Page 250 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

“Your brother is going to blow out the candles on his cake, and cut it for everyone to have a piece.”

And that meant what exactly to Siena?

“So?” she asked.

Coraline cocked a brow. “Please have the catering people come in and bring the food into the dining room. They can set it out on the table, and everyone can pick what they want like a buffet.”

Siena wondered if this was her chance …

She didn’t have time to think on it.

“Sure, Ma.”

“Well, hurry up!”

Jesus.

Siena made her way into the kitchen where a catering team had taken over the space. It looked as though they were mostly done with their preparations for the dinner, and wouldn’t need much help moving things into the dining room.

Behind her, Siena heard her mother calling out, “Everyone to the dining room to wish Kev a happy birthday, grab some food, and have a piece of cake!”

People moved through the kitchen to the dining room. More simply used the hallway. Either way, Siena was acutely aware that people were leaving her alone, and she didn’t have anyone looking over her shoulder at the moment.

Winning.

“Excuse me,” Siena said to the lead caterer.

The woman wore the only white hat amongst the rest. She smiled at Siena, asking, “Yes, what can I do for you, Miss Calabrese?”

“We would like the food moved into the dining room as a spread—buffet-style, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“No problem at all.”

One sharp whistle, and the catering crew was moving fast. Soon enough, they had almost everything moved from the kitchen in one go.

On the second round the servers made to the kitchen, Siena slipped out, and headed for the wet bar in the dining room. At her back, people sang Kev happy birthday. She kept her back turned to the people, and her brothers.

No one approached.

No one saw a thing.

She pulled the sleeves of her dress down over her fingers, and worked to open up liquor bottles, and set up the glass. The little pill she dropped into the screwdriver drink dissolved with three quick twirls of the spoon inside the glass.

Siena took a deep breath, and then another. It didn’t help to settle her nerves, but for some reason, her racing heart had slowed down just enough to make her think she was in some kind of control of her emotions.

It was an illusion.

She would freak out later.

Break down later.

Not now, though.

As soon as the happy birthday song was over, Siena turned fast, and slid through the crowd of people already beginning to swarm the table and food. No one seemed to pay her any mind as she pushed through to the head of the table where Kev had decided was his permanent seat for the night.

Her brother had stood to accept a plate of food from their mother. He didn’t see Siena set the glass down next to his napkin, still not letting her fingers touch anything lest she leave something unintended behind. She was grateful she had chosen the long sleeved dress that night instead of the other one she waffled on. Nobody saw her do a thing because like always, she blended in far too well. She was the forgotten one—the useless daughter who nobody thought to watch.

Here, Kev was a king.