“Yes. Just... Mom and I made that star. Always makes me emotional to see it. But Chloe, Victoria, and Lucas love it so much.” She smiled, but it was a bit wobbly.
She felt raw every time they took that star out of the box. It wasn’t easy for her, and still she did it because it made her siblings happy. I’d never met someone with Sienna’s quiet and deep strength. It made me want to hold on to her and not let go.
Ever.
I drew my thumb over her lips before leaning in to capture her mouth. I needed to kiss her more than anything else, feel close to her, one with her. This woman. Did she even know everything she made me feel? I wanted to love her. Protect her.
“Let’s join the others,” she whispered afterward.
“If you insist.”
She grinned. “I do. Come on, the best conversations are after dinner, when everyone has their bellies full.”
Sienna was right. It was as if everyone had ten times more energy than before dinner. They talked about everything, and it was fascinating to watch the siblings ask each other’s opinion and help in matters of business or just their personal life. Alice and Blake were asking Christopher about how to best go about implementing a new software in their restaurant and bar business. I almost did a double take when I realized Summer Bennett’s husband was none other than Hollywood A-lister Alexander Westbrook. I wasn’t much of a movie guy, but I wasn’t living under a rock. He was currently discussing the pros and cons of using himself in merchandising campaigns with Sebastian’s wife, Ava, and with Sienna.
Sebastian and Logan, the CFO, approached me after a while to talk shop. “Statham Stores don’t have a jewelry section. Any chance we can get you to reconsider that?”
“I can be talked into it. It’s been on my mind for a while. You’d want to be included just in the stores in the United States, or the ones in Europe as well?”
“Everywhere,” Logan answered.
We agreed to meet early in the New Year and hammer out some details.
I kept a close eye on Sienna the entire evening. I had to admit, I already felt at home, so when we ran out of water, I went to bring new bottles. I’d just entered the kitchen when Lucas and Chloe joined me too. At first I thought it was a coincidence, but something in their body language led me to suspect otherwise.
“Can we talk to you?” Chloe asked.
“Sure.”
“So, we just want to ask you to be nice to Sienna,” Chloe said.
Wait a second... were they giving me the talk? Yes, yes, they were.
“Yes, very nice,” Lucas emphasized. “Not like the last asshole she dated.”
“He made her cry a few times.” Chloe looked so sad that it just broke my heart. It also made me angry as hell. I should’ve punched
that moron.
“I promise I won’t make her cry. Sienna deserves the best, and that’s exactly what I plan to give her.”
Chloe sighed. “That’s romantic. Just like in the movies. I told you he was a good guy, Lucas. He looks like a good guy.”
Lucas was still watching me intently, scrutinizing me. “Time will tell.”
“I promise to report if Sienna cries,” Chloe said solemnly. I laughed.
“You guys have a strategy for this?”
Lucas nodded.
“Love how thorough you are.”
That earned me a full-on smile from Lucas.
“We spoke with Christopher too when he first started dating Victoria,” he informed me.
I grinned. Of course they did.