A Billionaire's Mistake

53|Balmain?

Sienna

Growing up, Thanksgiving was spent with my immediate family and no one else. Both of my parents were single children, so I had no aunts, uncles, or cousins to gather around the table with us. I remember it being lonely, and all of my friends at school would be ecstatic about traveling to see their grandparents somewhere it snowed, where they'd make snow angels and snowmen and do all of the winter activities I never got to experience.

But my Dad's parents passed away in a car accident when he was little, and my mother had an estranged relationship with hers, so it was always just the three of us in our tiny dining room with a small turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy. It was a sad excuse for a holiday.

But then, after my parents and I had our falling out, I moved to the city where there was snow and made friends I could call family instead. And while I couldn't make snowmen from the lack of yard space, my Thanksgiving was livelier, entertaining, and I grew to adore the holiday. Granted, it was normally just Carmen and me since Riley went off to visit her parents, but I learned that feeling lonely wasn't about the number of people who were in the room, it was just who was in the room, and Carmen was the partier of the century. She could make any event into an extravaganza, even if it were just the two of us.

With linked arms, Carmen and I huddle together in our peacoats as we make our way up the front steps of the Nash residence, Lincoln following close behind us. Music is already carrying out from the inside, but their family home is the only one for miles. The amount of land they own could house three farms if they wished, so noise complaints won't be happening.

"I'll get that." Lincoln dips in front of us and opens the door, even though a butler is waiting just on the other side to do it for him, and then he takes both of our coats, doing the butler's job and bringing them into the coat room to hang them up.

Carmen lowers her mouth next to my ear. "Okay, so... When is the wedding?"

I roll my eyes. "Not anytime soon."

"Why? You both could afford a thousand dream weddings. Just get hitched already. You're perfect for each other, Sienna."

"We haven't even said I love you to each other yet, Car! Jesus. I'm nowhere near ready to get hitched. We're taking things slow."

She scoffs. "Please. I see how you look at each other, and I highly doubt you're taking things slow."

Lincoln returns before I can reply, escorting us to the bar to get some drinks. On our way, I can admire all of the decorating Lincoln's mother put into place. Well, I'm assuming she didn't do it, but the staff put her vision into place. Garlands wrap around the banisters of the grand staircases, mistletoes hung on almost every archway. It's warm and cozy from all of the people in here I've never met, soft chatter of galas and auctions and who wore it better.

Lincoln's mother is at the bar. When she spots us, she claps her hands with delight and pulls me in for a hug, kissing both cheeks when she pulls away. "Oh, Sienna, it's so good to see you. I'm glad you could make it!"

"Estella, it's always a pleasure. Thank you for inviting us. Everything looks wonderful."

Carmen nods enthusiastically. "Did you decorate yourself? And those crab puffs being passed around? Wow! I'm in heaven."

Estella does a once over of Carmen, eyeing her skeptically. "I don't believe we've met," she says. "You're a friend of Sienna's?"

I elbow Lincoln in the side and whisper out of the corner of my mouth, "I thought you said she was allowed to come?'