I walk up to her and pull her into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re back. Was dropping Holden off at day care hard?”
When I pull away, Penny adjusts her dress and says, “A little. I’m glad they offer day care here at the arena so I can go check on him whenever I want.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that gives you some relief.”
“It does.” She sighs. “God, do I look okay? I’m still not back to my pre-baby size, and I was feeling it today when I got dressed.”
“Penny, you look beautiful. It takes time, and there shouldn’t be a standard of when or if you reach your pre-baby figure. You’re beautiful just as you are.”
“Thank you.” Her shoulders droop in relief. “Eli said the same thing to me this morning when I was FaceTiming him. He told me that I was easily the sexiest I’ve ever been. A part of me feels like he was just saying that.”
“I believe him. That man is so in love with you.”
Just then, her phone beeps with a text, and she quickly looks at her screen. “Sorry, the day care said they would text me with . . . oh, it’s Eli.” She takes a second to read it and smiles as she texts him back.
“What did he say?”
“The pervert took a screenshot of me while we were FaceTiming, and I was in my bra and underwear, and he just got done jacking off to it.”
“Well, if you had your doubts, there’s your answer.”
Her smile is from ear to ear as she continues to text him. “God, I shouldn’t be this happy about something like that.” She looks up at me. “But I am.”
“As you should be. I’d be so lucky if I could turn on a guy that much.” I walk over to the virgin mimosas and hold up a glass for her. “To having you back at work.”
She clinks her glass with mine. “I’m so excited to be back. I missed it.” We both take a drink, and she sets her purse down only to take a picture frame out of it. She flashes me a picture of her, Eli, and Holden all together, a professional shot from her newborn photo shoot.
“God, I love your little family. It’s adorable.”
“I love it too,” she says as she sets the picture down on her desk so she can look at it when she’s working. “Are these cronuts?”
“Only the best for my bestie,” I answer while we both sit in the chairs in front of her desk. We each take a cronut and bite into the flaky crunchiness at the same time. “Mmm, these are so good,” she says.
“They really are. I got some for the apartment too. I thought Halsey might like some tomorrow morning. They return tonight, right?”
Penny nods. “Yes. I can’t wait for Eli to get home. I will say this, parenting a newborn by yourself is hard. He’s so great when he’s home that I could use the break for a night.”
“I can’t even imagine.”
“Also, I miss him holding me at night. Having a baby and going through this new experience is scary and alarming at times, so having Eli wrapped around me, comforting me, is really helpful. I feel so lost at night when he’s gone.”
“Well then, I’m glad they’re coming home tonight.” I take another bite of my cronut, a few flakes falling to my black trousers. I brush them off as I say, “You and Holden should come over for dinner tonight and have a meal out on the balcony with me.”
“I’d love that, but I have a lot to do before Eli gets home tonight like laundry and cleaning.”
“Do you want me to help?”
She shakes her head. “No, that’s okay. I’m going to put on the game and get it done while watching it.”
My phone dings with an email and I glance at it, spotting Huxley’s name.
The job offer.
“What’s that look for?” Penny asks.
I snap my head up and offer her a fake smile that barely reaches my cheeks. “Uh . . . nothing.”
She tilts her head to the side, not believing me for a second. “Nice try. You had a scared look on your face.” She nods at my phone. “What just came in?”
