The concern in his eyes made everything worse. Why did he have to be so good? So kind and caring and handsome and sweet. Why did the best man I’d ever known have to be someone I couldn’t keep?
My resolve to pretend everything was okay crumbled as the cracks in my heart grew. I couldn’t do it anymore. Couldn’t stop the words from tumbling from my lips.
“I want you to stay,” I said, my voice shaky. “I know it’s selfish, and I should want what’s best for you. And I shouldn’thave caught feelings, but I did. I keep trying to pretend I didn’t and it’s fine, but it’s not fine, Theo. Nothing is fine.”
And then he did the strangest thing. He smiled.
It wasn’t just any smile. It was a wide, dimpled, bright, ecstatic smile. Then it got worse. He laughed.
“Don’t laugh at me,” I sobbed. “I’ve had a horrible day.”
“My beautiful Penelope.” He cupped my cheeks and leaned in, planting a soft kiss on my lips. “I’m not laughing at you.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I swear I’m not. Pen, before I realized you were missing, I was trying to figure out how to tell you. I’m in love with you.”
I blinked a few times. “Am I hallucinating?”
“No, this is real. I’m so in love with you. And if you want me to…” He hesitated and the raw vulnerability in his eyes brought fresh tears to mine. “If you want me, I’ll stay.”
My lips parted and I stared at him as the tears rolled down my cheeks. Had he just said he’d stay? For me?
“It’s all I want. I’d go with you if you asked me to, but—”
“No,” he said. “It wouldn’t be the right thing. You need to be here. And I need to be with you.”
“Can we go back to the part where you said you’re in love with me? Because if you really said that, you just turned the worst day of my life into the best.”
He smiled and kissed me again. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. I love you so much and I want you to stay.”
“That’s all I wanted to hear. Well, that andWe found herand she’s fine.”
I laughed softly. “You did find me.”
“I wasn’t going to stop until I did.”
He kissed me again, deep and slow. It sounded like a nurse came in, but he didn’t stop, and I didn’t care.
Theo had saved me. He’d searched for me, he loved me, and he was going to stay.
CHAPTER 41
Penelope
Although I felt fine,Principal Larson insisted I take the rest of the week off. I was worried I’d be bored with Theo at school and football practice, but it wound up not being as bad as I’d expected. Melanie invited me to lunch twice, I met Marigold for coffee, Audrey and Harper invited me to have tea and cookies—which meant I got to play with their babies—and Marlene and I went Christmas shopping. It actually turned into a pretty amazing week.
Okay, so I’d almost been murdered by a serial killer, but aside from that—amazing.
The awesomeness culminated on Friday night with another Timberwolves postseason win. Luke, Melanie, and I drove the two hours to the game, so we were there, along with most of the Haven clan, to cheer them on. One more win, and they’d be going to state.
I screamed so much, I completely lost my voice. But later that night, Theo said I sounded cute when I was all raspy. And we celebrated together—in bed.
Saturday, we went to the assisted living home to visit Grandma. I’d talked to her on the phone the day after my ordeal,so she knew what had happened. But I hadn’t visited with her since, and I knew she was anxious to see me with her own eyes.
It was the weekend before Thanksgiving, and Tilikum Gardens Village was decked out with paper turkeys, cornucopias, andHappy Thanksgivingsigns. Apparently, word about what had happened to me had already spread. As soon as Theo and I walked in, we were accosted by residents and staff, all anxious to make sure I was really okay.
