Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
PENELOPE
Group text with Sutton, Chloe, Willa, and Penelope
Sutton:
So. How’s life as a Steele-in-law?
Penelope:
Oh my god. Stop. I’m not a Steele anything except a temporary roommate.
Willa:
She’s denying. She does that when she’s guilty.
Chloe:
She also does it when she’s been dicked down and spiritually reborn. Are you ready to admit he rearranged your guts yet or what?
Penelope:
Excuse me???
Sutton:
Do you think we didn’t notice the way he looked at you at the Harvest Festival?
Willa:
We can’t pretend we didn’t see Declan nearly eviscerate that guy who got too close to you by the caramel apple booth.
Chloe:
It was giving: “I’ll shove a caramel apple up his ass if he steps an inch closer to her.”
Penelope:
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Willa:
He literally moved you behind him like a bodyguard when rowdy dudes got too close to you.
Penelope:
Please, he probably does that with every woman he’s around.
Chloe:
HA! Omg are you hearing yourself?
Willa:
I can promise you he definitely does not do that with every woman. Or ANY woman. Ever.
Chloe:
Listen to her. She’s known him all her life.
Sutton:
That’s boyfriend behavior, babe. Unmistakable.
Chloe:
It’s “I’ve already seen her naked and I’d kill for her” behavior.
Penelope:
You’re making a big deal out of nothing.
We’re roommates.
Two people who happen to live in the same place.
That’s it.
Willa:
Penelope.
Sutton:
Babe.
Chloe:
You sweet summer child.
Penelope:
Don’t you sweet summer child me!
Chloe:
You expect us to believe a Steele brother with sleeves of tattoos has lunch delivered to you, can’t keep his eyes off you, is living with you and glaring at any man who so much as breathes near you, and that nothing is happening?
Penelope:
Yes
Sutton:
You wore lip gloss into the corn maze.
Penelope:
So?
Willa:
You came out bare-lipped.
Chloe:
Wonder where all that gloss went?
Sutton:
Declan’s mouth looked awfully shiny, now that I think about it.
Chloe:
Oh, to be a fly on the wall of your bedroom when he got you home.
Penelope:
You wouldn’t have seen anything.
Chloe:
YOU DIDN’T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE BEDROOM????
Sutton:
Oh shit! So you admit something happened.
Penelope:
I admit NOTHING.
Willa:
But you’re not denying it…
Penelope:
I’m saying even if *hypothetically* something was happening, it’s none of your business. And definitely temporary.
Chloe:
Uh huh. This is temporary like a tattoo.
Sutton:
You’re in denial.
Willa:
It’s okay. We’ve all been there.
Penelope:
Look. Even if something were happening—AND I’M NOT SAYING IT IS—it’s just…complicated. And private. And not serious.
Sutton:
He looked serious to me.
Willa:
And you looked happy.
Chloe:
Also wrecked. In a good way.
Sutton:
The Steele men are magic like that.