CHAPTER TEN | London #2
Finally, after the longest fifteen minutes of my life, Penn gets up and, without a word, exits the office. I look out the window, making sure he’s out of earshot before blowing out an audible breath.
“Goodbye to you, too,” I grumble, turning my attention back to my computer, determined to get my morning work done as quickly and efficiently as possible so as not to give him any more reason to berate me like the incompetent employee he clearly thinks I am.
“SO, HOW ARE YOU LIKING working for Penn?” Travis takes a tentative sip of coffee as he sits across the small table from me, legs stretched out in front of himself like he couldn’t be more relaxed.
Wish some of that would rub off on me. Lord knows I could use it.
“I don’t like it. Not even a little bit.”
He sputters on his coffee, half laugh, half cough, like this was the furthest thing from the answer he expected me to give.
“No?” He arches a brow. “Might be the first time I’ve heard that response. Everyone loves Penn. Or at least, I thought they did.”
“Penn and I go way back and let’s just say we aren’t exactly friendly.”
“Oh...” He seems amused by this, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, drawing my focus to his full lips.
Travis is a lot better looking than I originally gave him credit for. Needless to say, he cleans up well. I almost didn’t recognize him when I first walked in—dressed not in dirty overalls but in dark jeans and a white shirt, his sandy-blond hair still wet from the shower.
“Yeah, oh.” I take a drink of my latte because I have no idea what to say, trying hard not to grimace at the bitter taste. I don’t know why I ordered coffee. I should have just ordered a tea or something.
“So when you say you go way back...”
“We dated in high school,” I answer honestly because I have no reason to lie. It’s not like Penn and I are some big secret. Ask anyone in town and they’ll tell you we used to be inseparable.
Boy, how things have changed...
“I see.” He nods slowly. “I take it that it ended badly.”
“You could say that.”
“So then why are you working for him exactly?”
“No other option. I just moved back from New York. My parents wouldn’t let me stay with them unless I got a job.
This was one of the only positions available that I was even remotely qualified for and that’s only because of my dad and the fact that I practically grew up at the docks.
Plus, it’s temporary and, given that I’m still trying to figure out my next move, temporary is good.
” I blow out a breath. “Sorry, you’re probably regretting asking me for coffee right about now. ”
“Not at all.” Hair falls across his forehead when he shakes his head, and instinct has me wanting to reach out and push it back away from his face. I don’t, obviously. “I respect that you do what needs to be done, despite the fact that it puts you working for your ex.”
“I appreciate you saying so. I think most people assume I’ve officially lost it.”
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m not most people.” His eyes crinkle at the edges.
“I guess so,” I agree.
“So is your plan to stay in Wren Cove?”
“It is. At least for now.”
“I’ve always wanted to visit New York. What’s it like there?” he asks instead of pushing for more information about Penn or our past and, truthfully, I appreciate that more than he knows.
“It’s incredible there. Some people think it’s too noisy and there are too many people, but that’s one of the things I loved most about it. Nothing compares to New York City. At least not for me.”
“So then why did you leave?”
“Have you seen the rent on a studio apartment in the city? It’s too expensive, I guess is what I’m trying to say.”
“I get that. Try living in LA. I spent two years there and paid more for a roach-filled apartment than I spend on my 2,000 square foot home with an acre of land here.”
“LA, huh?”
“My younger self thought he was going to be a famous actor one day. Needless to say, I couldn’t hack it.”
“Dancer.” I point inward at myself. “I wanted to dance for the New York Ballet.”
“No shit.”
“Guess you could say, I couldn’t hack it either.”
“Why do I have a hard time believing that? You don’t seem like the kind of woman who knows how to fail.”
“I appreciate that, but you don’t know me well enough to make such a bold statement. I can fail just as spectacularly as the next person. And I did.” I force a smile to cover how sad saying that makes me feel. “So you lived in LA. Where did you live before that?”
“I’m originally from a town not very dissimilar to Wren Cove. A little coastal town called Fayetteville. It’s about an hour north from here.”
“I’m familiar with Fayetteville. My mom used to take me to the mall in Jackson, and we’d always stop and eat in Fayetteville at this little pizzeria.”
“Petro’s Pizza.”
“That’s the one. How did you know?”
“There’s only one pizza place in Fayetteville. As I said, not too dissimilar from Wren Cove.”
“It used to be a lot quainter. I couldn’t believe how much things had changed as I was driving back into town that first day.”
“Unfortunately, that seems to be the theme these days. Small towns being overrun by major corporations. Sad to see, really.”
“Yes, it is. So what brings you to Wren Cove, Travis?”
“Trav.” He gives me a cheeky grin.
“Okay, Trav. What brings you to Wren Cove?”
“Money. Believe it or not, the fishing industry can be quite lucrative. I can make more money out on a boat than I could ever hope to make in a factory, which is about all I’m qualified to do at this point.
I don’t know about you, but I’ll take the open ocean and the fresh sea air over being stuck inside any day. ”
“You sound like my dad.”
