Chapter 26
Theo
Despite not needing to be anywhere, I woke up early Saturday morning.
I sat at the dining table with my laptop and a cup of coffee, scrolling through hiking blogs.
The Morris mystery was a good distraction.
And I needed it. My team had won again last night.
Decisively. But it wasn’t the game that kept creeping into my mind while I searched for locations that matched Morris’s paintings.
It was the scent of Pen’s shampoo wafting from her bathroom.
The tea collection on the kitchen counter. Her coat hanging by the door.
Her presence was everywhere. As it should have been. I wanted her to feel comfortable—like she really lived there, not like it was a temporary place to crash.
Before I could think too deeply about the confusing mix of feelings tugging at my chest, her bedroom door opened. She marched to the dining room, and the contrast between her serious expression and straight spine—she seemed very sure of something—and her messy bun made me crack a smile.
“Morning, Pentacular.”
“Morning. I’ve decided something.”
I raised my eyebrows.
She put her hands on her hips and her tone was decisive. “I’m getting the rest of my stuff from Sean’s house.”
My smile grew. “Awesome. How can I help?”
“Well…” She paused and touched her lips with her fingertip. “I’m not sure. I woke up this morning and decided I’ve procrastinated too long. I called a moving company and they can do it next weekend. So I just need to call Sean and tell him.”
“You still have your key, right? You should make sure he won’t be there.”
“Good idea. I don’t need him breathing down my neck while I pack the rest of my things.”
“No, definitely not.”
She produced her phone from her pocket and wandered into the living room. I waited, my brow furrowing with concern. If he made things hard on her…
“Sean, hi. I just want to—” She paused. “No… That’s not… Sean, listen.”
Tension rippled down my back and my jaw hitched.
“Can we be grown-ups about this, please?”
She held the phone away from her ear and rolled her eyes. “Are you done?” she asked.
I flexed my fists, my body coiled like a spring.
“You can’t hold my stuff hostage,” she said, and for the first time, there was a rare note of anger in her voice.
That was it. I was done. I got up, marched over to her, and held out my hand. Eyeing me with confusion, she gave me her phone.
I put it to my ear. “Fuck you,” I said, then ended the call and handed it back to her.
She gaped at me. “I know he was being a jerk, but I don’t know if that was very helpful.”
“I know it wasn’t. But screw that guy.”
I ran my hand through my hair. This was kind of my fault. I’d pissed him off when I’d kissed Pen at the Timberbeast. Granted, he was a dick anyway, so he might have caused trouble for her regardless. But I’d probably made it worse.
Which meant it was up to me to take care of it.
“I should have just texted him,” she said. “I’ll do that. I’ll tell him the movers are coming next Saturday.”
“No, don’t worry about the movers. I’ll get your stuff.” I’d already pulled out my phone and started group-texting my brothers. “He wants to be difficult? He can deal with me.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“We both know this is partially my fault.” I met her eyes, and with the way her cheeks flushed, I knew she understood what I meant.
“It’s not your fault he’s a jerk.”
“No, but I’m still getting your stuff back.” My lips turned up in a grin. “Besides, this is going to be fun.”
“Should I be concerned?”
“Not a bit.”
“Are you sure about this?”
I paused and looked her in the eyes. I didn’t want to steamroll her. “If it’s important to you to do this yourself, I won’t get in your way. But if the only goal is to get your things out of his house, let me do it for you. I want to.”
“I don’t have anything to prove. I just want my stuff.”
“Consider it done. What’s still there that’s yours?”
“Let’s see. The tall dresser in the bedroom, plus the clothes in it.
There are some more clothes and shoes in the closet—those should be obvious.
The bed is mine, but I don’t want that back.
The dining set and the bookshelf, plus all the books.
He didn’t have anything on the walls when I moved in, so the art is all mine. ”
“Got it.” I typed her list on my phone while she talked. “What else?”
“I think I got most of my art supplies, but I was in a hurry, so if you could check the storage room in the garage, that would be great. And the hall closet has my winter coat and snow boots. Some of the towels and stuff were mine, but I don’t care about those.
Oh, and kitchen stuff. There are some mugs I’d love to get back, but the rest of it isn’t a big deal. ”
“I should be able to figure it out.”
“Thank you. Again. You keep riding in on your white horse and saving the day.”
“What are friends for?”
“I just hope I can make it up to you someday.”
“No need.” Without thinking, I stepped in and wrapped my arms around her.
Oh, shit. Shouldn’t have done that.
Too late. I held her tight, breathing in her scent. She hugged me back, and for a second, I closed my eyes, letting the feel of her body next to mine sink in.
She let go first, so I dropped my arms and stepped away. My phone was buzzing with replies from my brothers, so I pushed away the temptation of her warmth and checked my messages.
Luke: What time?
Josiah: Address.
Zachary: I’m in. This is going to be fun.
Garrett: Off duty today. I’ll be there.
I got the address from Penelope, sent it to my brothers, and we agreed to meet there in half an hour.
My mouth turned up in a slow grin. I agreed with Z. It was going to be fun.
Sean’s house was on the other side of town. Pen had texted him to let him know movers were coming to get her things. The fact that the movers were a bunch of Havens? That was just semantics.
My brothers and I parked in a line along the street. Luke was in his Chevelle, but Josiah, Zachary, and I all had trucks, and Garrett had a big SUV. That would give us plenty of space to haul her stuff.
