“Did you get stage fright?”
Fox rolled his eyes but kept walking.
“Crazy stalkers who carried locks of your hair in a locket around their neck?”
Like he’d even gotten close to that level of fame.
“How about—”
Fox spun on his heels and faced Sienna. “How about my girlfriend, and co-writer, ditched me the second she came across someone more famous and took all my songs with her. Let’s just say, it was really hard to finish the album after that.”
Sienna’s mouth dropped open. For once in her life, she appeared to be speechless.
“Like I said, I don’t want to talk about it.” He gave her one last hard look before he turned back around and started walking down the trail again.
And yet, she still followed him.
Fox growled under his breath. Did she ever pick up on body language? It seemed like a glaring problem for someone whose very job depended on portraying different personalities.
“I can’t even imagine my life without acting,” she said, surprisingly close behind as Fox picked up his pace. “How have you gone ten years without performing?”
“I just have, okay? Not all of us crave the spotlight.” Or the fall into destructive despair when the spotlight lures away your girlfriend.
“You’re saying that if given the chance, you wouldn’t be happy in front of a crowd shouting your name, begging to hear more of your music?”
He tried to picture it as he stepped over a root that was sticking out in the path. Singing his songs on stage, seeing how his words and music could touch people…Nothing was better than that. But he’d already flown too close to the sun once and gotten burned. He wasn’t going to make that mistake again.
Fox turned to face her again, ignoring the vibrating quality the air seemed to take on when they were so close. “One day, you’ll have that spotlight on you, and hopefully you’re made of stronger stuff than I was. Hopefully you can keep your head when you’re being pulled in eight-hundred different directions, and everyone wants a piece of you. I know you think it’s everything you want, and I hope it’s everything you want it to be when it happens. But it’s just not the life for me.”
Two lines appeared between her eyebrows. “Is that why you work on boats? Some sort of penance for whatever you did when you were a kid?”
“I wasn’t a kid, I was—”
“You were my age.” Sienna stuck out her chin. “And believe me when I say guys my age are way more immature than the girls. So, you were basically a kid.”
Fox closed his eyes again and took a deep breath. She didn’t understand, she couldn’t. It wasn’t just what Becky did to Fox, but what Fox had done afterward. He had been so out of control—and had ruined so many lives—there was no way he could ever go back.
He didn't deserve to get another chance, no matter how much he missed it.
“Why is this so important to you?” he asked, opening his eyes to see her staring at him with a rosy cheeked perfection from the hike. “Why do you care?”
Her cheeks turned an even darker pink, and she looked at the ground. “I just think there’s more to you than grumpy Grandpa Fox.”
A corner of his mouth tipped up against his will.
“It’s why I came out here today,” she said. “It’s why I stopped on the trail when I heard you singing. It’s a shame you feel like you can’t do something you’re so good at and clearly love so much.”
“I do love it,” he said softly, staring off into the trees. “More than anything. But sometimes it’s the things we love the most that can destroy us.”
“Or make us stronger.”
Somehow, during their conversation, they’d inched closer and closer to one another. And with Sienna’s words hanging in the air, Fox looked at her. Really looked at her.
Her bright blue eyes stared up at him, as the rest of her face was way more relaxed than when there were other people—and cameras—around.
She was gorgeous, and when Fox realized why, he could have smacked himself.
She wasn't putting on a show anymore.
And suddenly, he wanted to tell her everything.
He hadn’t even told Eli everything. His best friend had been happy just to see Fox alive and hadn’t asked too many questions. But here, alone in the woods, he wanted to open up about Becky, the self-destructive path he’d gone down after she’d left him, and the hole in his chest that had opened up and never seemed to get any less painful when he stopped playing music.
“I—” He stopped at the sound of footsteps and muffled voices and turned his head.
The cameras.
The contract stated they could film anywhere that wasn’t considered a “safe space.” It didn’t matter if he was in the inn or the woods, alone or with Sienna, they could pop in at any time. And somehow, they’d noticed the two of them were up here.
He quickly stepped back from Sienna, hoping to put some distance between the two of them before the cameras captured anything.
Was it too late?
He looked back at her and the real, caring girl was gone, hidden behind a perfect facade that the world would see as beautiful, but Fox only saw as fake. Everything from her posture to her expression was manufactured with the audience in mind.
When Jason Castle came walking up behind them, Fox wanted to find the nearest hole and bury himself inside.
But Sienna had her game face on.
“What do we have here?” Jason said as he got closer. “A secret battle between team leaders? Or is this a case of flirting with the enemy?”
Sienna laughed as she gave Jason’s shoulder a friendly shove. “I can promise you there’s none of that going on here. Nothing’s going to get in my way of winning the rest of the competitions for my sister.”
She turned to face Fox, and gave him a small, almost imperceivable nod.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice flat.
Sienna narrowed her eyes a tiny bit at him.
Jason stared at him for a moment longer, waiting for Fox to continue. But he didn’t know what else to say. He hated the cameras, he didn't care about the competitions, and he couldn’t care less about putting on a facade for everyone.
