6. Penny
PENNY
Penny adjusted the rearview mirror of her rental sedan, watching the indigo twilight settle gently over the mangroves lining the bay road.
It had been a busy afternoon, but after a long, hot shower, the lingering exhaustion of the daytime games had finally washed away.
She’d swept her dark hair back into a neat, secure knot, keeping it fully out of her face for what she knew was going to be a high-energy night.
She smoothed down the front of her crisp white cotton shirt, feeling the stiff, familiar denim of her favorite jeans hugging her hips, and zipped up her brown leather boots.
Her thoughts drifted, without her permission, to the moments she’d shared with Martin on the grassy lawn of her new estate the other day.
The memory of his strong hands, the clean scent of his skin, and the quiet, steady reassurance of his voice still made her pulse skip a beat.
She took a slow, steadying breath to calm the unexpected flutter of butterflies in her stomach, reminding herself that tonight was supposed to be a celebration of the summer games victory.
There would be plenty of time to explore those new, exciting feelings later, but for now, she needed to keep herself composed, shield firmly in place.
Isabel was dressed in similar attire as they met in the hotel suite and then drove to Pete’s diner in Penny’s rental car.
"Are we actually going to get a parking spot, or are we destined to circle this lot until the awards are over?" Isabel asked from the passenger seat, her tone dry but filled with a relaxed humor.
"Pete promised me he'd keep a designated space clear near the service entrance," Penny replied, offering a confident smile as she navigated the vehicle through the crowded gravel lot of the Gulf Coast Grille.
The diner was decidedly buzzing with life.
The stark, golden light of the neon signs reflected off the polished hoods of the cars, and the rich, mouthwatering scent of hickory smoke and baking yeast rolled across the gravel.
Penny guided the sedan into the small, reserved slot near the side path, killed the engine, and let out a long, contented sigh.
They’d made it, and they were fully ready for a night of victory, dancing, and fun.
As they climbed out into the humid night air and started making their way around the back toward the large barn, Penny reached into her leather handbag, her fingers brushing past her keys until they locked onto a small plastic sheet.
She pulled a bright, custom sticker from her purse and, with a satisfied grin, slapped it firmly onto the left side of her cotton shirt.
Isabel stopped and raised a brow before rolling her eyes toward the sky as she took in the bold, printed letters on Penny's chest. She shook her head in sheer, good-natured disbelief.
"Really?" she asked, her voice carrying a dry amusement. "Proud to be the Hearts Hotel Team's Vice-Captain? You actually had those printed?"
"Yeah," Penny grinned, adjusting the edges of the adhesive backing. "Michael and Maggie have their official captain ones on, so we're wearing these tonight. It’s a matter of team solidarity."
"Oh, good grief," Isabel sighed, walking around the hood to join her on the gravel path. "You are officially drunk on power."
"Oh, wait, there’s more!" Penny said, a flash of pure mischief lighting up her features as she reached back into her purse and pulled out a thick handful of identical stickers. "I have ones for the entire team as well. It's for when we collect all the heavy trophies we won today."
She held one of the printed sheets out to Isabel upside down, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Isabel took the paper, turning it over to read the text in the glow of the parking lot lamps. She let out an incredulous scoff, her hand dropping to her side.
"I am truly not wearing this!” Isabel’s expression said absolutely not. No way in heck. “You are... you three are acting like total dictators."
"What?" Penny asked, her expression turning thoroughly innocent. "All it says is 'Proud of our Hearts Hotel captains and vice-captain, who led us to victory.' It’s a simple, factual statement."
"No!" Isabel said, pushing Penny’s hand away with a small laugh. "Decidedly not. You are a complete lunatic."
She turned on her heel to walk toward the rustic barn doors, but Penny’s grin only widened.
She quickened her pace, her boots clicking rhythmically against the gravel as she caught up to her friend near the entrance.
With a swift, practiced movement of her wrist, she slapped the adhesive sticker directly onto the center of Isabel’s chest.
