One Step Closer(96)

“She’s so sophisticated. I can see why Caleb would have been attracted to her.”

“Until she opens her mouth, maybe. Don’t you worry your little heart.” She turned to Wren, reached out and patted her hand. “We all know who Caleb loves.”

The corner of Wren’s mouth lifted in a half smile and she lifted her eyes lazily. Jonesy had spot-on intuition. “Do we?”

“If you don’t know, then you need your head examined.”

“I wish it were that easy, but I have to go back to New York soon. At least for a while, anyway, and Caleb will be in San Francisco. ”

“Ahh. You’re worried that Macy will be there, too.”

Wren bit her lip and nodded, picking up her coffee cup. “Yes. She will be. She lives there.”

“I don’t know exactly what’s been brewing between you two, but it’s been in the works long before that girl showed up.” She went to turn the burner down to a simmer.

“But she’s so…” Wren searched for the right word. “Determined.”

“I see.” Jonesy leaned back against the counter and crossed her arms across her chest. “What did she do? You can tell old Jonesy.”

“She just,” she shrugged. “Barged into my room a few times. At first, she pretended to be nice, but the last time, it was a full frontal assault.”

“Does Caleb know?”

“I didn’t see any reason to tell him; he’s had so much going on.”

“Don’t start things off by keeping things from Caleb, Wren.”

“I’m not trying to keep it a secret, but I don’t need to run to him like I’m five.”

Wren’s phone was in the back pocket of her jeans and it started to ring. When she pulled it out and saw that it was from her mother she cringed. Veronica hardly ever called, and she’d only been to New York to see her once in all of the time she went to Juilliard or the years she’d lived there, since.

“Oh boy,” she said in a deflated voice. “Just what I need.” Jonesy’s eyebrows shot up as Wren answered. “Hello, mother.”

“Wren, doll! How are you?”

“I’m good.” Her tone was bland. No doubt Caleb would lose his shit if he even knew Veronica was calling.

“Can you meet Mummy for lunch before I leave town?”

Wren shifted in her chair and raised her free hand and started fiddling with her earring. “Um, well…” Her mother had the gift of selective retention and seemed to forget all of the mean ways she treated Wren when she was young.

“Oh, well, nothing! There’s a nice restaurant in the hotel and then maybe you and that driver of yours can drop me at the airport. My plane leaves at 3 o’clock.”

Wren couldn’t find any logical reason to say no other than she just didn’t want to, but the thought of several hours with her mother filled her with dread.

Jonesy looked at her pointedly, obviously interested in what Veronica wanted. Her disapproval was obvious by her expression.

“I’m not sure I can spare that much time, Mother.”

“What do you mean, you aren’t sure? For heaven’s sake! How often do we see each other?”

Wren rubbed the back of her neck under the curtain of her hair. She was uneasy and it showed in her body language. Jonesy was making a slicing motion across her throat and Wren’s mouth twisted wryly, her eyes widened and she nodded in agreement.

“That’s true, but Caleb and I have some things to talk about before I go back to New York.”

“Oh, pish! You can talk to him about all that business nonsense later. This is more important, and I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. You’re lucky I don’t make you take me shopping.”

“I hate shopping.”

“So, be glad there’s no time, then. I’ll see you downtown at the Ritz Carlton in about two hours. I’ve got something important to tell you; something that can’t be said over the phone.”

Veronica’s sugary sweet voice was a good indication that she was up to no good. Wren didn’t want to see her mother because she figured she would try to strong-arm some way to get her to hand over at least a portion of her inheritance. On the other hand, she had to put on her big girl panties and face her demons. She was sure being clear that she had no intentions of giving Veronica an “in” or handing over any money would go a long way to a more peaceful future. The last thing she wanted was weekly phone calls or drop-ins from that hag.

“Okay.”

“Wonderful, darling.

When the call ended, Jonesy gave Wren a stern look. Obviously, she expected Wren to share the details of Veronica’s call. “You aren’t considering meeting that woman, are you?”

Wren’s head cocked to one side guiltily. “I’m not looking forward to it, but I know she will never leave me alone until she says her piece.”

“Oh, she wants a piece, alright. Your bank account, and a pound of flesh.” Jonesy was taking her aggression out on the bread dough she was punching down in the bowl before she turned and started pinching off a chunk to form it into a loaf, then put it in the greased pan she had waiting on the counter.

Wren slid off of the stool, walked around the island to Jonesy and put her arm around her shoulders to give them a squeeze. “I love you, Jonesy.”