Chapter 31
Monty
Turns out Penny’s incentivization is working wonders on my writing. I am officially ahead of the schedule I’d set out for myself after only a week of our new game.
I’m also enjoying testing out a new one of Penny’s fantasies every night.
When a response doesn’t come to my text right away, I slip my phone back into my pocket. I had to stop at the post office for Vovo, so I might as well run to the grocery store while I’m in town.
“We’re bowling tonight.”
I glance over my shoulder at Eli, who must be addressing me as there is no one else in here, and shake my head.
“Sorry, I’ve got plans with Penny tonight.”
“Not anymore,” he shoots back. “Tally just texted in the town chat that the girls are taking Daisy to Babs’s to have her hair cut like Farrah Fawcett.”
What the fuck?
My face must say exactly what I’m thinking because Eli points to my phone. “Look for yourself.”
Hope Harbor Happy Chat
Babs: Penny are you sure you don’t want to use the haircut yourself? I could give you a fabulous perm.
Tally: She’s sure. Besides, she’s not allowed to get a haircut again until after Christmas. She’s trying to grow out her bangs.
Rosie: I love her bangs.
Billie: Me too!
Tally: Ah, Billie has finally made her town chat debut! I’m so proud.
Billie: There might have been some peer pressure involved.
Rosie: I have no idea what you’re talking about. MWAHAHAHA
Penny: You really need me at this appointment?
Tally: You’re her AUNTIE! How could you even consider not being there for her first haircut?!
Penny: She’s a cow.
Tally: I feel as if you’re saying that in a negative way.
Tally: But I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt.
Penny: I was.
Babs: You do have to be there because you are the one who won the competition. Which means you have to be the one to collect the reward.
Penny: And I can’t do that by telling you that Daisy can have my spot?
Babs: Nope. You must be there.
Penny: Fine. If my niece, the cow, needs a haircut, I suppose I can be there tonight.
I huff out a sigh—there goes our quality evening together. The only thing that makes the situation even slightly less frustrating is that Penny seems just as disappointed as I am.
Eli: Looks like we’re switching bowling night!
Penny: Because you want to be there for the haircut too?
Eli: No because there’s no way Walker will agree to be away from Tally for more than one night a week…
Walker: He’s not wrong.
Eli: See, man, this is why we’re best friends. I KNOW you.
Tally: Awe, Walker has a best friend! That’s so sweet, cowboy.
Walker: I’m going back to work now.
“So, you get it now?” Eli says, pulling my attention back to him. “You don’t have plans with Penny tonight but we are going bowling.”
As disappointed as I am to miss out on time with Penny, I’m intrigued by a guys’ night.
I haven’t hung out with Eli since I moved back—though we were friends in high school.
If not for him asking Penny to be his fake girlfriend when I first got here, I probably would have made time to hang out with him sooner.
I barely know Walker, but he is dating my girlfriend’s sister so I should probably get to know him, too.
Is Penny my girlfriend? Fuck, this whole thing is getting more complicated by the day.
Before I can respond to Eli, I hear the increasingly familiar moo of Hope Harbor.
Eli and I both spin in time to see Daisy walking toward us on the sidewalk. “Daisy Darling!” Eli says, grabbing for her yellow leash, which trails by her side. “What are you doing here?”
I glance around for Tally but come up short.
Eli tickles beneath Daisy’s chin, babbling away in a baby voice. “That’s okay, Uncle Eli will bring you home.”
“Uncle Eli?”
He grins at me. “Oh yeah.”
I laugh. “You seem very excited to see the cow.”
“Walker’s going to have to thank me.” Eli turns to me, beaming.
“Okay…”
Eli shakes his head. “You’ll get it eventually. The guy doesn’t let people in easily, which means I have my work cut out to stay in his good graces.” He winks at me. “Mind telling anyone who asks that the cow almost got hit by a car?”
I let out a low laugh as Eli snaps a picture of the cow on his phone. Only seconds later, his phone begins to ring.
“Walker, my man.” He nods as he turns on his heel, still talking into his phone. “She’s fine, I’ve got her. It was a close call, though.” Then he shifts the phone down and mouths, “Bowling. Seven p.m.”
I give him a thumbs-up. This town is so fucking weird.
***
At six forty-five I walk into the bowling alley.
I was almost late because I got lost in my writing, but a phone call from Penny at six saved me.
I nearly begged her to skip the haircut, especially when she mentioned having to close down the store early, but then I thought better of it.
Especially because she pointed out that it was my fault we won the haircut to begin with since I submitted the dessert we made.
When Eli lights up as I sit beside him at the bar, I’m happy that I came. “I’m really glad we’re doing this,” Eli says. “I feel awful that it’s taken this long for me to welcome you back to town.”
