“You dropped something.”
I turn my attention to Travis. “What?” I ask, knowing I’m going to regret it.
“Your pissy attitude.”
I roll my eyes, and he chuckles, glancing at the girls, butthen his laughter shuts off. Some dude Ellie invited swoops in, dragging her away, and his glare follows them.
Olivia smiles, then flicks her attention my way. She curls a finger, summoning me, and I immediately stand. I clap a hand on Travis’s shoulder. “You good?”
“Yup.”
He’s lying, but he’s in denial and will probably stay that way forever. I don’t think he and Ellie are anything more than friends, and I’m pretty sure that bothers him, though he’ll never admit it.
I take off and grab Olivia, spinning her around, then back to my chest. I dance with her until her feet start to give out. When I can’t keep going, I carry her out despite the protest of her best friend, who isn’t ready to leave. I have plans for my girl.
52
OLIVIA
I wake up well-rested and…sore,but in the best way.
Penn and I christened every inch of this Airbnb last nightandthis morning. I’ll take the soreness of having him over missing him any day.
He’s still sleeping, and I don’t want to wake him. I know how tired he’s been, and how much being on the road has affected him. It’s not as much being gone, even though that’s what he claims. It’s the way he worries about everything—everyone—while he’s away. Me, his mom, and his sister. He’s even concerned about his uncle Ray and how he’s handling the shop.
I do my best to assure him we’re all good. Pacey and I have spent a lot of time together over the last two months. She enrolled in culinary school and is thriving. It seems baking is her thing. He’s a worrier at heart because he cares so deeply about those in his life. Protective and loyal to a fault.
I brush his dark hair away from his eyes, and they flutter open. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone more beautiful. Iused to worry that we didn’t look right together. Too different. But I realized that’s not what matters. Wefeelright together.
“Mornin’, Barbie.”
I press a kiss to his plush lips. I can’t help it. Morning breath be damned; I know he loves me anyway. “Morning.”
“Shower with me?”
We take a long shower, washing each other and savoring every last minute together. Then he pushes me up against the shower wall and makes love to me real slow and tender. He touches and kisses every inch of my skin as if he doesn’t want it to end.
I throw on one of his hoodies that makes it look like I’m not wearing anything underneath. He grins as he slips on a pair of gray sweatpants that should be illegal for him to wear. I can always see the outline of his thick cock.
“My eyes are up here, Barbie.” He teases.
I shake my head, grabbing my phone. I never heard Ellie come in last night, and I’m trying not to freak out. Travis promised he’d watch her.
She texted at three this morning, stating she was fine, but what does that mean? Fine where? Fine how? When I call her, it goes straight to voicemail.
“Can you ask Travis where Ellie is?”
Penn nods and picks up his phone, but he gets the voicemail, too. I chew on my lip. I don’t think they’d be together. She was hanging out with that guy from the venue last night.
“He’s probably still asleep. Come on”—he grabs my hand—“I need to go back to the hotel and grab another change of clothes anyway.”
A short ten-minute drive later, we’re pulling into the hotel parking lot. There’s a small group of girls hanging out by the doors, and as soon as we walk up, they turn their attention to us. Their eyes widen and zero in on Penn, who’s holding my handand not looking their way. I’m not even sure he notices them until they block our path.
“Oh my God!” one of them screams.
“Hi, Penn! Can you sign my bra?” another asks, holding out a Sharpie.
I suck in a breath. Is this what it’s like for them now?
