12. WYATT

12

WYATT

"Do we need to get gas?" Wren asks, as I back out of the parking spot. I've got one hand on her headrest as I look behind me. The urge I have to run my fingers through her hair or touch the back of her neck is troublesome.

I itch to have a hand on her all the time. Is that weird?

I glance at the gas gauge on the dashboard. A little under half a tank. "We've got plenty to get us there." I shift the truck into gear.

"What about the way back? It would be better if we had enough gas to get us there and get back home. It will be late and we'll be tired. We won't want to stop. Your truck is also older than my grandfather. I don't know if we can trust the accuracy of that gauge."

"Can I do anything right in your eyes?" My tone is light, but sometimes I wonder if I'm a complete fuck up to her. And I don't want to be.

"Yes. Of course you can. What kind of question is that?" She asks as if I've offended her.

"I don't know." Now isn't the time to get into it. I'm not in the mood to sit in the car with a pissed off Wren. That's like being trapped in a trash can with an alligator. "Fine. We'll gas up but only because I want to get something to eat too."

My mouth is already watering thinking about the fried cheese and beef taquitos they have at the gas station about ten miles down the highway. I stop there every time I head back home.

"Wait in the car," I say, as I pull up to the gas pump and shut off the engine.

"I want to pick out what I want."

"I'll get it. Lock the door. I'll be back."

"You are extremely bossy today," Wren scowls. She can complain all she wants, but she needs to learn how to shut her brain off and let someone else take care of the details for once. "I want—"

I hold up a hand signaling her to stop talking. "I know what you like. I'm serious. Don't move."

"Fine." She balls her hands into fists. "But if you don't get the—" I slam the door before she can finish the sentence.

I get the gas started before running inside to grab everything. I even manage to get it all without a list. I doubt she will find it impressive, more like irresponsible.

With two grocery bags full of taquitos, chips, and chocolate that I wanted, plus the almonds, Starbursts, and the nasty yogurt covered raisins she likes so much, I finally leave the store. If she thinks I forgot gagging the last time she ate those nasty things at lunch, she would be mistaken.

Wren hops out of the truck when she sees me coming. I have to fake a scowl because she looks damn good standing by the open door of the cab.

"Thought I told you to stay in the truck."

"You look like you could use a hand. I'm trying to be helpful." Wren takes one of the drinks and a bag of snacks. Then climbs back inside.

"I know a better way you could be helpful with your hands," I mumble as I round the hood of the truck.

I place my drink in the cup holder and leave the other bag of food in my seat. Then finish up the gas. Through the back window, I watch as she digs into the bags of food. Her eyes light up and a small smile spreads over her face. Told you I know what you like .

"You ready?" I ask as I start up the engine.

"As I'll ever be. Thanks for this." She holds up her bag of goodies. "What did you get? It smells really good."

I drop the bag in her lap. "They're taquitos. Pass me one. You can have the other one." Good thing I bought two.

"You sure? I don't want to take your food." Wren pulls everything out of the bags and organizes the food in the space between us. She has it all lined up and a pile of napkins within reach for both of us.

"I'm sure. Go ahead." I nod toward the food.

"So, what is your family like?" she asks before taking a bite. "Oooh, this is really good. "

"I know. That's why I bought it." I wink at her and take a hearty bite. When I'm done chewing I say, "My family is loud. Nothing is private. They are always in my business."

"It shows they care about you." Wren twists in her seat and leans her back against the door.

"Right. We can go with that and not the fact they are nosy and up to no good. Ford, my oldest brother, has a little girl. Her name is Lennon. She's a pistol. He lets her run wild on the farm." Lenny's mom left a few months after she was born. My whole family pitched in to raise her, and she has each and every one of us eating out of the palm of her hand.

"She'll be there?"

"She will. Everyone will."

Wren nods. Her glasses slip a little and she pushes them back up on her nose.

"You don't need to be nervous. Everyone's going to like you. My mama already does."

"She thinks I'm crazy."

