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“What’s up?” Better to tear off the Band-Aid—it was a saying she often told her clients. And one she tried her best to live as well, without being cruel or unnecessarily harsh. She couldn’t fix anything if unspoken questions lingered in the air. Miranda calling her a chickenshit came back to mind. Okay, she didn’t always rip the Band-Aid so fiercely, but this wasn’t Miranda. This was Siena.
“I didn’t know you had a date. I could have changed my plans.” Rumbles of something unspoken stirred beneath Siena’s words. What was that? Tori wanted to know.
“What?” Tori declared, though the heat in her cheeks belied her outrage. “I’m not on a date.”
“I’m worried about you.”
“Worried about me?” Tori laughed and shrugged. “Why on earth are you worried about me?”
Siena huffed out a breath as though needing to steel herself for her next words. “I’m worried you’re chasing someone who isn’t your type because you are so caught up on this ridiculous soulmate-by-thirty thing. She’s twice your age!”
“Firstly…” Tori took a deep breath. She wasn’t angry, not really. But the pain of Siena’s flippant words about her belief in true love did hurt, just as it always had. “It’s not ridiculous. And secondly, I’m not dating Miranda. It’s not like that. She’s been thrown into this shit situation, and she needs a friend.”
“And that’s all you are? Friends?” Siena didn’t look like she believed her.
“Yes.” Tori hoped Miranda really did consider her a friend, because she didn’t want to lie. Even though she might be doing that to herself.
“And this wasn’t a date?” Siena eyed Tori.
“Of course not. We both agreed no dates when we have Harley until something is serious and we’re ready for introductions. That's why I was more than happy to take her tonight.”
“All right, I know. I’m sorry. I know you better than that.” Siena tossed a hand through her hair.
“Yeah.” Tori laughed, but it didn’t quite ring true. “You do.”
“Okay okay, I’m being a jackass.” Siena wrapped her arm around Tori’s shoulder and pulled her in for a side hug, kissing her cheek.
“A little bit, yes, but I appreciate the concern.”
Siena looked through the car window at Harley singing in her seat, shuffling her body, her hands making actions for the words. She never could keep still. A lot like Rebel in that way. Tori grinned at her.
“She’s such an amazing kid.” Tori met Siena’s eyes as they both pulled away. They were on even ground again. This was the way most of their arguments had gone since divorcing, and it had been blissfully uneventful. Tori called through the glass, “Bye, baby. Be good for Mom.”
Harley waved and nodded.
“How did the date go by the way?” Tori asked as she walked with Siena around to the driver’s side door.
“It didn’t. If anything, she’s more your type than mine.”
“Oh god, not another setup.” But Tori was smiling, relieved at the easing of tension between the two of them.
“Well, you need one, especially if you’re not dating Ms. Priss in there.” Siena pointed at the apartment window.
Tori stared longingly at it. She wanted to be inside with Miranda, not outside making idle chitchat with Siena. That should have been her first sign that there was more between them than just friendship. But they hadn’t talked about anything beyond that. Or even that, really. “Why are you so sure Miranda isn’t my type?”
“Everything about her.” Siena knocked her shoulder into Tori’s. “It’s not that I think she’s a bad person, but you need someone warm, and she isn’t that. All she did was glare at me the entire time I was in there.”
“She just expresses herself differently. And has a really bad case of resting bitch face.”
“Riiiiight.” Siena stopped at her door, making eye contact with Tori. “Just promise me that you’ll be careful. We don’t need a repeat of last year.”
Right, last year, when Tori had landed herself on Siena’s doorstep drunk off tequila and sobbing helplessly. That night had turned into a one-night fling between them, and they both swore it would never happen again. Though that was the second time it had happened.
“I’m being careful.” Tori saw the doubt in Siena’s eyes, but she bowled over it with a confident smile. Come hell or high water, Tori wouldn’t admit that there was anything more between her and Miranda than friendship. Siena wasn’t wrong when she’d said Miranda wasn’t her type. She might be in looks, but definitely not in personality.
Tori didn’t wait until Siena turned onto the road before heading back to the front door. Her stomach rolled into a flip as she stepped inside, Siena’s concern swirling through her head. Tori knew Siena was right. She also knew that sometimes knowing something meant absolutely nothing at all.
“No, it means everything. She’s not the one,” Tori muttered as she stepped back inside to find Miranda singing softly into Rebel’s hair as the child fell asleep in her aunt’s arms.
