Like this week.
Still, she appreciated that he cared about her enough to reach out and want to see her. She couldn’t wait to hear all about how his job was going, and catch up with her sister-in-law about what was new in her life, and then hearing all about their kids and what sort of antics they were up to. Whenever she went back to Long Island to visit, it was both enjoyable and exhausting. Honestly, she didn’t know how the two of them managed to balance work and home life.
And she really wished she did.
Like...on a personal level.
What would have happened if she hadn’t been born with a high I.Q? What if she’d just been a regular, above-average student who wasn’t obsessed with research and learning? What if she’d put more emphasis on a social life rather than an academic one?
Sighing, she gently put her phone down because tears began to sting her eyes.
What if she’d allowed someone to get close enough to fall in love and have babies with?
Yeah, that last one was the kicker because she had dated a few men who she could have married and had kids with, but...she never felt a strong enough connection to want to do it.
And now she had regrets.
Lots of them.
Shaking her head to clear it of those wayward thoughts, she sat down at her desk and stared at the large manila envelope she’d been avoiding for days. With a small huff, she reached for it and pulled out the top sheet.
A book.
Back in the spring, Sienna had pitched the idea for a book on her research to a literary agent she had met at a conference in Dallas. It was something she’d toyed with—writing—but she didn’t think she’d ever have the time or be brave enough to actually do it. But because she knew she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t at least write a proposal, she had forced herself to sit down and do it.
And now there was a publisher who was interested.
It was a project that would take a lot of her time, but it would be something different—a change from her every day, boring routine.
And she desperately needed that.
Hence, the vacation.
“Okay, don’t think about this now,” she quietly chided herself. “You can think about this after the vacation.” And with that, she shoved the entire packet back into her satchel. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
For the next hour, she checked her emails and changed her outfit three times until she found something chic and comfortable. Ultimately, she opted for a pair of black skinny jeans, her favorite ankle boots, and an emerald green, wide-necked sweater. It was fall and the temperature after dark was quite cool, so she knew she’d need to bring her coat too. Even if she took a cab to and from the restaurant, she’d still have to be outside for several minutes.
With one final look at her reflection, she fluffed her wavy hair and applied a coat of gloss to her lips and decided she looked fine for a family dinner. On the elevator down, she used an app to call for a rideshare and by the time she stepped outside, it was there, waiting. Offering a brief smile, Sienna climbed in and spent the next ten minutes scrolling through her phone. The walk would have taken the same amount of time, but she opted for warmth over exercise.
Story of my life...
The drive took less than ten minutes—which was a record in her book—and she watched the sights go by along with the throngs of people. She smiled sadly at some of the couples and families and thought again about her conversation with Eleanor. For years, Sienna had pushed the thought of a husband and children aside, but lately...well...she was thinking about it more than she ever had, and for the first time in her life, she didn’t have a solution.
The car pulled up to the restaurant and she thanked the driver as she climbed out. Standing out front, she wondered if Jason and Bree were here yet, but when she looked at her phone again, she saw she was twenty minutes early.
“Time to get that drink I missed out on in the hotel bar,” she murmured as she pulled open the massive wood doors and stepped inside.
It was loud and smelled heavenly. For a moment, Sienna simply stood and inhaled deeply and allowed herself to get wrapped up in the total sensory experience. The smell of garlic and oregano permeated the air, but then she detected a hint of espresso before catching an even smaller hint of wine. Her stomach growled on cue, and she knew there would be plenty of time to appreciate the sights and smells around her. She waved to the hostess and casually mentioned she’d be waiting for her party at the bar, even as she kept walking. There were plenty of open seats, and she chose the closest one, pleasantly surprised when the bartender came right over to her.
“What can I get you?” he asked.
It would be wrong to get something overly strong before her brother arrived—and after, because she didn’t come from a family of drinkers—so she opted for something safe. “Lemon drop martini, please.”
“Coming right up.”
Turning in her seat, Sienna looked around and smiled. She wasn’t particularly fond of loud, crowded restaurants, but Carmine’s was a tradition. Her drink arrived and she slipped the bartender a twenty and then let her attention return to people-watching. It was a Thursday night and the place was packed, but it seemed like parties arriving were getting seated fairly quickly.
Her drink was perfectly tart, and she felt herself relaxing. She grabbed a small handful of pretzels from the bowl on the bar as all the tension of the day finally ebbed away. Now that the conference was over, she could focus on what she was going to do with herself next. Maybe Bree would have some suggestions for things for her to do on her vacation. Or maybe she’d go and stay with them for the weekend and get in some quality visiting time. It would offer a nice way to ease into her time off, plus she’d get to spend time with her niece and nephew.
I love when a plan starts to fall into place...
Then she quietly groaned. Spontaneous. She was supposed to be trying to be more spontaneous and that meant less planning and more...hell, she had no idea. This was all new to her, and she was still trying to figure it all out.
The doors opened and she spotted her sister-in-law and slowly slid off her chair, picked up her coat, purse, and drink before walking over. She’d gone all of three steps when she spotted her brother talking to someone. His back was to her, and she imagined it wasn’t unusual for Jason to run into a friend or colleague here. No doubt he dined here even when it wasn’t with their family. Smiling, Sienna made her way through the crowd. Jason spotted her and waved, and then his friend turned.
She froze.
Someone bumped into her, and she dropped her glass and gasped as the beverage splashed her boots and pants. A waiter and busboy were instantly beside her, helping her step around the glass and making sure she was okay.
She nodded, but... she wasn’t okay.
Heck, she wasn’t even sure she was breathing.
It wasn’t just any friend standing there with her brother.
It was Michael Tyler.
Shit.
Mick couldn’t believe he’d run into Jason Ashley while waiting for his car to pick him up. He’d just finished a meeting with a potential client—a singer who just won one of those reality show singing competitions—and he was getting ready to head back to his place.
The cleaning crew had done an amazing job of cleaning up after Libby’s impromptu bash and now when he walked through the door, it truly felt like home again. Everything was pristine and in its place exactly as it should be. As much as he hated to do it, he made a vow to himself to never let any of his clients stay there ever again, no matter how much he thought he could trust them. Shockingly, the only thing that had truly been damaged was the coffee table. There was a small chip in it and some water rings, so he was sending it out to be refinished.