Chapter 29
Sienna's POV
He was leaning against the driver's side door, arms crossed, his face unreadable in the shadows. When he saw me struggling with the box, he straightened immediately.
"Let me—"
"I don't need your help."
I adjusted my grip and kept walking toward the street, intending to call a rideshare. But Hayes moved faster, stepping into my path and taking the box from my arms before I could stop him.
"Hayes—"
"Get in the car, Sienna."
His voice was quiet but unyielding. He was already carrying my things to his trunk.
I stood there on the sidewalk, my hands empty, my whole body trembling with exhaustion and too many emotions I couldn't name. I wanted to argue with him. Wanted to call that rideshare and disappear into the night on my own terms.
But I was so tired. And I couldn't be sure I'd get a ride easily.
So I got in the car.
---
The second drive was somehow worse than the first. Now the silence felt thick with everything unsaid, everything I couldn't say. I kept my face turned toward the window, watching the dark city slide past, and tried to ignore the way my throat kept tightening.
Soon, Payton's apartment building appeared ahead.
I had Hayes pull over to the curb.
Hayes got out and retrieved my box from the trunk. I followed him to the building's elevator.
He set the box down. For a moment we just stood there, saying nothing.
I broke the silence. "Thank you. I can handle the rest myself."
He stared at me, his eyes filled with complex, unreadable emotions. Then Hayes turned and walked away without another word.
I watched him disappear through the doorway, listened to his car start up and drive off into the night.
I carried the box into the elevator and rode up. When I reached the hallway, I saw Payton outside her door, leaning on the railing and looking down below.
When she saw me, her expression turned curious.
I knew she'd seen him.
She pulled me inside.
"Did I see that right?" Payton said. We sat on her couch. "Hayes drove you home?"
I nodded.
"Are you two... back together?"
I sighed. "It's not what you think."
Over the next few minutes, I recounted what had happened tonight, leaving out the argument.
Payton let out a long, low whistle. "God. That man is still completely obsessed with you."
"Don't," I said sharply. "Don't go there."
"I'm just saying that man may seem cold as ice on the surface, but his actions tonight... they show he still cares about you. A lot."
"Payton." I looked up at her, and whatever she saw in my face made her stop. "We're just... working together."
"Working together?" Payton raised an eyebrow. "What work?"
I hesitated, knowing I couldn't hide it from her. "I took on a project. A very important project. The project requires the designer to be on-site, so I have to move out for a while. They arranged housing for me."
Payton's expression shifted from confusion to shock. "Wait. On-site? What kind of project is this?"
I took a deep breath. "The Catalyst Project. Super Bowl signature shoe collaboration."
"Super Bowl—" Payton's voice cut off. She stared at me for several seconds, then suddenly laughed—that incredulous, slightly schadenfreude kind of laugh. "Oh my God! So you're going to be working with Hayes?"
I closed my eyes. "It's just work. Professional collaboration. That's all."
She studied me for a long moment, then squeezed my hand. "Okay. But Sienna? Whatever happened between you two, whatever reason you had for ending it... maybe it's time to ask yourself if it was worth it."
I pulled my hand away and stood up. "I should sleep. Lots to do tomorrow."
Payton sighed but didn't push. "I'm here when you're ready to talk. About anything."
I managed a weak smile. "I know. Thank you."
But I wasn't ready.
---
The next morning came too soon. I woke to pale sunlight filtering through the blinds and the smell of coffee in the air.
Payton was already dressed for work, packing her lunch in the kitchen. She glanced over when I emerged from the living room.
"There's coffee," she said. "And I made extra toast. You need to eat something before you go."
I accepted the coffee gratefully and forced down half a piece of toast while Payton chattered about complaints from her job.
By nine o'clock, I was loading my boxes into a rideshare. Payton gave me a fierce hug before I left.
"Call me if you need anything," she said. "Anything at all."
I nodded and climbed into the car.
---
Harbor View Residences was far more luxurious than my previous apartment. Glass and steel and manicured landscaping. The lobby had actual marble floors and a chandelier.
When I collected my keycard from the front desk and took the elevator to the twelfth floor, I felt completely out of place.
Unit 1203. I swiped the card and pushed open the door.
The apartment was... nice. Too nice. Open-plan living space with modern furniture, a kitchenette with stainless steel appliances, a bedroom with a queen bed and actual art on the walls. Everything was clean, neutral, impersonal.
But what made my breath catch was the workspace.
In the corner of the main room, someone had set up a full design station. Professional worktable with adjustable lighting. Rolling cart with organized tool storage. A small refrigerated cabinet for leather—the expensive kind, with humidity controls.
This wasn't standard project housing. This was custom.
Did he do this?
I pushed the thought away. Either way, I needed to focus on my work.
I spent the next hour unpacking mechanically. Tools on the worktable. Leather samples in the refrigerated cabinet.
By noon, I was done. The apartment looked lived-in but not quite lived-in, occupied but not home.
I checked the time. The project coordinator had mentioned the training facility had a cafeteria. I should eat something. Should try to maintain some semblance of normalcy before their afternoon training session.
I grabbed my keys and phone and headed for the door.
I pulled open the door and stepped into the hallway—
And froze.
Because across the hall, unit 1204's door opened at the exact same moment.
And the person stepping out, dressed in training gear with damp hair and a sports bottle in his hand, was Hayes Sterling.
Our eyes locked.