Page 23 of As They Are (Strawberry Springs #2)

HENRY

Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch

Mark Bell: Folks, if you’ve ever wanted to be on TV, this is your chance! Come on down to Bell’s Brews TONIGHT. Our star couple will be there as well as Lucas’s band!

Comments:

Jade Clark: Technically, we all have the chance to be on TV all the time ... But I’ll be there.

Kerry Winsor: I’m looking for a babysitter. URGENTLY!

Marjorie Brown: Time for me to break out my go-go boots. I wonder if I can figure out what these kids call twerking.

Jade Clark : Wow, I wish I didn’t have eyes.

Henrietta Brown: They still have to make it TV appropriate, Marj. And that sight would get any show taken off the air.

Marjorie Brown: My own WIFE? How could you!

Monday came far too quickly. I’d put it out of my mind, ready to forget I’d ever agreed to it, but Wren’s reminder told me time was moving far too fast.

I dreaded going, but hoped that I would have an easy work day before it started.

That did not happen. I had a slew of physicals with kids and many shots to give, which led to a lot of distraught children. After the third crying fit, my ears were ringing.

I closed for lunch again to get some peace and quiet, and while I felt better, it was only temporary.

The plan was to get footage of us getting drinks with Jude to highlight how much fun we were having in town. To top it all off, Lucas would be there, which meant the bar would be louder than usual.

Wren was waiting on me, hair down. She looked cute in a flannel and jeans. I wanted to tell her that, but I was exhausted. By the time I saw her, I didn’t want to talk to anyone.

“Hey,” she said when I walked up to her. I gave her a kiss on the cheek as a greeting since Jude and Madison were nearby. “Have a good day?”

“Yep,” I made myself reply.

She watched me, and I wondered if she was waiting for me to elaborate. I couldn’t say much due to patient-privacy rights, but I also had no idea how to tell her why I was so worn out.

I couldn’t say my day was too loud and I was tired because of it. That made no sense.

We got our mics on, which consisted of me getting touched in ways I didn’t want. My mood wasn’t great when we walked in.

But the noise instantly made it worse.

“Wow!” Wren said. “This is like an actual concert in here.”

I’d never been to a concert. Was it normal to feel your bones rattle with every beat?

Wren dragged me to the bar, ordering something for us both. I had no idea what she got because I couldn’t focus on a word anyone said. My attention was split between the music, the people, and the cameras following us around.

A cold drink made its way into my hand, and I looked at it warily. Wren grabbed my arm and put her lips close to my ear.

“It’s just a cocktail made with wine,” she said. “I can get you something else if you want.”

I shook my head, not wanting to cause any problems for anyone else, and managed to clink glasses with her before taking a sip.

Thankfully, it wasn’t too strong, but immediately, I felt some of the noise blur into the background as the alcohol hit.

I didn’t usually do this, but if I were to be here for hours, I needed something to help. And drinking was the only thing everyone else was doing.

“There she is!” a loud voice said, and we both turned to see Kerry approaching us. She pulled Wren into a tight hug. “You look so good!”

“Thanks,” Wren said. “Though I’m wearing a version of what I worked in today.”

“You look great in anything you wear.” She then turned to me. “You look good too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.”

“This isn’t really my scene,” I replied.

“I bet you’ll change your mind once you get Wren on the dance floor!”

Absolutely not. If I had to focus on dancing, not making a fool out of myself right by a speaker? That would be a disaster.

“We still have our drinks,” Wren said, holding up her glass. “We’re good here!”

“Still, you have to dance at least once !” She laughed. “It’s tradition for the couple to do. I hear Mollie and Cain did.”

“We’ll see where the night takes us.”

“At least Jude has the spirit!” Kerry pointed to him, and true to her word, he was on the dance floor near Brooke, who he’d obviously taken an interest in.

Brooke was one of the few people who wouldn’t have cared about Jude kissing someone else, and the star seemed to be soaking up her attention.

“You could always join him if you wanted to dance, Wren. You’re still friends, right? ”

I normally liked Kerry, but this was the first time I felt a true spark of annoyance toward her.

I had been trying my best to be better than Jude was to Wren, but as always, I wasn’t the best choice.

This was not something I was having fun doing.

And I knew it would show. I wished I could easily force this feeling away and be exactly what I wanted it to be, but that wasn’t something I could do.

Thankfully, the cameras had moved toward Jude showcasing his dancing skills. Wren’s eyes followed the camera, and I wondered if deep down she wanted to go and be with him. The thought did nothing for my mood.

