Page 39 of Lovestrung

Not thinking too hard, I turned from the windows and grabbed my leather jacket hanging from one of the barstools.

“Lock up when you leave,” I muttered at Luke as I shrugged it on. Then I pulled a bucket out from underneath the kitchen sink and placed it on the floor right next to him. “And if you’ve got to puke your guts out, at least use this and not my new couch.”

He gave me a half wave before he let out a pathetic whimper, and exasperated at his condition, I grabbed my keys from the bar and let myself out. Maybe I slammed the door a little too hard, but I couldn’t give a shit.

Once out on the street, I turned right and weaved my way through the masses of tourists that always visited the town during the summer months. Usually, I enjoyed walking through the producer’s only City Market at the corner of Water and First Streets – the market where local businesses set up stalls every Saturday to sell anything from handcrafted ceramics, artisanal cheeses, wines from area vineyards, fresh fruits and vegetables, to unique jewelry and gifts – but not today. Today, all I could think about was seeing her. To know for a fact that she was home, and that she was staying, so that I’d have the chance to explore where we’d left off that last night I’d seen her so many months ago.

I turned right on Cherry Avenue, and once the big, red brick building came into my view, I had to take a few steadying breaths to settle my nerves.

“Pull yourself together,” I muttered underneath my breath, dragging a hand over the light scruff on my chin. Resolved to see her, I took the stairs to the town house two at a time. For once, I didn’t hesitate and instead of knocking on the door, I pushed down on the handle and opened it. Excited voices fell on my ears the minute I stepped into the hall, and my heart rate picked up when I stepped inside, went through the small seating area and looked to my left to the kitchen and found all the people that mattered the most to me in this world crowded around the bar. Henry and Vivian were chatting with Max, Parker, and Teresa at the bar while Frederik was in his wheelchair, whispering something to the twins that made them giggle like mad as they sat on his lap. And lastly, I saw a tall girl that I didn’t know with red-brown hair that fell to her waist and a face covered in freckles. She was chatting with Luke’s on-and-off girlfriend, Ella.

But the most important person in my world was nowhere to be seen, and dread coiled in my gut.

Where is she?

“Ethan.”

My head whipped back, and I had to suppress a gasp at the sight that met my eyes when I saw her standing at the top of the long staircase. Her hair was hanging straight in a ponytail down her back, longer than I remembered, and she’d never looked more perfect. She was only wearing a white, loose shirt, her shoulders and arms free, and a pair of denim shorts that looked like they’d been cut barely covered her thighs, they were that short. I took in her skin that was glowing and tanned down to the very toes of her bare feet, and I couldn’t help but wonder if her whole body had that burnished, sun-kissed look.

“There you are,” I whispered.

Her eyes and mouth lit up like the sun and she ran down the stairs the minute I ran to meet her at the landing. I braced myself when she launched her small body into mine, and my hands engulfed tightly around her waist when she wrapped her arms around me.

“Penelope.” I buried my face in the crook of her neck and breathed in the scent of her skin.

Mine, my heart whispered.

Home, my soul sighed.

Forever, my mind screamed.

But I didn’t share those words with her. How could I?

I raised my head, leaning back to meet her eyes, but movement at the top of the stairs caught my attention. A guy that looked to be around my age meandered down. Frowning, I instinctively held Penelope closer, but I didn’t miss the way his gaze narrowed in on us, entangled as we were in a tight embrace. I barely suppressed the growl that wanted to be let loose when he stopped next to me. His blond hair was slicked back from his forehead, and I almost sneered at the blue polo shirt and white slacks he was wearing. Everything about him screamed blue blood, and I hated him at once.

The fact that he was shorter than me made me feel better, but it was short lived when the woman in my arms beamed down at him and started to slide down my body.

“You must be Ethan,” the stranger said. Vaguely, I noticed the British accent while he gave me a cool, assessing look.

I nodded once without loosening my hold around Penelope.

“I am. And you are?”

He smirked and squared his shoulders. “Hugo. I’m the fiancé.”

9

Mine

My world stopped, as did my heart.

Fiancé?!

“Sorry, where are my manners? Pippa did say you’d be shocked, but I didn’t really believe her. Not until now.” Hugo grinned sardonically.

That fucking smirk taunted me, and I wanted to throw a punch to his face, wiping it off his lips. When he extended his hand for me to shake, I looked down at it, repulsed as if it were a live snake. Penelope took a step back, but instead of shaking the hand of my competitor – for that was exactly what he was – I grabbed hers and dragged her behind me and up the stairs.

“Ethan?” she huffed. “What are you doing?”