PENNY
FOR THE NEXT hour, I'm on autopilot and trying desperately to keep my emotions in check. I feel utterly drained and defeated. I've been doing everything I can think of to bring Colton back, but it's all proving to be futile. My mind is telling me to move on, but my heart is frantically clinging on to the love of my life and begging me to not give up on him.
"You know, you're going to rub a hole right through there if you keep that up," a voice says.
I look up from the cloth that I had been rubbing over the same spot on the countertop for what seems like hours. A handsome guy with dark blond hair and piercing blue eyes is staring at me. I instantly recognize him as the guy from the fundraiser, the one who was in line for the dunk tank right before Colton got into a fight. Once again I'm struck with a strong sense of familiarity, but I can't place him other than seeing him that day.
It's almost closing time, and he's one of only a few customers left in the bar. It's been a slow night, unfortunately, and I've had way too much time to dwell on things and keep running them in my mind over and over again. After seeing Ruby Sue kiss Colton and finding out they've been together foryears, I feel like I'm dying inside. It's going to take me a long time to recover from the shock of seeing them together.
Desperate for the distraction, I ask the guy, "What can I get you?" I put the cloth away and flash him a fake smile.
"Miller Lite."
As I'm popping the cap off the bottle, the man tilts his head and smiles. "You don't know who I am, do you?"
I pass him the beer. As his fingers graze over mine, a little flicker of electricity passes between us, sending hot sparks down my spine. Hastily, I withdraw my hand. "Sorry," I mutter, staring into his piercing, blue eyes. "Should I know you?" He had stuck out in the crowd the other day at the fundraiser, and I'm beginning to feel like I know him from somewhere. "You do look familiar," I confess, flashing him another phony grin.
"Here. I'll give you a clue." He puts his hands in front of him like he's praying. "Please, Penny. Please go out with me," he says in a nasally tone with a wink.
My mouth falls agape.That voice. I do know him. "Tucker. Tucker Hayward?" I ask in astonishment.
"The one and only," he says in a seductive voice that causes a chill to run through me.
The Tucker Hayward I knew back in the day was a scrawny, nerdy teenager. The man in front of me is anything but. He's built like a brick shithouse, and I can't stop my eyes from roaming over the bulging muscles threatening to burst through his t-shirt. "You…you've grown up," I stammer.
He laughs a hearty laugh, and it makes me smile a real, genuine smile this time. "Yeah, you could say that. No more awkward high school days." He runs a hand over his short hair and grins, showing off his perfectly white smile. "You look exactly the same, Penny," he says.
The way he says my name sends another chill through me. "I'll take that as a compliment," I hesitantly tell him.
"Oh, it definitely is."
I can't help but grin from ear to ear. It's nice to see that Tucker Hayward has finally come out of the shell that he was stuck in for so long. I remember him in high school always carrying a book, usually Hemingway or Tolstoy, and always shyly telling me hello in the hallways. Tucker always carried a torch for me. That's what everyone told me anyway, but I was too blind to see it back then. My heart beat for Colton and only Colton. I only had eyes for him. That's just the way it was. Tucker knew that, but he never gave up. He asked me to every party, every homecoming and every prom. And without fail, I always turned him down.
Suddenly, however, I feel as though our roles have been abruptly reversed, because the longer I sit here with Tuck, the more flustered I'm getting. He's hot. Incredibly so. And I know for a fact that he's brilliant. I'd been competing with him all through high school for the highest GPA, but Tucker had me beat hands down. He was valedictorian for our class, and I couldn't have been prouder of him. Tuck was a good friend and a great study buddy, but I never let things go any farther than that between us.
I watch as Tucker takes a swig of his beer, his Adams apple bobbing in his throat. My mouth is suddenly dry, and I quickly reach for my ice water. Who knew that one day I'd have a crush on Tucker Hayward? Stranger things have happened I suppose.
Movement from the other side of the bar catches our attention, and we both turn to see Colton standing there, shooting daggers into both of us. Tucker furrows his brows and meets my gaze once more. In a low voice, he asks, "So, you and Colton are…?"
"Nothing," I whisper. "Not any more." It pains me to say that out loud, but it's true. If he has a girlfriend, then there is no possibility of us being together. It's heartbreaking, but the truth.
"Wow. I guess thingsdochange after high school."
Oh, he has no idea.
Tucker takes another drink of his beer before setting it down. "So, Penny Preston is back in town, and nobody told me."
"Nobody tells me much of anything either," I grumble.
"Oh?" he asks, curiously.
I shake my head, dismissing his question. I'm not ready to share with Tucker all the heartbreak and betrayal I've experienced since high school. I'm actually enjoying the distraction he's providing me right now, and I want to continue our nice, easygoing conversation. It's taking my mind off of…other things. "It's nothing," I say softly.
"Ah," Tucker says, nodding in understanding. "So…how long have you been working here?" He's quick to change the subject, for which I'm grateful.
"Not long. I've only been back in Willowbrook for a couple of weeks now."
His fingertips peel at the label on the bottle of beer. He seems awkward and shy all of a sudden, and it reminds me of the Tucker I knew back then. "Staying long?"