"Come on, we still need the proper team spirit," Penny said triumphantly, pushing the heavy wooden doors open before Isabel could reach around to peel the paper off.
They walked into the barn, and the vibrant scene of the hoedown instantly wrapped around them.
Pete had gone above and beyond with the decorations.
The cavernous, high-ceilinged space was illuminated by hundreds of twinkling white fairy lights strung across the massive oak rafters, casting a romantic glow over the entire room.
Hand-woven gingham banners and fresh cedar boughs lined the timber walls, and the sweet, rich scent of slow-cooked barbecue ribs and rich apple cider hung thick in the air.
At the far end of the floor, a local country band was set up on the elevated wooden stage, the fiddler playing a lively, upbeat bluegrass tune while they waited for the formal awards ceremony to begin.
Couples were already swaying near the edges of the room, talking and sipping cold beverages from mason jars, while children chased each other through the gaps in the hay bales, all of them dressed in adorable, miniature hoedown outfits.
"Over here!" a bright, excited voice called out over the music.
They turned to see five familiar, fresh-faced kids walking toward them through the crowd.
Emma, Sophia, Lily, Jake, and Toby were all dressed in their festival best, wearing faded denim jeans, luxury plaid shirts, and leather boots.
But the crowning glory of their outfits was the matching, oversized straw cowboy hats perched on their heads.
Emma and Sophia were each carrying an extra hat in their hands.
"You both look incredible," Sophia complimented them, her eyes taking in their fresh outfits with a nod of approval.
"I love this look on both of you," Lily added, her expression bright with genuine affection.
"Oh, you just need this to complete the outfit," Emma said, reaching up to hand her grandmother the straw hat she was holding, while Sophia stepped forward to offer Penny the other one.
Penny took the hat, her brow furrowed slightly as she looked down at the woven straw. "And what exactly is this for?"
"Pete's orders," Lily explained, her voice carrying a pragmatic, serious weight. "Everyone entering the barn has to be wearing a hat tonight."
"It is for one of the special dances later," Emma added, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Something about a synchronized hat tip at the end of the line dance."
"What?" Penny said, an amused chuckle escaping her lips as she carefully placed the straw hat onto her head, adjusting the brim so it sat straight. "Do we need to get a piece of dried hay to tuck between our teeth for the full effect too?"
The kids all burst into a chorus of delighted giggles.
"We can easily arrange that if you want," Emma told her teasingly, nudging Jake’s shoulder.
"Please don't," Penny said in mock horror, looking around the beautifully decorated barn. "Pete might actually do it for the sake of true authenticity. He takes everything to the next level on that stage."
Penny let out a slow, steadying breath, her fingers lightly adjusting the stiff brim of the woven straw hat Sophia had placed on her head.
She and Isabel followed the five eager, laughing teenagers deeper into the buzzing coziness of the decorated barn.
The lively bluegrass fiddle music swelled around them, competing with the happy, relaxed chatter of the local crowd and the pleasant clatter of mason jars from the beverage tables.
Penny looked over the sea of faces, trying to convince herself that she was merely scanning the room to locate their friends, but her heart knew better.
Her eyes swept past the wooden support pillars wrapped in twinkling fairy lights, searching the room until they landed on the far side of the dance floor where the rest of their crowd had gathered.
She spotted Owen first, standing near a stack of hay bales.
The moment his gaze locked onto them, his face lit up with a brilliant, welcoming expression, and he raised his hand to wave them over.
His green eyes remained fixed on Isabel, filled with an intense adoration that made Penny’s lips curve into a big, supportive smile.
She tracked his wave, her eyes moving across the tight-knit group.
She saw Darius and Linda standing close together near the edge of the riser, their shoulders brushing in a show of unity, while Michael and Maggie stood beside them, laughing over a shared clipboard.
Baxter and Gill were slightly further back, talking quietly with Martin.
And that's when her breath caught.