Page 35 of As They Are (Strawberry Springs #2)

“You might be onto something,” Tammy replied. “Sit wherever you like. What are you having to drink?”

“Water,” Wren said. “I’m so dehydrated.”

My eyes slid to hers. I could see why, after what we’d done. Her cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink, like the roses in front of my house.

“Same for me.” I sat beside Wren; it felt so natural to be close to her. Plus, it gave Tammy space to join us if she wanted to.

But I was only doing this because we were in public. Or at least that was what I told myself. We were dating here, and when we were alone, we were friends with benefits.

“How’s the library going?” Tammy asked as she brought us two ice-cold waters. “It looks like you guys are working hard.”

“We’re putting it back together,” Wren said. “Replacing the floors and making sure everything is in working order. Then we’ll be ordering books and opening it up.”

“It’s all Marjorie and Henrietta can talk about,” Tammy said. “It’s all anyone can talk about. We’re excited to have a piece of the town back.”

“Hopefully it lives up to the hype.”

“Oh, it will.” Tammy liked Wren. That much was obvious. She was friendly with everyone in town, even Hugh—when he was being nice. But I could tell by the way she perked up whenever Wren was in a room that she was excited to see her. “What are you two having?”

“The apple pecan salad,” I replied.

“I want the biggest plate of chicken tenders you have.”

I immediately regretted my choice. Chicken tenders were my food of choice before I realized that I needed to eat vegetables too.

“Sounds good.” Tammy turned and yelled out the order to Ron before sitting with us. “Now, I’ve got some opinions on books to stock it with, by the way. Can we get an erotica section?”

Wren choked on her water. “A what?”

“Erotica. Don’t look so shocked. Old ladies need their books too.”

“Will the grant even let us stock it with that?”

Tammy shrugged. “They’ve never cared before. At least do the romance books. What do they call that now? Pepper, or something? Oh no, spice .”

“I’ll start a list,” Wren said. “Erotica for all the ladies is at the top of it.”

“I have a few authors to recommend. I’ll send you a list. Give me your number.”

Wren blinked but recited it anyway. She seemed so shocked by Tammy’s attention, and I had no idea why.

“How are you doing after your fall?” Tammy asked. “We were pretty worried about you.”

“Oh, I’m fine.”

Tammy’s eyes cut to me. Clearly, she didn’t believe Wren.

“She’s healed well,” I said. “But she has a bad habit of not resting.”

“Really? You’re gonna call me out?”

“Someone has to.”

She rolled her eyes. “I get bored way too easily.”

“Same here,” Tammy agreed. “But no one wants to see you make it worse. I’m watching you.”

Wren laughed, but I could see her hands move under the table. I grabbed them without a second thought, running my thumb over her knuckles.

I wanted to figure her out, to know every detail of her life.

But it wasn’t my place to. I was temporary. Only a comfort for now.

And I needed to figure out how to be okay with that.

The next morning, there was a new PA putting on my mic. She had strawberry-blonde hair, and the only reason I noticed was because it was the same color as Wren’s.

“It’s really nice of you to do this every morning,” she said while she fiddled with the mic pack. “It must get annoying.”

“I don’t mind. It helps Wren out.”

My eyes drifted to the woman that was always on my mind. She was doing an interview with Jude, gesturing to the library. She did them all the time, but this time, he was only watching her .

My chest tightened. Both of us knew either he or Madison was angling for something, but I refused to watch the show, so I didn’t see it.

And now it was right in front of me.

For this, Wren was mine . And only mine.

“So,” the PA said, “um, you know, I hate to do this, but I wanna shoot my shot.”

I turned to her. “What?”

“A lot of people think Jude and Wren might get back together. And if they do”—she stepped close to me, putting her hand on my chest—“maybe we could go out.”

“Absolutely not.” The words were out before I could stop them and I threw her hand off my body before taking three healthy steps back. “I don’t consider other women when I’m in love with someone else.”

She blinked, color darkening her cheeks. “B-but?—”

“No. It’s a firm no. I’m Wren’s. Only hers.”

Wren suddenly appeared behind the PA. “What’s going on here?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly. “On my end, at least.”

The PA stammered before running off.

“Okay.” She drew out the word before looking at me. “Wanna explain?”

“She asked me out.”

Her jaw dropped. “ That’s why she was so close to you?”

“God, she touched me. I feel like I need a shower.” I took off my dress shirt, leaving only my T-shirt remaining. “Take this. I don’t want it.”

“At least I never have to worry about you fake cheating,” she said with a laugh. She wrapped my dress shirt around her jeans. “I’ll take the accessory. What did you say to her?”

I thought back, remembering my declaration of love and being hers. “What any taken man would.”

It might have been too much, but thankfully, there was no camera around to see it.

“Nice work, though I think Madison wanted that to go another way. She looks pissed.”

“She’ll stay that way,” I muttered. “Now get back over to your station. I have a flower to give you.”

“I love it when you bring me flowers,” she said before walking back.

The pink rose weighed heavily in my pocket as my words to the PA played back in my mind. I’d grabbed it not for its meaning, but for how it looked like Wren’s cheeks when she blushed.

But now I was wondering if its meaning was like all of the other ones I’d given her.

Perfectly accurate.

I did the usual song and dance of seeing her, ignoring Madison’s glare the whole time. Despite my possible slipup, I was proud that we were outsmarting whatever plan the director had. The good mood carried until I was in my office.

And snapped the second I saw I had a text from my mom.

Mom

When were you gonna tell me you’re in a TV show??? A few episodes are already out and I didn’t know!

This was not good. Mom had always felt left out of my life, and I knew this was just another thing to add to the list. Scrubbing a hand over my face, I prepared for a call, which would turn into a visit this weekend.

I could only hope Wren wouldn’t be mad at my absence.