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But my grumpy attitude didn’t phase Wren, who slipped the sunglasses onto her face as she ran up beside me, keeping up with my long strides despite wearing a pair of impractical booties. I had on hiking boots I wore with Ames when we explored her property, knowing the apple orchard required walking on inclines and across dirt. Wren scoffed when I reminded her of that this morning, claiming any other shoes would ruin her outfit.
She hadn’t been lying when she said she had a vision for her outfit. She wore a white dress, something that looked like a men’s dress shirt, which she cuffed at the wrists. The hem hit her mid-thigh, leaving her legs bare. Her beige-and-white houndstooth sweater vest matched her beige booties. The only color was the bright red of her sunglasses, matching the pre-picked apples we passed as we headed in the direction of the rest of our group.
“Bex! Wren!” Ames called across the open space, and she waved us over when we caught sight of her. She and the guys stood toward the back of the line to buy containers. There were smaller bags or large boxes to choose from, which we’d then be allowed to fill with as many apples as could fit. The tetris involved in fitting as many apples as possible was part of the fun.
Wren and I joined behind them, Ames and Wren immediately discussing their plans for the apples and how many they thought they’d need through the end of the season while Alex, Dev, and I discussed a few details about the Cillian job out of their earshot.
After a few minutes of debating, Ames and Wren each settled on a large box, Dev claiming he’d just steal apples as needed when he came by the house. Alex paid for both boxes, shooting me a look before I could even consider stepping up to the register, and the cashier handed Ames and Wren each a box.
Alex and I held our hands out at the same time, ready to take the boxes that would likely weigh fifteen-plus pounds by the end of the day. Ames scoffed at Alex’s offer, clutching the box to her chest as she tried to edge around him and his slowly darkening face.
“Listen here, mister. I’ve been carrying this box of apples for years. Just because I have a man now doesn’t mean I can’t carry a few pounds of apples.”
“Ames,” Alex growled, low and angry, taking a menacing step toward her. Ames took that as her cue to run, sprinting down the hill and out of eyesight with Alex close behind. Their footsteps were cut off quickly, followed by a small shriek and Ames’s laughter.
“Stop scaring the children,” Dev called out as we made our way after them, rolling his eyes at me as he followed after them.
My hand was still out, and I raised an eyebrow in question at Wren to see if she’d fight me. But she just passed me her box with a grin, skipping as I trudged along behind her.
* * *
“Alright, I’m done,”Ames called to the group as she topped off the box of apples Alex held in his arms. He had won their earlier argument by throwing Ames over one shoulder and grabbing the box with the other, carrying her from tree to tree until she admitted defeat. “Let’s grab cider slushies and donuts for the road.”
“I actually wanted to get some more apples for pies,” Wren pointed to the box I held, still only three-quarters full after our jaunt around the orchard. “But you guys go ahead.”
“I’ll come with you, Wrennie,” Dev offered, tousling her hair. “Hey B, throw me the box, and I’ll take my girl up the hill.”
My teeth clenched at his wording, but Dev didn’t notice, taking Wren’s sunglasses off her face and perching them on his nose with an easy smile.
It came so easy to him, his smiles and his friendliness, and it usually didn’t bother me. Actually, it was probably why I liked him so much. He was easy to be around, never expecting me to contribute because he was more than willing to fill the silence. And the fact that it bothered me now just made me grind my teeth harder. Wren must’ve noticed because she quickly snatched the glasses back before making her way to my side.
“Nah, it’s alright, big bro. Might as well take full advantage of the muscle,” She nudged me with her elbow, and I wiped the smile off my face before it could show.
Dev shrugged at her rejection, throwing an arm around Ames’s shoulders instead. “Well then, A, let’s get those donuts. I’m a growing boy,” he joked, patting the stomach that I knew consisted of a flat set of abs from sparring with him. They headed back toward the entrance with Alex in tow, while Wren and I headed in the opposite direction further down the rows of apple trees to try and search for a variety we hadn’t picked yet.
It only took a few minutes to reach a copse of new trees, Wren immediately searching for the best apples to add to the box. She had been meticulous in her search so far, only choosing the finest fruit and inspecting the apples from all sides before picking them off the tree.
She finally found a grouping of apples that fit her standards, though they were halfway up a tree, the bottom branches likely already having been picked by families with small children. I watched Wren as she reached toward some of the apples on the upper branches of the tree, going up on her tip-toes with little grunts of effort. She finally attempted a small hop to reach them, catching herself against a tree when she slipped a bit on the half-rotten apples littered around the roots.
I let out a silent sigh of exasperation. I was willing to let Wren make a fool out of herself for my own pleasure but less willing to allow her to break an ankle when I was tasked with protecting her. I walked over, set down the box of apples, and grabbed her around the thighs, lifting her up easily in a swift motion that allowed her to reach the apples she wanted.
After letting out a yelp of surprise, Wren quickly steadied herself, handing me apples one by one as I threw them in the box at my feet. When she’d picked them all and the box was full, I tossed her a bit in the air, shifting my arms so she’d fall into them bridal-style, and she let out another shout at the unexpected change in position. She grabbed onto my shirt as if scared I’d drop her, and I gripped her tighter in reassurance. But then I registered that her outburst hadn’t been fearful but breathless. Or rather, a mix of the two.
I glanced from where I held her in my arms to her eyes, which were locked on mine. Her pupils were blown, heartbeat thumping so rapidly in her throat that I could see it pulsing against her skin. She made me fucking insane, staring at me like this, as if her goal was tempting me to fuck everything up. And I hated that it worked.
Her ignoring me had led to me lying to my sister, apologizing to Wren, promising to be herfriend, and feeling jealous of Dev and his easy-going nature. So I leaned forward, just enough to see if she’d close her eyes for me. And when she did, releasing the death grip she’d had on the material of my shirt in favor of leaning closer to me, I let her drop to the ground.
She let out a shriek as she hit the ground, a few rotten apples smashing under her ass with an audible squish. Before she could catch her breath, I bent down next to her, grabbing the box of apples as I leaned in as close as I dared, and whispered in her ear, “I fucking missed being your friend, little bird.”
Chapter9
Wren
This day was turningout to be pretty fucking surprising. As I sat there in the dirt, images from the day flashing through my head, I couldn’t help but notice how starkly the expectations clashed with reality.
Expectation:Show up at the orchard after a silent, hellishly awkward car ride with Bex.
Reality:An almost-apology, a promise at an attempt at friendship, and a pair of sunglasses I still couldn’t believe Bex willingly bought for me.
