Chapter 40
CHAPTER FORTY
PENELOPE
Group text with Sutton, Chloe, Willa, and Penelope
Sutton:
So. $500??
Chloe:
FOR COFFEE?!?!?!?!?!
Willa:
This man LIVES WITH YOU. And I assume you have a coffee machine. Was he bidding on kitchen privileges?
Chloe:
Maybe he was bidding on a sequel to the towel incident. No fade to black this time.
Penelope:
I thought you weren’t going to bring up the towel again.
Willa:
We lied.
Chloe:
Obviously
Sutton:
We need answers. Because that man said “for the library” with his whole chest and then stared at you like he was ready to commit felonies on your behalf if anyone looked at you in a way he didn’t like.
Penelope:
I think you’re reading way more into this than you should.
Sutton:
You’re joking. You HAVE to be joking.
Penelope:
It was a fundraiser. He contributed to the funds. That’s it.
Chloe:
Right. And you’re just going to act like it was nbd that you had half the bar on their knees, ready to overdraw their checking accounts?
Penelope:
That’s dramatic.
Chloe:
Your READING was dramatic. Had me squirming in my seat like I am before Xander’s through with me.
Sutton:
Same. And that was before Declan’s “mine” energy hit the bar with all the subtlety of a bomb.
Penelope:
He was just reacting. He only bid because some other guys were interested.
Sutton:
Say that to his face, babe. I dare you.
Chloe:
I didn’t think a librarian would be this clueless, tbh.
Willa:
You really think that man dropped a car payment on a date he can have with you every morning in your apartment because a couple dudebros said “I’ll take her”??
Penelope:
We’re just roommates.
Sutton:
Who are you trying to prove that to? You or us?