It completely transformed his face. Even as Eli ran up and rang the bell, Sienna couldn’t look away from Fox. The sight of him happy had her transfixed. That was, until his gaze found hers. His gorgeous smile dropped, and the familiar scowl fell back into place.
Freed from her trance, Sienna looked away and tried to push down the flutter of disappointment at his reaction. Why did he hate her so much? Okay, so she’d accidentally mistaken him for the janitor that first day, but she’d apologized. And then she’d called him out for not trying hard enough for his best friend, but clearly, he’d listened.
Maybe it was just her. She wasn’t enough.
Was she really that surprised someone like him wouldn’t like her? He was this gorgeous specimen of a man that even her big sister sounded half in love with when she talked about him. Sienna just wasn’t the kind of girl that mattered to people like that. She hadn’t been enough to make Dad stay. Or bring Milo back from wherever he'd disappeared to. Or even enough for Fox to be decent to her.
She felt the sting of tears filling her eyes and fought to keep them at bay. She didn't want anyone to see her cry, and especially didn't want it captured for the entire world to see.
The bell rang out again as Harry finally made his way over to where the rest of the guys stood waiting.
Jason Castle called for everyone to gather around him. “The judges are tallying the final scores. Once they’re finished, we’ll have the time for the bridesmaids to beat. In the meantime, take five.”
With that, everyone dispersed.
Sienna decided to take the opportunity to compose herself—something that should have come easily to her since she was an actor. But yesterday had been a long one, and she was operating on zero caffeine, so she needed to find an area away from the cameras to get it together.
She wandered over to a lightly wooded area just off to the field where the obstacle course had been set up. She leaned against the trunk of a fir tree and closed her eyes.
Just because Fox didn't want to smile at her, didn't mean Sienna could start breaking down now. She had to lead the bridesmaids to victory this week. She needed to support her sister. She needed...
To be quiet.
Someone was coming.
Sienna stiffened at the sound of footsteps falling on the twigs and leaves that littered the ground. There was no telling who was walking toward her. With her luck it would be someone with a camera propped over their shoulder. They’d wonder why she was hiding, and then she’d have to lie and say she wasn’t.
“Is this far enough from everyone?” asked a female voice that Sienna instantly recognized as Reagan’s.
“You don’t have to be snippy with me.” That was definitely Harry.
Oh crap. I shouldn’t be here.
Sienna held her breath in an attempt to stay completely silent.
“Snippy? You just told me you're leaving in the middle of the competition. That you won’t be here for Eli and Audrey’s wedding. How am I supposed to feel right now?”
“Maybe grateful that your fiancé has an incredible job? That way, when we get married, you won’t have to go on one of these ridiculous shows to pay for the cake and flowers. You’ll be able to get whatever your little heart desires.”
A shocked gasp came from Reagan. "Didn’t you read the contract? You can’t leave before the end.”
Sienna pushed herself closer against the trunk at the ruffled sound of movement and snapping twigs.
“Of course I read the contract,” Harry said in a deep voice that was almost a growl. “It’s my job to read contracts and look for loopholes.”
“But—”
“Which means I already know my way out of this one.”
Everything went silent, and if it wasn’t for the fact that Sienna knew Reagan and Harry were standing just a few feet from where she hid, she’d think she was alone.
“But it’ll look really bad,” Reagan said, her voice taking on that wavering quality Sienna knew meant tears weren’t far behind.
Harry let out a very un-Harry-like snort. “Worse than continuing to be a part of this ridiculous spectacle? Somehow, I doubt that. Come with me. I can get you out of the contract too.”
“But it’s my best friend’s wedding. I can’t just leave.” She paused for a second. “And what about Eli? I know you don’t know him that well, but he’ll be disappointed that you’re leaving. They’ll be down a groomsman for the competitions. They’ll…” Her voice shook and the unmistakable sound of crying rang out through the air.
“Don’t cry,” Harry said with a sigh. “You’ll mess up your makeup.”
