She was still as I reached over and pressed a kiss to her forehead and got back into the car. For a moment, she stood there looking dazed. Then she blinked rapidly, jerking from her reverie, and circled the vehicle. I watched her, my knuckles white on the steering wheel, as she climbed the stairs to Magnolia’s house.
Chapter Five
Sienna
I took a moment outside Magnolia’s door to compose myself before knocking. As I waited, I brushed back my hair and pressed my hand to my cheek to make sure I wasn’t still flushed. Damn Viktor and the things he said and the way he touched me.
The door opened and a short, dark haired woman appeared on the other side. For a moment she looked confused and then her face cleared, breaking into a wide smile.
“Are you Viktor’s wife?” she said.
“Yes, how did you know?”
“I know Brenda. Come on in.”
She stepped back, waving me through the door. She was beautiful and I felt slightly frumpy as I stepped into her house. From the pink flats on her feet to the matching shorts and yellow sweater, she looked like she’d stepped out of a Southern Living magazine. Her dark hair fell halfway down her back and her dark eyes were dusted with pink eyeshadow that matched her shoes. Even her nails were done in alternating yellow and pink to match her outfit.
“I’m Sienna,” I said, holding out the pie. “Sorry, I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time. I just wanted to bring this over and introduce myself.”
“Oh, now is as good a time as any,” she said, leading the way to the kitchen. Her house was just as beautiful on the inside. The walls and floor were white and the accessories were pale blue. She had the window open over the stove and the gauzy white curtains fluttered in the cool breeze.
“I was just about to have a cup of tea,” she said. “Want some with a slice of pie?”
I froze, looking around at the perfect picture of Magnolia in her pretty kitchen asking me to have tea with her. Never in my adult life had anyone been so genuinely welcoming to me and my brain was short circuiting. Magnolia’s brows drew together as I stared at her and I shook myself, trying to drag my mind back to the present.
“Sorry, I just spaced,” I said quickly. “I’d love a cup of tea. And pie.”
She set the kettle on the stove. “I’m sure. You just got married a week ago. How’re you feeling?”
I sat down at the counter and laid aside my purse. “Overwhelmed, but alright.”
“Honeymoons can do that,” she said, winking.
I couldn’t keep the flush from creeping up my face. “Anyway, what do you do? Brenda said you’ve lived here for a while.”
“Well, a while might be stretching it. I’m only thirty-four,” she said. “I’m a clinical psychologist. The back half of the house is turned into an office and I see patients there.”
She seemed like she might be the clinical psychologist type—everything in her house was so organized and perfectly matched. It was beginning to grow on me though and I found myself taking mental notes. After all, Viktor’s house clearly needed a makeover.
Magnolia poured us both a cup of Earl Gray and cut two pieces of pie and sat down opposite me. “So how did you and Viktor meet?”
I took a sip of tea, stalling. “Well, he was a work colleague of my cousin. We sort of got…set up and married very quickly. I don’t actually know him all that well honestly.”
Her brows rose. “So how long did you two know each other?”
I took a bite of pie and chewed slowly. Magnolia’s dark gaze bored into me and I knew it was no use lying.
“I met him a few days before we got married,” I admitted.
“Oh my,” said Magnolia. “Bless your heart.”
“He’s different than I thought he would be, he’s much kinder,” I said.
She frowned. “You thought he wasn’t kind?”
I mentally cringed. Damn it.
“No, I just didn’t know him well,” I said quickly. “He looks kind of intimidating. It was more a marriage of convenience than anything else…it’s sort of complicated why we got together.”