Chapter Ten
Penelope
The bed was too cold, too roomy as I rolled over, patting the space and looking for Neal. I had fallen asleep on him, the soft hair on his chest under my cheek as we’d basked in the glow of back-to-back orgasms.
But now the sheets were crisp. Cold.
Something in my belly turned over, and I shoved the anxiety out of the way. After what he’d said, what we’d shared, there was no real worry. Sliding back into my nightgown, I then got cleaned up for the day and then headed down the hall towards the kitchen. The house was peaceful and quiet, save the music that escaped Madeline’s room as she got ready.
With a yawn, I started the coffee going and blearily put two coffee mugs out on the counter. Scrolling through social media, I heard Madeline leave her room. A moment later, her lovely face was smiling around at me.
“Morning, Mom,” she said, leaning over the counter to select a banana.
“Daughter,” I responded, blowing on the top of my freshly poured coffee as I made way over to dump sugar and creamer in it. I loved the caffeine but hated the taste.
“Where’s Neal?”
I raised my brow at the transition to a first-name basis, something I’d been wondering if she’d ever do. “I’m not sure. He left early today.”
“On a Saturday? What a monster.” Madeline took a bite of the banana, munching as she pulled out her own phone to scroll.
“What are you doing today?”
“Adrian called, wanted to know if I can come down to the shop and work for a few hours this afternoon. Is that cool?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Have Church take you, please. No walking in this weather.” The cool gray morning had all the makings of a blustery day. Plus, I liked knowing she was extra safe with the driver.
Madeline grumbled, but there was no heat to it. We sat in companionable silence until she left for more entertaining options in the living room. But I stayed put, the now-cold cup of coffee still in my hands.
Something was wrong. I had been riding so high this morning, only to feel like I’d come crashing back to the Earth in a heap.
Hours passed. Madeline went to the store to help Adrian and returned a few hours later. I’d gotten dressed, straightened my hair, even tried to read a book.
But no Neal.
Church was lingering around the living room with Madeline, obviously aware of the tension in the air, and something finally occurred to me. Moving slowly, perhaps with dread, maybe just with the intense hope that I was dreaming, I went to my purse and pulled out my wallet. The car keys, which I rarely used, were missing.
And, I realized, as I swallowed hard, so was my credit card.
My throat clamped shut, despair curling around me like a vise until I could barely breathe. I leaned my head back, forcing my lungs to work. He was gone.
He’d lied.
He’d stolen.
He had done everything they told me he would.
But this was so much worse. He’d taken my heart with him.
“Madeline,” I said, impressed at how calm my voice sounded. “That night with Neal, where did you two go?”
“Ruby’s Diner, the one with the green sign.” Madeline paused, the silence of the room filling me for a moment before she spoke once more. “He seemed to know her pretty well.”
I nodded, clearing my throat. “I’m sure he does; he had a whole life before us.”
And apparently, he would have after us too. I blinked rapidly, ignoring the pinpricks of tears that threatened.
“Church, can you stay here for a bit?”
“Mom, for the last time, I don’t need a babysitter.”
But I looked at Church, seeing my friend, not just our security. He must’ve seen something in my expression because he nodded immediately.
“I’ll be right back, okay?”
I didn’t wait for a response. I just picked up my bag, threw a coat over my shoulder, and marched to the front door. It wasn’t until I stepped out into the frigid evening air that I realized what I was doing.
I was getting him back.
***
Neal
Fuck this day. My blood pounded in my ears as I stared down at the onslaught of issues we were still facing.
And that was even before I considered what a mess I’d left at home. I’d snuck out, in the dark, like a fucking coward, taking her car and credit card for emergencies. I had meant to be home within the hour, so at the time, I thought that it would be nothing.
But now, as the sun set behind the Chicago skyline, I realized just how screwed I was. I might have been living on the streets before, but I was a criminal now. And I’d stolen from the one person in the world who had complete trust in me.
In short, I’d thrown my life away. All for one stupid secret, which was currently saturated in several hundred gallons of water. Running a hand over my wet, cold hair, I pushed it back from my face. My cell phone had stopped working hours ago, after an unfortunate splash from the basement. My clothes were wet, I was soaked, and my heart ached.
“Mr. Crowe?”
I turned, looking at the young inhabitant and the reason for all of my screw-ups. Her name was Ellie. She and her two little girls were part of Ruby’s system and the latest in a long line of people who stayed at what used to be my home while they waited for another safe place to open up.
