Page 26 of As They Are
Wren huffed out a laugh. “That’s very sweet of you, but ... you don’t have to worry about apologizing.”
“But Kerry said you and Jude are?—”
“Jude and I aren’t ... anything.”
My brow pinched. “Did Kerry misunderstand something?”
She shuffled her feet. “No, the show says we’re together. But it’s show business. They want a couple for people to root for. And that’s all it is.”
“You’re not really . . .”
“Nope.”
Was that a thing people did? Pretended to be together?
“I see,” I replied. “But if there are rules about this thing, or I ever cross a line, let me know.”
Despite her newfound rigid posture, she smiled. “I will. But I don’t think we’ll have an issue with that. You’re probably one of the most polite people I’ve met. Thank you for exploring the abandoned library with me.”
She thought of me as polite. Good. I hadn’t messed this up that badly, then.
“You’re welcome,” I said, giving her one last smile before she walked off.
It then hit me that it was way past my usual dinnertime, and I needed to get home or else my whole night would be off. Messing with the routines that kept me together wasn’t something I did easily.
After I made dinner, I hopped in the shower to scrub off all the dust. Then I checked social media to see if anything was happening in town. I answered something Kerry tagged me in before going through my feed.
That was when I saw it was Norah’s and Ace’s two-year anniversary. She’d reposted the picture of their wedding where they were surrounded by family and friends. Both of them had always been like that. They loved being the center of attention. Itried to like it, once upon a time ...
And then I couldn’t anymore.
Mom had been at the wedding, though I wasn’t invited. With how things had been left, I wasn’t surprised. I was shocked they’d even sent me friend requests on Facebook.
With a sigh, I liked the post and shut off the phone for the night. I hadn’t followed my routine closely since Wren’s arrival, and I knew I would regret it if I didn’t get back to my usual. I’d done well in Strawberry Springs. People saw me as a dependable doctor.
If that facade shattered, I wasn’t sure if they could get past it.
Ace and Norah sure hadn’t.
6
WREN
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Jade Clark:Does anyone have a mattress that vibrates? I need info.
Comments:
Kerry Winsor:WHAT kind of info could you possibly NEED?
Mollie Wilson:Jade, you don’t need the whole mattress. Let me send you a website.
Jade Clark:Not for THAT, for sleeping! Get your minds out of the gutter. No one else would think that!
Atticus Thompson:I did.
Theo Murf:I did too.
