"And now that you've tested the waters, so to speak, I have great news for you." My mother wipes her mouth with a bright blue linen napkin. A wide smile appears on her face as she tells me, "Your father convinced Larry to give you another shot at the internship program. Starting fall semester, you can go back to New York and pick up right where you left off."
I stare at her, flabbergasted. I just got home, and she's already planning for to ship me off back to New York in just a few months and back to something I already decided I didn't want to do. Anger has me curling my fists on the table. "I'm not going back to New York," I say as sternly as I can, standing my ground.
My mother stands quickly and glares at me. "Penelope, youwillbe going back to New York, and youwillenroll in that internship that your father so tirelessly managed to get you another chance for! You do not have a choice in the matter!" she yells before banging her palm down on the expensive oak table.
My mouth falls agape. I've never heard my mother raise her voice before. Maybe everyone has changed since I left. And that's the real root of the problem. I left. Well, I'm not leaving again. Not now. Not ever. Not at least until I can make damn sure that everything is over between Colton and me and there's no chance of resurrecting our relationship. I cringe at the thought of having nothing between us anymore, but I try not to dwell on it. I'm going to fight my hardest to be with him whether he likes it or not, because I know deep down somewhere the boy that I loved is still there. And I will never give up on that boy.Never.
I stand and stare at both of my parents. "I'm not going back," I say, more firmly this time. "I'm staying."
My mother's eyes turn to my father, shooting daggers in his direction. He clears his throat and shifts uneasily in his chair. "Penny, we're willing to pay rent for an apartment in New York, but if you stay…" His voice trails off, and his eyes drop to the table.
"If I stay, then what? What are you going to do, Daddy? Cut me off?" I ask sarcastically.
"Penny, we don't want to, but ---." He clams up at the glare from my mother.
"Yes, we will cut you off financially," my mother confirms. "If you stay," she adds.
"Fine. You think I can't make it on my own? You're wrong. I'm stronger than you think I am, Mama. And you're not gonna push me anymore into doing something I don't want to do." I stand tall and proud. "I love Colton, and I'm going to help him through this, because I know that's what he would do for me if things were reversed."
"Don't ruin your life over a boy, Penny. Think about what you're doing to your future!" my mother yells after me as I amble up the stairs.
I turn around once I reach the top. "For the first time in my life, Mama, I am thinking aboutmyfuture." Then I retreat to my room to pack my things.
After gathering everything from my room that I can carry, I stuff my suitcases and bags into my car and take off down the road. I have no idea what I'm going to do. I'm practically homeless and penniless. I have a few hundred dollars in my savings account, but that won't get me by for very long. I blew all of my savings on culinary school, but I don't regret it. It's the one decision that I don't regret in my life.
I guess I never realized how much I was depending on my parents while I was going to school. They gave me money whenever I needed it, and I was plain old spoiled. I just didn't realize how spoiled until now.
I drive in circles until I find myself outside of Crawford's Bar. "Great," I mutter to myself. Even my subconscious keeps drawing me back to Colt. I think back to my conversation with Buddy last night. They need a cook and a bartender. Shirley left a few months back, and she had lived upstairs in the small apartment above the bar. It might still be empty. "An apartment and a job. Two birds with one stone," I whisper.
With as much courage as I can muster, I get out of the car, straighten my dress and walk into the bar with my head held high. The place is busy, and Colton is nowhere to be seen. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Buddy is behind the counter desperately trying to fill a drink order with one hand while grasping a wad full of cash in the other. I duck under the pass-through of the counter and start taking orders like I own the place. Buddy glances over at me, but doesn't say a word. We work together over the next hour or so filling orders, taking money, pouring shots and putting small bills into the tip jar. A lot of people I recognize from high school leave me pretty big tips, and I notice how wide Buddy's eyes get when the jar starts to overflow with bills.
After the rush is over, Buddy walks over to me. "What're you doin' here, Penny?"
I'm elbow deep in a big sink of suds washing glasses when I stop and look up at him. "I need a job, Buddy."
"You're jokin', right?" he scoffs.
"I'm not," I say before taking my hands out of the dishwater and drying them on a nearby towel. I decide to lay it all out there. Buddy was always there for me when we were younger. I just hope I can still count on him now. "My parents practically disowned me. I need money."
"They disowned you?" he asks in surprise. Then he grows very serious as he asks, "Why?"
"Because I won't go back to New York." I bite my lower lip before confessing, "Because I want to stay here and help Colton."
Buddy scrubs a hand down his face. "Damn it, Penny. I think Colton's been pretty clear on what he wants from you. And that'snothing."
I nod solemnly. "I know. But I don't care. I'm not leaving him again. I know the boy I love is still in there, Buddy."
He tilts his head to the side, studies me a while, and then says, "Colt's not gonna be happy about this, but…all right. You got yourself a job."
I smile and jump into Buddy's arms, hugging him fiercely. "Thank you."
He hugs me back for a brief second before pulling away with a chuckle. "Okay. So if they disowned you, where you stayin'?"
My eyes roll to the ceiling, indicating the apartment upstairs, and my smile widens.
Buddy groans. "Oh, man. Colt's really gonna kill me."