I took another sip, letting everything fade into the background. For a second, I closed my eyes and tried to pretend like I was at home. By the time I opened them, Jude had walked over.

“Wanna dance?” he asked Wren, and I swore I saw red. “I’m free.”

Wren’s eyes widened as if she was as shocked by his question as I was.

“N-no, I’m good.”

“Seems boring over here.”

“Boring is just fine, thanks.”

She shifted closer to me, pressing her body into my side. Somehow, it made me more grounded in the moment.

“Lemme know when you change your mind. I’d hate for you to miss a second.”

“Sure.” She shrugged.

He walked off, returning to the fun. The camera followed his every move.

“You could have gone with him if you wanted,” I said.

She rolled her eyes. “Not you too.”

“I’m terrible at dancing. And at this. But that doesn’t mean you should miss out.”

Wren’s gaze moved to me, and now her eyebrows were furrowed. She studied me for a long time, and I wondered what she was seeing.

Then she reached for the mic pack and flipped the switch on it. Before I knew it, she’d reached behind my sweater and done the same for me too.

“Okay, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” I replied. “Go dance.” Her eyes narrowed. “I just need a minute. Then I’ll be fine.”

And I really did. I looked around, noticing there was a camera between me and the door. If I left in a rush like I wanted to, that might look bad. And despite how overwhelmed I was, I didn’t want that.

I scanned the rest of the bar, remembering one place I’d heard about.

I’d seen Mark post about his closet. Normally, it was off-limits, but he would have to understand if he caught me. I let Wren go and crossed the space. There was only one hallway with two bathrooms and a third nondescript door. I breathed out a sigh of relief and entered the dark room.

But it was only for a second because it quickly opened.

“Wren,” I said, turning to her. “Go back out there.”

She stepped in and closed the door. “No.”

I sighed and put my hand over my eyes. I needed to get her to leave so I could recover. She would ask questions—ones I had no answers to.

A long beat of silence stretched between us, both in the bar and the closet. She didn’t ask, and when I peeked at her, she was watching me. Giving me space but keeping me close.

Almost like she was simply making sure I was okay.

I was aware of every one of her breaths, and I waited for my irritation to grow.

It didn’t.

My clothes were too tight and the music resumed outside, but at least I wasn’t around the cameras. I tugged at my collar, getting momentary relief from it before I opened my eyes and looked at Wren.

But her eyes didn’t meet mine. She was now focused on my shirt, and her cool hands slid to the top button, undoing it.

“What’re you doing?”

“It’s obviously bothering you.”

“But—”

She shushed me. “Let me help you for a change.”

Her fingers opened two buttons before she pulled off my tie. I could already feel relief.

“I used to try to wear skinny jeans a long time ago. I’d feel a little like you do if I were in them.” Her voice was soft, but instead of adding to what I couldn’t take, she was like a beacon to focus on.

“I’m sorry, I’m not cut out for this.”

“It’s just a bar, Henry. Not exactly my scene either.”

“But if you wanted to dance?—”

“I would do it alone. But I don’t. I’m fine here.”

A part of me wanted to know if she was lying, but I also wanted her here.

Even though I should have wanted to be alone.

I hung my head, wishing more than anything that I didn’t need to be in this closet.

She stepped forward and pulled my head down to her shoulder.

One ear was pressed into her neck, and her hand moved to the other momentarily as if she was moving to run her hands through my hair. I grabbed her hand and left it there.

I could feel her heartbeat, but her neck and hand drowned out most of the sounds. I sagged in relief, taking in this moment of peace.

I could get far too used to this.

Time passed, one second after another. Slowly but surely, I felt like I was okay again.

“Better?” she asked as I pulled away.

“Yeah,” I said. “I’m sorry. It was a tough day at work.”

“I figured,” she replied. “You came to the bar right after closing down for the day. Not everyone is built for that.”

“But most are.”

“You aren’t most people, though.” She tilted her head to the side. “That’s what I like about you.”

My throat went dry. Would she say that if she knew that this wasn’t a one-off thing? That this was my life?

I pushed away the thought, taking stock of how I was feeling. I was still tired, but I could at least think straight. The music wasn’t as pounding, and now that I thought about it, I wanted to prove that I could be just as fun as Jude was.

“Let’s go back out there.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes. I’m good now.” I reached down and grabbed her hand. “And I owe you a dance.”