Chapter 37 Sienna
THIRTY-SEVEN
SIENNA
“They’re gorgeous,” Liv breathes as she flips through the designs.
“How in god’s name are you going to choose between them?” Lennox leans over her shoulder, her lips parted in what might actually be wonder.
Internally, I squeal.
I nailed it.
The girls came over to see my new place since their men are still traveling, and after a tour, we relocated to Hannah’s apartment.
It’s easier this way, since her place is babyproofed.
Millie left Vivi with Beckett and Winnie so she could play with the twins, but Taylor, Maverick, and Beckham are all here.
It’s wild the way my family exploded practically overnight. And I’m constantly impressed with how hands-on my brothers are with their kids. Especially since our parents were never around. They clearly didn’t model the nurturing ways the guys have all adopted.
“The better question is, can you make one before the gala? It’s in two weeks.” Liv flips through the designs again, a longing look on her face.
Warmth blooms in my chest. It makes me happy to do this for her. Honestly, I missed working with individual clients once my brand took off. Creating designs for mass consumption meant I missed out on moments like this.
Taylor is snoozing in my arms while Sara takes a break. She’s across the room on the couch, eyes closed, wineglass in hand, and a smile on her face. According to her, she’s immersing herself in this moment and memorizing what it’s like to have four free limbs again.
I think she might have a bit of a buzz going.
“It’s not a problem. I’ll have all three made by then. That way you can try them on before you decide.”
“Oh my god, seriously? I’m so jealous,” Lennox whines. “If she doesn’t like one, can I have it? I don’t care which. I’ll wear any of them.”
Liv giggles, picking up her glass of wine. “Pick your favorite. I’ll choose between the other two.” Nose scrunched, she turns to me. “If that’s okay with you.”
“Hey, what about me?” Sara whimpers, her eyes still closed. “I need a dress.”
Hannah appears with a platter of cheese, laughing. “Look what you started.”
Ava follows her in and sets a bottle of wine on the table. Then she takes the spot next to me on the floor and settles Beckham in her lap.
“Let me put Beck in the playpen with Mav,” Hannah says, holding her arms out. “Then you can relax.”
With a shrug, Ava hands off her son. Then she takes a long, slow sip of her wine, like maybe she’s almost as overstimulated as Sara is after all the solo parenting she’s done this week. “Josie is so excited for the gala. Our final dress fittings are on Saturday.”
Lennox bounces, her smile bright. “What is our little princess wearing?”
Ava pulls her phone out of the side pocket of her cream-colored leggings and swipes a few times, then holds it out to us.
In the image, Josie is wearing a hot pink dress with sequins on top and a puffy skirt created by layers of chiffon over tulle to keep its shape.
Her strawberry blond hair is pulled back in a long braid, and the smile on her face is infectious.
“Scar’s is the same style in light pink. They’re both thrilled.”
“Oh my god, they are my favorite ever.” Hannah groans. “Tell me your dress matches.”
Ava laughs, her shoulders bouncing, and tucks her loose red hair behind her ears. “If it came in my size, I’m sure they would have insisted. Mine isn’t quite so poofy, and it’s a much deeper pink.”
“I’m thinking of wearing magenta,” I tell her. “I’m not really a pinky-pink girl.”
“I am.” With a saucy wave of her hand, Lennox flips her bright pink hair.
The room erupts in laughter, and when we settle down, I promise Lex and Sara that I’ll design whatever they want.
“Me too?” Millie asks as she settles a hand on her small bump.
“Of course. A peachy pink color, right?”
She waggles her brows. “Gotta keep your brother happy.”
“Ew,” I groan.
Hannah cackles as she drops onto the couch.
“Speaking of brothers,” Lennox interjects. “My husband told me you spent some time with Noah while you were traveling.”
Every person in the room turns their attention on me, their scrutiny like a physical weight.
Keeping my expression neutral, I lift my chin. “Because Mav was sick and Hannah asked me to hang with Ollie, right?”
“Yup, she did me a solid.” Hannah nods and gives me a smile, though it quickly morphs into something more devious. “That one time. You decided to spend all that extra time with him all on your own.”
Sara sits up, finally forcing her eyes open. “Oh, do tell. What did you do, exactly?”
I slump back against the couch. “Nothing. We went fishing. Did touristy things. Ollie told him how little I know about hockey, so he offered to help me so I don’t lose my job.”
And then we spent hours talking over FaceTime. About everything and absolutely nothing. The ease I feel when I’m with Noah is nonsensical. And the frequency with which I think about him when we’re not together? It’s downright ludicrous. So is how badly I crave him even after all this time.
I’d convinced myself that he wasn’t as perfect as my memories made him out to be. That the missed opportunity only added to the appeal. But I’m beginning to think he really was meant for me. That he’s my person. And I’m not sure what to do about that.
“You aren’t going to lose any job,” Liv says pointedly.
Unease swirls in my stomach. “Yeah, well, I don’t like not knowing things. Call it a personality defect.”
She lifts one shoulder. “I get it. And as a female CEO, I appreciate it. But your brothers wouldn’t have put you in this position if they didn’t think you could do it. You and I both know that.”
She’s right. And I know I can be useful. Still, the idea that any of my peers could think otherwise stings.
“Harry is single, though,” Lennox sings. “And oh so fine.”
“It’s the glasses,” Ava murmurs.
Hannah jackknifes up, her spine stick-straight. “Ava.”
