PENNY
I WAKE UP with a stretch and a satisfied groan. I feel sore in all the right places, and I can thank Colton for that. With a smile on my face, I reach for him beside me, but instead find the bed empty. The sheets are cold, telling me that he hasn't been here for a while.
Thinking that maybe he's surprising me with breakfast, I quickly use the adjoining bathroom before going downstairs. My smile falters when I see that he's not in the kitchen…or the living room…or any of the rooms downstairs. "Where are you, Colt?" I whisper.
An aching pain starts in my chest, and I rub my palm over it as I swallow back the lump forming in my throat. Does he regret last night? Does he feel like we made a mistake?
I shake my head, dismissing the ideas. No. That can't be it. Maybe he just went for a jog. Or maybe Buddy called about something that happened at the bar. Or maybe he did go to get breakfast because the last I knew he couldn't even make eggs if his life depended on it.
I plaster the smile back on my face, determined to think positively. Things changed between us last night, and I know he felt it too. We're back on the track to finding each other again, and I'm not going to let anything deter that…especially not my negative thoughts.
I leave his house and return to my apartment. I'm working in a few hours, but it's way too early to start getting ready. I decide to make myself a blueberry bagel with cream cheese for breakfast and chill out on the couch while reading a romance novel. The book keeps me preoccupied for the most part; but after a while, I find myself rereading the same page over and over again. All I can think about is Colton. Our night together was passionate, hot, and it has me squeezing my thighs together just thinking about it. Colton and I were always so great together. Five years is a long time to go without being with anyone else, but I'm glad I waited. Somehow I knew Colton and I would end up back together. And last night proved it.
Sighing, I glance at the clock and realize it's time to get ready for work. I take a long shower, enjoying the hot water and steam. I straighten my long blonde hair and put it up in a high ponytail. Then I paint on smoky eyes, a touch of blush and a pale lip gloss to complete the look. I pull on a black Crawford's Bar v-neck tee and a pair of cut-off shorts and slip my feet into my favorite strappy sandals. It's almost eleven o'clock by the time I make it downstairs. That gives me plenty of time to prep for the lunch crowd. Buddy is already in the bar when I walk through the door. I swear he lives here.
Buddy has a solemn look on his face as he says, "I can't believe old Mack died."
So, apparently Colton talked to Buddy, but not me this morning. I match Buddy's expression as I say, "I know. It was a really bad night for Colt." I glance around the empty bar. "Is he here?"
Buddy shakes his head. "He called me a little while ago. Said he was going to be gone until later."
My footsteps falter at Buddy's words. So much for Colton going out to buy me breakfast or any of the other hundred excuses I had thought up for where he disappeared. He didn't even mention about having anywhere to go today. Maybe it just slipped his mind with everything going on. Shaking the negative thoughts off, I go to the kitchen and start prepping.
* * * * *
WORD MUST HAVE traveled fast in town, because we are the busiest we have been since I first started working. All of my baked goods sell out by two o'clock, and I realize I will have to bake more sooner than I thought. Buddy looks pleased as punch as he counts the money in the cash register after the last customer leaves. "Do you think you could bake some more before supper?" he asks eagerly.
I grin and nod. "Sure, Buddy. I want to see if Colton's home yet anyway."
I'm disappointed when I walk into Colton's house and realize it's empty. It feels even emptier without Mack around. I miss that dog so much already. Dashing tears away, I go to the kitchen and get to work on baking pies, a welcome distraction. I picked a bunch of apples the other day, and since apple pie was our bestseller, I decide to make a lot of them.
It takes a while for all the pies to bake and cool before I can return to the bar. Buddy is busy in the back grabbing liquor bottles when he sees me. He sets the bottles down, and takes the large box of pies out of my hands. "These look great, Penny." He breathes deeply. "Smell great too." He takes a pie out of the pile and puts it to the side. "I'm keepin' this one for me," he says with a lazy grin.
I chuckle and help him with the rest of the pies and the liquor bottles. Supper is crazy, and I struggle to keep up with all of the orders. I added a few more items to the menu; and now that we seem to be really taking off business wise, it's hard for me to do everything on my own. Buddy comes in and out of the room, running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I don't think he even knows whether he's coming or going. I sure as heck don't.
A few times I notice he attempts to call Colton with no answer. "Come on, Colt. Where the fuck are you?" he mutters as he rounds the corner while looking dismally at his cell phone.
"Should we be worried?" I ask, suddenly feeling sick to my stomach. What if something happened? I start thinking about the worst possible reasons he could not be returning Buddy's calls just as I hear Colton's voice from the front of the bar.
Feeling relieved, I follow Buddy out to the front of the bar. My face falls as I see Colton stumbling in with his arm around Ruby Sue. She's giggling at something he said, and he looks up at me with a smirk. His expression falters for a second before he returns his attention to Ruby and plasters a big grin on his face.
Now I really do feel sick.
"What the hell, Colt?" Buddy asks. "You don't answer your phone when someone calls you?"
Colt fumbles with his phone and finally draws it out of his pocket. He's clearly drunk. "Oh, yeah," he says nonchalantly. "Whadidja want?" he asks, running his words together.
Buddy motions to the back room, and I hurry back there before Colton and Buddy join me. I stay in the corner of the room near the sink with my head down. I am so embarrassed and furious right now that I can't even think.
"Supper crowd was crazy. We needed you!" Buddy reprimands Colton. "Shelby Rae is out of town visitin' family and couldn't come in. We could have really used your help!"
"S-sorry, man. I was with Ruby S-Sue," he says, slurring his words.
"You show up here drunk off your ass. Fuck, Colt. I thought you'd show up to help. You can't do shit now that you're plastered."
Colton shrugs his shoulders and stumbles out of the room. Buddy looks to me with raised brows, and I tell him, "We've been managing okay without him. Let's just get through tonight."
Buddy nods once. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Penny. I mean that." He gives me a small smile before leaving the room.
