Page 111 of Is It Casual Now?

She might not have the same complete trust and vision of herself as Siena yet, but she would. She would keep working on it, and she knew without a doubt Siena would keep reminding her just how amazing she was.

thirty-five

“Ingrid.” Siena smiled, walking into the restaurant and flicking her hair over her shoulder. She needed to hang out with her more often than she had been. But they seemed to be crisis buddies right now instead of simply just friends. Wrapping her arms around Ingrid’s wiry shoulders, Siena hugged her tight. “Let’s get dinner, just you and me sometime.”

“Uh… sure.” Ingrid gave her a worried look. “Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all.” Siena stepped away. “In fact, everything is great.” Siena squared her shoulders and looked Ingrid over. She looked a whole lot thinner than she usually was, which was saying something, since she was as lanky and wiry as Siena. “Is everything good with you?”

“Mostly.” Ingrid sighed. “We can talk about that later.” Ingrid nodded toward the door. “Your applicant is here.”

Siena spun around to find Jamie coming inside, knocking the water off the umbrella she’d just closed and fluffing out her hair in the entryway. Siena’s lips curled upward in a sweet smile. She would never get over the fact that they were together now. It truly was unexpectedly perfect.

Walking right up to Jamie, Siena took her by the hand and kissed her quickly. “Hey there.”

“Hey,” Jamie said with a worried smile. “You do realize that Ingrid Brett is the one who was trying to get me fired for months, right?”

“Yeah, I do.” Siena gave her a smile. “Trust me?”

“Always…except maybe when it comes to this.” Jamie chuckled lightly. “But I’ll sit through a free meal.”

Siena took Jamie by the hand and walked closer to Ingrid.

“I’d like to officially introduce you two. Jamie, this is Ingrid, Ingrid this is Jamie Kettlehouse.”

“Good to meet the infamous gossip writer,” Ingrid said, extending her hand.

“I prefer notorious.” Jamie quirked her lips up in that brilliant smile that made Siena weak in the knees.

Ingrid’s voice trilled with a laugh before she nodded her agreement and shook hands with Jamie. They were led to a table toward the back, per Siena’s request, and sat down. It hadn’t taken Siena very long to toss the idea to Ingrid. It had, however, taken her much longer to convince Ingrid that this would be anywhere near a good idea.

After they’d ordered some drinks, Siena settled in to help facilitate this. Not that she felt she needed to be here for the conversation—or rather interview—but she hadn’t seen Ingrid on a more personal level for a while, and it was a good excuse to get out and see her while things were still calm, or as calm as either of their lives got.

“As much as Iloveyour CV,” Ingrid added an extra snark onto thelovewhen she spoke, “I do have a lot of concerns about hiring you.”

“Fair,” Jamie answered, putting her foot right against Siena’s under the table.

If Siena could be there for emotional support, then shewould be. “I’d have the same concerns.” She picked up her coffee and sipped it, the hot liquid glorious, especially with that added hit of caffeine in it that she needed after a late night with Harley. Those nightmares about kindergarten were no joke. Tori had tried to warn her, but Siena hadn’t quite believed her until she experienced it herself.

Ingrid shot Siena an interesting look, one that was telling her to shut up but was also intrigued. “I read the interview you published with Bunny and Piper. It was excellent. But I don’t have the same…sway… as your previous contract.”

Jamie grinned. “No, you don’t. Nor would I ask you to. I wrote that article in part as a favor to Siena, but also because it was a lifelong dream to have an exclusive interview with Bunny and Piper. I couldn’t turn down that opportunity.”

“No one could. Exclusives with them are rare.” Ingrid again looked at Siena. Was she trying to size Siena up? Or was she simply trying to figure out why Siena had made this proposal? “And it was good timing.”

“Yes, it was.” Jamie shifted a glance to Siena as well, definitely trying to judge what exactly she should be saying and not saying.

“It was an attempt to sway public opinion, and to turn it back to what we wanted it to be.” Siena sipped her coffee again, eyeing Ingrid over. There was definitely something off about her.

“That’s definitely something I need, and someone who can think about where those gaps are and where they can be filled.” Ingrid thanked the waiter as he brought her a mimosa that she’d ordered. They each placed orders for their brunch and then went right back to it. “How much experience in PR do you have?”

Jamie shrugged. “A bit, but not extensive. My main experience is in the newspaper and media world, the gossip writingyou could say. I didn’t write the tabloids, but sometimes it was pretty close. Well, once I did, because I needed a few bucks to pay my cell phone bill.”

Siena raised an eyebrow at Jamie over that one. She hadn’t realized that she’d done that, and now she really wanted to know what that article involved—or rather who. Jamie locked their gazes and shook her head.

“You don’t want to read it.”

“I kind of do,” Siena countered. “I want to know what depths you’ll go to for a few dollars.”

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