Page 13 of Finding Out

Me: Those words did not come out of his mouth.

Leo: Haha. Yeah, I can’t see it either.

Leo: Funny story, tho. He says Wren is there too. Some work trip. He’s worried she’s gonna get snowed in.

A message from Heath appeared at the top of the screen, and I clicked over.

Heath: You in the city?

I swallowed. There was no way to count the number of times the Jacobses had helped me over the years. Baseball seasons were long, and Avery had spent countless weekends and holidays with her best friend. Not once had Heath given me shit about it. He was happy to help my daughter. As I should be to help his.

Me: Leo told me. I’ll text her.

Heath: Thanks, man. Sorry to interrupt your weekend.

Me: No worries.

Regardless of those words, guilt clawed up my throat. Wren was stuck here with me. It was snowy, she was alone, and I was being a douche bag.

Sighing, I snagged a T-shirt from the top drawer of the dresser and pulled on the jeans I’d worn while we traveled.

I’d eaten close to a hundred meals with Wren over the last five years. She’d come over with Avery for Saturday dinners. I’d taken them out to eat. Avery and I had even spent holidays with the Jacobses. So hiding in my room like this was a major asshole move.

I opened the door, and when the lock popped, I winced. I didn’t remember locking the knob, but I could only imagine how ridiculous I’d looked as I stormed in here earlier. Hopefully she hadn’t heard me do it.

Expecting Wren to be sitting in the main room, I was shocked to find myself alone. Fuck, I really was an asshole if I thought she’d be out here waiting for me. An idiot too, because she was not the type of woman who let someone walk all over her.

She’d been miffed when I’d acted like an ass to Kline. But the easy conversation between the two of them had put me on edge. Here I was, almost fifty, yet I was acting like a jealous teenager.

I locked my jaw. I’d probably need to apologize about that too. Hands on my hips, I scanned the empty room and the kitchen.

The door to her bedroom was open, so I knocked on the frame.

“Wren?”

When she didn’t respond, I peered inside, but she wasn’t there either. Her bag was still sitting on the floor by her bed and her purse was on the dresser, so she hadn’t left the city to spite me for being an asshole.

What the hell?

I surveyed the room, then wandered out to the main area again. Nothing was out of place. It didn’t even look like she’d been in here. Every pillow sat exactly in its place on the sofa. The magazines were spread on the coffee table evenly, undisturbed since the cleaning staff had arranged them.

The only thing out of place was the notepad set haphazardly on the counter. Brow cocked, I picked it up.

Next door grabbing dinner with Kline. If you change your mind and want something, text me, and I’ll grab it for you.

Wren

Oh, hell no.

Jealousy bubbled in my gut.

Next door? What was next door? And why hadn’t she told me before she left?

That was an easy answer. Because I had ignored her. I’d wanted her to go away, and that’s exactly what she’d done. She’d behaved exactly like any professional should have. Yet at the idea of it, anger ripped through my chest.

I turned to the door and stormed out. It wasn’t until it clicked shut behind me that I realized I wasn’t wearing shoes. Hell, I didn’t even have socks on.

Shit.

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