I could write it better than you ever felt it

Chapter Two

The memory of that smile carried her in an almost drunken haze into the office parking garage. She changed out of her Converse & into her black heels, pulling her shoulder-length brown hair into a bun she checked her reflection in the rearview mirror, it'll have to do. She locked the car, put her shoulders back & walked into the office. The greetings of hellos, welcome backs & girl, you are tanned! met her ears. She thanked people & said her hellos back as she made her way to her desk. "Sienna, nice of you to join us" Annie's voice filled the room, she looked up & gave Annie a fake polite smile. Ignoring this completely Annie continued "Right people new assignments for this week, I want them done, finished in full & in my inbox by Tuesday afternoon NO later. The Hella Mega Tour is landing on us next month & the tour promoters want a good spread on the show" she took three manilla envelopes out of the thick folder she was cradling "Each of these envelopes contain all the information you need on the acts, if you don't already know the information in these envelopes you shouldn't be working here" she eyed the members of the team sitting waiting "Steve" she called "Weezer" she handed him an envelope "Natasha" a little head of blonde hair popped up from behind a desk, its owner looking wide-eyed with shock "Green Day" Annie told her & Natasha beamed "and finally Sienna" a mocking smile crossed her lips as she handed her the final envelope. Sienna took it from her "Erm... Annie, this is empty" she told her boss, Annie simply smiled at her "surely YOU don't need any more information?" she raised her eyebrows questioningly at Sienna who bit back her retort as Annie gave the three writers their instructions "band interview then individual, then the photoshoot. Go in deep please, none of these shit two a dime questions, really get into the artists' heads" Steve laughed "that's a piece of cake for Sienna" she blushed "fuck off Steve!" she threw at him & everyone else laughed "That reminds me" said a straight-faced Annie "Sienna I expect your best work on this, I could give a shit about the big shiny ring on your finger or which idiot put it there, if it stops you doing your job to the standard I expect then we will be having words, understood?" Sienna straightened her back, looking directly into Annie's eyes she demanded "When do I ever not give you my best?"

She'd barely had time to get herself a cup of coffee & read some of the hundreds of emails in her inbox when Steve was telling her that her guests had arrived. She downed the rest of the now lukewarm coffee, checked her hair was still neatly in its bun, put two mints in her mouth & made her way to the second-floor conference room. She'd sat down & opened her notebook when the door flew open to reveal Annie flanked by four men "Gentlemen I believe you know our senior writer Sienna?" "We've met a few times" smiled one of the men "Hello boys" beamed Sienna as she laid eyes on, in her opinion, one of the best bands in the industry. One of the men started forward & pulled her into a hug "Hey girlie!" he said excitedly squeezing Sienna "Joe!" She squeezed him back "How are you, man? How's the girls? And Marie?" "They're all good thank you, how's married life treating you? You look good, tanned" Joe stepped back to look at her closely, a little too closely because without warning Pete clocked him around the back of the head "Oi! don't be looking at her like that" Pete informed Joe, as he opened his mouth to reply a cough from the doorway interrupted the exchange & everyone turned to look at Annie "band, individual then photoshoot if that's ok?" she asked the men politely, they all nodded & agreed as Annie left the room closing the door behind her. Sienna could see her watching through the glass pane but did her best not to turn her head & look directly at her. "Mr Hurley" she made Andy a small curtsey, he, in turn, took her hand & made to kiss it "hello Mrs..." he stopped midway "Mrs what? Are you changing your name?" "It's a long story & I can't tell you now because we're being watched" she indicated with her eyes Annie standing watching through the glass pane. Everyone slowly turned their heads to look at her, she didn't look away. "Ok then, she's a freak," Patrick said clapping his hands together "shall we make it look like we're getting down to it?" "Yes!" Agreed Sienna as everyone say down on the sofas "I've been told to 'go deep'" she used air quotes to mark the words, "Pete would enjoy that!" Andy chimed in, Pete made no reply but winked & raised his eyebrows suggestively at her "I bet he would!" Sienna smiled "so Hella Mega Tour, Weezer, Green Day & of course Fall Out Boy hit me with all the juicy secrets" Two & a half hours later they had covered a wide range of topics, the tour, their expectations of it, being back in the public eye after being in lockdown and more besides. When the subject turned to cheese puffs, which brand was the best, Sienna knew the boys were getting bored! "So Pete, which one is best? Our readers are dying to know?!" "Hhm?" He replied, "oh sorry I was miles away" his brown eyes had been focused solely on Sienna's legs for most of the interview "you've been quiet today" she frowned "Yeah, she's got a point man" Andy supplied "Sorry," Pete told the room at large "I've just got something on my mind" he shook his head & refocused his eyes away from Sienna's legs. Patrick narrowed his eyes "Why are you looking at her like you want to eat her?" He asked in a low voice "Maybe I want to do more than just eat her" Pete smirked "Whore" Patrick called him elbowing him in the ribs at the same time. The exchange went unheard by Sienna who was busy trying to pull the conversation back round to the subject at hand but was failing, fast! "Y'all have had enough of this I can tell, let's do the one on ones, catering & a ps5 are in the room across the hall, Pete I'll do you first if that's ok?" "Oooh! She wants to do you first!" Patrick grinned at Pete "oh she's gonna" he replied in hushed tones shoeing his bandmates out the door closing it firmly behind them. He returned to the sofa but didn't sit down, he perched on the edge of the arm & waited for Sienna to look up from her notes. "Ok, first question" she looked up at Pete "if someone had told you 15 years ago you'd have a pop vinyl made in your image what would you say?" She looked at Pete smiling "Fuck me" he replied with a straight face "well yes it is something you would probably tell the grandkids about" she laughed "No" Pete said in a clear confident voice "Fuck me. You, me, here. On the table now". Sienna looked at him shocked "sorry?" she asked standing up from her chair "Come on, you know you want me" he too stood now & gave her a sly little smile "I'm married" Sienna told him "so am i" he wiggled his fingers at her "well...I'm at work!" she tried again "so am i" was Pete's counter-argument "I could get fired" she threw at him "only if we get caught" Pete wrapped his arms around her waist & pulled her into him.