Page 50 of Strike Zone

With two grocery bags full of taquitos, chips, and chocolate that I wanted, plus the almonds, Starbursts, and the nasty yogurt covered raisins she likes so much, I finally leave the store. If she thinks I forgot gagging the last time she ate those nasty things at lunch, she would be mistaken.

Wren hops out of the truck when she sees me coming. I have to fake a scowl because she looks damn good standing by the open door of the cab.

“Thought I told you to stay in the truck.”

“You look like you could use a hand. I’m trying to be helpful.” Wren takes one of the drinks and a bag of snacks. Then climbs back inside.

“I know a better way you could be helpful with your hands,” I mumble as I round the hood of the truck.

I place my drink in the cup holder and leave the other bag of food in my seat. Then finish up the gas. Through the back window, I watch as she digs into the bags of food. Her eyes light up and a small smile spreads over her face. Told you I know what you like.

“You ready?” I ask as I start up the engine.

“As I’ll ever be. Thanks for this.” She holds up her bag of goodies. “What did you get? It smells really good.”

I drop the bag in her lap. “They’re taquitos. Pass me one. You can have the other one.” Good thing I bought two.

“You sure? I don’t want to take your food.” Wren pulls everything out of the bags and organizes the food in the space between us. She has it all lined up and a pile of napkins within reach for both of us.

“I’m sure. Go ahead.” I nod toward the food.

“So, what is your family like?” she asks before taking a bite. “Oooh, this is really good.”

“I know. That’s why I bought it.” I wink at her and take a hearty bite. When I’m done chewing I say, “My family is loud. Nothing is private. They are always in my business.”

“It shows they care about you.” Wren twists in her seat and leans her back against the door.

“Right. We can go with that and not the fact they are nosy and up to no good. Ford, my oldest brother, has a little girl. Her name is Lennon. She’s a pistol. He lets her run wild on the farm.” Lenny’s mom left a few months after she was born. My whole family pitched in to raise her, and she has each and every one of us eating out of the palm of her hand.

“She’ll be there?”

“She will. Everyone will.”

Wren nods. Her glasses slip a little and she pushes them back up on her nose.

“You don’t need to be nervous. Everyone’s going to like you. My mama already does.”

“She thinks I’m crazy.”

“Nah. And if she does, you’ll fit right in. I promise. Relax. Enjoy the ride.” I flip the radio station on. “What do you want to listen to?”

“You’re going to let me choose? Isn’t it a rule that the driver controls the music?”

“From now on the only rule is there are no rules. What do you want to listen to?”

“This is fine.” She nods toward the dash. I have my favorite country radio station playing. I’m not convinced I could find another station to work even if I wanted to. My truck is old. Wren isn’t wrong about that. It used to be my granddad’s—he gave it to me when I was fifteen.

“You don’t look like a country girl to me.”

“Looks can be deceiving.”

That they can. I try not to think about all the ways she is changing the way I see her.

The scenery slowly changes from busy city life to open stretches of highway and country roads. Secretly I keep waiting for a song to pop on the radio that she can’t resist singing along to. I still can’t believe the voice that’s been haunting me belongs to Wren.

Not sure it mattered if it really had been Charlie at this point. I was kidding myself if I thought I could go through with hooking up with Charlie. It only took hanging out with Wren a few times to know there was something between us.

Mainly irritation and annoyance. There’s something that happens to me when I’m in the same room as Wren. I can’t stay away from her. She lures me in, insults me, and all I can do is wait for her to do it again.

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