Chapter Seventeen
S he’d locked herself away all day, not wanting to deal with people in the slightest. Everyone knew that something was wrong—they must have done. It was the inevitable downside of always trying to put on a happy, carefree face; sooner or later, the mask had to slip, and the difference was stark. She did have a lot of paperwork to do, letters of thanks to type to those who had donated or bought something on the auction night, final totals to count up and announce, and follow-up interviews to book with the local newspapers. But even with her valid excuse to hide, she was fairly sure her absence and mood were noticed. Even Liz had kept her distance, respecting Sienna’s barely disguised plea to be left to her own devices today.
She shouldn’t be in a bad mood. She should be in an amazing mood. The woman she had been crushing on for the past three months had kissed her. Debs had kissed her. It wasn’t some misguided misunderstanding in the excitement of the evening on Sienna’s part, wasn’t some wave that was being ridden fuelled by one too many glasses of champagne. Because Debs was the one who had made the first move. It was Debs who had said those things that made Sienna’s heart flutter, who had gently brushed her fingertips across her cheek, who had leaned in and pressed her lips to Sienna’s.
It was also Debs who had texted her in the morning, a simple message that was filled with reassuring words and the desire to see her again.
This was all Debs. There was no room for error. No space for misinterpretation or crossed wires. Debs had been clear in her actions and words that she wanted this.
So why was Sienna feeling so much doubt in what this meant?
The knock on her office door made Sienna look up from her computer, huffing an exasperated breath at the intrusion. However, any irritation soon evaporated at the sight of Debs standing in the doorway.
“Hi.”
“Hey. What are you doing here?”
“Sorry, I hope you don’t mind me just dropping by unannounced. I know it’s not exactly unheard of for me, but I also appreciate that things might be a little different this time around.”
Sienna melted again at the consideration Debs was showing. Debs’ understanding, her compassion in ensuring that Sienna was happy, was something Sienna could never get tired of. It was a new sensation, even now, after months of experiencing it, being put first and considered by someone, but she found that when Debs was doing it, she had never felt patronised or belittled. It was only ever done with Sienna’s genuine comfort in mind.
“No, no, you’re fine.”
“I brought you this. You better take it before I kill it,” Debs said with a laugh as she held out the large ceramic pot in her hands. “Max said it wasn’t possible on the short trip over here, but I wouldn’t be so sure.”
Sienna took in the gift being presented to her, a beautiful Bird of Paradise, before finally registering what Debs had just said.
“You went to Max’s shop?”
“Yes. I wanted to know what your favourite flowers were, so I figured Max would know. Except Max said you prefer plants.” Debs pointed to the plant. “This one in particular.”
“Debs, that’s… Thank you. It’s beautiful.”
“Like you.” Sienna’s eyes snapped back to Debs, the flush heating up her cheeks. “Sorry. Was that… Should I not say that?”
“I… No, no, it was fine.”
“Sienna…” Debs took a step forward into the office, the subtle scent of her perfume clouding Sienna’s space. “I’m not sure how to do this.”
“You think it was a mistake. That’s fine, it’s not like—”
“Woah, hold on. Just slow down. I was actually going to say I’m not sure how to do the whole dating thing. Do…do you think it was a mistake?”
“No? Yes? I don’t know. You’re smart and successful and a mum, and up until Saturday night, I was fairly sure you were straight. Or at least that’s what I’ve been telling myself to get past this stupid crush I’ve had on you for months. And then we kissed. You kissed me. And I should be happy about that, but I can’t get past this feeling that it’s all just going to go wrong.”
“Sienna,” Debs said quietly. “Do you think you could put the plant down?”
Sienna looked back down at the vibrant orange petals, which were just starting to bloom, realising she was holding onto the pot so tightly her fingers were starting to numb from the sheer force of her grip. “I…yes.” She turned, placing the pot down on her desk. When she turned back, Debs gently took her hands, her thumb instantly running across the back of Sienna’s knuckles in a soothing motion.
