Interview with Love (9 page)

Her day was simply fantastic. She smiled like a Cheshire cat when she recounted all the events. When the phone rang, she grabbed the receiver and hit the talk button. “Hello?”

“Why are you answering? I thought you just wanted me to ring once and hang up?”

She heard Vaughn's amused voice in her ear. She laughed. “Sorry, I forgot.” Without warning she hung up the telephone.

A few seconds later the phone rang again.

“Hello?”

“You are certifiably crazy.”

She burst out laughing. “Glad to know you arrived safely.”

“Yep, I did.”

“What are you doing?”

“Watching the moon shine through the skylight above my bed. You?”

“The same—minus the skylight.”

“So, which part of our outing was your favorite?”

Sienna was thoughtful for a moment. “Hmm…I'd have to say you winning me Rocco.”

“Excuse me?”

“My stuffed animal. I named him Rocco.”

“I see. So where is Rocco now?”

“Right next to me. I've got a King-sized bed so he's got an entire wing to himself.”

Vaughn chuckled at that, but then grew silent. “I'd say he is one lucky bear.”

Sienna's stomach lurched. Closing her eyes, she willed the lump forming in her throat to move. “You know, something tells me if we don't say goodnight now we'll be on this phone till dawn.”

“Something tells me you're right. Goodnight,” Vaughn said, quietly. “I'm glad we gave the friend thing another try.”

She couldn't help the grin that stole across her face. “Me, too,” she admitted before hanging up the phone.

Sienna was checking in on her flight when her cell phone rang. “Sienna Lambert.”

“Where are you?”

She smiled. “Chicago. You?”

“Seattle,” Vaughn replied. “We had a skittish client that was thinking about going to another agency. Linda insisted I come out here immediately to keep that from happening.”

“Did you convince them?”

“We'll find out shortly. Right now we're at Happy Hour going over how much more we're going to do for them—for less.”

“Well, if anyone can blow sunshine up someone's—”

“Hey,” he interrupted.

“I'm just saying…you're good at schmoozing.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“You know it is,” Sienna countered. “Darn, I have to run. I'm heading to the security checkpoint. Dinner tomorrow night, okay? Does Michael Dean's Seafood work for you?”

“You're on. I'll call you when I land. Be safe, Doc.”

“Ditto.”

A day later, they were patiently waiting for the waiter to show them to their table. Once they were settled, Vaughn scanned the wine list and ordered a bottle of Merlot. He also ordered the most expensive oysters on the menu. Sienna glanced up from pondering her dinner selection.

“What's all this?”

“A celebration of sorts.”

“You're still gainfully employed?”

“Yes, Very much so. My client is staying with us. Seems a colleague of his overheard someone talking at lunch about the shoddy job the competition did on their last campaign. They screwed it up royally. Anyway, he decided that Chase & Burroughs was where his women's shoe line needed to be.”

Sienna's eyes narrowed. “You wouldn't happen to have had anything to do with that, would you?”

Vaughn put his hand to his chest. “I'm shocked beyond words you suspect me of something nefarious. I emphatically deny any involvement and was nowhere near that restaurant at the time.”

She looked at him skeptically. “Right,” she drawled.

During dinner Vaughn said, “Hey, want to come over and watch a movie tonight?”

Sienna pondered his question. “On a school night?”

He leaned in conspiratorially. “Yes, on a school night. Come on, I'm too pumped up to go to bed any time soon.”

Vivian's voice sounded in her head.
You'd better say yes or I'll say it for you. Yes, Vaughn. This crazy woman that hasn't had a date since Lord knows when would love to go out with you!
Pushing her friend's words aside she nodded. “Sure.”

“Great. You want to follow me over, or drop your car at your house and ride with me?”

“Don't be silly, I'll follow you over.”

“Okay.”

 

When they had arrived at the house, Sienna followed Vaughn into his driveway. He parked in front of the garage and got out. By the time Sienna had turned off her engine he was at her door opening it for her.

“Thanks, kind sir.”

He bowed. “Right this way, milady.”

“So, what are we watching?” she asked following him into the house.

“I don't know. It's your turn to pick.”

