Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Theo
With a sharp intake of air, I blink my eyes open. The first thing I notice is Wren fast asleep. The second thing I realize is that we fell asleep holding hands.
A soft smile spreads across my lips when I look at her, and I trace the backside of her hand with my thumb.
“What am I going to do with you?” I ask, not expecting an answer.
She passed out shortly after agreeing to stay with me, and all I could do was watch her. I was in bed having a pity party because my home was too quiet while she was dealing with the aftermath of her mother’s reappearance.
“I’m going to take care of you,” I tell her, voice low. “Even if you hate me for it.”
She releases a huff and wrinkles her nose but doesn’t wake up. This girl can sleep through an alien invasion and wake up annoyed because someone had the audacity to ruin her peaceful slumber.
I brush her hair away from her face, take her hand in mine again, and offer her a smile when she opens her eyes.
“How did you sleep?” I ask.
“I can’t complain. I always sleep well when you’re here.” Heat rushes to my cheeks, and she grins at me. “Did I make the Theodore Torres blush?”
I grin at her teasing. “You didn’t make me blush.” I lie, shifting slightly to lean on my elbow, still holding her hand. “You just surprised me, that’s all.”
She rolls her eyes, clearly not buying it. “Sure, keep telling yourself that.”
Wren’s hair falls in soft waves around her face, and I resist the urge to brush it away again. There’s something about her in the mornings—vulnerable, yet stronger than she realizes—that makes me protective, even though she would never admit she needs protecting.
“Fine.” I admit it, a smirk tugging at my lips. “Maybe a little. But don’t let it go to your head.”
“Oh, too late,” she says with a laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
The sound is light, but there’s a softness beneath it. I know she’s still carrying the weight of her mother showing up, but this moment feels different. Lighter.
She tightens her fingers around mine and shifts closer, her smile fading into a more thoughtful expression. “Thanks... for being here,” she says quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
I meet her gaze, the playful air between us morphing into something deeper. “I told you, I’m always here for you. You don’t have to thank me for that.”
She bites her lip, looking away for a second before returning her eyes to mine. “You say that like it’s nothing, but it means everything to me. Especially after... everything .”
I squeeze her hand gently, my thumb still tracing small circles on her skin. “You’re not alone, Wren. I’ll be here, whether it’s to laugh with you or hold your hand when things get tough. You’ve got me.”
She stares at me for a moment, like she’s searching for something, and I wonder if she’s going to pull away. But instead, she leans into me, resting her head against my chest.
I freeze, just for a second, before wrapping my arm around her, holding her close. She fits perfectly against me, like this is where she was meant to be all along.
“Hey,” I whisper, and her gaze locks with mine. “You should come home with me today. Okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just not sure how Brandy will take it.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. The only reason Brandy doesn’t like me is because of my job. It doesn’t matter that Wren and I have been friends for years or that we’ve been there for one another through thick and thin. Wren is my person, and if I have to handle Brandy for her, I will.
“Let’s get this over with,” she sighs while getting out of bed.
“Should I go with you?”
Wren darts her eyes from me to the living room, contemplating the best course of action. “Just stay here.”
“Okay, I’ll start packing some things for you.”
With a grateful smile, Wren slips into the next room.
I can imagine her now—stilling her breath, approaching Brandy like she’s a rabid dog. Brandy isn’t aggressive though. She may worry, but she’ll put Wren first. She always does.
Trying my best not to listen in, I find an empty duffle bag and start to fill it with shirts, pants, and socks. I’ll leave the intimates to her. I could grab some of her favorite books, but I’m not sure what she’ll want. She won’t be with me long, even though she could stay forever if she wanted?—
“Theodore.”
My eyes widen at the sound of Brandy’s stern yet smooth voice. I take in a deep breath as I stand to face her. “Good morning.”
Brandy huffs out a sigh, glancing at me again. “If anything happens, if she needs anything?—”
“I’ll take care of her,” I say, meeting Brandy’s gaze. “I’ll make sure she’s okay. You have my word.”
She looks at me for a long moment before nodding, though it’s clear she’s still not thrilled about the situation. “I’ll hold you to that.”
“I know,” I reply, my voice steady.
Brandy groans. “Her mother just had to go and ruin everything she’s worked toward.”
“She’s going to be okay. Her mother won’t break her again. I won’t allow it.”
“I won’t either.” Wren pops her head in and pouts playfully.
“Aw, I’m going to miss you!” Brandy wraps her arms around her and pulls her in for a tight hug. “Promise me you’ll visit? I need my daily dose of Wren.”
“I promise,” she chuckles.
When they pull apart, Brandy gives me one last hard look. “Take care of her.”
“I will,” I say again, meaning it.
Wren gives Brandy a final reassuring smile before turning to me.
“I didn’t touch your underwear,” I say with an even tone, and her cheeks turn red.
“I will murder you.”
“I didn’t touch them!”