Our redheaded friend’s cheeks go pink. “What?”
“He’s your husband’s best friend,” she shouts. “And your best friend’s brother.”
Lennox snickers. “Sounds like a trope you’d love.”
Ava eyes her best friend over her wineglass. “Sorry, but your brother is hot. I’d have to be dead not to notice. Every guy on that team is good-looking.”
“And off-limits,” I remind them all. “Because I’m their boss.”
Liv tilts her head thoughtfully. “Not exactly.”
“Right,” Millie chimes in, wearing a wicked grin. “And since when do you Langfields worry about inappropriate relationships?”
“Of course the woman who seduced her dad’s best friend would ask that,” Lennox teases.
I groan. “Can we not use the word seduced when we’re talking about my brothers?”
Millie and Hannah break into matching cackles. One would think the two of them would understand my plight, considering Hannah married Millie’s twin and the girls are talking about how hot Hannah’s stepbrother is, but apparently they’re all delinquents.
When my phone lights up, I lunge for it, thankful for the distraction.
Cat: I know we planned to meet tomorrow night, but I need you tonight.
I roll my eyes. She’s so dramatic.
Me: You NEED me?
Cat: I have a surprise, and you are going to want to be available. PLEASE be available!
“Why are you smiling?” Hannah picks up a cracker, tops it with a slice of cheese, and pops it into her mouth.
I look up, only to realize every eye is focused on me again, and grimace. “A friend asked me to meet her tonight.”
“Sounds scandalous,” Sara jokes, her cheeks flushed from the wine.
I roll my eyes. “It’s where she wants to meet that’s the issue. Her brother-in-law owns an exclusive club, and I’m not sure how I feel about going.”
Lennox tilts her head, her expression suddenly shrewd. “What kind of club?”
I shrug. “It’s called Allure.”
“Oh my god,” Hannah squeals. “That’s a sex club. I’ve always wanted to go to a sex club.”
“It’s a what club?” Liv’s eyes go wide. “Doesn’t Hayden Hanson own that?”
Ah, fuck. Hayden Hanson. As in Garreth’s twin brother. Of course he’s friends with Beckett. Surely he’s mentioned the nature of the place. Shit. If not, I may have just caused a fight.
But there’s no way my brother has been there without his wife. Although he was single for a long, long—nope. I’m not going there.
So I nod and leave it at that.
Liv bursts into laughter. “Oh my god, your brother is dead. He tried to convince me to go last month, but he failed to mention that specific detail.”
Millie hums. “I don’t know. This place looks hot.” She holds up her phone. There’s a graphic of a golden lock in the middle, and the rest of the screen is black. “I wonder what the password is to get in. Maybe when I’m not preggo, I’ll convince Gavin to take me.”
I glare at her. “Rules, Mills. Follow the damn rules.”
She gives me a salacious smile. “But I’m so good at breaking them.”
“Well, I’m not pregnant. I want to go.” Lennox launches herself off one couch and plops down beside Millie on the other. She buries her face in her device, and ten seconds later, she pops up and crows, “Got it!”
“The password? How the hell did you do that so quickly?” Ava muses.
Lennox flips her hair over her shoulder. “Perks of being the Kennedy princess.”
Her family has more connections than even ours, and that’s saying something.
“So the gimmick here is that when women walk in, they’re given a card to use when they choose who they interact with. Like a man literally can’t approach them. It’s all about women being in control. This is so fucking hot.” She looks up, her pupils blown wide. “If you don’t go, I’ll kill you.”
“We’re having a girls’ night,” I remind her lamely.
Hannah claps, startling the babies. “Fine. Girls’ night is over.”
“Stop,” I whine. “Seriously, I don’t want to go.”
“Why?”
The question from Liv stops me in my tracks. Out of everyone in this room, I figured she’d be the most understanding.
“You just said you wouldn’t go,” I point out.
“Because I’m a mom of five. This”—she drags a hand up and down in front of her, gesturing to her body—“does not belong in a sex club.”
“Bullshit,” Hannah spews. “You’re gorgeous. And your husband is utterly obsessed with you. If you want to keep all that sex between the two of you in your bedroom, there’s no shame in that. But if you don’t want to try something like this because of your body, then it’s bullshit.”
“I agree,” Ava says. For the second time in as many minutes, I’m shocked silent. Ava is the most reserved of the group by far.
“You do?” Liv says, leaning forward.
“Yeah. I don’t think you shouldn’t go because you’re a mom. I personally don’t think I’d like something like that, but it’s not because I have kids.”
“Bullshit,” Hannah mutters again. “You’d love it.”
Ava bats at her best friend. “My husband is hot. I don’t think I’d like it if other women looked at him.”
“Oh, I’d have no problem with it,” Hannah says. “I’d want every woman there to see my husband’s massive cock and be jealous as fuck that I’m the only one who gets to suck it.”
“Hannah.” Millie throws a pillow at our unrepentant friend.
Sara nods. “I’m with Hannah. Though Brooks would never.” She sighs, like being with a man as obsessed with her as he is, who wants her all to himself, is a burden.
My phone lights up again.
Cat: Pretty, pretty please.
“What does it say?” Hannah leans forward, peering over my shoulder. “Oh, she’s begging.”
The room breaks into a cacophony of squeals and giggles.
“Come on,” Lennox says. “You should go. If only so you can report back and tell us what it was like.”
I bury my head in my hands. “What does one even wear to a sex club?”