Feelin' completely frustrated, I scrub a hand down my face. "Yeah. Well, he did it without my permission. We're partners. It's a fifty-fifty decision, and I didn't okay this."
She stands her ground. "I'm not leaving."
"Yes, you are!" I grab her by the arm and haul her into the back room. She tries to resist me, but it makes me even angrier. I tighten my grip and roughly pull her behind me. When she yelps in pain, I immediately let go. Her hand covers the place where I had been manhandlin' her. "Shit. I'm sorry. I ---." Frustrated, I rake my hands through my hair. "I didn't mean to hurt you. You just make me so damn angry!" I confess in a hurried rush.
When I turn to her, she's cowerin' from me; and my anger instantly melts away. Everyone else is scared of me and I don't care; but, for some reason, I don't want her to be afraid of me. "You can't be here, Penny," I say forcefully.
"I…I need this job!"
"Why?" I demand. How can the mayor's daughter need a job? I'm sure she's never wanted for nothin' in her life. Never had to work hard. She has no idea what it's like to scrape by.
"Because I have nowhere else to go!"
Her words stun me. I narrow my eyes and ask, "What about your parents?"
A sadness forms in her gaze as she says, "They pretty much disowned me when I said I didn't want to go back to New York."
She's stayin' in Bama? Buddy had told me the other day that Penny was visitin' from New York. I had been eagerly expectin' her departure sooner rather than later. Guess I won't be throwin' that goin' away party anytime soon. "Y-you're stayin' in Willowbrook?" I stammer.
She nods once.
I watch her wince as her fingers gently massage her arm. Slowly, I reach for her. "Let me see." She pulls her hand away, and I curse when I see the red marks in the shape of my fingers on her delicate skin. I rummage through the freezer and pull out an ice pack. I wrap the pack in a washcloth and then hold it onto her arm. "This is why I don't want you around me," I whisper. "You drive me crazy."
"I always drove you crazy," she whispers back. "You just didn't mind it so much back then."
I don't say anything to her comment and force myself to concentrate on the ice pack. Her flowery perfume wafts over me, and it's almost like a key unlockin' a long-forgotten memory. I remember that scent. Before I can stop myself, I ask, "Did you used to wear that perfume before my accident?"
"Yeah," she answers. "You always said it reminded you of ---."
"Home."
I hear her breath hitch as her eyes dart up to meet my gaze. "Yeah. You said your mom would pick a bouquet of flowers from her garden, and the whole house would smell wonderful. The first time I wore that perfume, you told me to never wear anything else ever again. And so I haven't."
I look down at her full, pink lips. Her tongue darts out to wet them, and I have the sudden urge to kiss her. Without thinkin', I'm leanin' closer to her. Our lips are almost touchin' before Buddy comes barrelin' into the room.
"If you two are done arguin', I need help out there." He stares at us and raises a brow. "Or I can give you another minute…"
What the hell am I doin'? Quickly, I step back from Penny and toss the ice pack back into the freezer. I shake my head to break the trance I seem to be under. I almost kissed her. What the hell was I thinkin'? Like that wouldn't complicate things even more? One minute I'm firin' her, and the next we're almost makin' out.
I rush out of the room and make my way to the far end of the bar, as far away from Penny as I can get. Buddy and her walk out of the room and stay on the other side of the bar, much to my relief. I start takin' drink orders and fillin' them, but my mind and eyes keep strayin' to Penny. And I'm quick to notice that my eyes aren't the only ones strayin'. Every single guy in the bar can't stop starin' at her.
After an hour of complete frustration, I finally corner Buddy and ask, "What's up with theuniform? You never made Sheila wear it."
"Sheila was old, dude. No one wanted to see that." His eyes wander over to Penny bent over the counter. "Now I don't know any man in his right mind who wouldn't want to seethat. She's gonna be bringin' in the male customers in droves."
My hands clench into fists, and I have the overwhelmin' urge to punch his fuckin' lights out. "Watch what you say," I hiss through gritted teeth.
"Why?" Buddy asks, challengin' me as he meets my glare.
"Because…because she's an employee now."
Buddy rolls his eyes. "Yeah, sure, that's the only reason." He pushes past me and walks over to Penny to help her out.
I'm instantly jealous as I watch them talk and laugh and make drinks together. I want that comradery and closeness with her, but I don't know why. I shouldn't want her, but I do. It's so damn frustratin'.
After several minutes of fumin' from watchin' their friendly interactions, I decide to put a wedge in between them. "Hey, Penny?" I call.
She turns to me with a wary expression. "Yeah?"
