As if that thought needed to be illustrated, a very grown-up-in-all-the-right-places Sienna appeared at the top of the sweeping staircase, with Astrid’s blonde friend by her side – Bella? The blonde said something and Sienna leaned closer, laughed, tilting her head back a little. He couldn’thearher laugh, but it filled his veins anyway, because he’d heard it so many times when they were kids.
A squeal came from his left, and he ripped his attention away from Sienna long enough to see Astrid and her other friend – Paige? – fast walking to the bottom of the stairs. Sienna grinned at them and made her way down with so much grace that he couldn’t look away, even if the damned building caught fire.
The dress hugged her like a second skin, all rippling golden silk, cut just low enough to offer a hint of tanned cleavage. At the bottom of the stairs, the four women gave each other a group hug and even from where he stood he could see they were talking a mile a minute, clearly so happy and in love that something else shifted in Aiden’s gut.
Relief.
Because he’d tortured himself for a long time, worrying about Sienna, hoping she was okay but worrying she wasn’t. When clearly, she wasmorethan okay. She had tight friendships with – if Astrid was anything to go by – a group of incredible, supportive, kind women.
* * *
‘Oh my God, you look hot,’ Paige exclaimed on a whistle.
‘Seriously hot,’ Astrid agreed.
‘But you’re not happy?’ Paige guessed, when Sienna didn’t immediately respond.
Before Sienna could open her mouth, Bella replied, ‘She’s annoyed she doesn’t get to throw a vase at him.’
Astrid laughed. ‘Definitely not, thank you. That’s something Blake would consider to be a line-cross.’ She looked casually over her shoulder. ‘Now.’ Astrid expelled a quick breath. ‘Aiden’s on his own. Go talk to him a bit, before Blake and I make the welcome toast.’
‘Here.’ Bella swiped another glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waitress. ‘Think of it as a prop.’
Sienna took a sip. ‘Okay.’ Then a huge gulp of air. ‘Wish me luck.’
‘Honey,’ Paige cooed. ‘You don’t need it.’
Sucking in a deep breath and channelling her best impersonation of someone who had a wise inner goddess, Sienna began to stroll across the foyer of the home, to where Aiden was standing. She’d contemplated playing it aloof, but for this to work, she needed to hook him first. Then she could think about torturing him, once he was on the line.
She pushed down all her anger. All her resentment. All her loyalty to the teenager who’d cried so many tears over his departure. She pushed everything aside except the fact she had a plan to get him back, and she was actually sort of looking forward to going through with it.
While Chase and Olly had turned out not to be so bad, in the end, Horrible Harvey – Paige’s ex – and Aiden ‘So Perfect It Hurts’ Carter were truly deserving of some kind of comeuppance and Sienna was determined to serve it tobothof them. One by one. Starting with Aiden, because he was here, and she had her wing-women making sure she didn’t lose her nerve.
The closer she got, the happier she became that it had worked out like this. While the idea of Astrid messing with him was fun, this seemed so much more appropriate. They said revenge was a dish best served cold, but Sienna thought it was actually a dish best served face to face. She was going to relish putting this arrogant, ice-hearted piece of work in his place and seeing him suffer. Through seduction. Hardly torture, but in the right hands…
‘Oh, hi.’ She smiled as she got close enough, as if to get his attention. But that wasn’t necessary, because he’d been tracking her progress across the room. ‘I thought I’d come catch up with you before the official proceedings get underway.’
His thick, dark brows drew together a little. ‘I was going to offer you a drink but you seem to have come prepared.’
‘I sure have,’ she said.
If only you knew, buster.
‘How about I join you for one,’ she said, nodding towards his half-full beer.
He took a sip. ‘So, you and Astrid are pretty close, huh?’
She glanced towards the other girls, who were doing an average-at-best job of pretending to be absorbed in conversation with each other, andnotlike they were obsessively watching Sienna and Aiden.
‘Uh huh. Kind of weird, right?’
‘Yeah. But I mean’ – he lifted one shoulder in a gesture of carelessness – ‘that’s life.’
Not only was he not bothered by their friendship, he wasn’t even curious about it. She knew she should be grateful but it got under her skin. She dug her nails into her palms from the sheer effort of keeping her own expression neutral.
‘So…’ She hunted around for a conversation change. ‘You’ve done well for yourself.’ She could have kicked herself for not being able to completely keep the irritation from her tone. Had she wanted him to crash and burn? Sure, at first she had. Partly because he’d deserved it – and she wasn’t too proud to admit she had a vengeful streak every bit as developed as the next spurned woman – and partly because it might have brought him back home.
‘I guess.’ He shrugged dismissively. ‘It’s just hockey.’
