Page 77 of Settling the Score

‘But to cut you out of his life so completely…’

‘Yeah, I know. I guess… I guess I kind of understand even that, now.’

Bella let out a low whistle. ‘Either this guy’s got some magic excuse, or he’s got a magic… something else entirely.’

Sienna’s cheeks flushed but she grinned. ‘Maybe both.’

‘I see,’ Bella said, sagely, after several beats. But Bella being Bella, that wasn’t the end of it. ‘So, what’s the new plan?’

‘There is no plan.’

‘You’re having sex with the guy who broke your heart and you’ve hated ever since, and you don’t have aplanfor how tonotget hurt again?’ Bella was whispering, but there was a screechy tone to her voice that made Sienna look around jumpily. Blake and Cynthia were out on the terrace, but far enough away, and deep in conversation, so she was pretty confident they hadn’t heard.

‘I’m not the same girl I was then. He won’t hurt me.’

Bella looked far from convinced.

‘We’ve talked about it,’ Sienna promised. ‘We’ve both agreed what we’re doing, and when it will end. No hard feelings.’

Bella’s expression didn’t change.

‘Back then, I thought we were in love, and going to, you know, grow up and get married. I thought he was my happily ever after. My knight in shining armour. Back then, he hurt me because I gave him enough of myself to make that possible. I will never make that mistake again, and nor would he. We know what we’re doing, Bells. You can relax. I promise.’

‘Okaaay,’ she said hesitantly. ‘Because I really would hate to have to kill Astrid’s new brother-in-law,’ she said with a joking grimace. ‘But I’d do it, for you.’

Sienna grinned. ‘Don’t worry; it won’t come to that. I know what I’m doing.’

‘And that is?’

Sienna thought for a moment. ‘You know, I think I’m actually having fun.’

Bella smiled, her eyes knowing. ‘You deserve that.’

‘Thanks. Now, I’ve got something else I want to run past you.’ She glanced around, making sure they were still out of earshot. ‘I was going to wait until after the wedding but… I’m too excited.’ She sucked in a deep breath. ‘I think I might have found a way to get to Horrible Harvey.’

Bella’s brows shot upwards. ‘You’re kidding?’

She shook her head.

‘Shall I get Olly?’

‘Oh, God, yes. I can’t think of anyone besides us who’ll be more excited by the idea of finally getting that bastard back.’

When Bella, Olly and Chase joined her a short while later – Olly and Chase were seemingly inseparable – Sienna leaned forward, barely able to keep the excitement from her voice. ‘Okay, so, here’s what I’m thinking…’

17

He was surprised by how much he liked Chase and Olly. An artist and an author… not really his usual type of friends, but they were great guys, and he’d just spent more than an hour sharing breakfast with them, shooting the breeze.

They were both also as obviously, cloyingly loved up as his brother was, totally smitten by Bella and Paige respectively, so he’d also felt a bit like he was the odd one out, given his disavowal of serious relationships. He liked them, though, and he liked that they were now a part of Blake’s orbit – by virtue of their close friendship with Astrid, and her besties.

And Sienna.

They’d been talking about the New York art scene when Bella had arrived at the table, cheeks flushed, barely glancing at Aiden and putting an arm around Chase’s shoulders while asking Olly if he had a moment.

Chase hadn’t looked at all concerned that his girlfriend wanted a minute alone with some other guy. If anything, he looked excited. ‘Good news?’

‘Maybe,’ Bella had said, biting into her lip. ‘Do you want to come, too?’