I got out and did a double take. Josiah wasn’t alone. Our dad got out of the passenger seat and tipped his chin to me. With a subtle smile, I nodded back.
Sean had no idea what was coming for him.
Even on the outside of the house, there were signs of Penelope. The porch was decorated with pumpkins and a colorful fall wreath hung on the door.
My dad and brothers fell in behind me, letting me take the lead as we approached. I balled my hand into a fist and knocked several times. Hard.
The door swung open, and Sean’s eyes widened. Dude looked rough—probably hungover. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he wore a rumpled T-shirt and a pair of stained sweats.
His gaze moved back and forth across the wall of Havens on his doorstep. “What’s going on?”
“We’re the movers.” I walked in, forcing him to get out of my way.
Sean stepped aside as my dad and brothers came in behind me.
“You guys can’t just come in here. I’ll call the cops.”
“Cops are already here.” Garrett was in street clothes, but even without his uniform, his air of authority was unmistakable. Crossing his arms, he stood in front of Sean to keep him in place—and out of our way.
Ignoring the douchebag, I turned to my family.
“All right, I’ve got boxes and tape in my truck.
She has clothes in the bedroom and the hall closet, plus the tall dresser, the bookshelf, and all the books.
Dining set is hers. Any art on the walls goes, too.
I’ll handle the kitchen and check for more of her art supplies.
And we should do a sweep, looking for anything she might have forgotten to mention. Ready? Break.”
Garrett stayed in the entry to keep an eye on Sean the Shit while the rest of us spread out. Dad and Josiah headed for my truck to get the tape and boxes while Zachary and Luke tackled the bedroom.
I headed for the storage room to make sure she hadn’t left any art supplies or canvases.
The garage was cold, and the small storage room wasn’t any warmer.
That was where she’d been painting? There was a space heater on the floor, but come on.
That was just embarrassing. What sort of man would push his woman’s passion to the side like that?
A guy who wasn’t a man at all.
I went back into the house to get a few boxes and shot him a glare. Fuck that guy. Back in Pen’s little studio, I packed the few supplies she’d left and took them to my truck.
Zachary and Luke had already loaded her dresser into one of the trucks and put the rest of her clothes in Luke’s Chevelle.
The dining table and chairs were secured, and I directed Dad and Josiah to put the artwork they’d taken from the walls into my truck or Luke’s car.
Someone had even removed the wreath from the front door.
Josiah helped me tackle the kitchen. We packed a teakettle and a bunch of mugs, plus some glass storage containers, a few pots and pans and other cooking supplies, and a blender.
After loading those into our vehicles, I walked back in to check on the rest of the house. Sean tried to follow me, but without a word, Garrett casually stepped in front of him and shook his head.
“What else?” Luke asked. “We got all the obvious stuff out of the bedroom and bathroom. And there were a few coats and stuff in the hall closet.”
“Bookshelf and books are done,” Josiah said.
“Couches?” Zachary asked, pointing to the living room.
“No,” Sean said. “Those are mine.”
That made me want to take them. I gave them a once-over. Didn’t really look like something Penelope would have picked out, and she hadn’t mentioned them. “Leave ’em.”
Zachary seemed to make an executive decision about the TV. It was mounted to the wall, but that didn’t stop him. Neither did Sean’s protests. He and Luke got it unfastened and took it out to one of the trucks while Garrett kept Sean corralled.
“What about the rest of the bedroom furniture?” Josiah asked.
I scowled. “She definitely doesn’t want any of that.”
“Does she want to burn it?” Zachary asked, sounding hopeful as he came back inside.
I was about to say no, but that did give me an idea. “Take the bedding.”
“Will do,” Z said.
“You can’t do that,” Sean said.
I glared at him. “Watch me.”
Josiah and my dad went through the living and dining areas, grabbing random stuff and putting it in boxes while I finished in the kitchen.
Zachary took the bedding—including a bunch of pillows—out to one of the vehicles, then came back and stood on a chair to remove the battery from the smoke detector.
He dropped it into an open box, all while grinning at Sean.
I walked through the house, giving it a final look while my brothers took the last of the boxes to my truck. From what I could tell, we’d packed everything.
Garrett moved aside as I approached Sean. I had Pen’s house key to return to him.
He wanted to hit me. I could see it in his eyes. Garrett shifted behind me. He could see it, too.
I kind of wanted him to hit me. Give me an excuse to smash my fist in his face.
With a hard expression, I held out the key. “Don’t bother her again.”
Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately, considering Garrett was right there—Sean didn’t take a shot at me. Just held out his hand so I could drop the key in his palm.
Sean glowered at us as we started to leave, his face reddening all the way to his scalp. Dad and Josiah ignored him. Luke glared back. Zachary grinned, looking like he was about to say something snarky. I shoved him out the door. Garrett slipped on his aviators and walked out.
I was about to follow when Sean spoke. “Tell that bitch—”
Before he could finish, I had him by the shirt and shoved him against the wall. My voice was hard as steel. “Do not call her that.”
Fear flashed across his face. Good. He should have been afraid of me. I was more than willing to take this guy out on Pen’s behalf.
Would Garrett have to arrest me? Maybe.
Worth it.
“Give me a reason,” I growled. “Please.”
Sean swallowed hard and held his hands out in a gesture of surrender. I let go and took a step back.
Pathetic.
Without another word, I walked out, not bothering to close the door behind me.