I shake my head. “No need to feel bad. I’m just as much to blame. Who else is coming?”
“The Oakley brothers, Fletcher, Walker, Stew, and a few other guys from the fire and police departments.”
I glance around but the lanes still seem pretty empty.
“It doesn’t start until seven thirty,” Eli explains.
I can’t hide my surprise. “Thought you said seven.”
He shrugs. “Figured we could catch up before everyone else arrived.”
“Oh, well, then let’s order a drink.”
Once I’ve got a beer in front of me, I focus on Eli. “How’s your mom doing?” Mrs. Davis was always so kind to us all in high school. And she made the best freaking meatballs and pasta dinners before our football games—trumps any Italian meal I’ve had in New York.
“She’s good, thanks.” Eli grins, always the mama’s boy. “She’ll definitely want to have you over for dinner soon. Good thing you’re taken or she’d try to set you up with one of my sisters. She’s dying for more grandbabies.”
I chuckle. Everyone in our class had a crush on the Davis sisters: Lucia, Giovanna, and Bianca. Bianca was a few years older than us and was every teenage boy’s dream. Luce and G were a few years younger. Bianca has two little girls now, but Vovo told me the other two are still single.
“I am a taken man.”
“Penny’s a good one. I’m glad to see her happy again.” His jaw clenches and his blue eyes turn on me. “Her dickhead ex really did a number on her.”
I sigh. “Yeah, I’ve realized that.”
“You guys serious?”
I spin my bottle on the bar top. “It’s still early but I’ve never felt this way about anyone else in my life.” The words come easy. Despite all my hesitations on love, I know that sentiment is true. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Not sure I’ll have the answer, but shoot.”
“Your dad took off when we were in high school, right?”
Eli nods, his expression uneasy. “Yeah, why?”
“Did that ever make you question love? Ever make you wonder why people get married in the first place? If it can last?”
“Shit,” Eli huffs out. Then he lets out an uneasy laugh. “Well, it didn’t before.”
I take a swig of my beer. “Ignore me.”
Eli narrows his gaze on me. “Is that how you feel?”
I stare at the bottle in my hand. “Maybe. I don’t know. My dad kind of pulled the rug out from under my mom and me when he asked for the divorce.” I blow out a breath. “I’ve never really dated anyone until now so—”
“Shit,” Eli mutters again.
I nod. “Yeah, shit.”
Eli stares at me for another second and then he sighs. “I will say that I always knew my parents were unhappy. It wasn’t a shock when my dad disappeared.”
“I’m sorry about that—”
“I’m not,” he says quickly. “We were all better off without him. But I don’t think you’d be better off without Penny, so think long and hard about that before you question whether love is worth it.”
I can’t argue with that. “Thanks, Eli,” I say with a tilt of my beer.
He clinks his against mine in a cheers, but before he can take a sip, his phone lights up on the bar.
“Oh look, it’s Walker,” he says as he lifts the phone and puts it on speaker. “Hi, Walker. I’m here with Monty.”
“Oh hey, I’m not going to be able to make it.”
Eli frowns at the phone. “What’s wrong?”
“I promised Tally I’d get this tractor working.
She wants to bring the haunted hayride back this year but the damn carburetor is acting up,” Walker says with a sigh.
“And even if I get this thing working, I have no idea who’s going to tell the damn spooky stories.
I loved Peter like a father, but I wasn’t around for all those stories growing up, so I have no idea what I’m doing. Plus, I’m not exactly a people person.”
Eli coughs out a laugh. “You don’t say.”
“I might be able to help,” I offer.
Eli’s eyes go wide. “You know about carburetors?”
“Um, no.” I laugh. “Though I’m happy to go over to the farm and share a beer while you figure that out. But I did go on almost every haunted hayride with Penny growing up, so I’m pretty familiar with Peter’s stories.”
“Would you be willing to tell them?” Walker asks from over the phone.
“Yeah, I would. I’m pretty sure that would make my girl happy.” I smile. “And like Eli just reminded me, there’s nothing that matters more than that.”
“All right, then. Well, if you both don’t mind missing out on bowling, come join me here.”
“See you in a few,” Eli says, already hopping off the stool before he’s hung up.
“We’re just going to leave?” I glance around as other guys begin to walk in and head to the lanes.
“Walker never invites people over. This isn’t something to be taken lightly.”
Eli tosses a bunch of bills on the bar and nods toward the exit. “Let’s go.”
I don’t know why, but I find myself smiling as I follow him out the door. This town is seriously weird—and Eli’s obsession with Walker is even weirder—but I’m starting to think I might just want to stay.