When Jason realized he wouldn’t be getting anymore material from Fox, he turned back to Sienna. She started going on about the s’more victory and her strategy for the next game.
Watching her performance made Fox feel sick to his stomach. He walked over to the edge of the path and looked out over the mountains.
Five minutes ago, Sienna had been the most beautiful girl in the world.
Five minutes ago, he’d felt brave for the first time in over a decade.
A lot could change in five minutes.
Twelve
7 Days Until Dream Wedding
Sienna was relieved when Jason finally finished grilling her.
Of course, she wanted to make sure she did everything in her power to get noticed, but as much as she loved being in front of the camera, it was the last place she wanted to be this morning. She had gotten so close to a breakthrough with Fox.
It had taken a lot of effort to ask questions while trying to keep pace with Fox as he hiked through the mountains, but she’d done it. And Sienna knew he had been just about to open up to her.
She’d gotten a tiny little peek at that kind and loyal side of him she kept hearing so much about. The hints she’d seen over the past few days at the complex, yet caring man were finally giving way to the deeper layers underneath.
But the real question was, why did she care so much?
“It’s been lovely chatting with you, Sienna,” Jason said with a smile. He looked down at his phone. “But apparently, Wade is trying to convince Eli to get a tattoo in honor of his upcoming wedding.”
“And Eli is actually considering it?” Sienna didn’t have to try very hard to put on her most surprised and concerned face for the camera.
“Sounds like it. Bruce wants us all down there STAT.
Catch up quick, okay? I think you’d do great in the middle of this drama.”
Sienna nodded then waved goodbye to Jason and the cameramen as they started walking down the path back to the Emerald Inn.
When she turned to look for Fox, she expected him to be far ahead down the path, but he was still standing off to the side, looking over the mountains in the distance.
She walked over to him. “Hey.”
He grunted in response.
“Jason said we need to head back down just in case things escalate down there.”
“I heard. I didn’t realize tattoos were such a big deal.”
Really? And here Sienna thought Fox knew everything about Audrey. She loved having information Fox didn’t. “They are to Audrey.”
There was a moment of hesitation, as if Fox was trying to decide if he wanted to ask or not. But she could see in his eyes the instant his curiosity became too much to bear. “What do you mean?”
Sienna stopped her lips from forming into a huge, I-know-more-than-you grin. “Maybe you’ve noticed Audrey doesn’t have any tattoos.”
Fox shrugged. “I guess. I’ve honestly never noticed. They’re not a big deal.”
“For most people they aren’t, but I can tell you for a fact Audrey has an unreasonable vendetta against them. And no, I don’t get it either.”
“What about Wade? He’s covered in them, and she seems to like him just fine.”
“Obviously she adores Wade.” Sienna rolled her eyes. “But she’s not marrying him. She would flip her lid if Eli got one.”
Rather than the grumpy sigh she was expecting, Fox’s eyebrows shot up, and he turned away from the view with sudden purpose. “Well, then we’d better get down there and make sure nothing happens to mess up this wedding.”
Sienna smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”
She couldn’t believe it. This was the attitude a best man should have. Playing nice for the cameras was all well and good, but this was how to show he really did care about Audrey and Eli’s happily ever after. The more time she spent with Fox, the more she saw he wasn’t as horrible as she thought that first day.
The two started walking back toward the Emerald Inn. The path was uneven and rocky, so the two moved slowly. Any closeness they may or may not have been on the brink of sharing before Jason showed up was gone, and the silence between them was unbearable.
Sienna waited for Fox to say something, but his attention was on the ground at their feet. It was a twenty-minute hike back down—a long, agonizing twenty minutes if Fox continued his silent treatment.
Sienna picked up the pace. There was no way she could handle much more of this, and she wasn’t going to be the one to break the silence. She concentrated on stepping over small branches that littered the path and was doing just fine until her toe caught a rock that was sticking up out of the ground.
She tipped forward, and her arms swung out around her. Thankfully, dance training kept her from crashing into the ground, but she did come down on one knee pretty hard. Embarrassed, she bit her cheek to keep from crying out.
Sienna was surprised when Fox didn’t make a snide comment about being more careful, but not nearly as surprised as when she felt Fox at her side, and he extended his hand. It brushed against hers and lingered there for a few moments before she finally took it. Without a word, he pulled her up. And then he kept her hand in his.
Sienna tried to steady her breathing and her racing heart without much success.
When she looked up at him in question, he only shrugged in response. His face was the same serious expression he usually wore, but at least there was no scowl. He was obviously just helping her keep her balance, but Sienna liked the way her hand felt in his and barely resisted the urge to rub her thumb over the back of it.
As they continued down the path, Fox would occasionally tighten his grip to help her balance better. Sienna wanted to tell him that she didn’t need his help, but she also didn’t want to risk a fall. At least that’s what she told herself when she squeezed back whenever she walked over a particularly rocky area.
They continued like this for several minutes before Fox cleared his throat. “I like you better when the cameras aren’t around.”
