Page 39 of The Accidental Honeymoon

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-two. My birthday is in a couple of months.”

The waitress returns and we both order. A bowl of white beans and cornbread for me, a roast beef sandwich for Wren.

“Well, let me tell you,” I say when the waitress is gone. “I didn’t have my life figured out right away. I’mtwenty-eight, but I didn’t get my little bakery until six months ago. Before that, I was baking from home when I lived on College Avenue. There were always sheet pans of cookies cooling on every surface in my little studio apartment.”

“That sounds nice! I do love a good sugar cookie when I’m trying to clean my living room slash bedroom.”

“You would have been obsessed with my old place, then. It was so small! The rental agent kept saying it was quaint and cozy.” I laugh, rolling my eyes.

“Hey, if it had heat and AC, that’s all you really need.” Wren smiles.

Silence fills the space between us. I grasp for a new topic. Then I realize what I really want to ask. Wren probably has all the dirt on Jay. "So," I say, trying to sound casual. “Did you hate Blake and are glad the wedding was called off?”

“God.” She laughs. “I’m so glad. Don’t tell Jay, but I thought Blake was a self-important snob.”

Hearing Wren say that is like a balm to my soul. It’s not that I’m feeling competitive with Blake. It’s more like she is just a gorgeous, skinny, Instagram-perfect wife. And being placed side-by-side just makes me feel…less than.

I give Wren a secretive smile. “Good. I was hoping that you would say that. I haven’t met your mom, but I hope that she wasn’t on Team Blake either.”

“You probably won’t meet Mom until she and Dad are back from their trip. They weren’t at Jay and Blake’s wedding. They… aren’t exactly the warmest people.” Wren leans back in her chair, stretching her arms behind her head. "Our parents are busy people, very career-focused. We had a nice upbringing. But it was Jay and me against the world most of the time. We were inseparable."

That explains a lot. "Sounds like you two had a solid childhood."

"We did," she says, though there's a wistfulness in her tone. "We were lucky. Jay made sure I was never lonely, even when our parents were off doing their thing."

I take another sip of tea, letting her words sink in. This is the background I needed, the context to understand why Jay is the way he is. He’s someone who’s had to create his own support system.

Wren continues, "When Jay started the company, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. He offered me a job, and it just made sense. Working with him is like an extension of our childhood."

I tilt my head, curious. "And the company… it's doing well?"

She laughs, a short, bright burst. "You could say that. We all worked hard, but Jay was the driving force. He's built something pretty amazing."

I remember what Wren said earlier about Jay taking care of them. "It sounds like he’s more than just a boss. Like he’s a mentor."

"Exactly," she says, nodding. "He’s taught me so much, and not just about the business. He’s always been there for me, for all of us."

Our food arrives. My stomach audibly growls, making Wren giggle. We dig in, eating in silence for a few minutes.

Wren finishes half of her sandwich and sits back. She eyes me with a newfound curiosity. "You know, you’re not what I expected."

I freeze. "Oh? And what did you expect?"

She shrugs, but there's a slyness to it. "Someone more… I don’t know. Someone different."

I laugh, though it comes out more nervous than I intend. "Different how?"

Wren breaks the silence. "I’m just saying, you seem more grounded. More real."

"Thanks," I say, though I’m not sure it’s a compliment. If she thinks I’m real, does that mean she sees through the ruse?

"Anyway," Wren says, her tone lightening. "It’s obvious that you care about him."

I blink. "What?"

"Jay. The way you look at him. Like he's a prime cut of beef. Blake never looked at him like that, you know."

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