Page 58 of Wild Hearts

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Wren

IHANG THEclosedsign on the door, twisting the key in the lock with a sigh of relief. Although it’s the end of March, we’ve been hit with a heat wave and with that comes crowds of people taking late night walks along the beach and wanting to buy ice cream. But the unexpected midweek heatwave and ice-cream rush has been a welcome distraction from the thoughts running through my head. I’ve had another therapy session and a subsequent phone call with Airlie. Both believe that my friends here would be a further source of support if I were to come clean about the attack.

Still caught up in my thoughts, I return to the kitchen where Harley and Ivy are finishing up the dishes and Lachy is returning the stock to the freezer. I grab a cloth and start wiping down the benches.

“Have you heard from Ellie?” Ivy asks Harley as she passes him the final tub to dry.

He winces. “No. She won’t return my calls.”

“Conrad’s a wanker.” Lachy shakes his head as he closes the freezer door and leans against the counter. “Always has been.”

Harley shrugs. “I guess he’s got a point. It’s not like my family doesn’t have a reputation.”

“You’re not responsible for your family’s mistakes,” I say quietly, rinsing the dirty cloth and hanging it over the tap.

He gives me a small smile. “Thanks, Wren, but in a small beach town like this, everyone knows everyone else’s business. People will think what they’re going to think.”

“I hear ya.” Ivy sighs.

My stomach clenches and nausea sweeps over me at the thought of what everyone will say when they find out my secret.

“Wow!” Lachy forces a laugh as he pulls Ivy in for a hug, her back to his stomach, and he rests his chin on her shoulder. “We’re a lively bunch tonight, aren’t we?” His eyes travel over Harley’s drooped shoulders and my frown. “Why don’t we grab a bottle from Dad’s stash in the office and we’ll head up to Glassons Point, like we used to?”

Harley shrugs in agreement, but my stomach churns at the thought of drinking alcohol. The last time I drank was...

“I’ve... I’ve got an early class tomorrow,” I say, scrambling for an excuse. “But I’m happy to drop you guys off.”

Ivy furrows her brow. “Don’t you have Professor Jinks first up? Her classes got cancelled for the week because her daughter’s sick. Didn’t you get the email?”

Shit.I curse myself for forgetting that Ivy and I share some of the same professors. I force a smile. “I must’ve missed that one. Fine, I’ll go. As long as it’s not Fireball. That shit still gives me nightmares.”

Lachy laughs as he and Harley head out the back to his parents’ office. Once they’re out of earshot, Ivy saunters over to my side, nudging me with her hip. “Are you okay?” she asks.

Even I can make out the hitch in my voice when I scoff and reply, “Yeah, of course I am.”

I turn away from her, grabbing my bag from the bench and rifling through it to find my lip gloss.

She sighs. “I’m your friend, Wren. You can talk to me about anything.”

I blink back the tears that sting the corner of my eyes. “I’m fine.”

She lets out a huff. “You don’t seem fine. You’ve been super quiet since you’ve been back, and there was that nightmare you had the night of Brady’s accident. You left your own party the night you moved here, and you’re making excuses tonight.” The hurt is evident on her face. “No one’s forcing you to drink, but I just miss hanging out with my friend.”

I swallow the lump forming in my throat. “Ivy, I–”

“Yew!” Lachy hollers, re-entering the kitchen with a bottle of tequila. “Who’s ready to forget our troubles for a little while?”

---