Page 80 of Is It Casual Now?

“Right.” Siena wiped at her cheeks as Harley came into the room, socks and boots successfully on her feet. Even on the correct feet, Siena noted, wondering why she would even notice the detail when inside her chest everything was slowlytumbling down. “I’d like you to meet us, if you’re able, and write a piece about what you see.”

“That’s it? Do I get any kind of hint as to what I’ll see?”

“I think it’ll be better if you see it for yourself.”

“Right,” Jamie said, and Siena could imagine her nodding and tucking a pen behind her ear. Which was a stupid image. As far as Siena knew, Jamie might not even use pens to take notes. She might be a complete technological junky. She rolled her eyes at herself and then quickly beamed a bright smile to Harley who was looking at her with her brows furrowed.

The smile had done the trick though, and Harley returned the gesture in kind before walking farther into Siena’s room and standing in front of the full-length mirror that stood at an angle in the corner of her bedroom.

Images of watching herself fuck Jamie in the reflection filled her brain, and she quickly coughed to shake it away.

“So, will you make it?”

“I’ll try. Send me a text with the details, and I’ll do my best to be there.”

“Thanks, Jamie.”

“Bye, Siena.”

The way Jamie said it had sounded so final. Notsee ya,orlater. Butbye…

“Is someone else coming to the park? Will I take pictures of them too?” Harley stopped the pain in Siena’s chest from entirely taking over.

“I invited them, but I don’t know if they’ll have the time to show up.”

“Who is it?” Harley asked twirling in front of the mirror. “It’s Ms. Jamie, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Siena laughed and scooped her daughter up in her arms mid-twirl. Harley squealed and then laughed. “It’s Ms. Jamie.”

“I hope she comes. She’s pretty, and I want to take pictures of her.”

“She is pretty.” Siena’s words threatened to stick in her throat. “But even if she does come, she might not want her photo taken.”

“Oh.” Harley furrowed her brow. “And I can’t take pictures of people if they haven’t said I could, right?”

“That’s right.” Siena nodded, pride swelling her chest.

“Okay.” Harley nodded, already taking on the seriousness her role as photographer deemed.

“Well then, let’s get going, munchkin.”

“Nope, I’m Superman.”

“What happened to being Batman?”

“Superman takes pictures for the Daily Planet.” She affected a tone that Siena was certain she’d hear more of as Harley became a teenager. “So I’m Superman today.”

“So does Lois Lane.”

“But Lois Lane keeps getting caught and needs to be rescued. I don’t need to be rescued.”

“No.” Siena smiled, shuffling herself and Harley out of her house as she grabbed snacks and bottles of water at the last minute. “You definitely don’t need saving, Superman.”

At Siena’s words, Harley’s chest puffed up a little more. She pushed her shoulders back and strode away slow enough for Siena to whip out her phone and take a picture before Harley got too far away.

It didn’t take Siena very long to get to the river and the bridge. Piper and Jo were already there, standing very close to each other. Siena had to rush to get Harley out of the back seat of the car. She held onto her as she climbed because it was so difficult to see in the dark and Harley’s arm was still in the damn cast.

They made their way to Piper and Jo, and Harley had already started doing what she was there to do. Takingpictures. Siena stayed back a little, giving Harley the space as Piper played into everything for her. Harley’s squeals were such a delight to hear—Siena loved that Piper and Bunny had fallen so in love with Harley when she was born.

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