One Step Closer(99)
“Let me out of the booth, Macy.”
“Calm down. You don’t want to make a scene in a place like this. You and your mother are both sort of famous, and you won’t do Caleb any good by making a fool of yourself. It will end up all over social media.” Macy’s tone was low and sounded soothing to anyone else listening, but Wren knew she was malicious in her intent. “We both know you won’t embarrass him, so, sit there and listen up.”
Veronica chuckled and waved the waiter over, who had her new drink. She picked it up and sipped it calmly while Macy did the dirty work.
Wren’s heart was pounding so hard she could hear the beat in her ears. She was flushed and felt like she was going to vomit.
“I’m not about to let some little charity case ruin the life Caleb and I have planned. Especially, now.” She opened her purse and held it open so Wren could see inside. Lying just inside the opening was a long white plastic tube with a pink lid on one end. Macy reached in and turned it over so the window with two pink lines showed. Her expression was egotistical and Wren wanted to die.
Oh, God, her mind screamed. She tried to suck in a deep breath but her heart felt as if it would fly from her body and she couldn’t breathe. “It duh—does—doesn’t prove anything,” she gasped out.
Macy shrugged nonchalantly and Veronica squeezed the lime wedge perched on the edge of her glass into her fresh drink, completely unmoved by the events around her.
“Do you think Caleb and I have been playing Tiddlywinks, Wren?” She shook her head. “Oh, that man is virile, here’s the proof.” She held the pregnancy test up, uncaring who saw it or that it was completely unsanitary to bring it into a restaurant. “Even if he has you convinced he doesn’t love me, he is an honorable man. We both know what comes next.”
“I don’t believe you, Macy. You’re just like her,” she said, pointing to Veronica. “You’ll do or say anything to get what you want.”
Macy’s eyes bored into Wren. “When it comes to Caleb, you bet your ass I will. Do you really think I walked up to some random pregnant woman and ask her to pee on this thing? You’re pathetic. Get real, Wren.”
Wren felt hot, her chest tight, and she was about to throw up. Her eyelids drooped lazily and she tried to swallow down the bile. “Let me out.” Her voice was soft and wavering. Macy was pleased with herself and neither of the two women cared that Wren was physically in distress. “I’m gonna be sick.”
The manager came over to the table a concerned look on her face, just as Wren started to pant and push at Macy to move. She was having a panic attack and needed to get out of there or she would vomit what little she had in her stomach right there.
The manager was standing next to the table and recognized the urgency. “Should I call anyone, miss?”
“I jus—just ne—need to go!”
“Should I call an ambulance? Let her out, please, ma’am!” the manager insisted.
Macy finally complied, moving to let Wren out of the booth, but not quickly enough. Wren shoved her hard, sending her tumbling out of the booth and onto the carpeted floor. Macy’s goal of avoiding a scene was moot when the restaurant fell silent as all of the staff members and patrons stopped what they were doing to turn their attention to Wren and Macy.
Tears were streaming down Wren’s face as she scrambled over Macy and ran as fast as she could to the bathroom. The hand she had over her mouth was Wren’s last effort not to puke where she was. She barely made it and had no choice but to vomit in the sink. She felt humiliated, heartbroken and furious. It only took a couple of heaves to completely empty her stomach of the orange juice she’d had that morning.
She was breathing heavily and her whole body was shaking. She turned on the water and cleaned out the sink, lifting her head to stare at her reflection. She used a paper towel to wipe at her mouth. Wren felt weak and wanted to fall to her knees and scream, but she couldn’t do that in the bathroom of the Ritz Carlton. She sniffed loudly, trying to calm her breathing.
The woman who had helped her at the table followed her. “Are you alright? Do you need anything?”
Wren looked at the woman through blurry eyes. “I’d like some water, please.”
“Of course. Is anything else I can do?”
Wren shook her head, putting her full weight on her arms. “Nothing except I left my purse in the booth. Can you please get it for me? My phone’s inside and I need to call my ride.”
Oh, my God. What if Macy stole her phone and started texting Caleb with it?
The manager came forward and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. “Okay. Just one moment.”
The woman left and returned about a minute later and handed it to Wren who immediately opened it to check to make sure the phone was there. She breathed a sigh of relief.
“Have they left?”
“The woman nodded. “They have. Will you be okay, now? I can walk you out.”
Wren nodded and pulled out her phone and dialed Jared’s number. All she wanted was distance from Colorado and everything in it. She knew she should speak to Caleb but it would hurt like hell, and it wouldn’t change anything. If Macy was pregnant, she’d still be pregnant in a few weeks when Wren had had some time to process. The last thing she wanted or needed was to be an emotional basket case when she spoke to Caleb. If Macy was pregnant with his child, she didn’t want her break down to keep him from doing the thing his integrity demanded.