“I’ve just been to your best friend’s shop, where I got quite the grilling and bought you your favourite plant. Does that seem like something I would do if I thought our kiss was a mistake?”
“No, I guess not.”
“And you’re right, up until meeting you, I had thought, assumed, I was straight. But I also had only ever really had one long-term relationship. But Sienna, I really like you. I like spending time with you, I like learning about you, I like every fucking thing I know about you so far.”
“You really don’t know much about me,” Sienna said, immediately becoming dismissive under Debs’ praise.
“Don’t fucking do that. Don’t put yourself down. It drives me fucking crazy when you do that.”
“Sorry, I—”
“No, no, I don’t want you to apologise for it.” Debs brushed back the curtain of hair that had fallen forwards over her face, hiding her from her gaze, fingers curling around her chin in a gentle grip to force her to look up. “I just want you to accept it, or at least try to. Because the reason it drives me crazy is because I see these things, and I really wish you would.”
“I…” Debs quirked an eyebrow, silently stalling Sienna before she could even think about replying. “Okay.”
“And more than that, I really just want to get to know you better and see where this could go. I’ve not dated in over ten years, so I might be really shit at it as well.”
Sienna laughed, finally feeling some of the tension release from her body. “You’re off to a pretty good start.”
“Yeah?”
“A Bird of Paradise? Hand-delivered to my office? Probably the most romantic thing I could think of.”
“Can I follow it up with dinner? Actually out somewhere, not just takeaway at my place?”
“Yes. But you don’t have to keep going with the fancy gestures. Nowhere too extravagant.”
“I have been reliably informed that it’s the small things that mean the most. And the last time I picked somewhere for a date, it was for Mica and Grace, and Mica complained it was too fancy. So how about you pick, let me know, and I will make reservations?”
“Okay, I can do that. There’s actually this new tapas place I’ve been wanting to try in the city.”
“Sounds perfect. I can pick you up from your place?”
“My place is kind of a hovel compared to yours.”
“I don’t care. I kind of want to see it. Max says there’s almost as many plants in it as there are in their shop, so I’m intrigued.”
“Oh my god.” Sienna hid her face in her hands. “What else did they tell you?”
“Well, that would be telling. Plus”—Sienna felt warm fingers wrap around her hands and pull them gently from her face—“you’re beautiful when you blush.”
“Are you sure you’ve not done this before? You’re very…smooth.”
“I just believe in telling people the truth, Sienna.”
Sienna looked up, gazing into those crystal blue eyes which shone with nothing but sincerity. For the first time, she could actually say that the doubt and nerves at what she was hearing were being outweighed by the honesty that she could see in Debs’ face and hear in every word that she spoke. It didn’t matter what she was saying or how it was spoken; whether it was the fierce tone that left no room for arguments or the soft declarations she made, Sienna felt every word.
“I should go. Let you get back to work. Text me the restaurant details, and when you’re free?”
“Yeah, okay.”
Debs took a step back, smiling at Sienna. “Have a good afternoon, Sienna.”
With a final smile, Debs walked out of the office, leaving Sienna just standing there as she heard the click of her heels disappear further away. Only once she could no longer hear them did her gaze falter from the door, instead landing on the beautiful plant on her desk.
“Max!”
Sienna had waited until she had got home to ring Max, partly because she wanted to have this conversation in the privacy of her own home and partly because she wanted to make her friend stew a little. She knew that Max would be dying to know what had happened, but she wasn’t prepared to give them all the details straight away. She wanted to make them sweat a little, knowing they’d be going crazy not hearing from her. But now she was home, she had hooked her earbuds in and connected the call.
“Finally! I’ve been sitting here all afternoon waiting for you to call!”
Sienna cackled at the fact her assumption had been right, picturing Max filled with nervous excitement as they bounced around the shop.
“I know. That’s why I made you wait.”
“You’re evil!”
“Says them who colluded with Debs!”
“Bit dramatic, but whatever! What happened? I need details!”
