Chapter 5
So, why hadn’t he called? Sienna
wondered as she changed out of work clothes into dinner clothes. It had been three months since she and Brian
had spoken. He had stayed in Lexington
for a week, but he’d never dropped by the shop or called her.
Although, really. What would you have done if he had called?
You’ve got a boyfriend. Remember Scott? She chided
herself. Although, she was going to
break it off with Scott. Things had
gotten pretty bad with him ever since he had gotten laid off. The military base was under scrutiny by the
treasurer of the Armed Forces. They
believed that the base was not as important and, thus, should not be given as
much money as it was being given.
Because Scott had only been working there for two years and his post was
not as necessary as others, they had let him go. He was having a hard time finding a job, and
Sienna was trying to help him. But, no
matter what she did, it didn’t seem to help him, and he would snap at her. Her patience was running thin after two
months, and she had decided that, tonight, she was going to have to break it
off.
Sienna frowned at herself as she
capped the tube of lipstick. She didn’t
love Scott, so, really, it wasn’t going to be that hard for her. She just hoped he wouldn’t take it badly.
The doorbell rang, and Sienna took a
deep breath. Here we go.
“So, let me get
this straight. The security firm in New
York called you to let you know they’ve hired you? And you’re moving out there
next month?” Sienna repeated Scott’s excited words.
Since he had
picked her up, Scott had been bouncing with energy, and, once their meals had
arrived, he had broken the news to her.
“I’m just
thrilled, Si! I mean, think of the possibilities!” Sienna listened to Scott go
on about how he was finally going to start making some sort of living for
himself. As he spoke, his brown eyes
gleamed from the excitement. His usual
nervous habit of running his hands through his blond hair was no longer
apparent, now that he had been hired.
Suddenly, something he said broke through Sienna’s thoughts.
“Wait,” she
said. “Did you just say when we move to New York? Who do you mean by we?”
Scott grinned.
“Us, silly. You and me. We’re going to
be living in New York City at this time next month. Aren’t you excited?”
Sienna
sighed. “Scott, I’m not going
anywhere. I have a business and family
here. I can’t just pick up and leave. I don’t want to leave Lexington. I love it here. It’s my home.”
Scott’s smile
disappeared. “So because of your little
flower shop and your family, you won’t come with me? Come on, Sienna! You could
build a bigger flower shop in New York, with more customers!”
“But, the thing
is, I don’t want to. I’ve been to New
York. I lived there for four years. It’s not where I want to be, Scott. I’m sorry.
But, I don’t think we’re going to work out, either. I had meant to break it off with you
tonight,” she paused, watching his face darken.
“Really, Scott. It’s for the best.
You can go to New York, and I’ll stay here. We’ll both be happy.”
“But what if I
love you?” he asked angrily.
Sienna
snorted. “Please. You don’t love me, and I don’t love you. We’ve been dating for a year and a half. If we don’t love each other by now, we don’t
have a chance in the future.”
“Fine,” Scott
spat out as he stood and dropped his napkin on the table. “Have it your way, Sienna. Have a great life.” And he left.
“Oh Scott. Such a clichéd way to go,” she said, shaking
her head. She signaled the waiter and
paid for the meals. Then, grabbing her
things, she headed for the kitchens.
Scanning the
kitchen area quickly, she focused in on the person she was looking for and made
her way over to the dessert preparation area.
“Hey, Livvy,”
Sienna called out to the dessert chef and the woman she considered her best friend.
Olivia Taylor
looked up from the crème brulée she was creating and grinned at her. “How’s it going, Si? Weren’t you on a date with Scott tonight?”
Sienna sighed as
she rolled up her sleeves and washed her hands.
“Yeah, and he got a job in the Big Apple. But,” she said before Livvy could say
anything, “he wanted me to move up there with him. I said no, and that I thought we would be
better off apart. He blew a gasket and
left me to pay for dinner.”
“The jerk.”
“Yeah, but,
seriously? I didn’t mind paying for it as long as it means I don’t have to deal
with his shit again.”
“True. Hey, hand me that spatula would you? And
then, can you pour the fudge sauce onto that bowl of ice cream?” Livvy gestured.
Soon, Sienna had
been integrated into the dessert section, but it was easy for her to do because
she had done it dozens of times before.
The owner of the restaurant often felt as though he should pay her, but
Sienna just laughed and shrugged it off, saying that she already made far too
much money. She considered the dessert
making a hobby.
As she worked,
she watched the competent, artistic way Livvy worked with the dessert. With her jet black hair piled on top of her
head, which was sometimes bent over a pie and sometimes over a meringue, and her
emerald eyes narrowed, Livvy looked like a an artist. Which, Sienna supposed, she was. A gorgeous, bohemian artist, Sienna
remembered watching Livvy paint when they were younger. Olivia had always lived in Lexington, and
they had met when Sienna had been visiting her uncles during the summer before
second grade. They’d instantly hit it
off and been best friends long-distance ever since. Sienna could not imagine a life without her
best friend, and she knew Liv felt the same.
At the end of the
night, Livvy gave her a ride home, and Sienna sighed as they pulled up to her
cottage.
“Liv? I was
thinking about him again,” she murmured.
“Oh, honey. Maybe he’s a bastard just like all the other
celebrities out there, you know?” Livvy replied, trying to make Sienna happier.
“Oh, but he
wasn’t. He couldn’t be. He was so candid, so real. How could he seem so
real and not be?” Sienna wondered, then shrugged. “Oh well, I’ll get over it. I mean, really, I don’t know if I’m even
romantically interested in him. I think
it’s more of a I want to be his friend because I haven’t been able to talk to a
guy so openly—ever.”
Livvy shook her
head. “Obviously, I’m not a good enough
friend if you’re cheating on me behind my back.
Except you told me about him. Never
mind.”
Sienna
chuckled. “Relax, Liv. Your friendship’s safe with me. I’d better go. Another day at work tomorrow.”
***
