"Maybe. I haven't decided yet," I say, while wringing a washcloth nervously in my hands. My future is so uncertain right now that I don't know which way is up anymore. I thought I knew what I wanted, but then I met Ruby Sue, and my plans changed in an instant. If Colton has a girlfriend, I don't know if I can stay here. However, a part of me wants to stay and fight for him and win him back…if that's even possible. Maybe he wouldn't even choose me no matter what I did. I hate not knowing what's going to happen next, but I'm afraid I'll be in the dark for quite a while until Colton and I can work out some things.
"I'm visiting the folks for a while before I go back to my apartment in New York," he tells me.
"Oh, how long have you lived in New York?"
His tongue darts out to lick his lips, and I'm suddenly fascinated with the movement. "Since we graduated high school."
"I wish I would have known. I went to college in New York right after graduation, too."
He nods and flashes me a timid smile. "Yeah, I knew you were going to be living there at the same time I was, but I was always too afraid to look you up."
"Now, Tucker Hayward, I would have hung out with you in a heartbeat," I tell him honestly. Tucker was always such a good friend, and he would have done anything for me. "Hell, I could have used my study buddy."
He shrugs nonchalantly. "I'm sure you did just fine without me in college. You were always so smart in high school."
"Me? You were the brilliant one. I was just trying to keep up."
My compliment makes him smile. After a few long moments of uncomfortable silence of Tucker shifting in his chair and looking around the room at anything and everything but me, he finally says, "So, Penny Preston, since you're not dating anyone…"
I look up at Tucker and feel like I've been transported back in time. All those times I turned him down come flashing back to me, and I feel horrible that I never gave him a shot.
He chuckles and nervously runs his hand over the back of his neck. "I'm probably pressing my luck, huh?"
With a big smile, I confidently ask, "Tucker Hayward, would you like to go out on a date with me?"
The look on his face is priceless, and it's almost like I asked him if he would like a million dollars. "Penny, it would be an honor to take you out," he says with his old-fashioned Southern charm.
I grin as I write my cell phone number down on a piece of paper. He takes the number and stares at it for a few seconds. "I feel like I'm in high school all over again." He smirks at me. "But this time I didn't strike out."
I take his hand into mine and gently squeeze. "If I wouldn't have been involved with Colt back then, Tucker, I would have said yes…every time."
His smirk turns into a full-on, heart-stopping smile. "I kept asking on the off chance that you would say yes, Penny. If anyone had a chance with you, I wanted it to be me. I didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to date such a beautiful and wonderful girl."
I blush at his words instantly. It's been so long since I've had a smooth talker trying to woo me. Ever since I got here I feel like all I've been doing is fighting with men. And now this man is making me feel like I'm on top of the world. Such a turn of events, and I couldn't be happier about the distraction. Maybe Tucker is just the person I need to get over Colton since he sure as hell got over me.
Tucker pulls my hand to his lips and places a kiss on top. "Are you free Saturday night?"
Buddy had scheduled me for Friday night and not to be here on Saturday, so I answer with a yes.
"Then it's a date," he says with a wink before releasing my hand. "Where can I pick you up at?"
"Well, I'm living above the bar right now."
He smiles. "Then I'll be waiting outside at six." He finishes off his beer, throws some bills on the counter, stands and walks out the door. And I can't help but watch him walk away. He looks damn good in jeans and a t-shirt.
I'm on cloud nine when he leaves, but a storm rumbles over my good mood as Colton suddenly grabs my arm and hauls me into the back room. "What the hell was that about?" he hisses, seething.
"What?" I ask innocently.
"Do you even know who that is?"
"Yeah. Tucker Hayward. I've known him most of my life, Colt." I shrug off his grip and shake my head at him. He's jealous?Nowhe's jealous? Colton has no right to be jealous. He's the one with a girlfriend. "What's it to you anyway?" I ask, poking him in the chest. Now I'm the one who's getting upset.
"What's it to me?" He hesitates. His eyes dart back and forth as if he's trying to recall something, and his brows bunch together in confusion when he can't.
I take a few steps away from him. I need space. I can't think when he's close to me. "So it's okay for you to make out with yourgirlfriendin front of me, but I can't give a guy my phone number?"
"Girlfriend? She's not my girlfriend." He rakes his fingers through his hair and narrows his eyes at me. "You gave Tucker your phone number?" he asks, angrily.
