Chapter 105
It drove Sienna crazy that they thought so similarly sometimes. But it was also one of her favorite parts of their relationship. She loved hearing about the things that inspired Eva because they often inspired her too, and she loved it when they shared ideas about what they wanted to do in the future.
“So,” Eva said, leaning back against the chair. “What’s new with you?”
Sienna took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She ran her fingers through her hair, tugging a strand loose so it fell against her cheek. She leaned back in her chair and propped her feet up on the desk.
“I was thinking about doing a collection with a lot of metallic fabrics,” she said. “Maybe some silk, and then some cotton for contrast.”
Eva’s eyes lit up, and she sat up straighter. “That’s a great idea,” she replied. “I’ve always liked using metallic fabrics in my collections. They give such a pop of color. But what kind of pieces were you thinking of? Dresses, tops, pants? Skirts?”
Sienna smirked. She liked when Eva got excited. She felt like she was the only one that was able to see this side of Eva sometimes, and it made her happy to know that she could bring it out in someone.
“I’m not really sure yet,” she admitted. “Maybe a combination? I don’t want to do too much of one thing or the other because then I feel like the collection gets stagnant. But at the same time, I want to have a good mix of everything so there’s something for everyone.”
Eva nodded. “And what about colors?” she asked. “Are you going to stick with the basics like gold, silver, and bronze? Or are you going to try something different?”
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Sienna replied. “I love using red in my collections because it adds a splash of color that isn’t normally found in metallic things. So maybe I’ll use some red, and then some black and navy to go along with it.”
“That sounds amazing,” Eva said. “Can I see the designs when you’re done?”
Sienna rolled her eyes, even though she was smiling inside. “No,” she replied. “You’d steal them from me and sell them as your own before I even had a chance to show them.”
Eva snorted. “Of course not,” she said, lying through her teeth.
Sienna laughed, even though it was a bit mean-spirited. She wasn’t worried about Eva stealing her designs because she knew it would never happen. Eva respected her too much, and besides, she didn’t need to steal anything from Sienna when she had so many good ideas of her own.
Eva stood up from the chair and walked over to Sienna again. “I have to go,” she said, leaning down to kiss Sienna one more time.
Sienna kissed back and then watched as Eva left her office and headed out. She sighed and then shook her head, feeling a bit sad. She wished they could do this more often than they were, that they could be with each other all the time. But she knew it could never happen.
They were rivals, and always would be. And even if they weren’t, they lived completely different lifestyles. They had different friends and different interests. Sienna loved fashion, and Eva loved money and business and the fame that came with it.
So they would never be together. They would only ever see each other in moments like these, when they could meet up and fool around behind closed doors. It was enough for Sienna. She knew it was enough for Eva, too, although Eva had never said it.
Sienna sighed again and stood up from behind her desk. There was work to be done today, and not much time to do it in. She strode across the room to her drafting table, pausing to look out the window along the way.
There was nothing but skyscrapers and city streets outside her window. Nothing but buildings that housed hundreds of other businesses just like hers. Sienna let out a breath and turned away from the window, going to sit down at the table and start working on her newest designs.
She spent the day lost in her own world, ignoring all of the people around her as she sketched out pieces and thought about what she wanted for her next collection. She didn’t emerge until hours later, looking up to see the sun had already set.
Her team was gathered around her, chatting quietly as they waited for Sienna to notice them. Sienna smiled as she realized what was happening. They were waiting for her approval of their designs.
She stood up and stretched, walking around the table to where they were standing. “Let’s see,” she said as she looked at the pieces on the table.
The next few hours were spent looking at designs and making suggestions as needed. Sienna gave her feedback on colors and fabrics and the overall look of the pieces. Her team made notes as she spoke, nodding along with what she said.
When they were finished, Sienna told them all to go home for the night. She walked back to her office alone, humming quietly to herself as she shut down her computer and gathered her things.
She slipped out the front door and into her car, heading home with thoughts of fabric and color swirling through her mind. She didn’t want to stop designing until her collection was finished, and she knew she would be up half the night working on it. But she was okay with that. It was worth it to see her vision come to life.
Sienna stood in the front row and watched as Eva’s collection walked the runway. She already knew what the clothes would look like, but she still had to see them for herself. And as soon as the first model stepped out, Sienna felt like she’d been punched in the gut.