Chapter 33 #2
I could easily get carried away, but I can’t if we plan on eating tonight.
“Okay.” I laugh. “Go call Rosie and let her know I’m on the way.”
“Deal.”
I press one last kiss to her lips before leaving. “It’s really your favorite book of mine?”
“Not my favorite book of yours, Monty,” she says, leaning in close. “It’s my favorite book. Ever.”
***
In the car, I find my phone and see a few missed calls and texts from my mother. I immediately call her back but it goes straight to voicemail. Seconds later I get a text.
Mom: Took an earlier flight. Wanted to surprise you, but clearly that backfired. I’m grabbing dinner at Rosie’s. Want to meet me here?
Me: Actually on my way there now. See you soon.
I feel bad my mom couldn’t reach me, though I don’t regret a second of my day with Penny. Before setting my phone down, I go to my Google Drive and share the working document for my book with Penny.
I’m still on cloud nine when I pull up to the brewery.
Even from outside I can hear a band playing “Sweet Home Alabama” and the happy chatter of customers.
Inside, the dim lighting and overcrowded atmosphere make it hard to spot my mother straightaway, so I walk toward the bar hoping to find her on my way.
Rosie spots me first. “Heard you and Penny had a long day packing books. Want a drink? Your food should be ready in a few minutes.”
“Thanks,” I say, glancing around again. “I’m actually looking for my mom, too. Have you seen her?”
“Oh yeah, sure,” she says, pointing across the bar. “Your parents got a table in the corner where it’s a little quieter.”
“My parents?”
“Yup, right there. If you want, you can go sit with them and I’ll bring your to-go bag over when it’s ready?”
I nod my head down in acknowledgment and walk toward the table where I see my parents in deep conversation.
My father is talking rapidly, and my mother is nodding along in response, her body tilted forward, their hands almost touching.
When he gets to what I guess is the punch line of his story, she throws her head back and laughs.
I hate that it feels like a punch to the stomach.
That seeing them like this physically hurts.
It’s a memory, a snapshot in time, of two people who I thought would always be like this. A reminder that I didn’t make it up. They were like that. Until they weren’t.
I watch them for a few moments, lost in thought, when my mom turns her head and spots me.
“Jake!” she squeals, jumping up and pulling me in for a hug. “Oh, it’s been too long, my boy. You feel solid, though.” She leans back and her hands go to my cheeks. “And you look good.”
Pushing up on her tiptoes, my mom presses a kiss to each cheek, but when she pulls back and sees my dumbfounded expression, she frowns.
“What’s wrong? Is everyone okay? Vovo, Penny?”
“Yeah, everyone’s fine,” I say. “But what are you doing here?”
My mother looks toward my father and then glances at me again. “I told you I was having dinner. I got an extra day off work and wanted to surprise you.”
“No,” I deadpan. “I mean, what are you doing here with him?”
My father looks as though I’ve struck him. “I realized we were out of those pumpkin ciders you and Penny love, so I came by the brewery to grab a few. And then I saw your mother sitting by herself—”
“So I invited him to join me,” she finishes with a grin.
I run my hands through my hair, still struggling to process what they’re saying. “So you’re having dinner? Together?”
She glances back at my dad and shrugs. “We do share a son.”
“And we’ve known each other most of our lives,” my father adds defensively.
I want to snap back at him, Yeah, that didn’t stop you from leaving her.
But instead, I say, “It just feels weird, is all.”
“Well, make it un-weird,” my mother says with another grin as she nods toward the table. “Want to join us?”
Fuck no. I need to get out of here, and away from this situation, before I say something I’ll regret. I need time to process whatever is happening here away from the two of them.
“I can’t. I’m picking up food for Penny.”
“Okay, honey,” my mom says. “Why don’t we do breakfast in the morning?”
“Yup, sounds good. Just text me a time and I’ll pick you up from the farm.”
My mother wraps her arms around me again and squeezes tight.
“Will you be home tonight?” my father asks as I’m about to turn and leave. I can’t look at him right now.
“I’ll probably stay at Penny’s. She’s not feeling great,” I lie.
My mom squeezes my shoulder. “Well, tell her we send her our love. And that I hope to see her this weekend.”
Our love. We. What the fuck is happening right now?
Somehow I manage to get away, grab the food, and drive back to Penny’s without screaming at anyone.
I should just run upstairs, give Penny her food, and then go check into a hotel for the night.
I can’t go back to my house right now—I am not in the right headspace to face my family.
But I also don’t want to risk taking these feelings out on Penny.
I head inside the store, two containers of Rosie’s pumpkin stew in hand, and take the stairs quickly.
Outside Penny’s apartment door, I hear the faint sound of music—Niall Horan and Julia Michaels singing “What a Time.”
I open the door and find Penny curled up on the couch with her Kindle, a smile on her face. Her thick auburn hair is wet from a shower and she’s tied it into a long braid that hangs over one shoulder. It’s perfectly Penny.
“This book is so good,” she says as her eyes flit up to meet mine. “Like, I really want to spend time with you and eat at some point this evening. But I also don’t think you should expect me to look at you until I’ve devoured every last word.”
“I’ll get your food together,” I manage. “And bring it over.”
“You are the best book boyfriend in the entire world,” she says effusively before dropping her attention back to her Kindle.
It’s so easy—all of this, being with her, coming home to her.
After finding my parents at the brewery together, I should feel like I want to run.
Whenever I think about what happened to them—to us—I get so angry.
It’s why I’ve never been able to get close to anyone before now.
But, with Penny curled up on her couch, my book in her hand, and the most beautiful smile on her face, I can’t seem to care about anything else.
Fuck, I’m in love with her. And I’m pretty sure she might love me, too.
The realization hits me, and my palms start to sweat as my heart beats erratically against my rib cage. I don’t know if I believe that this feeling can last. But I need to figure that out, and quick. Because the last thing I want to do is hurt Penny.
This feeling, being in love with Penny, might be the best feeling in the entire world.
Hope Harbor Happy Chat
Rayna: Good Morning, Hope Harboronians! We have an exciting weekend ahead and I want to remind you that the proceeds for all Maple Festival Events will help fund the Senior Center Hot Tub.
Rayna: Kicking off the events tonight is the Haunted Hayride at Darling Daffodils Farm. We hope to see you there!
Rosie: I’m not sure how I feel about the harboronians title.
Tally: Hope Harborites?
Eli: Team Hope Harbor
Stew: More like Team traitor, Eli Davis!
Eli: For the seventy billionth time I’M SORRY I PLAYED FOR NEW YORK AND NOT THE BOSTON BOLTS
Fletcher: We should probably add the name issue to the agenda for the next town meeting
Babs: While we’re at it, can we discuss renaming the Ice Cream Barn? It doesn’t follow town rules.
Eli: NEITHER DOES YOUR SALON
Eli: Sorry, didn’t mean all caps. It was still like that from my previous text
Babs: I’m grandfathered in because my suggestion was Babs’s Boobies and Bobs
Rayna: It’s true. A Breath of FresHair was a compromise. But I’m sure we can come up with something better for you Eli.
Fletcher: Adding it to the agenda!
Eli: I didn’t agree to this.
Penny: Don’t fight it Eli, they always win.
Tally: See you all at the farm tonight Hope Harborites! (See it has a nice ring to it!)