I glanced around the living room. Of course, they hadn’t expected a pipe to break upstairs or the deluge of water that would go every which direction. But I knew that Ellie was about two seconds from running once again. That made sense, since she was currently hiding from a nasty ex-husband.
I didn’t interact often with the people Ruby put up in my house. But this was a special occasion, as Ruby was tied up all day, and it wasn’t as if I could let Ellie and her babies sit around in a soggy house. The people I’d called to start draining everything had left for dinner break, and all I could do now was stand as still as possible as Ellie moved closer.
Dark curls hung around a gaunt, anxious face. She was quite pretty, but even I could see the faint bruising along her cheekbone. My fists clenched for a moment, and I could nearly feel her hesitate. I needed to be careful. This woman was risking everything for her and her daughters’ safety.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Crowe. Ruby said you liked to stay detached, so I know this must be a lot for you.”
“It’s fine, Ellie, as long as you’re all safe.” One of the smaller rooms, where Ellie’s oldest, a miniature of her, had been sleeping, was dry. I’d already moved in the other dry mattress so they could all stay together tonight. They might not get much sleep crammed in there, but they would be safe and dry.
Ellie bit her lip, nodding as she retreated a little from the room.
“Neal?”
I turned so fast my boots almost caused me to stumble against the house’s still-wet floors.
I turned and saw her. My Penny standing there at the entrance to the house that I hated more than life itself. And not because of the flooding. I opened my mouth, my hands flying wide as if I might suddenly fall to my knees before her.
But she didn't give me the chance.
“Penny, I can explain,” I whispered.
She looked around the entryway, staring at the beautiful banister, the expensive carpets, even the wall fixtures around us. And I knew what she saw. A man who had chosen to live on the streets to be the bane of existence while in fact owning this house the entire time.
“I spoke with Ruby,” Penny said quietly, stepping in, her posture elegant but rigid. “But I’m still not sure what to believe.”
“What did Ruby say?” I croaked out, my throat as dry as a bone. But before she could answer, I stumbled on. “You have to understand, when my wife died, I was ruined. I had spent years fixing this house, changing it, improving on it, desperate to find a way to make her happy.”
“But she wasn’t.”
My shoulders slumped. “She died in a car accident. She was with another man.”
Penny’s face was pale as she paused by the staircase, graceful fingers reaching out to brush over the wooden edge. “You didn’t know.”
“I had no idea. I was devastated, by both her loss and the fact that I was the last to realize that she’d fallen out of love with me a long time before that.” I gestured around the room. “After that, I couldn’t stay here any longer.”
“You could’ve gotten an apartment or maybe another house?”
This was the hardest part. “I barely knew myself at that point. My depression was a living thing. I believed I didn’t deserve any of it. That I’d driven her to her death by not loving her the way she needed.”
“Oh, Neal…” Penny’s hand covered her lips as she stared at me. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. This house has done more good in the past five years than it ever did for me.” I bumped the toe of my boot into the ground, my head hanging low.
“It’s amazing, Neal. You turned tragedy into joy.”
I was already shaking my head. “I’m no hero, Penny.”
But then she was there in front of me, her perfume washing over me a moment before cool fingertips rested against my chin, gently turning my face up once again. When I looked, Penny was there, stepping closer until our bodies were nearly pressed together.
“Don’t you remember what I said?”
I looked up at her, dreading the look on her face when she realized what a coward I was. But she didn’t look horrified. She didn’t even look mad. She was crying, the crystal drops slipping down her cheeks slowly as she rose up on her toes and pressed a brief kiss to my lips.
“You’re the best kind of hero. You just don’t know it yet.”
We stared at each other, and a moment later, my arms snapped around her, hauling her up against me. “I love you,” I said before she could get in another word. Before whatever happened next, she had to know. It was the most important announcement of my life, and I had to tell her.
Penelope laughed softly, “I love you too.”
I grinned at her, leaning in for a kiss. She stopped me with a press of her finger on my lips. “We need to talk about this, you know.”
“I’m ready to tell you everything.”
Penelope leaned in, pressing her nose against mine. My eyes slipped shut, soaking in the sweetness of her body against mine, my earlier fears melting away as her hands stroked down my neck.
“Can we go home?” The question made my throat tight, my entire body pulsing as I waited for her answer. When my eyes opened, they met hers, blue and bright with love. Carefully, I put her back on the floor, keeping her hand tight in my own.
“Lead the way,” Penelope said softly, waiting for me to decide.
Without looking back, I grabbed my coat off the couch and led Penelope out of my past and into our future.