Page 36 of The Hockey Contract

"That's what I thought." She settled back in her seat. "It's not a criticism. Just an observation."

We drove in comfortable silence for a while, the late afternoon sunlight painting the city in warm hues. I found myself stealing glances at Sienna's profile—the curve of her cheek, the way she absently twisted a strand of hair around her finger as she looked out the window.

"You did well today," I said finally. "Everyone liked you."

She turned to me, surprised. "Was that a compliment, Ice Man?"

"An observation," I echoed her earlier words. "Though Willow is right—you should be careful around Marco. He can be an ass."

"I can handle guys like Marco," she said confidently. "I've been dealing with entitled customers for years. Hockey players aren't that different."

"Ouch."

She laughed—a genuine, unguarded sound that I found myself wanting to hear again. "Present company excluded, of course."

As we pulled into the driveway, I noticed an unfamiliar car parked outside the house. "Were you expecting someone?"

Sienna frowned. "No. Oh god, please don't let it be Aunt Carol doing a surprise inspection of our married life."

It wasn't Aunt Carol. When we entered the house, we found Olivia pacing the living room, her heels clicking sharply on the hardwood floor.

"There you are!" She checked her watch pointedly. "I've been waiting for an hour."

"How did you get in?" I asked, annoyed at the invasion.

"Leo gave me the code." She waved dismissively. "We have a situation. Perfect Home Furnishings wants to move up the photoshoot. They're sending a team tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow?" Sienna's eyes widened. "Here? But we just moved in. The house doesn't look lived-in."

Olivia gestured around the sparse living room. "Exactly my concern. This place looks like a furniture showroom, not a home. It needs... personality. Evidence that two people actually live here."

I looked around, seeing my house through new eyes. It did look more like a model home than a lived-in space.

"What do you suggest?" I asked, already dreading the answer.

"Shopping," Olivia declared. "Tonight. We need throw pillows, blankets, framed photos, books—things that make a house look inhabited."

I checked my watch. "It's almost seven."

"Stores are open until nine." Olivia was already typing on her phone. "I've texted Leo the list of what we need."

Sienna spoke up. "I can handle this. I've been decorating spaces on a budget for years."

Olivia looked skeptical. "This needs to match the Perfect Home Furnishings aesthetic. Warm, inviting, but still upscale."

"Trust me," Sienna said with surprising authority. "I've got this."

Two hours later, we were pushing a cart through a home goods store, Sienna confidently selecting items that would "warm up" the house. She had an eye for color and texture, choosing throw pillows and blankets that somehow coordinated with my existing furniture while adding warmth.

"What do you think?" she asked, holding up two different picture frames. "Silver or wood tone?"

"They look exactly the same to me."

She rolled her eyes. "They're completely different. The silver is modern, the wood is traditional."

"Then the silver, I guess?" I was out of my depth in this world of home décor, but found myself oddly enjoying watching Sienna navigate it with enthusiasm.

"Good choice." She placed the silver frames in the cart. "We need photos for them, though. Recent ones of us together."

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