Page 73 of Is It Casual Now?

Jamie took a step away, half turning her body as if she was just going to up and leave again. “We can talk about this when Harley isn’t here. I don’t think you want?—”

“I want an answer.” Siena’s voice cracked through the empty street.

“Siena!” Tori’s familiar voice reached her ears, and it was the scolding that Siena needed and didn’t want. Of course she would show up now.

Closing her eyes, Siena’s shoulders drooped. “I know.” She kneeled down onto the sidewalk and held Harley by her arms, looking directly into her eyes. “I shouldn’t have said that. It is a bad word, and I’m sorry. Sometimes when I get angry and frustrated, I say things that I shouldn’t.”

Harley nodded slowly, biting her lip, but she didn’t say anything. Had Siena scared her that much?

“I also am not mad at you, baby. I promise.”

“Are you mad at Ms. Jamie?” Harley’s voice echoed.

Siena looked up into Jamie’s wide eyes and then at Tori.She had to answer truthfully. There was no way she could lie to Harley about this one. “Yes, I am.”

“But she didn’t do anything wrong.”

“No, she didn’t,” Siena answered. “Being mad at someone isn’t because they always do something wrong. Sometimes we just…” Siena winced. “You know, I’m just really mad at myself, that’s what it is. And I need to figure that out, but I need to figure it outwithJamie.”

“Okay?” Harley squeaked out.

“I’m sorry, baby. I need to do better next time.” Siena moved in and hugged Harley. She was going to have to stand up and tell Jamie that they’d talk about this later, and then she really was going to have to find a time for them to talk. Siena faced Tori. “I’m sorry.”

“Do you want her to come home with me for the night? You do owe me a night, and that way you and Jamie can have some time to talk.”

“Oh, no, that’s fine,” Jamie interjected. “We don’t have anything to talk about.”

“Yeah, you do,” Harley interrupted. “Mommy needs to apologize to you too.”

Fuck Harley for being so astute. Siena cringed. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Thanks. And sorry.”

Tori hummed, giving Siena a knowing look. “I expect my apology in the form of tequila. Not for you and me, but for Miranda and me.”

Siena laughed and her cheeks rushed with heat. “Noted.”

Tori held out her hand for Harley, and they walked away in the opposite direction that Jamie had been heading.

“Well, at least I know where Harley gets her backbone from,” Jamie muttered.

“She’s not like me at all.” Siena huffed as she watched mother and daughter walking away.

Jamie frowned. “She’s exactly like you.”

“Nah, she’s all Tori.”

“If you say so, but I don’t see it that way. She’s smart, she’s outgoing, and she stands up for herself and the people she loves.” Jamie frowned. “So she’s you.”

Siena’s breath caught in her throat. This was never casual. Hadn’t she told herself that already? Hadn’t she tried to figure out what they were doing and who they were to each other? Or had she really tried to keep it casual when it was never that?

“Why didn’t you come to the interview?”

“I told you already. It never mattered to you.” Jamie jerked her chin up in defiance, and Siena could see the hurt that covered her face. She wasn’t going to get out of this one without an apology and that was okay. Harley had been right. Siena owed Jamie an apology, more than one.

Siena sighed, the cold air from the December night biting her cheeks and nipping at her nose. Only this time it didn’t come with the warm feelings of the Christmas season. It came with pain and struggle. And it came with shame.

“Come with me,” Siena said.

“What?” Jamie took a visible step back. “Where?”

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