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“Over… dinner?”

“Or just a beer.” Sienna’s grin didn’t disappear—on the contrary.

“I don’t want to dismiss you, but I need to go back to the shelter. If you want to talk, I understand, but I’m not sure I’ll have the energy for that tonight.”

“How about tomorrow? It’s Saturday. Maybe you’ll be more rested.” Weekends were always busy at the shelter and Justine rarely took a day off—only when she felt she really needed it, which was definitely not often enough according to Rochelle.

“Maybe you could come to my place? I’ll show you my Raffo Shahs,” Sienna insisted. “I’m also a pretty decent cook, even if I say so myself.”

“Okay. Let’s do that.” Justine couldn’t think of a good enough reason to decline this invitation from Sienna Bright.

Chapter9

So much for moving on quickly, Sienna thought, as she added the tofu to the pan. But after that conversation with Rochelle, everything had changed. And Justine hadn’t been very reluctant to agree to this dinner.

She took a sip of the Sancerre she had opened. The rice cooker was doing its job. The cucumber was marinating in the spicy dressing Sienna couldn’t get enough of. As soon as the tofu was done frying in Sichuan peppercorn sauce, Sienna would be ready for Justine to arrive.

By the time Justine finally arrived—more than half an hour later than the time they’d agreed on—Sienna had finished more than her share of that bottle of wine.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Justine said, not sounding apologetic at all. “I also didn’t have time to pick up something to thank you for your invitation. I know it’s rude. I hope my awareness of that is enough.” She looked around Sienna’s apartment. “Well, fuck me. This place is humongous. Do you live here alone?”

“I do. My dad bought it for me, to be honest. It’s his way of showing affection.” The only way he knows how, Sienna thought.

“That’s right. I need to give Bobby Bright a call one of these days. I’m sure I can get his number from you.” Justine gave off a bizarre kind of passive-aggressive energy. Or maybe she was just nervously joking.

“Maybe later.” Sienna tried to usher them toward the lounge area, but Justine was drawn to the walls of glass overlooking the city.

“I was surprised you lived downtown. I’d taken you more for a Bel Air or Beverly Hills type.”

“Downtown is all the rage these days.” Granted, Sienna’s dad lived in Bel Air, while her mother lived in Beverly Hills. “What can I offer you to drink?” she asked. “And more importantly, do you need a snack first?”

“I had lunch so I should be okay.” That was the first genuine smile Justine had sent Sienna’s way since she’d arrived. “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

Sienna fetched her guest a glass and poured out the remainder of the bottle. She put some wasabi nuts in a bowl and brought everything to the lounge.

“Will you come sit with me?”

Justine strutted over. She was wearing jeans and a wrinkled shirt. Her shoulder-length hair was pushed back and looked unruly. She hadn’t bothered to put on something special—or pull a comb through her hair—before coming here.

She huffed out a slow breath as she plopped down in one of the lounge chairs.

“Long day?” Sienna asked.

“There’s this girl at the shelter. Her name’s Ashleigh. She’s hard to get through to. She’s been through a lot and it’s, um, yeah, it’s hard, but I’ll get there with her.”

Obviously, Rochelle was right about Justine being married to her work. Sienna waited until Justine sipped from her wine and hoped the alcohol would relax her as it had done at the Korean restaurant.

Justine cut her gaze to Sienna. “I know exactly what you’re thinking. I’m a lot, I know that. I just need a minute to get my bearings.”

Sienna chuckled and shook her head. “That wasn’t what I was thinking, but it’s true that you are a lot and I quite like it.”

“Again with thequite.” Justine sank a little deeper into her chair.

“It did the trick last time.” So much for waiting until Justine had relaxed. But Sienna was not used to this. She hadn’t met anyone like Justine in her thirty-six years.

“Oh, god. You’re relentless.” Justine smiled at her and it was the kind of smile that reached all the way up to her eyes. “Here I was thinking Rochelle told you a cautionary tale about me.”

“Really? What did Rochelle tell you?”