She reached up, rubbing her hands over her face, letting out a tremulous breath. “Anyway. That’s when we moved into the apartment upstairs, got jobs here. Sandra – the owner – she knew what was going on, what situation we were in. She was great.”
And even though it was Pineford, even though it was complicated, she’d lived in the upstairs apartment of the bowling alley longer than she’d lived anywhere. The place she and Blythe had made theirs had been the most stable home she’d ever had.
“The rest… well, you’ve listened toBowling Alley Ballads.” She injected some levity into her voice, turning to look at Juliet for the first time in minutes. “Here I am.”
Juliet had already reached up, both of her hands cupping Darcy’s jaw. Darcy’s inhale choked off in her throat, as Juliet didn’t say anything, just looked at her. There was a crushing, burning intensity in her gaze, and Darcy felt it ping through her entire body.
Then Juliet surged forward, capturing Darcy’s lips, the passion just as intense as it had been etched into her face.
She didn’t disconnect from their kiss even as she felt Juliet push forward, wedging herself between Darcy and the piano, settling firmly in Darcy’s lap.
Only then did Juliet lean back enough to whisper against her mouth, “That’s exactly right, Darcy:here you are.”
There was something so strongly affirming in her voice, and it coursed through her veins as she wrapped her arms around Juliet’s waist, keeping them pressed together.
Darcy might have written a lot of songs about romance in her life.
But with the way she felt her heart pounding in her chest, the way she felt with Juliet completely wrapped around her and those words circling through her ears, she realized: being with Juliet was the only time she’d ever really felt all of those romantic feelings she wrote about.
Dead Air — The latest on Jacobs-Kincaid
December 23
Darcy Kincaid in the audience at Juliet Jacobs’ final tour, cheering her on!
From enemies to besties: A look at how Juliet Jacobs and Darcy Kincaid’s relationship has shifted over the timeline of Juliet’sWhiskey and White Lace Tour.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Juliet stabbed indiscriminatelyat the fruit in her bowl with her fork, internally counting the minutes until this was over.
Doing brunch with her family was the quickest, most painless way through the morning. She’d learned that years ago. And on more occasions than not, Harrison would walk away mid-meal to take a business call, which really changed the entire mood.
She never really knew what to say to Harry or Cash. Siblings or not, she didn’t know them very well. And most of the time when they interacted, they reminded her so much of Harrison.
Sitting around the dining table for their Christmas Eve brunch felt even more painful than it usually did, though.
Because she kept thinking about Darcy. About Darcy and her family.
Technically, Darcy and Blythe were half-siblings. They were the same genetic percentage related to one another as Juliet was to her brothers.
But even when they were annoyed at one another or when they disagreed, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Juliet had only spent one real day with them, and it was clear as day: theywerea team.
Even when they’d danced together against Juliet and Colton – and Juliet had tried her damndest, but Blythe’s fiancé wasnotgifted with rhythm – they’d been perfectly in-sync.
But Darcy and Blythe… loved one another. Like, deeply. As in, Darcy hadn’t wanted to spend a day stringing popcorn together, but she’d done it for hours and hours.
And when they’d all been hanging out, the mood had been so easy. Even when Blythe was sending out orders like the General of the Holiday Army, it hadn’t felt like a dark cloud had settled over the room.
Not like it felt in this room right now, as they ate in silence, occasionally interspersed with her brothers joking with one another, or her mom asking them relatively impersonal questions.
The mood in the Jacobs’ house had never been light and happy, though. When she and her mom had moved in after her mother’s whirlwind romance with Harrison, Juliet hadbelievedtheir lives were changed for the better.
She’d been nine years old. Going from barely getting by and singing for her supper, sometimes literally, to moving into thismansion? To having everything she could ever need at her fingertips?
Even then, though, the vibe around here hadn’t beenjoyful. They’d never sung holiday songs together and decorated a tree, just for fun. One year, they’d done it for a photoshoot when Harrison had been featured inCapital & Co. Magazine.
“So, Jules, your final show seemed like it went really well, hmm?” Her mom asked, looking up at her from across the table.
