaritas.

Margot didn’t follow. Instead, she greeted the men with a warm smile and a kiss on the cheek. Juliet hoped they’d sit and talk while she had her fun dancing to more horrible Christmas remixes, but when she spun around Will was towering over her, looking rather amused.

“Can we talk?” he shouted.

“No, I’ve done enough talking. Dance with me!” Juliet grinned, dancing around him.

Will ran his hand over his face and leaned in, taking hold of her waist to stop her moving so much. “Let me take you home. Talking with your father couldn’t have been easy, but this isn’t the way to deal with it.”

“This is exactly the way to deal with it.”

He glared at another man who got a little too close to her, then pulled her flush against him. The stranger took the hint when she chuckled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Leave or loosen up,” she argued. Will rolled his eyes, but he spun her until she was a little dizzy. “That’s more like it!” She laughed, loving this side of him.

Over Will’s shoulder, she noticed that Harvey had his arm around Margot’s shoulder. Harvey winked as he caught her staring. He raised a glass to her before returning his attention to Margot, who seemed far more at ease now that he’d arrived.

“Wait. How did you find us?” Juliet asked, a sinking feeling in her gut made her wonder if Margot might have had something to do with it. Could it be a coincidence that they’d ended up in a bar Harvey owned?

“Margot texted Harvey while we were with Mason. She told us where you were and that she was worried about you,” Will confirmed, spinning her around so her back was against his chest. It reminded her of the first night they’d danced together at the gala.

“Mason?” she gasped; her eyes snapped back to Harvey. “Holy shit, Harvey is from Yule?”

“Please keep your voice down! This isn’t the place,” Will reminded her.

Juliet tried to distract him from her faux pas by running her hands down his chest while she swayed her hips. He gritted his teeth, looking like he wanted to lock her up away from anyone else’s eyes.

“I need a drink, and we need to talk,” he huffed, clearly distracted. “There’s a private bar upstairs.”

“I thought we were cut off.” Juliet pouted, letting him guide her through the crowd.

“Harvey owns the place. So I’ve got access to every floor, and I’ll be your own private bartender,” Will whispered.

However appealing that sounded, Juliet hesitated as they reached the bottom of a long staircase. If she went with him, they’d have to talk about yesterday, and she wasn’t ready for that. Not now. She just wanted Will to hold her and help her pretend that all was right in the world.

“Actually, I really want to just keep dancing. Can’t you stay with me down here?”

“Is this man bothering you?” The man who’d been leering at her earlier had returned. He was obviously very drunk.

“I’m fine. He’s my—” Juliet tried to think of the correct way to finish that sentence. Will’s gaze suddenly felt like it weighed a ton.

“She’s my girlfriend,” he finished for her. “Mind your own business.”

She chewed her lip to stop herself from smiling like an idiot.

“Is that true?” the drunk stranger slurred, putting a hand on Juliet’s shoulder and making her jump.

“She doesn’t want anything you have to offer,” Will said, removing the hand a bit too forcefully for her liking.

“The lady can answer for herself.” The stranger shoved Will away from her.

Juliet clenched her jaw. All she’d wanted was a nice night. She started to walk away from the dick-measuring contest, but the stranger caught her by the hips. The smell of cheap beer and cigarettes drifted over her.

“What the fuck to I have to do to be left alone?” she barked, shoving the stranger off her. She turned to tell him to go to hell, but he tried to grab her again.

Juliet saw red. Before she could stop herself, her fist connected with the stranger’s jaw. His bloodshot eyes widened with shock as he stumbled back into a table and landed hard on the sticky carpeted floor. Suddenly, the dimly lit bar felt very quiet.

“What the fuck was that? You crazy bitch!” the stranger shouted, clambering to his feet. Will got between them, keeping Juliet close to his back, and tried to talk him down while she shook out her hand, pain radiating up her arm. The stranger tried to swing at Will, but he shoved the man back into an approaching bouncer, who caught him.