They descended the basement stairs and went into what Sienna had now dubbed ‘Vaughn's Playland'.

She sat on the couch and kicked off her heels while Vaughn turned the projection screen and sound system on. She grabbed a nearby Chenille throw.

“If you're cold I can adjust the temperature.”

Sienna shook her head. “No need, this is fine.”

She smiled over his concern. Every since their not-so-official date, they had spent a great deal of time together. Sienna admitted to herself that it had been fun getting to know him.

“So,” Vaughn said, interrupting her inner musing, He plopped down on the couch next to her. “What movie would you like to watch?”

She sifted through choices in her head. After two minutes he moaned aloud, “Doc, we go through this every time. Just pick something.”

“I know, I know. It's just that nothing is really standing out for me,” she complained. “You pick.”

“Fine, if I pick we're watching a UFC fight.”

Sienna rolled her eyes. “I don't want to watch the Ultimate Fighter. I'm not in the mood for mixed martial arts tonight, but if we're going to watch regular TV, how about HGTV?”

“That'll work.” Vaughn picked up the remote and flicked to the satellite guide.

Sienna tucked her feet under her and leaned her head on his shoulder.

When a door chime went off Sienna looked at Vaughn curiously. “Who's that?”

He heard footsteps overhead and then rapidly hitting the basement stairs. “That would be Pierce.”

Sienna sat up. “Great, I finally get to meet him,” she said, excitedly.

“Don't look directly into his eyes.” Vaughn warned. “He'll talk your head off.

“Hey, bro,” Pierce called from the doorway. When he walked in he stopped short when he realized that Vaughn wasn't alone. When he saw Sienna he grinned. “I see I finally get to meet the elusive Doc.”

Vaughn frowned at his brother's use of what was now his nickname for Sienna. He stood up. “Pierce, I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Sienna Lambert. Sienna, this is my younger brother, Pierce.”

Standing, Sienna extended her hand. Pierce raised it to his lips and kissed it. “The pleasure is all mine, Dr. Lambert.”

“Sienna is fine,” she corrected. “It's wonderful to finally meet you, Pierce.”

Vaughn noticed he hadn't released Sienna's hand. He wrapped his arm around his brother's neck and squeezed. “So, what brings you by?”

“My guest spot on that cool new shopper's network on Satellite. I'm selling my new men's cologne, Dazzle,” he turned to Sienna. “That's what they used to call me on the field. I dazzled them, baby,” Pierce laughed. He waved a DVD in his hand.”

“We're not watching that,” Vaughn said, pointedly.

“Come on, man. It's definitely better than watching someone looking for a vacation home in Panama.” Pierce turned to Sienna. He smiled his signature grin. “You wouldn't mind checking it out, would you Sienna?”

“Of course not,” she said, sitting down on the couch.
Rule number thirteen: Always be mindful of other's feelings.
“We'd love to. Right Vaughn?”

He did a double take. “No, we wouldn't.”

“Very funny,” Pierce said, taking the DVD out and popping it into the player.

Pierce sat next to Sienna. Vaughn returned to his original seat.

“Dim the lights,” Pierce told his brother.

“Please.”

“Yeah, that's what I said. Can you get me a beer while you're at it?”

“Pierce,” Vaughn warned.

“Dude, I'm kidding,” Pierce chuckled.

When they were finished watching the segment Sienna turned to him. “That was great, Pierce.”

“Thanks. I've got another spot coming up. This time I'll be marketing my ladies perfume, Be-Dazzled.” Pierce winked at Sienna. “You know it's all about the ladies.”

“I don't doubt it,” she replied.

“I've got another one in production now. “Dazzlicious.” That one's got this pheromone thing going on. When it comes in contact with my men's cologne it's guaranteed to drive the ladies wild. If she's walking down the street and a man happens to be sporting my cologne, ooh, watch out.” Pierce threw up his hands for effect. “Down for the count and the panties—”

Vaughn looked at his brother as if he'd lost his mind. “Say goodnight, Pierce.”

“No, I'm the one that needs to be leaving,” Sienna said, reaching for her shoes. “I've got a new client coming in tomorrow.”

