“This wouldn’t have anything to do with Wren, would it?”
“I said drop it, Ram.”
“It has everything to do with Wren. You’re not going inside because you don’t want to face April,” Waylon pressed, straightening from his lean and stepping closer. “Brother, what happened? You don’t want to take one look at April and see…what? That Wren told her you guys had a fight or something?”
Elias froze, his hand squeezing the tablet until his knuckles turned white. He didn’t answer right away, not trusting himself to speak. The silence stretched between them, thick with tension.
“No fight. Haven’t even talked to her since Sunday.”
Waylon’s brows furrowed. “Dude, it’s Tuesday. The way you were wrapped around her at the rec center, I figured you’d be calling in today with a—” he made a fist and pretended to cough, “—horrible cold, hack-hack, wheeze-wheeze.”
Elias shook his head and let out a bitter laugh.
“So let me ask you again—what happened?”
There was no deterring Ram. He’d keep pushing until Elias gave in.
Best to shut it down now.
“I don’t know. One minute, everything was fine, like you said. We were all laughing and joking with Stephanie. The next, I’m getting a weird vibe like she wants to leave immediately and not because she wants me to jump her bones. So, we’re in the truck and before I can ask what’s going on, she’s telling me to take her straight to her car. When we got here where she left it, I told her we needed to talk and that’s when she said goodbye like it was no big deal. Like this weekend meant nothing.”
He set the tablet aside before he crushed it, then pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Maybe it did mean nothing,” Elias continued, the words spilling out in a rush. “Maybe you were right, Ram. Maybe I’m just a good time for a weekend and nothing more. A professional wingman.”
“Hold up,” Waylon interrupted, his tone firm. “That’s not what I said, and you know it.”
Elias stared at him, his frustration giving way to confusion. “Then what the hell did you mean?”
Waylon sighed. “Look, Elias, I was giving you shit before because that’s what we do. But I never meant to make you doubt what you’ve obviously got with Wren. From what I’ve seen, she’s not just some weekend fling. You know that, too, or else you would have shrugged her off and wouldn’t be acting all bitchy today.”
Elias opened his mouth to argue, but Waylon cut him off.
“Listen to me, Lion. You’re a damn good man. A far cry from when we were teenagers.”
Elias almost winced.
“And you’ve found something special with Wren,” Waylon continued. “I know she feels the same way. I could see it, the wayshe looked at you when we came out of Gabe’s office. I might have had my doubts before, but that cinched it.”
“Yeah? What did you see? How did she look at me?”
“Dude, like you hang the fucking moon in the sky. So I don’t get why you just let her drive away like that. And now you’re telling me you haven’t called her? I told you—take her out, get to know her, didn’t I?”
“But she left. She didn’t even want to talk.”
“If you didn’t stop her right then and there, sounds to me like you’re the one who didn’t want to talk. Why?”
Elias felt the words hit him, sinking in deep.Good question. He wanted Wren, and for more than just fun. But Waylon was right—he let her go without a fight.
“I guess she figured out she’s above my paygrade.”
Waylon punched the side of the ambulance. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? This is not you.” He studied Elias. “So which is it?”
“Which is what?”
“Which is it that’s keeping you from chasing her? Is it your pride that won’t let you call and find out what’s wrong?” Waylon narrowed his eyes. “Or are you scared?”
Elias reared back. “Scared? Why the hell would I be scared?”