“How am I going to survive a month with you!?” she shrieks, holding back a laugh.
“With a smile on your face.” I offer her a cheesy grin, and she snorts.
“Get out of here and let me grab my underwear.”
“Don’t want me to see your granny panties?”
“Theodore!” she laughs, and my smile widens in return.
“Fine, fine. I’ll get out.” I squeeze past Brandy, but she grabs my wrist to stop me.
“Please, take care of her,” she pleads in a low whisper.
“I will. You can trust me.”
With a kind yet cautious smile, she nods and squeezes my arm before letting me go.
After a few more minutes, Wren walks into the living room with three bags, her blanket, and pillow. “Ready!”
“I have blankets and pillows,” I remark.
“Yes, but they’re not mine.” She hugs them defensively, and I snicker.
“Let’s go, silly girl.” I grab my keys and open the front door. “See you later, Brandy.”
“I’ll call you tonight,” Wren tells her.
“You better.” She points at her with a playful smile. “And you.” She points at me next. “Behave yourself.”
“Me?” I hold my hands up. “I’m a doll.”
“Mhm.” She rolls her eyes. “Get out of here before I find a way to lock her away forever.”
“Come on, princess. Before the evil witch steals you.” I extend a hand to Wren, and she takes it while chuckling.
“You two are too much.” She looks over her shoulder as I pull her into the hall. “See you later, Brandy!”
“Bye, my love!”
The door closes, and Wren meets my gaze with a nervous expression.
“It’ll be like one long sleepover,” I say in hopes of calming her down.
“Yeah. . . I like the sound of that.”
We arrive home and Wren is quick to drop the bags she was carrying. Wren is a creature of habit. Every morning she takes a shower, and she didn’t get the chance today. Before she can even ask, I speak up, “The bathroom in your room isn’t set up, so you can use mine. You’ll smell like me, though.”
“I like the way you smell.”
Holding back the smart-ass, flirty remark on the tip of my tongue, I nod toward my room, and she falls in step behind me.
“Dare I ask how many people have been in this shower?” she questions teasingly.
“FYI, I don’t do shower sex. You’d think with all the water things wouldn’t get dry. . .”
When she steps into the bathroom, she whips around, and the look on her face is priceless.
I enjoy getting these reactions out of her, seeing her eyes widen and her cheeks flush. It’s icing on the cake when she puts her hands on her hips. I don’t stop myself from smiling in triumph when I get all of the above.
“Theodore Torres,” she snaps at me, but there’s no bite to her words.
“What? I’m just saying?—”
She places her finger on my lips to stop me. I smile against it and hold my hands up in defeat. “Meet me in the living room when you’re done,” I say while backpedaling.
“No peeking.” She points at me, and a mischievous gleam spreads across my face. “Theo,” she says in warning.
“I won’t look!”
“You better not,” she calls as I approach my dresser.
“I’ll be good. . . maybe ,” I mutter that last part with a smirk.
The shower turns on, and the sound of running water hitting the tile is like music to my ears. I walk past my bed and stop at the bathroom entryway.
Her laugh fills the room when she notices my eyes are closed.
“For you.” I offer her the black tee and gray cotton pajama pants.
“Thank you,” she chuckles.
“My lady.” I bow and take my leave, stumbling backward and eliciting another laugh from my best friend. “I’ll order some food!” I manage to say before she closes the door.
“All the food!”
As I step into the living room, I grab my phone and start browsing for takeout options. It’s not long before the bedroom door opens, and Wren steps out, her damp hair falling loosely over the oversized shirt.
She looks . . . comfortable.
At home.
“All the food, right?” I ask, waving my phone at her, trying to keep the mood light.
She rolls her eyes but smiles. “You know me too well.”
I chuckle, then glance back down at the screen. “So... Thai or pizza? I mean, I could order both. It’s a special occasion—my best friend moving in and all.”
She snorts, plopping down onto the couch with her blanket. “Oh, so I’m a special occasion now? I’m honored.”
I settle beside her, the tension from earlier completely washes away by her laughter and easygoing attitude. “You’ve always been a special occasion,” I say quietly, more seriously than I meant to.
Wren turns to look at me, her smile softening as she meets my gaze. There’s a beat of silence, the air between us charged with something unspoken.
“I’m glad I’m here,” she finally says, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Me too,” I reply, warmth blooming in my chest. “You belong here, Wren.”
She doesn’t say anything for a moment. She simply looks at me. Then, with a small smile, she pulls the blanket over her lap and leans back into the couch.
“Well, if I belong here, then you better order pizza and Thai,” she says, her playful tone back.
I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re impossible.”
“And you love it.”
I grin as I tap the order into my phone. “Yeah,” I say softly, glancing over at her. “Yeah, I do.”
As I hit the final button on the order, her natural scent blankets me, and I realize that, for the first time in a while, everything is exactly as it should be. Wren’s here. With me. And I’m going to do everything I can to keep it that way.