Yep. I definitely deserve that medal.
* * * * *
The countdown to Penny leavin' is like a huge alarm clock above my head. Every time I try to talk to her, she ignores me. If she's not gonna give me a chance to explain, how can I get her to change her mind about leavin'? It's killin' me that I can't hold her in my arms. Our times we spent together run over and over again in my head. I can't stop thinkin' about her. I miss her, and she's still here. How am I goin' to handle it when she's gone for good?
I walk into the bar, and my level of anger jumps from zero to a thousand the moment my eyes land on Tucker Hayward. He's sittin' at the counter, and Penny is behind the bar. He's nursin' a beer, and Penny is leanin' over, givin' him a clear shot of her breasts in a low cut top. The sad thing is she probably doesn't even realize she's givin' Tucker a show. But I'm sure he knows, and I'm sure he's enjoyin' it.
Steppin' in front of the bar, I slam my hand down on the wood to garner her attention. She jumps and glares at me. "Where's the grocery list?" I ask. I sound pissed off without even really meanin' to, and she instantly goes on the defensive.
"I didn't finish writing it out yet, Colt," she says before turnin' her attention back to Tucker.
That girl can push my buttons quicker than anyone. My body trembles as even more anger courses through my veins. "Well, if you weren't too busy flirtin' with the customers, maybe you would have gotten your work done." She worries her bottom lip between her teeth, and I can't tear my eyes away from her pretty little mouth. "I'm here for the list. You wanted me to get groceries. I need the list. I don't have all day to wait around for you to do somethin' you were supposed to do hours ago!" I'm yellin' at her over somethin' trivial, but I can't seem to control myself around Penny. I'm either runnin' hot or within the deepest depths of Hades with her. There's no median, and I don't know why. I'm just so damn angry that she's givin' this asshole the time of day, but she won't even let me talk to her about me screwin' up. I need to apologize, but how can I when she won't even hear me out?
Penny storms into the kitchen, and I stand at the end of the bar, waitin'.
"You don't deserve her," Tucker mutters under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear.
I take a few steps towards him. He stands, our chests only a few inches apart. I clench my hands into fists, but keep them at my sides. "You got a problem with me, Tucker?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I do actually."
Tucker's a few inches shorter than me and doesn't have the kind of muscle mass I do, but I give him credit for not backin' down. He stands tall, not flinchin', his eyes borin' into mine. "You wanna say something? Say it," I spit out.
"You probably already know Penny's leaving with me at the end of the summer. But what you don't know is I plan on proposing to her shortly after that. I'm going to marry that girl. BecauseIdeserve her."
His words slice through me like a knife in my chest, twistin' until it's hard for me to breathe.
He continues, "I just want you to know that I will make her happy. I will cherish Penny, and I will give her the life she deserves."
"And why the fuck are you tellin' me this?" I ask.
"Because the only thing that is stopping her from leaving isyou." His finger pokes me in the chest, and I have the sudden urge to break it off. He withdraws his hand as the waves of anger roll off of me. "She is having second thoughts about leaving because of you. And I don't want to risk the chance that she'll come running back here shortly after we're in New York. You need to let her go, Colt. Let her be happy. I love Penny. I have always loved her. And her future should be with someone who loves her as much as I do." He throws his hands up in frustration. "You don't even remember her, Colt, but yet you let her hang around, letting her make a fool of herself. She can't see it, but I do. In fact, everyone sees it….except for you, of course."
"Why don't you let Penny decide what she wants?"
"Why don't you?" He lets out an exasperated sigh. "Don't you see what you're doing, Colt? You can't have the best of both worlds. You either love her or you let her go. And I'm asking you to let her go since you obviously don't love her anymore. She just needs a little push in the right direction, because I know she feels guilty as hell for not coming back sooner. But as soon as you cut her loose of this hold you have over her, she'll be free to make a decision." He hesitates. "And I know she will choose me."
I clench my fists in anger. Who knew Tucker would have the balls to say all of this to my face? I close my eyes as I try to reel in my frustration. His words replay in my mind over and over, and slowly my anger extinguishes and is replaced by sadness. "You're right," I say. Tucker's eyes widen. He probably expected me to yell back, maybe hit him. I don't know. But I can't do any of those things, because what he said is true. "I don't deserve her."
"So you'll stay away from her?"
The thought of stayin' away from Penny makes my chest hurt. And the thought of her leavin' New York and marryin' Tucker makes my head pound with a ferocious headache. A quick burst of panic surges through me, and I have no idea why. It's in that moment that I realize that I can't let her go. I won't. "No. You have until the end of the summer to convince her to go with you. Penny will decide what she wants. And if she wants me, well, then you're just shit outta luck, bud."
"You have a girlfriend," he spits out.
"Why does everyone keep sayin' that?" I ask, exasperated.
"Because you do!" Tucker exclaims. "You've been with Ruby Sue for three years, Colt." His face contorts with anger. "Or is she just another one of the girls that you like to string along and fuck with no hope of a future with you?"
His words slam through me, and I raise my fist to slam through him.
Penny rushes out into the room and latches onto my arm before I can connect with Tucker's face. I use my free hand to shove Tucker away from me. I'm tired of his shit. He stumbles, but keeps his balance.
"What are you two fighting about?" Penny yells, steppin' in between us. Her head turns back and forth to look at each of us with a raised brow, waiting for an answer to her question. "Well?"
"It's not important," I say through gritted teeth.
Tucker's eyes narrow into slits as he glares at me. "Not important, huh? I guess we'll see what choice is made then. I think we both know who it's gonna be."