"Nah. And if she does, you'll fit right in. I promise. Relax. Enjoy the ride." I flip the radio station on. "What do you want to listen to?"

"You're going to let me choose? Isn't it a rule that the driver controls the music?"

"From now on the only rule is there are no rules. What do you want to listen to?"

"This is fine." She nods toward the dash. I have my favorite country radio station playing. I'm not convinced I could find another station to work even if I wanted to. My truck is old. Wren isn't wrong about that. It used to be my granddad's—he gave it to me when I was fifteen.

"You don't look like a country girl to me."

"Looks can be deceiving."

That they can. I try not to think about all the ways she is changing the way I see her.

The scenery slowly changes from busy city life to open stretches of highway and country roads. Secretly I keep waiting for a song to pop on the radio that she can't resist singing along to. I still can't believe the voice that's been haunting me belongs to Wren.

Not sure it mattered if it really had been Charlie at this point. I was kidding myself if I thought I could go through with hooking up with Charlie. It only took hanging out with Wren a few times to know there was something between us.

Mainly irritation and annoyance. There's something that happens to me when I'm in the same room as Wren. I can't stay away from her. She lures me in, insults me, and all I can do is wait for her to do it again.

We do a good job depleting our food stash. My bladder is about to burst from my big gulp, but we're almost home.

"This is part of our land." I nod towards the fields coming up on her right. Her eyes go wide as she looks over the rolling hills and green pastures.

I turn on to the dirt road that leads to the main house. I expect my mama and Willow will be waiting for us on the front porch. They will be quick to turn Wren's visit into a spectacle. Colt, Mason, and Ford are likely down at the main barn fixing the planter still. I'll go check on them once I get Wren settled.

"All of this is yours?"

I nod. "We had more. It's been parceled off here and there to other farmers. We've kept around five hundred acres or so."

Her jaw drops in disbelief. It is a lot of land. My siblings and I have a vice grip on a dream to make this place something to remember. Every year we talk about selling a few acres and making it work with less. Every year we can't do it. Even knowing the sale of the land would change our current financial situation we can't seem to bite the bullet.

The tires on the truck kick up dirt and gravel, announcing our arrival. Right on cue, the front door opens and my entire family steps out onto the wrap around porch.

I hop out of the truck and salute them as I make my way to Wren's door. She hasn't moved since I put the truck in park. "Hey, you're gonna be fine." I give her thigh a reassuring squeeze then unbuckle her belt for her.

With a nod, she slides down gracefully from the cab of the truck. I take her hand in mine. I expect her to deny me. Instead she twines our fingers together and squeezes. The gesture makes me a little dizzy.

"Whatever you do, don't look anyone directly in the eye. That's how they weaken your resolve and get you to spill the beans. If you do get caught up in their web, know that anything you say will be used against you later."

"Thanks for the tip. "

"There's my boy," my mama yells from the porch. She rushes down the steps to greet us.

"Hey, Mama." I give her the best hug I can while still holding on to Wren's hand. "Mama, this is birdie."

"Let go of her. Let me see her." I drop Wren's hand so my mom can give her a proper hug. "Nice to meet you."

Wren is stiff in her arms, but gently pats my mom's back. I don't think she's used to genuine affection from strangers. Or maybe anyone.

"Mama, let her breathe." I tug on Wren's shoulder and release her from my mom's hold. "Do me a favor and introduce her to everyone. I'll be right back."

I run toward the house with Wren scowling at my back. "Sorry, birdie, nature calls."

I handle my business as quickly as I can. I don't trust my siblings to keep their traps shut. If I don't hurry, they'll be telling Wren embarrassing stories about me before she even has a chance to shake their hands. They are sweet and vicious creatures. Every last one of them.

"You brought her home. She's the one you've been texting me about." My sister leans against the wall outside the bathroom door with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Jesus, Willow."

"Mama said you were bringing your girlfriend home. I didn't believe her. Yet, here she is in the flesh. Your texts made me think it wasn't serious. I didn't even think you liked her."