“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment. I’m quite fond of your father. We all are.”
“He’s a good man.”
“Randy is the best. I wish I had a father like him.”
“He was tough on me growing up. Still is, really. But I know there isn’t a thing I could ask of that man that he wouldn’t do for me if I really needed him to.”
“And isn’t that what a good father does? Tough when he needs to be but would walk through fire for you too.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” I smile, surprised by how easy he is to talk to.
I just happen to choose that moment to look down at my phone that’s sitting face up on the table, realizing that my break is nearly over. A part of me wants to say screw it and stay. I’m convinced that I could sit here and talk to Trav for hours if I were able to.
“Well, as much as I hate to cut this short, I should probably head back. It’s a fifteen-minute walk and I only get an hour break.”
“I’ll walk you back. I mean, if that’s okay.”
“I’d like that,” I say, surprised that I actually mean it.
“Cool.” He finishes off his coffee in one gulp, setting his cup on the table before pushing to a stand.
“Shall we?” He extends his hand to me, and I take it, allowing him to pull me to my feet.
“You want to get a to-go cup for that?” He gestures to my latte, which has barely been touched with the exception of a few sips.
“No, I’m not much of a coffee person if I’m being honest.”
“Then why did you order coffee?” He gives me a bewildered look, that dang smile making another appearance.
“Because you asked me for coffee. It seemed weird to get anything else.” I shrug.
“You are something else, you know that.” He chuckles.
“So I’ve been told.” I smile up at him, having not realized until this exact moment how much taller than me he actually is.
“Come on. Let’s get you back to work. We don’t want to ruffle Penn’s feathers too much.” He guides me toward the door, holding it open for me before following me out onto the sidewalk.
“I don’t think his feathers could ruffle any more than they already are where I’m concerned.” I can’t stop myself from saying.
“So when you say you two dated in high school... Was it serious? Just trying to figure out if I need to watch my back, is all. Penn’s a good dude and all, but men are territorial creatures.” He grins, bumping his shoulder gently against mine.
“It was about as serious as it gets.”
“I see. And who broke whose heart?”
“Well, if you ask him, I broke his heart.”
“I’m asking you.”
“I think the breaking was mutual.”
“Sleep with one eye open is what you’re telling me.”
“If you value your life,” I tease with a soft laugh. “In all seriousness, I don’t think you need to worry about Penn. He’s made it pretty clear how he feels about me.”
“And how’s that?”
“Pretty sure he hates the ground I walk on.”
“You? Not possible.”
“You say that now. Wait until you see the way he looks at me. If looks could kill, I would have been six feet under the second I walked into his office for the first time.”
“Well, then he’s a damn idiot.”
“Maybe you could tell him so.”
“Maybe I will. Who needs a job anyway.”
It’s my turn to knock my shoulder against his. “Don’t you dare.”
“Isn’t that what friends are for?”
“Maybe get to know me a little better before you blow up your life for me.”
“I’ll think about it.”
By the time we reach the docks, my cheeks hurt from smiling and I honestly can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself so thoroughly. I may have been hesitant to accept his invitation initially, but I am so glad that I did.
At least, that’s what I think until we round the corner at the exact moment that Penn steps out of the office. His eyes find me in an instant, seconds before narrowing in on Travis.
I wish I could say my heart doesn’t constrict in my chest at the sight of him, but that simply wouldn’t be true.
He’s wearing the same navy blue shirt and faded jeans that he had on this morning, only now his hair is disheveled, standing on all ends like he’s run his fingers through it a hundred times over.
Penn has, and will always be, the kind of man who takes my breath away.
It doesn’t matter how fractured our relationship is; that will never not be true.
“Hey, boss man.” Trav seems completely unaffected by Penn’s sudden appearance, and I wish I could say the same for myself. I want to be unaffected. I want to not care. But I simply can’t get my heart on board.
“Travis.” Penn gives him a slight nod before turning his attention to me. “Late again, I see.”
I quickly glance at my watch to see that I am, in fact, a couple of minutes late. Crap.
“That’s my fault.” Trav is quick to stand up for me.
“I don’t care whose fault it is. I expect you to manage your time appropriately. This is your last warning.” He chastises me like a toddler before storming off without another word.
“Shit, you weren’t joking.”
“Told you he hates me.”
“Or he’s still in love with you.”
“Ha. Ha,” I deadpan. “Does that look like a man in love?”
“Looks like a man who wants to rip someone’s head off, so yeah, maybe.” His shoulders shake with laughter.
“Well, whatever it is, it’s not my problem. It is, however, my problem if I get fired. So I should get inside before he decides to come back and do just that.” I turn and quickly climb the stairs, pausing at the door to look over my shoulder. “Thank you for the coffee.”
“Maybe next time you’ll let me pick you up, so you don’t have to walk.”
“Next time?” I smirk.
“Until then.” He bows his head ever so slightly.
“Bye, Trav.” I shake my head, my smile widening.
“London.”
I push open the door and quickly disappear inside.