“Thank you,” I said.
“Coffee?” he asked, and his husky just-woke-up voice was stupidly sexy. “Wait, you don’t drink coffee. I doubt that tea in there is any good. I’ll go get us something.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s all good, Penini.” He stood and stretched again. “Although I should probably change first.”
I sat huddled on the couch while he went to his bedroom and shut the door. It was hard not to lose it again as the cold, hard realization of the mess that was my life washed over me. I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do.
It would have been much better if I’d been able to plan my exit. Broken up with Sean after I had a place to go and made arrangements to move out. As it was, I was homeless. The only things I had to my name—for the moment, at least—were a pair of boots, a dress I was never wearing again, a coat, and the contents of my purse.
Theo came out a few minutes later dressed in a plain black hoodie and gray basketball shorts.
“Do you want to come?” He picked up his keys. “Or stay here?”
“I don’t have anything to wear.”
“Oh, that’s right. Sorry, my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders yet. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything.”
“Okay.”
He winked at me, sending a flurry of tingles down my spine, and left.
I got up to use the bathroom. There was a hall bath he probably never used, so after grabbing the toothbrush and toothpaste he’d left for me, I went in there.
Biological necessities dealt with, I went back to the living room, but paused before sitting down. I eyed my purse hanging on a hook by the front door like it might contain a bomb. But it was my phone that filled me with a mild sense of dread.
Had Sean reached out?
Was I hoping he had, or hoping he hadn’t?
It was truly over between us. I didn’t want him to try to get me back. But silence from him would feel ominous. And a bunch of angry—possibly drunk—messages weren’t an appealing prospect, either.
I decided knowing was better than not, come what may. Steeling myself for the worst, I fished my phone out of my purse and checked.
Sure enough, I had a string of messages from Sean.
You just made the biggest mistake of your life. I hope you’re happy.
Good luck being miserable and alone. You know you’re going to regret this.
Fuck you, Penelope. What kind of a name is that, anyway?
Don’t show up to my house. You left, your stuff is mine now.
This is your fault. Don’t fucking blame me.
With a sigh, I set my phone on the coffee table in case Theo called while he was out. Sean was not going to make things easy. In fact, I had a feeling he was going to do everything he could to be difficult.
I curled up on the couch. I was swimming in Theo’s hoodie and plaid pajama pants, but I sort of loved it. They were so comfortable, and they smelled like him.
It wasn’t long before I heard his truck outside. I got up to see if he needed any help, and he came in with a drink carrier and a to-go bag.
“Is there anything else?” I asked.
“No, I got it.” He went to the kitchen and set everything on the counter. “The Steaming Mug had breakfast sandwiches. I got four. Don’t judge, I didn’t have dinner last night.”
“Me neither.”
