Page 39 of Happily Ever After

She waited nearly a full minute before picking it back up. It was hard not to look because the numbers were still moving.

Telling her side of things had paid off in a big way. Her views were climbing, the comments kept stacking up, and she’d gained several thousand new followers. It was the kind of response that told her being so honest had resonated with people.

Luminelle would be pleased. The posts she’d done for them were getting a lot of attention as well.

She knew from Cece’s most recent text that her episode of the podcast was blowing up, as was Blaise’s, which had already done well, but was seeing a new surge.

Paige had to wonder what Darcy was thinking. She had no idea because Darcy had remained oddly silent. Paige wasn’t sure that was a good thing, but it wasn’t like she could control what Darcy did.

Only her own actions. And as far as those went, she was about to read more comments. She sat back on the couch and did just that, replying to as many as she could to keep the engagement high.

Most of the comments were supportive, which she deeply appreciated. Some were just curious and asked questions she had no intention of answering. There were a handful of thank-yous from women who said they’d needed to hear something like this.

Paige smiled at those. Those women were her people. Those women were the reason she was doing all of this.

She looked up, so pleased that all of this had gone so well. It had been a gamble, and something she’d basically been forced into by Darcy, but in the end, truth had won out.

Across the room, the late-afternoon light spilled through the windows, catching on the edge of the coffee table. She exhaled, a new sense of peace settling over her.

Her phone buzzed again. Just a new email coming in. She opened her TikTok app to see what was new.

More comments. A couple of direct messages. Paige skimmed them, then set her phone to silent. That was enough for now.

She stood and walked into the bedroom, opening the closet to have a look at a few things. Tonight, she and Graham were headed to the new Indian place in Beechwood. People had been talking about the place since it opened, and it was garnering rave reviews.

She’d already looked it up online, already checked out the photos people had posted online. Soft, warm lighting. Brass fixtures. Gorgeous jewel tones.

The place had great visuals, and she was definitely going to get some content.

She set two outfit options on the bed, then stepped back and studied them like she would for a video. One felt safe. The other felt a lot bolder, the colors more vibrant than what she might usually wear.

Paige chose the second, a fuchsia tunic threaded with gold that she’d pair with navy capri leggings also trimmed in gold, then gold sandals to finish the look. Why not? She didn’t want to disappear against that rich background.

She caught her reflection in the mirror as she hung the outfit on the closet door. She looked happy. Because she was. Life was good.

Life with Graham at her side was even better.

And after the way things had gone with her big reveal on TikTok, she was rethinking the idea of keeping Graham all to herself. She’d initially done it to protect him and to protect their privacy. Still valid reasons.

But including him didn’t mean pasting him across her channel. She could do it occasionally. Just enough to let her followers know he was important to her.

Granted, she hadn’t planned on sharing him this soon. But plans had a way of shifting. She talked so much about truth and honesty and living an authentic life. Keeping him off-camera suddenly felt like a contradiction.

Like she was keeping another secret. And, in a way, she was.

Well, no more. She’d talk to Graham about it on the way to the restaurant and if he agreed, she was making him a part of her online life, too.

She wasn’t going to make a big announcement. People would figure it out when they saw him. When they saw the way he looked at her. And the way she returned that look.

Paige set the phone down and headed back into the living room to read the last bit of her book. If she finished early, she might take another look at the book she was going to recommend at Thursday’s meeting.

Paige was ready when she heard Graham’s car arrive.

She stopped in front of the hall mirror to check her reflection one last time. She smoothed a hand over her tunic, then grabbed her small crossbody bag from the hook by the door. By the time she stepped outside, Graham was already getting out of the car.

She met him halfway.

“Hello, there,” he said.