“No, it’s fine.” I smile at him, but I can feel just how fake it is. I take a step toward the hallway. “I got caught up in the moment. You know, hormones and all of that.” I nervously laugh and move backward again, but in my retreat, my heel snags in the entryway rug, and I tip backward, landing flat on my ass. Embarrassment washes over me as the top half of my dress falls off my shoulders.
“Jesus,” he says, quickly coming to my rescue and attempting to help me up, but I ignore his help and stand on my own. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” I answer. My cheeks are flaming as I adjust the top of my dress. “I’m fine.” I then muster up a yawn. “I’m actually just going to go to bed. Pretty late night.”
“Penny, let’s talk about this.”
To my absolute horror, a tear slips down my cheek, and I quickly swipe it away. “I’d really rather not.”
“I don’t want you to be upset.”
Too late for that.
“I’m really fine. Okay. Just . . . just let me do my thing.”
His eyes are full of compassion. “I don’t want to mess anything up.”
Too late.
“It’s fine, Eli. Okay. I’m just going to change. Do what you want to do. You know if you want to go out with the boys or something.”
“You know I don’t want to do that.”
“Well then, just do something,” I say, moving down the hallway. “Good night.”
When I reach my bedroom, I shut the door behind me, then quickly grab my phone on the nightstand and take it into the closet, where I collapse to the floor, tears streaming down my cheeks.
I don’t think I’ve ever been more embarrassed in my life.
He doesn’t want me.
He doesn’t want me at all.
I call Blakely and bite my lower lip while I wait for her to pick up, tears continuously flowing down my cheeks.
“Hello?”
“Hey,” I say, my voice choked up.
“Penny, what’s wrong?”
“I . . . I kissed him, and he told me to stop.”
“What?” she says in outrage. “Wait, where are you?”
“In my closet, hiding from him.”
“Okay, I’m actually right around the corner. Want to meet me at the coffee shop?”
“Be there in five.”
* * *
By the time I arrive,Blakely is sitting at a table with two drinks and a cookie. When she spots me, she immediately stands and pulls me into a hug.
I welcome her embrace and cry into her shoulder, thankful for her friendship.
When I hung up, I quickly changed out of my dress and into a pair of sweats and a long-sleeved T-shirt. I threw my hair up in a bun and then took off. Told Eli on my way out that I’d be back. He’s texted me five times since I left. I haven’t answered them.