Before Juliet could blink, Harvey appeared and whispered something to the bouncer. Juliet recalled how Fiona had mentioned back at the gala that he wasn’t someone to be messed with when the stranger raised his hands in defeat and left with the bouncer without a word of argument.

Overwhelmed by the shock of her actions and the pain in her hand, she made a bee line for the door, not caring if anyone was following; she had to get out of here. Only a few feet from the club, someone laid a hand on her shoulder. Terrified that the man she’d hit had come back for revenge, she clenched her already aching fist and whirled to confront him.

“It’s me– relax, fighter.” Will held up his hands defensively.

Juliet groaned and closed the distance between them to rest her forehead against his chest, not caring about getting make up on his shirt.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you yesterday, but I’m here now.” Will wrapped his arms around her. “You don’t have to handle all this alone. I don’t know what happened with your dad, and you don’t have to talk about it now,” he said into her hair, kissing the side of her head.

The comfort in his touch nearly killed her. Her father’s comments about how his love for her mom had been a mistake echoed in her mind.

“We never should’ve got involved with each other. We’re going to end up just like my parents, and I don’t think my heart can take it,” she said quietly. “I don’t want you to grow to hate me.”

Will pulled back, forcing her to look at him. “What the hell did your father say to make you think that? We’ll never be like them, because I’ve got no plan of ever leaving you. You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not, and you have been the moment I heard that damn laugh that first night in the bar.”

Juliet tried to hold back tears. “Nothing that’s worth repeating. I just wish this didn’t have to be so hard.”

“Everyone worth having comes with its challenges, but I’d give up everything I have just to spend my days with you.” Will brought her bruised hand to his lips.

“If you keep saying stuff like that, I’ll never be able to give you up,” she hiccupped, trying to believe she was worth it.

“That was a hell of a punch. Are you sure nothing is broken?” he asked quietly.

“I don’t think so. I’ve never hit anyone before,” she admitted. “Felt good in the moment, but not so much now.”

“He deserved it.” Will smirked. “He should’ve known better than to put his hands on you.”

She rolled his eyes at his caveman attitude.

“We’ve got to get some ice on this. You ready to go?” he asked.

“Yeah, that guy killed my buzz,” she sighed, wincing as she tried to flex her fingers. “But I can’t leave without telling Margot.”

When they headed back inside, the table that had been knocked over in the scuffle had been corrected. Will hovered at Juliet’s back as though ready to protect her from all angles. Any other night, she’d have brushed him off as being overbearing; right now, she appreciated it. The crowd felt overwhelming, and she didn’t let go of his hand.

Harvey and Margot sat in a quiet booth, both oblivious to their return. Juliet noticed how Harvey stared at Margot like she was the only one in the room. Still… he was from Yule. She wondered how he would react if he knew that she’d told Margot about the winter wonderland hidden in the North Pole. She swallowed her worries down and focused her attention on getting out of the bar without starting another fight.

Will leaned down to tell Harvey they were leaving, and Juliet hugged Margot, letting her know she was okay. They left the couple to enjoy the rest of their night.

Outside the bar, the quiet was all-consuming. Only a few patrons waited for taxis or were heading off to another, less crowded place.

“My car’s at my hotel, but I’ll get us a taxi to the Frost estate,” Will said at the door.

She looked down at her feet. “I’ll go with you. It shouldn’t take too long, since I’m staying at the Hudson hotel.”

“You left the estate?” His surprise was obvious. Thankfully, he was distracted by a passing taxi and held his hand out to hail it.

“I’ll explain when we get to the hotel,” Juliet said, not wanting to talk about her family troubles on the street. She wrapped her jacket tightly around herself as snow peppered her hair.

“We don’t have to talk about it at all. I’ll wait for whenever you’re ready.” Will opened the car door for her and she climbed into the back, grateful to the driver for having the heating on full blast. Resting her head on Will’s shoulder, she spent the drive back to the hotel comforted by his embrace and patience.