No Vacancy (The Aveline Series Book 2)

Chapter 78

DARCY

The next evening,I was sitting on my couch in the living room, a bag of Doritos in one hand and a Dr. Pepper in the other, with my phone propped up against a candle on the coffee table, Penn’s face smiling back on it.

“When Lenora said tampon and bush in the same sentence, I thought I was going to keel over and die,” I said, shoving a chip into my mouth.

“She didn’t even notice, did she?” Penn asked, laughing.

“No! She looked at me like I was the crazy one.” I took a sip from the can of soda.

“Is that your dinner? Because at this rate, I have a feeling you might be rotting from the inside out,” Penn said as he took a bite of his cheeseburger.

I wiped my hands on my pants like an absolute slob. “You’re one to talk! The grease from your burger is literally dripping from your chin.”

Penn laughed and nodded as he chewed his burger. “You got me there.” He swallowed and leaned back on his couch. “What do you think about the show so far?”

Penn and I had been watching The Office together because he was “simply appalled” that I had never seen it. We were going to finish this, and then a movie marathon of The Lord of the Rings series was next up.

“Well,” I said, “I think it’s hysterical. I think Dwight is my favorite character, but I’m not sure because I love Michael, and Jim’s antics are hilarious, too.”

“I knew you would like it. I can’t believe you’d never seen it before.”

“I know, I know. But I’m watching it now, and I’m about to make it my entire personality.” I licked the Dorito cheese from my fingers.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Penn said. He had finished his burger and was sitting back against his couch. I could picture exactly where he was because I made him give me a virtual tour of his apartment the first time we FaceTimed. I told him outright it was incredibly dull and boring. There was not one picture on the wall, and it was eighty shades of gray. Gray cabinets, gray walls, gray countertops and floors. I didn’t see one pop of color, so the following day I had sent him a framed picture of Bernie wearing a raincoat, and he’d hung it up right there in his living room.

“What are you doing this weekend?” he asked.

“It’s Aveline’s annual Trunk or Treat in the town square this weekend, so I’ll be there dressed up like Dwight Schrute and throwing water balloons at little children.”

Penn laughed. “You will not!”

“I certainly will. It’s my favorite time of the year because I can pelt the Donovan kids without getting in trouble.”

Penn laughed. “Not that. I have no doubt you will enjoy that. I mean the Dwight Schrute costume. Don’t most girls dress up like sexy bunnies or something for Halloween?”

“I, Penn Murphy, am not most girls.” I got up and went to the table where I had put the costume. I held up the yellow button-down shirt and put the glasses on my face. “See. Dwight.”

Penn doubled over with laughter, dropping his phone on the couch. He picked it up and readjusted it so I could see him better. “This I have to see.”

“Well then, why don’t you just come to Aveline this weekend,” I said, not expecting him to ever agree to spend his weekend at a Trunk or Treat. “It could be fun,” I added, hoping to make it seem a little cooler than it was.

He paused for a moment before answering. “Okay, I will. I’ll be there.”

“Really?” The tone of my voice and my face gave away the excitement I was feeling at the prospect of hanging out with Penn. “You’ll really come?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” Penn asked as though it were preposterous to even ask.

“I don’t know. You’ve been kind of sneaking in and out of Aveline; you haven’t really wanted to mingle.” Which, for the record, I didn’t blame him. The townspeople of Aveline were like a Sourpatch Kid. Sweet when you earned it, sour when you deserved it.

Penn shrugged. “I figure it’s about time to come back. I think I need to face everyone and apologize. I can’t hide forever.”

I beamed, excited at the prospect of Penn hanging out in Aveline more. “I don’t know, though. When word gets out that you are a good guy again, you’ll have the Black Widows and Margot chasing you around again.”

“You have a point.” Penn rubbed his hand over his jaw. “But I’ll have to take my chances...just to be around you.”