No Vacancy (The Aveline Series Book 2)

Chapter 54

DARCY

“Peyton,it was painful. I told him to call me Pooky Bear,” I said that night sitting in my living room. It was a self-care night, which meant I was wearing a pair of shorts and an oversized T-shirt with a pair of fuzzy socks up to my calves. My hair was wrapped in a hair net, full of oil, and I had placed some zit cream on my blemishes, a glass of wine in my hand.

Peyton laughed hysterically. “No, you did not!”

“I did! Then I called him Penny Bear, and I made him wear a flower behind his ear the whole time and talked about our wedding.”

More laughter and a snort from Peyton. “And you still haven’t kissed him again?”

“God, no. No. I will not be kissing him ever again.”

Peyton made a snort as though she didn’t believe me when I heard a knock at the door.

I whispered into the phone, “I have to go, someone is here.” I shot up from the couch and looked through the peephole.

Penn.

I turned around, leaning up against the door. I thought for sure my display today at the flower shop would have been enough to have him never wanting to see me again, and yet there he was, standing at my door. This guy was absolutely impossible to lose. What did I have to do to get him out of here?

“Darcy?” Penn called through the door.

I hesitated and then opened the door, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Hey,” I said.

Penn pulled his lips together, and his eyes moved from the tip of my head to my toes. “This is a look,” he snickered.

I touched the top of my head, and winced, remembering the state I was in. “Shit.” I opened the door wider. “Come in, give me a second.”

I escaped to the bathroom and took a quick shower. When I was finished, I slathered on some lotion and stopped when I made my way to my thigh, realizing I’d shaved my legs in the shower.

Then I realized I had not only shaved my legs, but I had shaved...everything.

Why had I done that?

I shook my head, rubbed the lotion onto that leg and moved to the next.

Of course! It’s because it was a self-care night. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Penn was sitting on my couch. It had nothing to do with the pit in my gut saying I wouldn’t mind kissing him again. That I wouldn’t mind seeing what he looked like without his shirt again.

Absolutely not. It was the self-care.

Penn was sitting there on the couch, just as I knew he would be. Just sitting with his hair tousled perfectly, and I couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed at how he had just seen me. He always looked impeccable, even when he didn’t try, and I assumed he never had to let oil soak into his hair follicles or pull strips full of blackheads off his nose.

Although, after my display in Rosie’s flower shop, I can’t believe I could be embarrassed about anything.

“I didn’t really expect you. Do you want some wine?” I walked quickly to the kitchen to pour a glass.

“Sorry I just dropped by. I was just sitting at the inn, and it’s Friday night, and I just felt kind of weird that we weren’t hanging out.”

I swallowed hard. I hated that I understood what he meant. “It’s no problem. I wasn’t doing anything. Obviously.” I walked back into the living room and pulled out the UNO cards, handing him his wine. “Wanna play?”

He smiled. “Sure.”

I sat down and shuffled the cards, dealing us each seven. “Are you excited to experience what Founder’s Day is like in Aveline tomorrow?”

“I am,” he replied. “I have never been to any kind of Founder’s Day anything.”

I chuckled. “Most people haven’t.”

“Just so I’m up to date, will you tell me about it? What is the history of Aveline?”

We continued to throw down cards, drawing when needed as I told him the story. “Well, the town book states it was founded in 1864 by Delmar Aveline. Delmar was from a small community, desperately trying to find a way out. They were an angry community, or so they say, divided and fighting, and Delmar was a man of peace. He was chosen to go on a mission—for what, we don’t know—when he stumbled upon Hickory Creek and a lone woman.”

“A random woman? By herself?” Penn placed another card down. “Just sitting by the creek?”

“I know. It’s weird. But that’s the story. Her name was Catherine. She was alone, and instantly, the two of them fell in love—pretty unrealistic if you ask me—but it’s no secret I love a good romance story. Anyway, Delmar knew he wanted to settle in this new area and went back to get three of his closest friends to come with him. Amos Bernard, James Mulligan, and Maynard Custer brought their families and deemed it their own. They had yet to name it when Delmar fell ill and died of dysentery after only three weeks, so the three men decided collectively that the town would be called Aveline.”

“He never got to enjoy it? UNO.”

I shook my head. “Nope. But every year, the town pays homage to Delmar, Catherine, and his three friends. I don’t know if you remember seeing it, but there is a painting of the woman in the town hall. Apparently, Delmar drew it on his deathbed, or so they say.”

“That’s actually a really sad story. Like, depressing. And you guys reenact this? Every year?”

“Not the dying part. We aren’t monsters.” I giggled. “We reenact Delmar physically discovering the creek and then he and the woman falling in love. But the best part is Delmar and his buddies threw a wild bash the moment they all made it to town. Lots of liquor and food. So, then we reenact that. Basically, we party like it’s 1864.”

“That I can get down with,” Penn said. “Who plays the part of Delmar and Catherine?”

I looked at him, a smirk crawling across my lips. “Actually, my parents.”

“That surprises me.”

“And why is that?” I changed the color from red to yellow using a seven.

“Your dad does not look like the kind of guy who would act in a 19th century reenactment,” Penn said plainly.

I chuckled. “Oh, yeah? I guess I could see why you’d say that, but don’t be deceived... my dad would do just about anything for Aveline.”

Penn pondered that and moved on. “And you said the love story is unrealistic. Does that mean you don’t believe in love at first sight? Even with all those romance novels you read?” Penn shuffled the deck.

“Nope. I’ve told you before I don’t believe in the romance in those books. That’s why they are fiction. I don’t think there is any possible way you could fall in love that quickly.” I took a sip of my wine. “Don’t tell me you do?”

Penn shrugged and started dealing. “You know, I think I’m open to the prospect of it.” And for some reason, his eyes never wavered from mine.