Vaughn glanced at her. “Really? Why didn't you tell me? We could've toasted your news earlier.”

“It's not too late,” Pierce spoke up. “I know where Vaughn keeps the good stuff.”

Vaughn made a move toward his brother. Sienna's hand came up to Vaughn's chest. “Walk me out?” She turned to smile at his brother. “It was great meeting you, Pierce.”

“Likewise, Sienna. We'll have to do this again.”

“He was adopted.” Vaughn quipped following Sienna up the stairs.

“That would be plausible if he didn't look like a younger, bulkier version of you.”

Vaughn swatted her backside. “Are you trying to say I'm old and out of shape?”

When they were back upstairs, Sienna headed for the garage door. “Stop fishing for compliments, you know you're just as good looking as your brother—if not more.”

She'd spoken without thinking. Before she could Vaughn's hand snaked out and stopped her in her tracks. “You think I'm good looking?” he grinned broadly.

Rule number fourteen: If you say something too revealing act like you meant to do it.
“Vaughn, don't even try to act like you don't know how attractive you are. You know, I really think you've got a narcissistic thing going on.”

“Hmm…maybe I do,” he winked.

“Shameless.”

When they got outside, Vaughn held her car door open. She slid behind the wheel. She turned her engine on and rolled the window down. He closed her door and lowered himself to her eye level. “Thanks for coming over tonight.”

“Thanks for dinner, she countered. “Especially the oysters.”

“Seafood addict,” he joked as his hand grazed her cheek.

They stared at each other. Vaughn was the first to break their connection. He rose and stepped back. “I'd better let you go. Ring me once when you get home, okay?”

Sienna turned away. “'Night, Vaughn.”

“Sweet dreams, Doc.”

He remained there until her tail lights disappeared into the night.

“You still want to give credence to the fantasy that you two are just friends?”

Vaughn sighed, loudly. He didn't bother turning around to answer. “We've been over this before, Pierce.”

“Yeah, and I still keep waiting for you to make sense.”

“You're reading too much into this.”

“Turn around and tell me I'm wrong.”

He did and fixed his brother with a harsh glare. “Just let it go, okay?” Sienna and I are just friends. That's all she wants to be.”

Pierce shook his head. “If that's what you really think brother, I'd say you're definitely dumber than you are blind.”

Gordon slid another steak onto the grill. “Oh yeah, come to poppa.”

“Honey, do you have to say that for every piece of meat you put on the grill?” Cassandra asked.

“Or every time you grill?” Sienna piped in.

“Don't scoff at my ritual, ladies. You know you'll both be in line impatiently waiting with steak sauce drizzled on your plates,” he laughed.

“That's true, darling,” his wife said, kissing his cheek.

Gordon flipped his steak over and glanced at his daughter. “So, how's work, beauty queen?”

“Dad.”

“What? Really sweetheart, I don't understand why the whole thing was such a mountain when it was nothing more than a mole hill.”

A pained expression crossed her face. “It was a lot more than just a mole hill. Forget it. I don't want to talk about it,” Sienna said, curtly. “I am going to get the corn from the refrigerator.”

Cassandra watched Sienna walk stiffly into the house. “Where'd that come from?”

“You're asking me? She hasn't been the same since that damned pageant. Why that's the case leaves me just as bewildered as you are.”

“It's been an area of contention between them for the last seventeen years.” Cassandra shook her head. “I wish we could get out of them what really happened that night.”

Their daughter returned before they had a chance to continue their conversation. “Here's the corn, Dad, and my apology,” she kissed his forehead.

“Sweetheart, that's not necessary. I just wish you weren't still so hung up on something that happened so long ago.”

She watched him work, but remained elusive. “Me, too.”

 

Later that night, Sienna was home sitting on the couch with her feet up on an ottoman, her computer situated in the middle of her lap. She was working on the notes from the latest group of participants. Her latest client was a furniture company interested in expanding their product line. Thus far their furniture was popular with middle-aged couples with children. Now they were looking to capture young, newly graduated or recently married consumers. The company wanted to entice the buyers transitioning from dorms or rentals to their first homes.

