Page 58 of Bad Wolf

White cheddar, burrata, some kind of chutney, mixed olives, sliced apple, salami, and almonds. I stare in bewilderment.

“I stood here for ten minutes this morning staring into that fridge, and you are just able to put a snack like that together in minutes. I swear it was practically bare.”

“We had a big dinner at Coralie’s, but I guess I’m a little hungry now. When I’m hungry, I get creative,” she shrugs, “So, dinner was tense. Knox has taken asshole to a whole new level.”

“Yeah. Honestly though, can you blame him? I should never have gone today, but when Jack asks, it’s hard to say no.”

She sips her wine and then places it down to hand me a side plate and napkin off the tray.

“Oh, he’s melt-worthy. When those big blue eyes blink up at you, the answer is only ever going to be a yes.”

She carefully selects a bit of everything, loading up her plate, and then leans back further into the plush cushions of the deep couch.

“So, where’s your head at with all this?” she gently asks.

I sigh around a piece of cheese, “Knox has made it clear that he wants nothing to do with me. It is what it is, and I’m grown enough to deal with the consequences. My choice was to go back to Miami or to stay and make it work. I chose New York. I choose me.”

“Wren, you deserve it so much. No one should have to give up everything for someone else’s mistakes.”

She’s so innately good. Warmth emanates out of her. And apart from Knox, I don’t think I’ve ever needed anyone as much as I do her right now. Being alone all this time has really sucked. Feeling isolated and so lost. Even living with Dad, he was just so…absent.

“The most important thing here is that I got to tell him, to his face, that I did not sleep with that enormous asshole. I’ll get over him eventually.”

It’s a lie—it feels like torture being here with him ignoring me, but for right now at least, I’m focusing on the positives. Spending time with Jenna.

“I’m sorry to have caused such a rift between you and Knox. I really—”

“His behavior isn’t on you, Wren,” Jenna says cutting me off. “That stubborn streak of his can really do some damage. Everyone just wants to talk to him. Help him. He’s ignoring all of Scott’s calls and texts.” She shrugs though, “He’ll come crawling back when he pulls his head out of his ass.”

Having known the family the longest, she’s the expert on all things Madden.

She’s not finished though, “Wren, he’ll come to his senses, I can promise you that. He’s a Madden after all. And buried under all that hurt, is a boy who is still very much in love. Just give him some time.”

I appreciate her trying to cheer me up, but I really think this is it.

We talk some more, finishing off our food when Jenna begins to yawn. And yawn some more.

“Come on, Cupcake,” I say teasingly. “Time to get home to bed. Aren’t bakers renowned for their early mornings?”

She frowns and nods, “Once I’m awake I’m raring to go, but the thought of getting up at 5 a.m. never gets easier.”

I shudder. I’ve only ever seen 5 a.m. twice. The morning we left my hometown, and the morning I drove the Demon to Knox at the practice facility.

“How are we going to do this? Shall I walk you home, or—”

“No, because then you’ll have to walk back by yourself. It’s okay, usually I have a fail-safe.” At that, her phone starts to ring, and she wiggles it in my face, drawing it back into herself, she swipes the screen smiling.

“That was really good timing, I’m just about to leave your apartment. You can keep me company on my way.”

I’m not able to hear much, but I can make out that he does not like what she just told him. It’s confirmed by the roll of Jenna’s eyes.

“It’s one block, Scott, and it’s not even that late. Just dark.”

I have to curl my lips into my mouth to stop myself from smiling. I have a feeling this is a call that happens almost every night.

“Okay, just give me a second to say bye.” She pulls the phone from her ear and addresses me.

“Will you swing by the bakery tomorrow?” She asks, giving me a one-armed hug.

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