When the last player finally left, Penny quickly picked up her phone. She’d received a few text messages from Brett, but hadn’t been able to respond.
How’s your day going?
Got to mop up a sewage leak this morning, so I’m winning
Did Jordan make a pass at you yet?
Penny’s cheeks flamed at that one. Jordan hadn’t been making a pass, had he? He was just being nice.
Want to go out for dinner tonight? Unless you already have plans
Penny wrote back.
I see how it is. We get to go out on your assigned dinner night?
LOL. I’m paying
The rest of the week fell into a blissful routine. Mornings filled with slow kisses and Brett’s hands on her skin, then errands and work during the day, and hours of laughter and conversation accompanied by good food in the golden summer nights.
Penny ignored Kelty and Emma’s invitations and Brett barely responded to his teammates. They wrapped themselves in their cocoon and only contacted the outside world when forced to. Then Friday afternoon hit, and Penny found herself standing with Brett at the front door with his packed bag.
“I’ll see you Sunday night then.” Brett adjusted his hold on the strap to his duffel. He’d already stowed his tent and air mattress in the trunk of his car.
Penny nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. This was ridiculous. She was acting like a lovesick teenager. Brett was only going to be gone for two days total, and she’d be working the lacrosse games anyway.
“What did you decide about the concert?” Brett asked, glancing down at the floor.
Penny exhaled. “I’m not going to go. I don’t know anyone else there besides Jordan and—”
“Thank you.” Brett sighed and reached for her.
She laughed and tried to meet his eyes, but he crushed her to his chest. “You said you didn’t care!”
“I lied.”
She pushed back and fixed him with an indignant stare. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“So you wouldn’t think I’m a jealous bastard.”
Penny wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down to her lips. She kissed him, then whispered. “I kind of like it.”
“In that case, I wouldn’t hate it if you ditched Jordan as a patient.”
She gave his left butt cheek a squeeze. “Not going to happen.” Brett groaned and tried to hold onto her arms as she stepped back. “Have a great trip with the fam.”
“I wish you could come.”
Penny smirked. “So you can keep tabs on me?”
“All the tabs. Also my hands.” Brett wet his lips, and Penny’s stomach dropped like she was stuck at the top of a rollercoaster.
“Sunday.”
Brett nodded then opened the door and walked out. And then Penny was alone. Thankfully, the game that night was out in Chestermere, so she had a bit of a drive to fill the time. She cleaned and prepped food for the weekend, then went early so she didn’t have to keep wishing Brett was home.
The game was entertaining, and though she’d never wish an injury on anyone, she hated twiddling her thumbs on the sidelines. When she returned to a silent apartment, she turned on the Xbox and practiced Halo against the CPU until her eyes burned, just like she had as a kid. When she went to bed, she couldn’t even bury her face in Brett’s pillow since he’d taken it with him, so she settled for the hoodie he’d tossed over the chair.
Brett texted in the morning.