The words would have felt insulting if it wasn’t for Fox’s gentle tone—or the fact that he was still holding her hand.
Sienna looked back up at him. “What do you mean?”
“You just turn into this different person when they’re pointed at you, like you’re trying so hard to make them like you.”
And that was a bad thing?
She took a deep breath. “My career depends on the camera liking me. Could you imagine watching a show where the main character was grumpy all the time?”
Fox snorted. “We’re back to this again?”
She bit her lip. “I actually don’t think you’re Mr. Grumpy anymore,” she said softly.
Fox lifted a brow and waited for her to continue.
Sienna’s heart raced for a completely different reason. Fox had been really open with her up on the mountain. He’d told her about his ex-girlfriend, who sounded like a horrible person, and how he missed music so much it left a hole in his chest. She could trust him with a little bit of her pain, couldn’t she?
“I think I understand you a little more now,” she said.
His mouth turned down. “From one embarrassing conversation?”
She laughed. “It’s not that embarrassing.”
He shook his head. “Maybe not for you.”
“Seriously, I think I get it.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve always wanted to be an actor. Since I was a little girl.”
“I think every little girl wants to be an actress or a ballerina,” Fox said. “I wanted to be an astronaut.”
“But most kids outgrow those dreams, right?”
He nodded slowly. “Right.”
“Well, I didn’t. The older I got the more I realized it was the only thing I wanted out of life. I joined drama club freshman year and put my entire self into it. I was getting lead roles my sophomore year and was the president of the club my junior and senior year.”
Fox tipped his head. “Impressive.”
“Thanks,” Sienna mumbled and looked down briefly before continuing. The path was leveling out, but her hand was still firmly clasped in his. “My mother was so proud of me until I told her my plan to pursue acting as a career. She thought it was something I was doing for fun in high school, but when she realized that I wanted a life on the stage and in front of the camera, well, let’s just say she wasn’t too happy about it.”
“But it sounds like you’ve followed through. Eli said you live near the city and have been on TV and Broadway.”
“Yeah…”
Sienna had been cast for a few roles here and there, but none of them were the big break she so desperately needed. And ageism was alive and well in the entertainment business. She was only a few years away from becoming an old maid in the eyes of casting directors, and with every passing day, she felt time running out to make it big.
“So, what does it matter if your mom doesn’t approve? She’s got to love you regardless. It’s part of the mom gig. Mine still did, no matter what dumb stuff I did as a kid.”
Sienna frowned and looked down. Of course her mother still loved her. But she wasn’t proud of Sienna, not the way she was of Harper for starting her own business, or of Audrey for the teaching awards she won. Her mother’s love couldn’t buy Sienna groceries, or pay her rent, or even write a strongly worded letter to her landlord insisting he didn't kick Sienna and her roommate out for being late on said rent.
Not that she could say any of that to Fox.
“Have you ever considered that maybe your mom misses you?” Fox asked.
Sienna looked up.
“It’s possible she wants you closer to her.” He shrugged. “Being far from family and friends is hard sometimes, even if it’s to do something we love.”
Luckily, Sienna wouldn�
�t have to explore that line of thought too deeply. They were back at the Emerald Inn. Those long twenty minutes had felt like five.
“There you are,” Bruce called out as he walked across the grassy lawn. “Austin showed me some of the footage they got of you two on the hike. Really great stuff, guys.”
Sienna’s heart skipped a beat. Bruce liked what he saw? That was great news.
“We’d really like to get some more of you two together. I think we can really play up this relationship that’s growing between the head of both teams, what do you think?”
Sienna felt her face heat. The word relationship made it sound like something much more romantic—which it wasn’t. This was just a case of Sienna trying to be friends with Fox for her sister’s sake. But maybe it could show some of Sienna’s range.
“I think it’s a great idea,” she answered before she turned to face Fox, who had pulled his hand away from Sienna’s the moment Bruce had shown up.
Fox’s lips were pressed together in a hard line, his posture stiff. Sienna’s heart sank.
“Come on, this will be great for the show. It’ll be good for Eli and Audrey,” Sienna said. She widened her eyes into her patented puppy-dog stare that had gotten her older sisters to do almost anything for her as a kid.
“Sure.” Fox sighed. “Anything for Audrey and Eli.”
Then he turned on his heel and walked away toward the inn. Sienna couldn't understand why he was so upset. She knew he wasn’t an actor, but his time in the music industry must have taught him something about putting on a show. Sure, it was reality TV, not Broadway, but they still needed to be entertaining.
As she watched his dark head disappear into the inn, she fought the urge to run after him and make sure he was okay. She wanted to explain that their conversation on the hike was real, and that she really enjoyed it. Her foot took an involuntary step toward the inn, when she felt Bruce’s hand on her shoulder.
“Seriously, Sienna. You really shine on screen. I see a lot of potential for you and have some friends who’d be looking for someone just like you for their next project.”
The Bridesmaid & The Jerk (Wedding Games Book 1) Page 9