Sienna pulled open her fridge, scanning the contents to see what she could throw together for dinner for herself. The heat had really notched up this week, and it had put a real limit on her appetite. Lunch had been quick, finally eaten once Debs had left, and Sienna’s nerves had settled, but she knew she needed to eat something substantial now; otherwise, she’d be starving and raiding the fridge for junk food at nine this evening.
“Well, I’m not sure what you expect me to tell you that you don’t already know. She turned up at my office with a plant and asked me on a date.”
“Was it super romantic?”
“She literally bought me a Bird of Paradise, Max!”
“You know, I really like her. She seemed really genuine when I was talking to her.”
“Yeah, about that,” Sienna asked as she started chopping the leftover chicken she had found. “What did you say to her?”
“Nothing that any half-decent best friend wouldn’t say.”
“Which was?”
“Oh, come on, Sienna. It’s not like I scared her off. In fact, I hardly had to say anything. She was the one who did all the talking. And by the way, said all the right things.”
“Like what?”
“Oh no, I’m not telling you, my friend. I have a feeling that she’ll be telling you herself if she hasn’t already.”
Sienna smiled at the memory of Debs’ words, her sure confidence and the honesty that laced them as she spoke about Sienna. Sienna wasn’t entirely convinced they were all true, but she wasn’t impervious to the intention behind them, and for once, she was trying to not let her inner critic take over. Debs’ encouragement and support had been a welcome change, and the effect felt over the past few months. Sienna didn’t want the potential development and change in their relationship to impact that. But really, why would it? Debs had never held conditions on any of her support; it never came with a caveat or an expectation of anything in return. And she didn’t seem the type of person who would be petty enough to throw away what they had already nurtured and cultivated just because they weren’t suited in any other way than just friends.
Besides, Sienna had to remind herself she’d done this before. She had kept Max as a friend, somehow. And this time, she was going into this with a solid friendship already established. But maybe that was the thing that was holding her back. Because she and Max had never had that…
“Sienna? You still there?”
Max’s question kicked her out of the spiral her brain was rapidly tunnelling down.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m here.”
“Where did you go?”
“Nowhere. I was right here,” she muttered as she started to assemble her dinner on the plate.
“That’s not what I meant. You went all quiet, like you do when you’re overthinking something.” Sienna sometimes hated how well Max knew her; it really did give her no room to hide, even when they couldn’t see her.
“Fine, maybe I was starting to. But it’s nothing new, and I just need to not let myself get into some weird head-funk before this date.”
Sienna hadn’t been on a date in months, too busy focussing on the centre and everything that went with it. Even before then, it had been few and far between, with nothing ever seeming right enough to put the effort in, always pulling back before any lasting connection could be made. That way, she was only protecting her heart from the pain that would inevitably come down the line.
“That’s uncharacteristically optimistic for you. And that really wasn’t overwhelmingly optimistic in itself, so that’s saying something.”
“I don’t know, Max. I haven’t felt like this about anyone in a long time. And I have just spent the past two months reminding myself that she would never be interested in me. Something this time feels special, feels different. It always has with her. I just don’t want to ruin it before it even gets going.”
“Look at you. All grown up with your hot businesswoman,” Max teased.
“Please, stop calling her that,” Sienna pleaded.
“I absolutely will not. Especially after seeing her Saturday night. Even today, when she came into the shop. She was wearing this cream-coloured power suit which… Well, let’s just say I never thought beige could be sexy, but that woman—”
“Stop! Right now! I’m going to eat dinner.”
“Is that what we’re calling Debs now—”
Sienna cut Max off, pulling out her earbuds and dropping them to the counter. Grinning to herself, she wandered the short distance to her sofa, where she dropped down, pulling her legs up underneath her. She absentmindedly took a bite of the sandwich she had prepared; the weather was too warm for anything heavier at the moment, searching for the details of the restaurant she had spotted on the commute into the city centre weeks ago. She dropped the details into a text, firing it off to Debs with a message that she could be free whenever she was. The response came barely two minutes later.
Thursday 7pm. All booked. Can’t wait xx