Page 44 of Happily Ever After

That had to mean that the fallout hadn’t happened yet. Because Cece had to be believe there would be fallout. No way a woman like Darcy just disappeared after a thing like Paige’s big revelation, was there?

Cece stepped out of the cart and slung her gym bag over her shoulder. Darcy wasn’t a woman who was just going to go away. Not a chance. Sure, Paige’s interview had taken away whatever leverage Darcy thought she had, but that didn’t mean Darcy was just going to smile and move on.

There would definitely be a reaction.

Cece pushed through the doors of the fitness center, the familiar scent of rubber mats and disinfectant meeting her immediately. Over the low hum of treadmills and the occasional clank of weights, the background music played. Today seemed to be a mix of the ’60s and ’70s.

She signed in, dropped her bag in a locker, then stuck her earbuds in and tucked her phone into the pocket of her leggings. She left the locker room and headed for the treadmills.

Cece smiled. Paige was already there. Cece gave a little wave and Paige returned it.

Paige walked with purpose even on a treadmill, posture upright, earbuds in, arms swinging slightly with each step. She looked focused.

Cece stepped onto the treadmill beside her. She started it at a slow pace, then reached over and tapped Paige lightly on the arm.

Paige glanced over, then pulled one earbud free. “Hey.”

“Morning,” Cece said. “You look like you’re in the zone, so I’m sorry for bothering you. Just wanted to say hi.”

Paige smiled. “You’re not bothering me. How are you?”

“I’m good.” Cece adjusted her speed until they were moving in sync. She didn’t ask about Darcy, even though she wanted to. But she could feel the unspoken question hovering between them like a new kind of shared tension.

They walked a few minutes without saying anything else.

Then Cece sighed, glanced at the display in front of her, then back at Paige. “Any word from you-know-who?”

Paige shook her head. “Not yet.” She bumped the incline up a notch, the belt humming a little louder beneath her feet. “But I’m sure there will be.”

“When it happens,” Cece said, keeping her tone light. “You know we’ve all got your back.”

Paige shrugged. “I appreciate that, but I’d rather she just went away.”

“We all want that, trust me.”

They walked on, the steady rhythm of the treadmills taking them nowhere fast, but at least they were moving.

Cece couldn’t help herself. She checked her podcast dashboard on her phone, then glanced at Paige. “I owe you for that mention. Your episode is doing great. Actually, so is Blaise’s. The numbers are still climbing.”

Paige lifted an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Yep. Steadily,” Cece said, her heart feeling light and full again. She’d never imagined her launch would be this successful. “Every time I look, they’re just better and better. And in a fairly significant way.”

Paige smiled. “That’s because you pick great guests.”

Cece let out a short laugh. “Please. That’s because you told half the internet where to find it.”

Paige shook her head. “You launched with a woman who was once a household name. A legitimate supermodel. That did a lot of heavy lifting. But also, you’ve already created something that’s interesting, that people trust, and you’re sharing stories that people want to hear. I just pointed them in the right direction.”

“Well,” Cece said. “I’ll take the assist. Thank you.”

They walked in sync for a few beats, the conversation lightening the air between them. Paige reached over and nudged the incline and speed down a fraction, clearly moving into her cooldown part of the workout.

“I’m glad it’s being received the way it is,” Paige said. “That it’s not become something sensational.”

“Well, that was never the end game,” Cece said.

“I know, and I appreciate that.”