Page 48 of Crossed Up

Wrenny

Never too busy for you, Lyla-boo. Text or call?

Flashing a quick look around the cavernous garage, it seems like the boys are still inside, so I respond by asking her to call me, and she does not even thirty seconds later.

“What’s gotcha down, girlypop?” Wren’s peppy voice soothes some of my jagged edges, and I let out a long sigh that makes her chuckle. “That bad, huh?”

I shake my head even though she can’t see me and reach over to open my door so the breeze from the open garage door can cool my flushed cheeks. “It’s not bad per se… but… how did you know you were ready to make things official with Rhodes?”

After a few minutes of silence, she hums quietly, but I don’t rush her. One thing I love about Wren is that she always gives you her full attention and is thoughtful with her answers.

“Well, the situation with us was different. We’d been friends for so long, and even though I married his teammate and moved away, there were always feelings there. They just got put on hold for a while. We jumped into things really fast because our history made the transition of going from friends to more feel as easy as breathing.”

I slump down in my seat, dejection taking root in my chest. Rhodes and Wren were almost a decade in the making. My history with Aidan is five weeks of sleeping down the hall from him and some hot sex.

Wren’s voice interrupts my pity party. “But Lyla, sometimes you just know. In some cases, especially when there’s a child involved, things move faster than polite society might consider proper or ‘normal.’”

The emphasis around the word normal creates air quotes that are practically palpable in the air, and I find myself snickering. Even when she’s not trying to, Wren has a way of making everything feel a little less heavy. The woman is a ray of freaking sunshine, and sometimes I need that.

“I really like him, Wrenny. And I’ve completely fallen in love with Crew. I’m terrified that things won’t work out with Aidan, and we’ll hurt Crew.”

“Is Crew the only one you’re worried about getting hurt?”

I go to answer, but she interrupts me. “Really think about it, Ly. You escaped your ex, went to therapy, and did the work to heal, but you’re only twenty-three. And this is only your second serious relationship. It’s natural to be scared. But I also know you’ve said on multiple occasions your dream is to be a mom. Seeing you fall into that role with Crew won’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows you. And Aidan has never been like this with a woman before.”

“So yes, it’s okay to be scared. But you’ve been through more in twenty-three years than most people go through in a lifetime. I say fuck being proper and grab hold of both of those boys and don’t let go.”

Her words hit their mark, so I’m only a little bit surprised to find tears trailing down my cheeks. “So you really don’t think this is a bad idea? Even knowing what you know about the situation with Sebastian?”

Wren snorts, and I hear masculine chuckling in the background. I groan. “For the love of God, please tell me y’all at least have clothes on.”

The silence on the other end of the phone is answer enough, and I fake a gag.

Their combined laughter has me rolling my eyes and fighting a smile. Whenever Wren and Rhodes are home together, they’re rarely clothed. I learned that the hard way last year and now before I’ll enter their house, I send a preemptive text and ring the doorbell. Usually a few times, just to be safe.

“Sorry, Lyla. But full disclosure? We’ve been betting on this since before you moved in.” Rhodes’s words are completely unsurprising. If there’s one thing the those two are known for besides their inability to keep their hands off each other, it’s their bets.

I am curious, though. “Who won?”

Wren snickers, giving me my answer. “I told Rhodes y’all would be in love in less than three months.”

I choke on my own spit and launch into a violent coughing fit. “We’re not in love, Wren. Jesus. It’s been a month.”

She scoffs. “Whatever you say, Taylor.”

Oh, shit. She only ever calls me Taylor when she’s in PR mode.

“Go tell your man how you feel and remember what I told you. Time means nothing, and fuck being proper.”

A full-blown laugh finally makes its way out of my throat, and I shake my head. “Right. Fuck being proper. Love y’all. See you at the game next weekend?”

“You know it. Love you, Ly.”

We hang up, and for the first time in weeks, I feel centered. Wren’s words grounded me and made me feel like I’m not doing anything wrong by wanting Aidan this soon.

I might not ever be completely ready to make the jump into a new relationship after my experience with Sebastian, but I know there’s nobody else in the world I would rather take a chance on than Aidan and Crew.

21

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