Do not make direct eye contact. Do not make direct eye contact. Do not make direct eye contact.

"We're friends. We were together when Mama called," I say, staring at the faded floral wallpaper above Willow's head.

"And of course she told her to come on down with you. Just friends, huh? You want me to find out if she likes ya?"

"Do you want me to tell Mama how you really feel about her famous lemon cupcakes?" The glare my sister gives me could cut glass. "Wren is my friend. Don't make this into something more than it is."

"I would never do such a thing. You may want to get in there. Colt was just about to tell her about your buckaroo stage."

Panic flares through my body. "He sent you to distract me," I snap. Colt and Willow have always been thick as thieves. They are the closest in age and have a special bond.

"I admit nothing." She doesn't have to. Her grin says it all.

I race down the hallway toward the living room. Skidding to a stop, I scan the room for Wren. My dad is sitting in his favorite chair with his bad leg propped up on an ottoman.

Ford has Lenny sitting in his lap on the other side of the room. Mason is standing behind them. In the middle of the couch is Wren, absorbing every tall tale Colt is telling her. It's almost worth being the butt of the joke to see Wren smiling the way she is.

"Colt, shouldn't you be fixing the planter?" I ask. My arms are crossed over my chest with my hands clamped into tight fists to keep me from pulling Wren away from my brother .

"Already done. I was just getting to know your friend, birdie, here."

"Wren. You call her Wren," I say between gritted teeth. My mom rolls her lips to keep from smiling. Ford chuckles, knowing full well what Colt is doing. And that it's working.

Wren's eyes bounce between the members of my family trying to figure out what is going on. She doesn't know that we don't bring girls home. Not since Lenny's mom bolted. She doesn't know that having her here, even under the pretense of being a friend, has triggered every wild thought in my mama's mind.

She walks across the room and stops in front of me. "Are you alright? You look a little tense." She at least has the courtesy to whisper. Not that it matters, since I swear my entire family was born with sonic hearing.

"I'm fine. Are you going to be okay in here with my parents and Willow? We need to get started plowing the field."

"Wasn't I supposed to help with that?"

"Do you want to be outside sweating and getting dirty?"

"No. I suppose not." She glances around the room. "I'll be alright. I like them."

"Of course you do. They like the same things you do." Wren's brow bends in confusion. "Ragging on me."

"It is kind of fun. But if it bothers you—"

"It doesn't," I say, cutting her off. "Don't believe everything you hear. Colt likes to stretch the truth."

She places her hand on my forearm. My eye drifts to where we're connected and the electric pulse I feel pumping through my veins. "So you didn't run around the farm in only a cowboy hat and boots, buckaroo?" Wren's lips tilt up. "You don't have to confirm. Your mom is going to show me pictures. Have fun outside." She winks.

Before she can walk away, I grab her arm and pull her back into my chest. "Remember whatever you plan to do to me with this information, I will make you pay ten times over for it."

Her eyes drift over my body and back to my face. "I look forward to it."

What in the actual fuck was that?

"Come on, little brother," Ford says, slapping me on the back while I'm stunned speechless. "We've got work to do. Lenny, are you coming or staying here with Grammy?"

Lenny places a finger on her chin. Her eyes go to the ceiling. "Are you going to question Uncle Wyatt?"

"Of course." He pretends to be offended that she even had to ask.

"Then I'll stay and get what I can from the new girl."

Oh for fucks sake. I would apologize to Wren if she wasn't busy trying not to laugh at the little sleuth.

"We'll meet after dinner in the treehouse for ice cream sandwiches and compare notes."

"Deal," Lenny agrees with her dad and shakes on it.

"Dad," I plead as I pass him on the way out the door. He knows what I'm asking. We all call on him to keep the others in line.

"I'll do the best I can, son." His face is full of mirth. I already know he's going to turn on the baseball game and let Willow, Mama, and Lenny have their way with Wren.

I glance at Wren one last time. She shrugs with a smile on her face.

"Let's get this done so you can get back here and rescue her from the vultures," Mason says, dragging me out the door.