Penn stops. “This is about last night? About…you and me?”
Having his full attention brings my unhinged rant into focus. Heat prickles at my skin. “Well, yes. And no. I just felt like there was, you know. A vibe.”
“A vibe,” he repeats. Another smirk plays on his lips, and I can’t stand it.
I poke him in the chest with the bouquet. “Just tell me. Does she work here? Are you bringing her this entire garden? Really, Penn. Play hard to get for once, will you?”
Penn licks his lips, and the smirk comes loose. “I’m not in any kind of relationship. And that woman, I don’t even know her.”
Relief swells in my chest. But now I’m even more confused.
“So you’re letting strangers into my home?”
Penn takes a deep breath. “I can’t do this right now, okay?” He keeps walking, eyeing the numbers on each door.
I groan, rushing to catch up with him. “Why not?”
“Because I’m on the clock.”
“On what clock? Do you work here, too? Penn, you manage the bar. You’re helping at the diner. Isn’t that enough? It was one thing when we were kids, but you can’t keep bouncing around like this. You can’t just hop across the lily pads of life all willy-nilly.”
His laugh is a quick burst. “The lily pads of life?”
“You get my point. You need to commit to things.”
His smile fades. “I’ll explain later, okay? But if you insist on following me, then here.” He shoves the grocery bag into my hands. “Make yourself useful.”
I peer inside. It’s full of bread. “What is this? Why—”
Penn stops in front of a door, so I do, too. He knocks. Waits. Looks at me, then faces forward again. I side-eye him, and he tilts me another glance before returning his attention to the door. Quietly, he says, “You were right about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“There was definitely a vibe.”
Butterflies, a whole swarm of them, twitch inside my chest.
Which is silly. Because none of this is real.
And butterflies were not part of my plan.
—
A voice tellsus to come inside, so I follow Penn into a small kitchenette. An older gentleman sits in a plaid armchair on the far side of the room, and he smiles at me warmly.
“Ruby, meet Earl. Earl, Ruby.”
This man, whoever he is, has a kind face and thick white hair, and a blue cardigan that makes me think of Mr. Rogers. I don’t know who he is, or why we’re here. All I know is I’m carrying bread into a strange man’s room. For reasons unbeknownst tome. And Penn still hasn’t explained this morning’s hot houseguest.
“Lovely girl,” Earl observes, as if I’m not here. “Your employee? Friend? Lady friend?”
I stammer out a nervous laugh.Lady friend?Employee?
I wait for Penn to answer Earl’s question, my brain still buzzing, thanks toThere was definitely a vibe. The thing is, I want Penn to see me differently. It’s my way out. But now that I have an inkling of what that feels like, I’m afraid of it, too.
“We used to be neighbors,” Penn explains. “Now we’re temporary roommates.”
A smooth dodge. Very diplomatic.
