Page 72 of Press Play

He stays two steps behind me on purpose, and I can feel his gaze on me, lingering over my hips and ass. Theo’s lips left invisible marks on my skin, and my head is still spinning.

Malory reaches for my hand, and when I take it, she weaves us through the crowd while talking to those we pass by. Parities are not my thing. I’d rather be cozy in bed with a good book or playing a video game. Theo would agree. It’s partly why we make such a dynamic duo.

Our pace slows, and my eyes land on who Malory wants us to meet. This woman has a card up her sleeve, and Theo is going to be pissed.

“Wren, Theo, this is Andrew and Gia. They work with me at the hospital.” Mal introduces us.

Putting on a polite smile, I reach out to shake Andrew’s hand. The sun bounces off his red hair, and it makes me squint. Theo is quick to move to my side, and he follows suit, starting with Gia.

“Your mom’s told me a lot about you.” She beams at Theo with a flawless smile.

She barely looks at me when I shake her hand. Her green eyes are stuck on the man beside me.

“Really? I’ve heard nothing about—Oomph,” Theo grunts when I elbow him as I maintain my fake smile.

Andrew rakes his blue eyes over me while Gia fawns over Theo, who is far from amused. Out of my peripheral, I spot Malory stepping away, which means I have to keep Mr. Sassy Pants in line.

“Wren is such a lovely name.” Andrew compliments me, and Theo huffs.

“Thank you,” I say.

“Did you know it’s old English? It means small bird.”

“For Christ’s sake,” Theo mutters.

I speak louder so they don’t hear him. “Ah, well, I doubt my parents had that in mind when they named me.”

“Is Theo short for Theodore?” Gia asks.

I side-eye him, and he keeps his attention on Andrew while draping his arm over my shoulder. Without looking, he fixes my dress strap that slipped down my arm.

How did he see that? I didn’t even notice.

“Are you two together?” Theo asks, ignoring Gia’s question altogether.

“Us? No,” Gia chuckles.

“What a shame. You’d make such a gorgeous couple. Don’t you agree, small bird?”

I furrow my brow but decide to play along when he nudges my arm. “Oh, yes, I agree, one hundred percent.”

“You two should get to know one another better. I’m sure you have very little time while caring for patients.”

“Actually, I was hoping?—”

Theo interrupts Gia. “Will you excuse us? I was just about to introduce Wren to my abuela.”

Before I can get a word in, Theo whisks me away. He grabs my hand, ushers me inside, and leads me up the stairs toward his old room. With his hand on my lower back, he guides me inside and closes the door.

A wave of nostalgia crashes over me. Most parents convert their child’s room when they move out. Malory has left everything exactly as Theo left it. Tracing my fingers along his desk, I admire the WoSaF posters still on the wall.

“I remember when you got these,” I say. “It’s like a time capsule in here.”

“That woman is going to be the death of me.” Theo sighs.

“Your mom?” I ask with a small laugh while I glance out the window.

“She tried setting us up. Normally, she only tries to push dates on me, but she threw you into the mix! He wasn’t even your type.”

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