Page 20 of As They Are (Strawberry Springs #2)

WREN

Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch

Henry Connor: @Marjorie Brown , do you recognize this wallpaper?

Comments:

Marjorie Brown: Holy hell, Doc! It’s been years since I thought of that ugly stuff. It was up when I met Henrietta.

Henrietta Brown: I still think it’s cute.

Marjorie Brown : Good lord, honey. Are you blind? That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen! Who puts green on walls?

Kerry Winsor: Green is trending on walls right now! Everyone loves it.

Marjorie Brown: What is wrong with people these days???

A week passed. Henry came to visit me every day before work, and I was making steady progress on the library. He took to filming well, and I started to look forward to our morning chats, especially when he would smile and press a kiss to my lips.

Even if it was fake, it felt intimate and steady. Henry was always there, and I was used to getting my morning kiss before starting work for the day.

Having him around helped when I worked with Jude. We still had to film together, though this time, there was far more distance between us. We did interviews too, but those were mostly professional, except when he would smile over at me like he would in season one.

It was only on camera too, just like it had been before. Many would call it a friendly smile, but it was so similar to the ones I used to get that it felt disorienting.

Instead of getting a thrill, I was filled with dread. Henry and I weren’t really dating, yet it felt like a betrayal to him. I never returned them and only focused on the job.

And the job was demanding. Demolishing a library was hard, especially when I had taken on most of the work myself to save money on paying for travel expenses for my contractors. Jude didn’t help when he wasn’t on camera, so it left me to do most of the work.

After three days in a row, Henry had demanded I get some time off to showcase the town. I’d tried to tell him I was fine, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

The rest was needed, though. The day that I had off, I slept for twelve hours straight and had to nurse my sore muscles.

The day after that, we were filming at Center Point.

“You’re alive,” Mollie said when I came downstairs. “I thought you’d need to sleep in again.”

She and Cain had only seen me at breakfast and dinner. The rest of the time, I was playing on my phone in bed.

“I’m mostly back.” I rolled my shoulder. “Could use a massage. But I’m not doing heavy lifting today.”

“Good. About the break thing. I’d totally take you to see a masseuse, but we don’t have those here.”

I opened my mouth to inform her of Henry’s secret talent, but then snapped it shut. That would open up far too many questions.

“So, what are you up to today?” she asked.

“Filming at the diner,” I replied. “And getting a bit of the farmers market.”

Mollie perked up. “You’ll be able to see my booth! I finally have enough jam to sell.”

“You’re gonna be a vendor at the market?” She’d been working hard, and I knew that she was planning on selling her new items, but I had no idea she was ready now.

Mollie nodded. “I was gonna see how you were feeling before inviting you. The booth isn’t gonna be the best , but I’ll have a few things.”

“Is Cain going?”

“I’m dragging him for heavy-lifting purposes. And to grab things I want from the other vendors.”

Cain didn’t seem like the kind of guy to socialize. “And he’s ... okay with that?”

“Okay might be a strong word, but he’ll do it if I ask.” She set down a cup of coffee. “He just texted that he’s done loading the car, so we need to get going. See you soon?”

“I’ll be there,” I replied.

The whole square was packed when I pulled my truck into the last free parking spot. The air was already heavy and hot, which promised a miserable day, yet it didn’t seem to stop anyone.

“There are way too many people,” Madison grumbled.

“This is nothing compared to Nashville.”

“I can reserve a street in Nashville,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “When will your boyfriend be here?”

“Any minute,” I said. “He might be fighting all of the people.”

“You can come in, you know,” a rough voice said as the door opened. We both turned to see Tammy staring at us. “I don’t bite.”

She was in a nicer outfit today, though her name tag still didn’t match. She didn’t want much filming done since Ron hated the idea of cameras in the diner. The B-roll footage Madison had planned was more than enough.

“I’m just waiting on Henry,” I said. “Though, I do have a question.”

“Hit me with it.”

“Should I call you Tammy or Mickie?”

“Is that what this one says?” She looked down at her name tag. “These days, I just grab one and run with it. Ron would say to call me Mickie. But I probably won’t answer if you do that.”

“That’s so confusing,” Madison said.

“I call it a quirk,” Tammy said. “I bet people will find it endearing.”

Madison shook her head and walked off.

“That one’s a real social butterfly,” Tammy announced.

“Yeah, sure. She’s just mad she has to do something for a small town.”

