She sank into the cushions with a quiet breath.
“I don’t know, Pen.” Her voice was softer now. “There’s something there. I haven’t felt anything in a long time.”
Penny’s teasing vanished in an instant. “And that scares you?”
Arden nodded slowly, thumb running along the rim of her mug. “It’s been years since I trusted anyone. Chad let me down. So did my parents. Letting someone close feels…” She trailed off, words catching behind her teeth. “It feels dangerous.”
Penny leaned in, her fingers pressing gently against Arden’s arm—a silent promise, steady and sure. “But Gideon’s different?”
Arden looked down. “Hefeelsdifferent. That’s the part thatterrifies me.” Her voice barely rose above a whisper. “What if I let my guard down, and he ends up proving me right—just like everyone else?”
“I can’t promise anything. But from where I’m sitting? He sees you.Allof you. And he’sstillthere. That’s rare, Arden. Might be worth the risk.”
Arden didn’t reply right away. She nodded once, slowly.
Maybe she believed it.
Maybe she wanted to.
Penny let the moment breathe, then grinned. “Okay—emotional vulnerability break is officially over. I need to wrap this sketch and then we’re pre-gaming for trivia night. I have a title to defend.”
Arden chuckled, shaking her head. “If you start trash-talking too early, you’re going solo.”
“Please. You need me. I carry the team.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
“I will throw you into traffic.”
Penny didn’t look back. “Love you too,” she called, pencil already moving again.
The tightness in her chest didn’t vanish, but it loosened. Just a little. Just enough.
?
Later, Arden tugged her favorite leather jacket on. The rasp of the zipper was somehow satisfying. Grounding.
Beneath it, the black lace top traced her skin.
Softness wrapped in armor. Just like her.
Across the apartment, Penny twirled dramatically, her dress flaring like a celebration in motion. “Let’s go win,” she announced like a queen entering battle.
Arden lifted a brow. “Trivia’s not judged on dramatic flair.”
“First of all, itshouldbe. Second, if it were, we’d already have a trophy.”
Arden rolled her eyes, tugging her sleeve straight,trying not to think abouthow aware she was of the lace beneath the leather.
“So… think Gideon’s going to show up?”
A pause. Long enough to register.
“Maybe.”
Her grin widened. Sharp. Knowing.
Outside, the city stretched before them. Cool air brushed against Arden’s skin as they stepped into the night, carrying the faint bite of oncoming winter.
