“Not everyone likes their dessert to taste like charcoal,” Harper argued.
“And not everyone likes things sickeningly sweet.”
The two sisters started bickering around the familiar topic that had started causing problems since their Girl Scout days.
Sienna giggled. It felt like a typical summer night from when they were all kids. She went over to Audrey and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “I missed this. I’ve missed you guys.”
Audrey smiled. “Well, we’ve been here. You’re the one with the big fancy acting career in New York.”
Sienna laughed her brightest laugh, but her stomach dropped.
If only they knew how very close she was to having to come back home for good, tail between her legs, a failure in every possible way. Her phone lay heavy in her pocket, dozens of unread messages she didn't have to read to know what they said. Her landlord couldn't really fulfill his threats in just two days, could he?
Sienna watched as Harper assembled all the ingredients into the most perfect s’mores. You wouldn’t think something like this campfire staple could be so complex, and yet, Harper made it look almost gourmet with her unique spin and presentation.
Of course, that left the rest of the girls with very little to do.
Even if the music was in good hands, Sienna felt the sting of losing the last competition, and now faced with the inability to do much to help win the current one, she made her way over to the boys’ side.
There had been no instructions against talking to each other during the competition, just no touching each other’s ingredients or fires. Talking to Fox would not only give her something to do, but it might make for some good television too. Harper’s assembly line was mesmerizing, there was only so much screen time it could fill.
Bruce’s eyes tracked Sienna as she wandered over to where Fox was sitting. It was clear he was judging if it would be worth it to pull a camera off of the cooks to capture whatever would happen between the two of them.
Put your camera on us, she thought as she got closer to Eli and the groomsmen. Sienna hated that she needed to play into Bruce’s expectations to get the air time and attention she needed, but what other choice did she have? And the best way to do that was to create more tension with Fox.
Sienna approached Fox from behind, so he wouldn’t notice her. He was on his own at the smallest of the three fires, holding a marshmallow close to the middle of the flame while looking out into the trees. He was humming softly to himself and looked so peaceful, she almost hated to interrupt.
“I don’t know why you guys are even trying,” she said, snickering when he jumped a bit at the sound of her voice. “You do know Harper is the best baker in three counties, right?”
Fox opened his mouth, but then snapped it shut when the cameraman started to set up across from them.
Why did he always clam up like this? She’d seen him smile with the guys. She’d enjoyed their banter about music this afternoon before Bruce had shown up. If only Fox would actually talk to her when the cameras were rolling, it was sure to get Bruce’s attention in the editing room.
She took a seat next to Fox on the log and watched as he held his marshmallow above the flames. He lowered the stick into the flames and held it there. If he wasn’t careful, it was going to catch on fire.
“You’re burning your marshmallow,” Sienna said, reaching for his stick.
He jerked it away. “You’re not supposed to touch our stuff.”
Sienna felt her cheeks warm, and not from her proximity to the fire. She wasn’t thinking about the rules, only that his marshmallow was about to turn black. “I just didn’t think you’d want to ruin it.”
“Audrey isn’t the only one who likes them burned.”
"Wait.” Sienna blinked. “How do you know that Audrey likes her marshmallows that way?”
Fox shrugged. “I’ve known Eli and Audrey for over a decade. Ever since you were in diapers probably.”
“Ha ha, very funny. I was in middle school ten years ago, thank you very much.”
“And I was in college.” He leaned in and whispered. “You were still akid.”
“Well, I’m not a kid anymore.” She pushed back her shoulders. “Besides, I’ve always been mature for my age.”
“You, mature?” He laughed. “I’d like to see that.”
Sienna crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue.
Fox laughed. “Did you seriously just stick your tongue out at me? On camera?”