“I’m sure she’ll survive. I’m not gonna let it get me down. Truth be told, I’m a little excited about today. It’s nice to have some attention coming to the town. Think we’ll get tourists?”

“Probably a few,” I replied. “The first episode airs soon.”

“You’ve done a lot for us, and you haven’t even finished the library yet.”

“Some of it was Henry. I’m only making them follow through.”

“It’s more than a lot of people do for a small town like this.”

“You guys took Mollie in. So I owe you.”

“You don’t owe us anything.” She shook her head. “We take care of the people in town. The world is a dark and shitty place. It’s nice to be the light sometimes.”

“Literally,” I said. “The square is absolutely gorgeous at night.”

“It is. I don’t know who keeps up on all of that, but it makes me happy. I come in when they’re just about to turn off in the morning.”

I could see why Mollie stayed here. Anything like that in Nashville was done to attract tourists. This was just here out of love.

“So, kid, how are you?”

I blinked. “Wh-what?”

“Hasn’t anyone asked you that before?”

“Yes, sorry. I’m just not used to people caring to ask.” And certainly not from someone who was old enough to be my parent. The little kid inside of me loved being checked in on. I had never had that before.

“You’ll get a lot of that around here. So?” Tammy looked at me expectantly.

“I’m good. Busy.”

“Henry treating you right?”

“Is there a world where he wouldn’t?”

“Not to my knowledge, but just say the word. Some men get real weird when they get into a relationship.”

Henry did have his moments, but nothing like what she was talking about. He was the perfect boyfriend when he had to be, but avoided me at any other time. I wouldn’t lie and say I wasn’t curious about his life outside of what he showed me, but he’d been clear that it wasn’t my business.

Still, we were friends. I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of him.

“Henry’s great,” I said. “I’m lucky to have him.” Tammy hummed and went to say something else, but I saw Henry walking down the sidewalk. “We’ll have to get mics before we come in. Mind if I grab him?”

“Not at all. See you two in a few. You’ll have to tell me how good my acting is.”

Henry made it to me as she went back into the restaurant.

“Hey,” I said. “Ready to get filmed again?”

“As much as I can be.” His voice was muted today, making me wonder if he was as okay with this as he said. I’d asked him if he needed anything or if there was something I could do to help him, but every time, he said no and that I should relax.

But I could tell something was up. He was quiet as our mics were put on.

Jude met us by the door. I wasn’t sure if Madison was aiming for this to be as awkward as possible, but having a meal with my fake boyfriend and fake ex-boyfriend wasn’t high on my list of fun things to do.

The cameras started rolling, and Jude finally turned to me. “I can’t wait to hear more about this town you like so much.”

“Henry did all the selling,” I replied, trying to match his energy. “That and the people of the town.”

Jude nodded, but his mouth was tight. The town hadn’t been so friendly with him.

We walked into Center Point. Despite his tiredness, Henry filled us in on what he knew about the diner.

Tammy met us at the front, wearing the oddest, fakest smile I’d ever seen.

I blinked, wondering if she’d been replaced with a robot version of herself, but then shook it off.

“Table for three?” I asked.

“Of course. Follow me.”

Henry and I exchanged a look. At least he was as weirded out by this as I was.

“How am I doing?” she whispered to me as I sat. The cameras would definitely hear that, but it could be cut.

“It’s . . . something,” I said.

“My mama always told me I couldn’t be a movie star,” she muttered to herself. “Now, Henry. Coffee or water today?”

“Coffee. I need it.”

“One for me too, please,” I ordered.

“Oh, you’re both tired? I don’t even wanna know the reason why.”

My cheeks grew warm. I wished it were what she was hinting at. My life would be better if it was sex that kept me up late at night.

But I wasn’t going to look at another person. Obviously, Henry wasn’t interested in that with me, but I knew better than to try to look for anyone else while I was technically with him. I would have to either charge up my old vibrator or find something to take its place.

“And I’ll have a beer,” Jude said.

Tammy’s smile fell. “It’s ten in the morning.”

“Still. You’ve gotta have my favorite.” His smile went to the camera. “Bud Light is all I ever drink.”

I suppressed an eyeroll. “Tammy doesn’t usually?—”

“Oh, I’ll make it happen.” She was smiling again, but this one looked sinister. “Be right back.”

“Is it just me or is she kinda weird?” Jude asked.

“The cameras are on,” I hissed back. “And she’s doing her best.”