Page 193 of As They Are
I had to read the note multiple times. She wasstayingin Nashville?She thought I wouldn’t miss her?
What the hell was going through her mind?
Reaching for my phone, I called her. She needed to know she was wrong, and I needed to know what the hell would have made her think any of this in the first place.
But Wren didn’t pick up. It didn’t even ring.
I stood and ran my hands through my hair. My heart pounded. I needed to find her. I needed to go wherever she was. The only person who could have made her do something like this was her mother.
What had happened when they went to dinner together?
Tammy had to know. She was always watching Wren.
I didn’t give myself a chance to get dressed. I needed to get Wren back.
Center Point was busy, and Tammy was running around taking orders. I was about to stop her when I saw the very woman who did this.
She didn’t have the nerve to look guilty. She was on her phone, dressed up like she was having a day on the town.
I saw red.
“You,” I said to Wren’s mom. “What did you say to her?”
She blinked. “The boyfriend. Here you are again.”
“Wren went to dinner with you last night and then disappeared with only a note. What did you say to her?”
“First of all, we never got dinner because there’s no service in this town!”
“Hang on a second!” Tammy snapped. “Can you not see I’m busier than a hotel bed in a hoo—” She paused as she looked at the woman. “Wait, you’re Wren’s mom.”
“I am. How did you know?”
“The Facebook group has a lot to say about you. I didn’t think you’d be dumb enough to come intomydiner.”
“Oh, she’s dumb enough to do a lot.” I slammed the note on the table, and dimly, Tammy gasped.
“The group wasn’t kidding,” Tammy said. “Who are you, Dr. Connor?”
A spark of rational thought broke through my rage. I couldn’t fully rein it in, but I lowered my voice. I’d have to worry about the damage I’d done later. Maybe I could bring Tammy flowers and ask her to forget what she saw.
“I’m the man who woke up to a note from Wren saying sheleft.”
“She left a note that saidwhat?”
Wren’s mom read over the letter. “Well, she’s bolder than I gave her credit for. Relax, I did you a favor.”
“Did me afavor?” I hissed. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Nothing’s wrong with me. There’s no one who knows Wren better than I do, and when I saw her on TV still likethat—”She shuddered. “I was so disappointed. I thought I would surely get through to her, but obviously not. It was time to do my community service. When she said no, I told her what would happen. You would get tired. Everyone would, really. It’s what I did.”
“You ... said ...what?” I barely managed to get it out. My chest was in a vise. I was torn between yelling at a person like I never had in mylifeor running to tell Wren what bullshit that was.
“Can you not hear or something? God, what is with this place?”
“You think it’s the town that has a problem? You’re a fucking terrible mother—no, a terrible fucking person, and I pity anyone who has to spend time with you.” My knuckles popped from the sheer pressure my clenched fists created.
An eerie silence settled over the diner, broken only by Tammy. “Get out.”
