Page 32 of Nothing Heals Me Like You Do

“Yeah.” Justine wiped her face and squared her shoulders. It’s what she did. Still, she gladly followed Sienna, who looked so much like Rochelle it really did feel like time had just collapsed in on itself.

Chapter17

They’d slept together a few times and, according to Sienna at least, each time, more tenderness had crept into the act. Still, Sienna’s dreams of scratching deeper at the surface of Justine’s armor had not yet come true. Until now, apparently.

“I’m sorry about being such a blubbering mess.” Justine sounded nervous and unlike her usual self. “This fucking movie.”

“Here.” Sienna handed her a bottle of water and let her fingers linger on Justine’s. Obviously, she was shaken by the scene she’d just witnessed, which, in Sienna’s view, was perfectly normal—and also a little flattering. “It might be difficult and strange, but I’m glad you’re here.”

“Are you?” There was the first half-smile of the day. “Is it not weird for you to have Rochelle and me watching you?”

“It’s not weird.” Sienna took a step closer. “It’s special.”

“Special, huh?” Justine’s face softened. With her eyes red and her face covered in streaks from crying, she looked more vulnerable than Sienna had ever seen her.

“Veryspecial.” Sienna took another step closer so that Justine was backed against the door of the trailer. She hadn’t told anyone on set about her dalliance with Justine—it was nobody’s business. “Just as it is a real privilege to see the great Justine Blackburn like this.”

“Like what? A blubbering mess?” Justine huffed out some air. “Best not get used to it, because it won’t happen again.”

It drove Sienna crazy when Justine spoke in absolutes like that, when she went all brazen and arrogant and was very likely to overplay her hand. Because surely Justine hadn’t expected to burst into tears when planning her visit to the set today, yet here she was. Sienna couldn’t get enough of it. She loved the soft Justine that she so expertly, so stubbornly, hid beneath her tough as nails exterior.

“Sure.” Careful not to mess up her hair too much, Sienna kissed the side of Justine’s neck. “Do you want to come over tonight?”

“I thought you didn’t have the emotional bandwidth for that at the beginning of a shoot.”

Justine was melting under Sienna’s touch already.

“Just the first couple of days and besides, now I’m thinking it might be helpful to spend time with you.” Sienna kissed her way up, until her lips reached Justine’s.

“Well then, if I can be of help.” Justine didn’t even pretend to be busy. “I don’t really want to be alone tonight.”

“I’m looking forward to it already.” Sienna was about to press her lips to Justine’s, when her phone rang. She checked the screen. “It’s my dad,” she said, wondering what he wanted. He’d probably forgotten she was shooting.

“Please, don’t keep the best donor the Rainbow Shelter has had in a long time waiting,” Justine said, sounding deadly serious.

Sienna took the call.

“Hey, Doll. Surprise. I’m here. At the studio. Which soundstage are you on?”

“What do you mean you’re here?”

“Surprise set visit from your old man. I figured you wouldn’t let me if I told you in advance.” Typical Bobby. “Also, I’ve been looking into the Rainbow Shelter after I talked to Justine Blackburn, and I find myself fascinated.” Wow. Bobby Bright fascinated by something else other than his own navel. Still, to hear her father say that about Justine made Sienna’s stomach flutter. “Is it okay if I visit? I’m here now, so I might as well.”

In theory, Sienna could say no, yet she didn’t—for many reasons. She told her dad where he could find her and hung up.

“Surprise. Daddy’s here.”

“Really?” Justine’s face lit up. “I’d love to meet Bobby. He and I had a wonderful conversation when I called to thank him for his generous donation.”

“I bet you did.” Her father was nothing if not extremely charming—and Justine was clearly under the influence of the money he’d given to the shelter. “He doesn’t know about…” Sienna waved her hand about aimlessly. “This. About us.”

“Of course.” Justine pulled Sienna back toward her. “I will most certainly not be the one to tell Bobby Bright about that,” she said before exiting Sienna’s trailer without having properly kissed her.

Sienna had long ago accepted that her father was not cut out for parenting. While her mother excelled at presence, patience, and unconditional love, her father had tried to be the fun dad. Both Sienna and Taissa had seen through that act soon enough and they’d learned that, for Bobby Bright, no other person—not even his kids—could ever be more important than himself.

Whenever Sienna was with her dad, he was generous with his affection—as generous as with his money—but the thing about affection was that, if it wasn’t backed up by time willingly spent together, by shared memories that came naturally when someone raised you, it felt a little off. And with Bobby, also quite performative at times.

So Sienna accepted his hug and she had no problem smiling through the unnecessary introductions she made—everyone knew who Bobby Bright was—and the inevitable fawning from people in the presence of her dad, as if being a movie star automatically made you the best person in the world.

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