Two

Sienna's POV

"Yes, this one, it would do the trick," Lila yelled excitedly as I flashed the dress I was holding in her face.

"Finally, I was this close to thinking you were losing your touch," I groaned, plopping down on the sofa in my room right beside her while we both stared at the dress I had placed on the bed.

"Remind me, how I let you take this dress that day," Lila spoke up, turning to look at me.

"Well, you asked me to tell you what i thought about the dress and I did, then you my loving best friend forever decided it would look better on me instead so you got the dress for me and got yourself another one" I said meekly batting my eyelashes at her, my little way of playing innocent.

"If I remember vividly, you watched me buy the gown for myself and then you stole it," she accused me, folding her hands across her chest.

"Lila," I gasped loudly, trying my best to stifle my laughter.

"You have no proof, besides we both know it fits me like a second skin, perks of having a body like mine," I joked.

"Yeah, sure," She muttered, rolling her eyes. Lila and I have been best friends since diapers, our mothers are best friends too. We have always been inseparable, no matter what anyone tried to do, we always found our way back together, she is the reason I never really felt lonely when Mum would go on her monthly trips when we were growing up, she is the reason I struggled to get back on my feet once again after what he did to me so many years ago and still the reason I stood my ground with Damon after he cheated.

"You better start getting ready or you will be late and you know Mum wouldn't like that," Lila spoke up, stopping my train of thoughts.

"She insisted I stay till the end, so whoever it is should be ready to wait till I come," I said stubbornly.

"I don't really care if he waits or not, but we still have to get our celebratory drinks tonight, too. The earlier you go, the earlier you return, and we both know how much I hate having to wait," she chided. That makes two of us.

"Fine, just because I am looking forward to it too, you are yet to give me all the juicy details from your little trip because I am sure you did more investigations than the one you were actually paid for," I joked, wiggling my eyebrows at her.

"I do not understand what you are talking about, I did exactly what I was paid for and nothing more," She quickly defended.

"You can lie to yourself all you want, but not to me. All this excitement and extra glow is not just because you were able to secure the contract for the brand, there is something else, and you'd better start talking," I laughed.

"Whatever it is you tell yourself," she murmured, rolling her eyes and ignoring me.

"You are going to help me with my makeup up right?" I asked in a small voice as I adjusted myself on the couch, placing my head on her lap, so she could see the puppy dog eyes I was trying to make.

"You asked me to help you find a dress for tonight, and I did so. I believe I have helped enough," She answered, turning her face away.

"No, I asked you to please help me get ready and not abandon me halfway," I corrected, placing my hands on my waist.

"Yeah, sure, I am done here," she rolled her eyes, turning to leave.

"Lila," I called out as she got to the door, but she simply smiled brightly at me before banging the door loudly behind her.

"So much for having a supportive best friend," I murmured to myself as I picked up my gown.

                                 ~~~~

It was already ten minutes past seven, and my dearest date for the night wasn't here yet. To say I am not surprised will be an understatement. I am always the one to keep them waiting and not the other way around.  This is a big blow to my ego, and the fact that I just had to promise Mum I would stay tonight of all nights just worsens everything. I am so going to give Mr.Late one hell of a night for this.

"Good evening, Ma'am," A waiter greeted me with a slight bow. I slowly glanced up from my phone, nodding slightly in acknowledgement.

"Can I get you something while you wait? I was asked to specifically get you anything you want, Mr.Thorne would be with you soon," He said once he realized I wasn't going to say anything to him.

"Mr.Thorne?" I asked, confused.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered, staring at me like I had grown a second head for not knowing who it was.

"Are you sure you are at the right table?" I questioned just as my phone pinged.

He watched me in confusion, before shaking his head and walking away muttering incoherently to himself, how embarrassed he must be feeling right now.

'Hope you have been attended to? I will be with you shortly - J. Thorne'  the message read, it was from an unknown number, which confused me more.

J.Thorne? Mr.Thorne? He should be my date for tonight, but why does the name sound so familiar?

'Mum, don't I deserve to at least know the name of this little setup for me ?' I texted, gratefully she was already texting back.

'Oh wow, this is new,' She texted back with a laughing emoji.

'What do you mean?' I responded, suddenly getting agitated, I hate waiting, I have always hated doing so, it reminded me so much of that day.

'You have never wanted to know any of their names, is this a sign that I finally picked right. This is great news then, considering this one was so much more harder to convince than the rest.'

'He didn't seem so interested in the whole idea until I sent his godmother, my dearest friend, your picture and all the necessary information that he needed to have about you,' She typed on.

'YOU DID WHAT, MUM?' I asked, anger slowly filling me. She never knows when to stop, just when I thought she had learnt from the silent treatment I had given her for setting up a dating account for me without my consent, and now this? Who knows what she must have told him.

'What exactly is the point of calling it a blind date?' I texted back angrily.

'I know it defeats that purpose, but it is still a blind date to you if that makes it any better.'

'It doesn't, plus now I want to know his name,' I replied.

'I had to do it, he was being reluctant and I never give up,' She replied, she isn't even remorseful about it, it is obvious she knows nothing about the word privacy.

'I have to go now, I need my take routine shower, have fun, my child' 

Great, I still didn't get his name

" I have always known you were rude to people below you, but not to people above you, too," Someone spoke up from behind me, just as another message came in from Mum.

'Oh sorry, I almost forgot to answer your question, it's Julian Thorne, CEO OF Ashthorne Enterprises, and also Corporate lawyer and Senior partner at Strathmore Holdings, a real gentleman indeed,' It read. My eyes widened as I recalled exactly why the name sounded so familiar.