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“Because the press is going to eat them alive for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! This industry will tear them apart in seconds with the amount of hate they’ll get. They’ll never be able to walk down the streets and feel safe. They’ll never have a moment’s peace!”

Was this what Bunny truly thought of Jo and Piper? Or was it everything she feared for herself? Bea didn’t have time to dive into that vat of self-loathing, nor did she have the desire to do it. Bunny needed to take time to figure her own shit out. “Or they just might celebrate them.”

Bunny scoffed.

“I need to call Jo.” Bea squared her shoulders and gave Bunny a pointed look. “So if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to call my sister and congratulate her on one of the happiest days of her life.”

“You can’t just let this go.”

“Watch me,” Bea fired back. “Because I’m not going to be the asshole who tears apart my family. I’m not going to be the one who is going to die on this hill. And I’m not going to lose my sister because my ego is so big I can’t see anything but my own fucking nose.”

Bunny stumbled back another step, Bea’s anger lashing out and hitting its mark. And Bea wasn’t even sad about it. Bunny deserved it, and someone had to take her down a few notches.

“So get out, Bunny. I’m done.”

Silence lingered between them, as they steeped in the anger, the shame, and the broken-hearted feelings. Bea shook her head again, waiting for Bunny to turn around and walk out the door. She held her ground. She wouldn’t let Bunny continue to treat her like this anymore. She couldn’t control what Jo did, but she could protect herself from working with this jerk.

Bea had called Bunny that the first night they’d met, and while she’d thought she’d been wrong for a few moments there, she hadn’t been. And she had to be done.

Those words settled deep into Bea’s heart.

She was done.

Not just with this conversation, but with everything.

“Get out, Bunny,” Bea repeated when Bunny didn’t move quickly enough.

Silently, Bunny walked to the door. That vibrating anger she’d shown up with was gone, and it had been replaced by something so melancholy that it would scare Bea if she focused on it. Bunny was someone to be pitied, honestly. She couldn’t let anyone else be happy because she was so damn afraid of what would happen if she truly lived into her own self.

Bunny hesitated as she reached for the door handle, looking over her shoulder and directly into Bea’s eyes. Her lips parted as if she was going to say something, but she remained silent. Bea watched the walls come right back up, locking into place.

The door snicked closed as quietly as Bea had ever heard. Before she let any emotions wash over her, before she did anything but breathe, she reached for her phone and called Siena.

“Hey Bea. How’s it going?” Siena sounded hesitant, more than Bea had ever heard her before.

“Do you have time for some coffee?”

“Of course.” The sound of shuffling paper through the phone stopped as Siena heard something in Bea’s voice. Something Bea didn’t have the strength to cover. “Is everything okay?”

“I’d rather do this in person.” And once she’d gotten control over herself again—at least as much as she could muster. “Do you have any time today?”

“I’ll make time.” Siena’s voice was accompanied by the quick staccato of fingers on a keyboard. “I’ve freed up my only meetingfor the afternoon. Head in when you’re ready. Would you like me to send you a car?”

“No.” Bea smiled, silent tears escaping her eyes. “I’ll be there soon.”

“I’ll see you then.”

Bea hung up, washed her face and headed out. This couldn’t wait. She needed to do it all now before she lost her nerve.

“Hey.” Siena stood up as soon as Bea stepped in to her office. There was coffee on the small table, cookies on a beautiful tray, and bottled water. Bea wouldn’t be able to eat or drink any of it. She was still too hyped from the confrontation with Bunny.

“I can’t do the Christmas show,” Bea blurted out. There. It was out in the open now, and Bea wouldn’t have to fumble around for the words.

“And I was thinking you were here because of the engagement.” Siena gave an awkward smile, her body rigid in a way Bea hadn’t ever seen before. Bea slid into the chair she’d deemed hers the one time she’d been here before. Siena slowly lowered herself opposite.

“You saw this morning's photos and release as well then. I’m surprised they didn’t try and get some of the PR nightmare that this will be under control.” Bea wrung her hands together. This wasn’t because of the engagement. She had to keep telling herself that to make sure that she believed it. Because she wasn’t sure if she did. She’d always known they’d likely break up the act at some point. She just hadn’t realized it’d be so soon.

“What?” Siena twitched. “What photos?”