Page 14 of When We Were Us
“I am just so glad you’re back!” She gives me that genuine smile again and reaches across the table to give my hand a squeeze. “We have got to plan a girl’s night or something.” She breaks off like she’s thinking, and then says, “You, Nat, Norah, and I should go to Roxy’s! Oh, and Hayley. I know she was younger than us, but she’s the sweetest and so much fun.”
I grimace. Seeing the girls would be nice, because even though I hadn’t been as close to Hank’s three sisters, we definitely had our share of memories. Especially bonfire nights and riding dirt bikes at the ranch that last summer with Hank, Finn, and Hudson. It all just seems like too much too fast. I haven’t seen or spoken to any of them in years, and after the way Hank and I left things, they might not want to see me.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m kind of trying to keep a low profile. I’ve got so much to get done at the house, and I don’t know how long I’ll actually be in town?—”
“I’ll help you at the house. I have plenty of free time. Besides, one night away from that big, empty house isn’t going to make that much of a difference.” She clasps her hands under chin. “Please? Hudson’s in town from New York for the summer, and I know everyone else would love to see you too!”
“Not everyone.” I notice the look on her face and realize, without meaning to, I’ve actually said that out loud.
She leans forward, her brows dipping low. “What do you mean?”
“It's nothing.”I shake my head once, but the words I speak must not match the look on my face because she lowers her voice and pins me with a look.
“Wrenley Hardcastle, what are you talking about?” If she wasn’t already sitting down, I imagine she’d plant her hands on her hips.
I let out a long sigh, but she just watches me. I don’t know how much to say. She’s clearly close with Hank’s siblings, and I don't want to make things worse.
“I ran into Hank.” My eyes drop to my coffee cup, spinning it slowly with my fingers.
She winces and then hikes her eyebrows up to her hairline in silent affirmation to elaborate. It makes me wonder if she’s already heard about our argument.
“He was less than thrilled to see me.” I glance nervously up at her.
She nods, sits back abruptly, and huffs out her own sigh through her nose. “What did that grumpy jackass say to you?”
My glance flicks up to hers, and I almost choke on the coffee I just took a sip of.
Wait… Grumpy jackass?
Until last week, I never would have thought anyone in this town would use either of those words to describe Hank Hayes. I thought that was just reserved for me.
When we were kids, everyone loved Hank. He’d been the golden boy—a perfect enigma. Everywhere he’d gone back then, people just flocked to him. Even little kids. Me.Especiallyme. He was like Santa Claus. Or…or Jesus. Nothing could touch him.
Still, I can’t help but wonder what happened to make Hank change so drastically. Before I lose my nerve, I ask, “What happened to him?”
She looks to the side, opens her mouth to say something, and then thinks better of it. She purses her lips, and I can tell she is trying to decide how much to say. Then, she raises one shoulder in a shrug as if to say,who knows? I get the feeling there is more to it than that, but she doesn’t offer up any more information.
“Listen, Finn, I’d love to see some of the old crew, but I can’t see Hank again. I don’t know what happened to change him, but he said some pretty awful things about me being back for my granddad’s money, and I?—”
“He what?” she hisses, leaning far across the table, and then, glancing around, she lowers her voice. “Please tell me he did not actually say that to you.” She is fuming and it feels good to have her upset for me. To have at least one ally in this small town, where I feel more like an outsider than ever. Especially since I hadn't seen her in years.
“Not in so many words, but it was implied.” I pick at a hangnail on my thumb and look back at her across the table.
She rolls her eyes and takes my hand again. The sincerity in her eyes is palpable. “Ok, I get it. No going anywhere that we will run into Hank. I promise. But please think about it. Everyone really would love to see you, despite what Hank said. I know it.”
She’s so damn persuasive, and I find myself nodding in reluctant agreement.
“Ok.” She digs her phone out of her back pocket and taps a few times on the screen. “What’s your number?”
I give her the digits and she taps them in with a happy hum.
“There. I texted you.” She grins as my phone dings in my bag at my feet.
CHAPTER SEVEN
hank
It’s beena week since my run-in with Wren. I’d been caught off guard and seeing her had done something to my gut that I didn't like. It brought up feelings I thought I had dealt with long ago. I’ve done everything I can think of to keep her out of my mind, but it’s no use.
