Page 146 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

He tried to wave it off, but he could tell she didn’t want to let it go. He knew what talking would do. Talking would only lead to a fight. The last thing he wanted to do was fight with Siena.

Not now.

Not ever.

“I’ll make it up to you,” he promised.

Siena frowned. “And how are you going to do that?”

“Give me a little bit to figure it out.”

“Maybe we don’t have a little bit.”

John heard her, but he was already waving to the waiter.

“Our usual,” he called out.

The waiter nodded, and headed for the kitchen.

“John,” Siena said. “Are you listening to me?”

“Yeah, I’m listening.”

“Then, where have you been?”

“Working.”

“Did you see your cousin?”

With one simple question, John’s attention was entirely focused on Siena again. “What do you mean, see my cousin?”

“Andino.”

John tipped his head to the side. “Did you talk to Andino?”

Siena’s gaze darted away. “We ran in to each other.”

Lies.

He saw her lies.

This woman never lied.

Not to him.

“Try that again,” he told her. “This time, though, with the truth.”

Siena swallowed hard. “I was worried about you.”

That was all John needed to hear. In a second, his desire to have food, and even be near this woman was gone just like that. Andino had been following John around since he found him at the pool hall. Talking about John’s frame of mind and shit he had no business discussing. Things John wasn’t willing to talk about with anybody other than his useless fucking therapist.

“John, wait,” Siena said, standing from the table.

No, he was done.

At least for now.

“I’ll call you,” he told her.