“The two of you don’t even look comfortable around one another, let alone the hesitation in the story of how you two met that you told at dinner last night.” I wince at his words. Of all the things Sienna and I discussed on our drive here, the fake details of how we met one another really should’ve been one of them.
“We need jobs,” I tell him, “Sienna and I. You know Roman’s been an asshole about me working at Dad’s company, and Sienna's been struggling to find a job in architecture. I thought we could help each other out.”
“So you thought a fake-dating scheme was the way to do that?” He looks at me, confused.
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, it was my best idea at the time, alright? Roman put me on the spot, and I figured that if I could show him I’m responsible enough, he’d offer me a job. We were hoping Roman would use his connections to help Sienna schedule some interviews.”
Alex chuckles, shaking his head. “There are better ways you could’ve gone about this. You’re in deep shit now, considering you asked a woman like her to help you with your plan.”
“What do you mean?”
He levels me with a look. “You should’ve pickedsomeone who was less your type. This is going to get messy and fast.” He turns, rounding the corner toward the steps of the back deck to join the others inside.
Catching up to him, I speak in hushed tones, worried the others might hear us.
“It’s not like that. We didn’t even know each other before this, and now we’re just friends. C’mon, man, just help us out with Roman.”
“Alright. But I’m giving it a week until the two of you start dating for real.” He opens the back door, and with others in earshot, the conversation is over.
Pushing him through the doorway, I laugh off his comment. Whatever he sees, he’s seeing it incorrectly. Sienna and I might have a mutual attraction, but that’s it. She and I are just two friends helping each other out. Besides, if she wanted something more with me, she wouldn’t have applied for another job right under my nose. She’d be looking for an excuse to stay here. Then again, if she had any interest in me, she wouldn’t have set so many rules.
Rules I promised her I wouldn’t break, no matter how badly I might want to.
17
SIENNA
“When is your interview?” Beth asks me from the chair next to mine, where we are seated on the back deck.
“Tomorrow morning. I’m surprised they scheduled an interview with me so quickly,” I tell her.
“I’m not. Didn’t your dad say you’ve already got the job? So the interview is just a formality.”
“Sure, but you can never be too cautious. I thought a few of the previous jobs I applied to would at least ask me in for an interview, and I didn’t get a single one.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll do great either way. This could be really good for you,” she tells me as she takes a sip of her tea.
“Please, you just want an excuse for us to leave early so you don’t have to be around Alex any longer.” I copy her motions, raising my mug of coffee to my lips and taking a sip.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She avoids eye contact with me when she says it.
We’ve been here for about five days now, and Beth has been getting along great with everyone, except Alex. I make a mental note to buy her a special edition of one of her favorite books as a thank-you for coming along on this trip.
The guys told us last night at dinner that we’d be going on a morning hike today. Another surprise that my coordination skills weren’t too fond of. While the guys have been preoccupied with packing for the hike, Beth and I decided to take our second cups of coffee and tea outside. We’ve been ready to go for the past hour, but I’m in no rush to start trekking through the woods. Theo told me it was an easy trail, but something tells me his definition of “easy” is vastly different from mine.
“So it was Theo’s idea for a wall of pillows between the two of you?” Beth asks, changing the subject from Alex.
“Yes, a full wall of pillows,” I whisper, terrified Theo will overhear me even though he’s still inside. “I mean, at least it’s respectful. I just haven’t gotten the best sleep the past few nights.”
Beth nods her head slowly. “You don’t seem too pleased with the arrangement.”
Shrugging, I take a deep breath before confessing, “I’m not unhappy. I guess I feel a little bummed. I’m the one who insisted on having rules, so I don’t know why I feel this way. I can’t explain it, but every night I have to crawl into bed next to the pillows is another night I come closer to throwing each one on the floor.”
Beth raises an eyebrow. Lacing sarcasm into her voice,she asks, “And you have no idea what could be causing this feeling?”
“No…” When she doesn’t say anything, I continue, “Okay, fine. I’m supposed to be focusing on my career, with no distractions, and now I’m sleeping next to a man who looks like he was carved from stone. I can’t seem to get my mind to think about anything else. It’s frustrating.” I slump down into the cushions of my chair.
“Oh, honey,” she says, patting my arm, “it wouldn’t hurt if you gave in and had a little fun with him. Sometimes the only way to stop thinking about someone is to get under them.”