Scanning her notes, she smiled when she recalled a specific line of questioning geared to discover just what consumers used their couches for. The answers ranged from pizza parties to butt-naked bingo. She laughed aloud. “One thing I can say is that my job is
never
boring.”

Her telephone rang. Retrieving the cordless from her coffee table, she looked at the number. When she saw it she frowned.
Sasha
. She stared at the phone until the ringing stopped, and then she placed it back on the table. After another minute the message indicator light flashed. “Why do you even bother?” she said, in consternation.

Just then Sienna's doorbell rang. She checked the time on her laptop and pondered who could be at her door. She placed the computer on her couch and padded across the living room to open it.

“Dr. Lambert?” a man inquired.

“Yes?”

“I have a package for you. I just need you to sign here.”

Sienna signed the paper attached to a clipboard. “Here you go.”

“Thank you,” the man handed over her envelope. “Enjoy your evening.”

“Wait just a minute.” She walked over to the table and retrieved her wallet out of her purse. She took out a few dollars and walked back to the door. “Here you are.”

The courier thanked her with a smile and left.

She stared down at the manila envelope with her name and address written elegantly across the front. There was no return address. She returned to the couch. She sat down and put her feet under her. Breaking the seal on the envelope, Sienna eased the contents out of its holder.

There was a smaller envelope with her name on it and another one that said “Open Me Last.” Her curiosity piqued, she opened the first envelope and slid a thick piece of ecru-colored stationary out. She unfolded the letter and read it.

 

“Sienna, by now I know you're wondering at all the cloak-and-dagger mystique going on here. Actually, I just wanted to surprise you and this was much more fun than a phone call. By the time you read this a few members of my creative team, and others from my office working on Best Kept Secrets, will be in Arizona on-location for one of the commercials. Right now I want you to stop reading this and open the other envelope. After you open it, come back and finish the letter. Come on, Doc, quit frowning and humor me…”

Sienna immediately smoothed her expression out. Perplexed, she set the letter aside and grabbed the other envelope. Flipping it over, she slid her finger along the inside to open it then took the contents out. “Airline tickets?” she said, astonished. There was a yellow sticky on the front that said,
“Go finish the letter.”

“Okay,” she huffed as if Vaughn were right beside her.

 

“By now you've seen the rest of my surprise. I want you to join me here in Arizona for the weekend. You can work on that already amazing tan of yours, and I can have a much needed, highly anticipated diversion from the chaos that I'm surrounded by. So far today, one model quit, another threatened to walk out because we refused to re-shoot his scenes and focus on his ‘best side,' oh yeah, and Sherry Bradshaw and I are butting heads about the commercial's ‘creative direction.' Please come, Sienna. I really need you! By the way, you'll LOVE Sedona!!”

 

Sienna read over Vaughn's letter three times. She was torn between elation at being invited, and the underlying meaning of his invitation. After she mulled it over some more she knew it was time to call in a professional. Picking up the phone, she hit a speed dial number and waited.

“Hello?”

“Hey, I need to run something by you. It's big. Um, Vaughn invited me to Sedona to come visit him for the weekend while he's on location. I don't know if—”

“I'm on my way.”

The next thing Sienna heard was a dial tone. Shaking her head, she pressed the end button on her phone and threw it next to her on the couch. Setting all the correspondence aside, she went to the kitchen. She retrieved two wine glasses from the cabinet and a bottle of Chardonnay from her wine cooler. By the time she crossed her living room again Vivian was walking through the front door. Immediately, Vivian grasped the proffered glass and sat sideways in the closest chair. “Details.”

Sienna read Vaughn's letter aloud. After she finished she set it down and glanced worriedly at her best friend. “What the heck does this mean, Viv?”

Taking a sip of wine, Vivian leaned her head back over the arm of the chair. “Hmm…my guess is he may be ready to take your relationship to the next level.”

“What?” Sienna choked out. “What does the next level mean? We're friends, what other level is there?”

Vivian looked at her incredulously. “You can't be serious. Girl, I told you from day one the man wanted to jump your bones. I don't know why you thought I was kidding.”

