Chapter 20
Penelope
I spent Sunday afternoon visiting with Grandma Colleen while Theo went to his parents’ house. For once, there weren’t any Maury Haven shenanigans. The weather was nice, so we went outside and fed her squirrels for a while, then had dinner in the cafeteria.
It was almost six o’clock by the time I left. My stomach swirled with nervousness as I got in my car and drove to the Timberbeast to meet Sean. It was something I needed to do, but that didn’t mean I was looking forward to it.
I parked and got out of my car, glancing down at my black sweater, jeans, and tennis shoes. I wished I would have dressed a little sexier—or at least cuter. It was a perfectly fine visit-your-grandma outfit, but not a great deal-with-your-ex-boyfriend outfit.
Oh, well. I adjusted my glasses, shouldered my purse, and went into the bar.
A little smile crossed my lips as soon as I heard the nineties grunge playing in the background. It felt serendipitous. I loved nineties music. Sean hated it.
I found him sitting at a table, facing the door. He had a beer, and it looked like he’d ordered a cider for me. I let out a frustrated breath. I wasn’t there to have a drink with him. I just wanted to sign the lease paperwork and move on.
He stood with a smile when he saw me. I walked to his table and stopped.
“Hey, ba—” He closed his mouth before he could finish the word babe. “Have a seat.”
“What do you need me to sign?”
“It’s right here. But have a drink with me. It’s the One Tree caramel cinnamon cider that you love.”
“Fine.” I pulled out the chair and sat. That was one of my favorite ciders, but I wasn’t sure if I was going to drink it or not.
“I know you’re mad,” he said. “And I don’t blame you. I’ve been a real asshole and I’m sorry.”
“You left me on the side of the road, at night, thirty minutes from home.”
“Yeah, I was pissed off,” he said, and his voice was sullen rather than defensive.
“And then you angry texted me half a dozen times.”
“I was pretty drunk. I don’t remember most of those.”
I took a deep breath. “You know what, I have no reason to hold a grudge. Thank you for apologizing. I accept.”
He smiled. “Good. I’m glad we got that out of the way.”
I was too. I smiled back, feeling like that had been a success. We’d seen each other, cleared the air, and now it was over. I wasn’t going to dread running into him in public.
“Is this the paperwork?” I slid it in front of me. It was an agreement stating that I was moving out and, surprisingly, that I didn’t owe any additional rent or utilities. I dug a pen out of my purse and signed.
“Now we can both move on.” I pushed it back toward Sean.
I noticed someone at the bar and did a double take. Theo sat on one of the stools. He looked over his shoulder and gave me a quick wink. My stomach fluttered and a flush hit my cheeks.
For a hot second, I forgot what I was doing there and started to stand, as if I were being drawn by gravity into Theo’s orbit.
“Penelope, wait.”
Sean’s voice startled me. Blinking in surprise, I looked at him.
“I know I was angry before and I didn’t handle it well. You took me by surprise. But I think all this…” He gestured between the two of us. “It’s a big mistake.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve had time to go over what happened, and I realized I didn’t give you a chance to think things through.”
“Think what through?”
“Us. Where we’re headed.”
“We’re not headed anywhere. We broke up.”
“It was a heated moment. Did you really consider the implications?”
“I don’t think I understand what you’re getting at.”
He rested his forearm on the table and leaned forward. “Are you sure leaving a solid long-term relationship when you’re in your mid-thirties is a good idea?”
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. For a second, I was so shocked, I couldn’t seem to make any words come out.
“Excuse me?” was all I managed.
“I’m not trying to be a jerk here. It’s just reality. I’m a guy who makes good money and who’ll eventually take over a business. I’m stable. I’m not going to have any problem finding someone. But you? The cute nerd girl thing you have going on isn’t going to last forever.”
“What are you saying? I have an expiration date?”
“I don’t make the rules. It’s not my fault the world works this way.” His expression softened. “You made a rash decision, and I want to give you the chance to come back before it’s too late.”
“Too late for what?”
“Let’s just be real about all this, babe. I’m giving you another chance. You should take it. Come home.” He gestured to the form I’d signed. “I can rip that up right now.”
“Why? Because no one else could possibly want me?”
“I wasn’t going to say it, but…” Pressing his lips together, he nodded.
A hand slid across my shoulders, and I looked up to find Theo standing next to my chair.
“Hi, beautiful,” he said.
I stared at him in disbelief as he moved his hand to the back of my neck. It was not a friendly touch. It was possessive and intimate—almost dirty. Especially the way he slid his fingers into my hair and leaned down, his grip tightening as if he wasn’t going to let me turn away.
With his face mere inches away, he spoke again in a deep voice. “Sorry I’m late.”
Before I could respond—or even think—he closed the distance, and his mouth was on mine. The shock of his kiss reverberated through my body, sending sparks that burst between my legs. His lips were firm, but soft, moving over mine like he’d done it a thousand times.
Like he owned me.
And in that moment, he did.
A slight brush of his tongue almost made me moan. But then he pulled away.
My lips parted as we separated, my eyes fluttering open just in time to catch him licking his lips. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, as if he’d enjoyed that kiss and was savoring the way I’d tasted. I was dumbstruck, blinking at him like a moron as he straightened.
“Hi,” was all I managed to get out.
Theo Haven had just kissed me, and it had short-circuited my brain. He turned to glance at Sean and his voice was low and even.
“You’re in my seat.”
I was almost afraid to look, but flicked my eyes to the side, risking a peek.
The color drained from Sean’s face and his mouth hung open. I couldn’t tell if he was mad, or just shocked.
Theo released his grip on my hair but kept a protective hand on the back of my head. His fingers moved, almost as if he wasn’t aware of it, sliding through my hair and lightly massaging my scalp. My lips blazed with the heat of his kiss, and his touch was mesmerizing.
Finally, my brain caught up. Theo was pretending to be my new boyfriend—a man who wanted me.
I turned to look Sean directly in the eyes. “What was that you were saying about no one else ever wanting me?”
The grimace of horror that crossed Sean’s face almost made me laugh. He’d actually thought he was doing me a favor.
Clearing his throat, he stood and almost crumpled the paper I’d signed in his fist. Without another word, he stormed out.
Theo stopped playing with my hair and the absence of his touch was almost jarring. He walked around the table and took the chair Sean had just vacated.
I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know what to say. My mind was a swirl of thoughts and feelings.
That kiss.
But it had been fake.
I resisted the urge to touch my lips. It sure hadn’t felt fake.
“Sorry,” Theo said, giving me a sheepish grin. “I wasn’t going to interfere, but he was seriously pissing me off.”
“What are you doing here?”
He hesitated before answering. “I know you don’t need me to fight your battles for you, but I wanted to be here, just in case.”
I gazed at him for a moment. How did I get so lucky? He was such a great friend.
And an amazing kisser, which—for better or worse—I now knew.
“Thank you.”
“You’re not mad?” he asked.
“No, I’m not mad. And I sure don’t think he’s going to bother me again.”
“He better not.”
My lips still tingled, and I inadvertently rubbed them together. Theo’s eyes flicked to my mouth, and I caught a glimpse of his tongue darting across his bottom lip.
I glanced away. The kiss had been fake. He’d only been pretending to be my boyfriend to make a point. The fact that I could still feel his mouth on mine wasn’t because it was the best kiss I’d ever had. It was just because he’d surprised me. I hadn’t been expecting it.
Okay, that was a huge lie. It was the best kiss I’d ever had.
And suddenly, it was killing me to know that I’d never get another one.