“He's never once talked about…my bones. Jumping them or doing anything else to them. You should've seen him at Frankie's. He had me right up against him when he was showing me how to bat. I swear I could've been wearing his shirt we were so close.”

“And?” Vivian said, excitedly.

“And nothing,” Sienna murmured. “He was as cool as chilled grapes. “I on the other hand, was about ready to pass out from heat stroke. What in the world makes you think there's more to this than just a platonic weekend?”

“The fact that you froze like a deer in headlights, and then called me speaks volumes.”

“Will you be serious,” Sienna hissed. “I don't know what to do. What if this invitation has some double entendre?”

“What if it doesn't?”

“How will I know?”

“You won't,” Vivian countered, “unless you ask him.”

“Uh-uh. Rule number…fifteen: Men don't like to be put on the spot. I'm most definitely
not
going to ask him,” Sienna was up and pacing at this point. “I'll look like a fool if he's only interested in us being friends and I hint at something more. Do you know what a disaster that would turn out to be?”

“So, what are you going to pack? Trust me; you most definitely better lose that horrific bun.”

Sienna stopped short. “I haven't said I was going.”

Vivian snorted loudly. “Oh you most certainly are going.”

 

Sienna's plane landed at the airport in Flagstaff, Arizona without incident. Vaughn had done a thorough job at planning her trip. By the time she made it off the plane and down to Baggage Claim, a man sporting a black suit and small board with her name on it was waiting for her.

“I'm Sienna Lambert,” she said, pleasantly.

“Good afternoon, Dr. Lambert. My name is Charles and I'll be your driver today. Welcome to Flagstaff. Let me retrieve your bags and then we'll be on our way to Sedona.”

After getting her luggage Charles escorted her to his car. His “car” turned out to be a black stretch Cadillac Limousine.

“It will be just under an hour for us to arrive in Sedona so sit back and relax. There is water back there, soda, champagne and plenty of ice. There are tea sandwiches in the fridge—if you wish.”

“Oh no, I'm fine. Thanks, Charles.”

“My pleasure, Dr. Lambert.”

“Sienna is fine.”

“Of course, Miss. Sienna. If you want some privacy I'll put the glass up.”

“No need, Charles.”

As they sped by, Sienna found herself gazing out the window at the terrain. Vaughn was right. She liked what she saw. Though she'd never traveled to Sedona, Sienna knew by the pictures she'd fall in love with it. Charles informed her that Vaughn had booked her a room at L'Auberge de Sedona.

“It's a very swanky resort and they even have a spa there.”

She closed her eyes and pondered her decision to hop a plane and join Vaughn on location. It was crazy. It was reckless. It was completely unlike her. Truthfully, that's why she did it.

“Miss Sienna, we're here.”

“Hmm? Oh.” Opening her eyes, she yawned. “I'm sorry, I fell asleep,” she said, groggily.

“No problem, I'll just get your bags. You take all the time you need.”

Sienna had snuggled down into the plush seat to nap. Sitting up, she grabbed her purse and yanked out her make-up case. “I can't believe I fell asleep that fast.” She tried to recall the last thing she'd seen, but she was drawing a blank. Shrugging, she opened her MAC compact and ran the small circular pad over the pressed powder, and then her face. She re-applied her lip color and smoothed her hair. Vivian would be livid if she knew her hair was still pulled back into the tight knot. Maybe after a much needed shower she'd contemplate putting it in a ponytail.

Her car door was opened and Charles stepped aside. “Ready, miss?”

“Yes, thank you.” Sienna took the proffered hand and got out.

She glanced around. They were out front of what she figured was check-in. There was a large fountain across from the covered portico. The trickling water made her smile.

“You enjoy your stay and have a great time in Sedona. It's a great city.”

Sienna went into her purse to get her wallet for a tip.

“No, no that's not necessary. Mr. Deveraux has taken care of everything.”

He truly thought of everything.
She mused. “Great meeting you, Charles.”

“My pleasure.” He waved before getting into the limo.

She watched him drive off. Facing the entrance again Sienna took a deep breath.
And the adventure begins.
With her hand wrapped around the handle on her luggage Sienna walked confidently toward the door.