"I'm visiting the folks for a while before I go back to my apartment in New York," he tells me.
"Oh, how long have you lived in New York?"
His tongue darts out to lick his lips, and I'm suddenly fascinated with the movement. "Since we graduated high school."
"I wish I would have known. I went to college in New York right after graduation, too."
He nods and flashes me a timid smile. "Yeah, I knew you were going to be living there at the same time I was, but I was always too afraid to look you up."
"Now, Tucker Hayward, I would have hung out with you in a heartbeat," I tell him honestly. Tucker was always such a good friend, and he would have done anything for me. "Hell, I could have used my study buddy."
He shrugs nonchalantly. "I'm sure you did just fine without me in college. You were always so smart in high school."
"Me? You were the brilliant one. I was just trying to keep up."
My compliment makes him smile. After a few long moments of uncomfortable silence of Tucker shifting in his chair and looking around the room at anything and everything but me, he finally says, "So, Penny Preston, since you're not dating anyone…"
I look up at Tucker and feel like I've been transported back in time. All those times I turned him down come flashing back to me, and I feel horrible that I never gave him a shot.
He chuckles and nervously runs his hand over the back of his neck. "I'm probably pressing my luck, huh?"
With a big smile, I confidently ask, "Tucker Hayward, would you like to go out on a date with me?"
The look on his face is priceless, and it's almost like I asked him if he would like a million dollars. "Penny, it would be an honor to take you out," he says with his old-fashioned Southern charm.
I grin as I write my cell phone number down on a piece of paper. He takes the number and stares at it for a few seconds. "I feel like I'm in high school all over again." He smirks at me. "But this time I didn't strike out."
I take his hand into mine and gently squeeze. "If I wouldn't have been involved with Colt back then, Tucker, I would have said yes…every time."
His smirk turns into a full-on, heart-stopping smile. "I kept asking on the off chance that you would say yes, Penny. If anyone had a chance with you, I wanted it to be me. I didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to date such a beautiful and wonderful girl."
I blush at his words instantly. It's been so long since I've had a smooth talker trying to woo me. Ever since I got here I feel like all I've been doing is fighting with men. And now this man is making me feel like I'm on top of the world. Such a turn of events, and I couldn't be happier about the distraction. Maybe Tucker is just the person I need to get over Colton since he sure as hell got over me.
Tucker pulls my hand to his lips and places a kiss on top. "Are you free Saturday night?"
Buddy had scheduled me for Friday night and not to be here on Saturday, so I answer with a yes.
"Then it's a date," he says with a wink before releasing my hand. "Where can I pick you up at?"
"Well, I'm living above the bar right now."
He smiles. "Then I'll be waiting outside at six." He finishes off his beer, throws some bills on the counter, stands and walks out the door. And I can't help but watch him walk away. He looks damn good in jeans and a t-shirt.
I'm on cloud nine when he leaves, but a storm rumbles over my good mood as Colton suddenly grabs my arm and hauls me into the back room. "What the hell was that about?" he hisses, seething.
"What?" I ask innocently.
"Do you even know who that is?"
"Yeah. Tucker Hayward. I've known him most of my life, Colt." I shrug off his grip and shake my head at him. He's jealous? Now he's jealous? Colton has no right to be jealous. He's the one with a girlfriend. "What's it to you anyway?" I ask, poking him in the chest. Now I'm the one who's getting upset.
"What's it to me?" He hesitates. His eyes dart back and forth as if he's trying to recall something, and his brows bunch together in confusion when he can't.
I take a few steps away from him. I need space. I can't think when he's close to me. "So it's okay for you to make out with your girlfriend in front of me, but I can't give a guy my phone number?"
"Girlfriend? She's not my girlfriend." He rakes his fingers through his hair and narrows his eyes at me. "You gave Tucker your phone number?" he asks, angrily.
"Yeah. And we're going out Saturday night on a date," I add before my brain can stop my blabbering mouth.
Suddenly, he turns and punches his fist into the closest thing he can find, which just happens to be a fifty-pound bag of flour. White powder floats up out of the hole in the bag and instantly covers everything in the surrounding area…including him and me. I stare down at my clothes. "Great! That's just great, Colton! Thanks a lot!"
I storm off to the women's bathroom. I still have a half an hour left in my shift and I'm covered in flour. I take the scrunchie out of my hair, bend over and shake the white dust out of it over the trashcan.
I feel something bump into me from behind, and I scream. Hands grab me and turn me so fast the room spins. I come face to face with Colton, and he's looking at me like he wants to…kiss me? His anger has since dissipated and has been replaced with lust. That's the old Colton that I know. He always got a kick out of getting me all riled up.
Colton's hands knead into my arms as he pulls me closer to him. I can feel his muscular chest pressing against me as it rises and falls with his desperate pants. Our lips are almost touching, and I stare up at him with angry tears in my eyes. "Stop, Colt," I demand. As much as I want Colton, this is the worst timing. I'm so mad at him that I can barely think. "You have a girlfriend," I whisper.
"She's not my girlfriend," he whispers back.
"Then what is she, Colt?" I demand.
He hesitates, and I suddenly don't want to hear the answer. I struggle against him, and he finally lets me go. I walk away from him just as Buddy comes through the doorway. "What the hell happened here?" he asks, his eyes darting between Colt and me.
I shake my head, dismissing his question. "I'm not feeling well. Is it okay if I just go home?"
He nods. "Yeah, sure. Go get some sleep, Penny. You're lookin' a little…pale," he says with a crooked grin.
His attempt at making a joke makes me even more infuriated. "Thanks, Buddy," I huff before making my way out the back door. I don't want to go through the front and risk the chance of bumping into Colton's girlfriend…or whatever she is.
As I make my way up the stairs, I decide that it doesn't matter if she isn't actually his girlfriend. Three years is a long time to be with someone and have it still considered a fling. It has to be more than that. And it all comes down to the truth --- he found someone else. Suddenly my guilt over saying yes to Tucker disappears. After all, Colton shouldn't be the only one who gets to move on with his life.
* * * * *
COLTON
I WATCH PENNY leave and swear under my breath. I'm such an asshole. And the first step is admittin' the problem…right?
If only I could rewind the past four hours, I would. I would have broke things off with Ruby Sue and told her I needed some space while I got all this shit sorted out with Penny. But now it's too late, and I royally fucked up things with her.
It makes me mad that Penny is so insistent that Ruby Sue is my girlfriend, but I suppose Ruby did stake her claim on me earlier. Ruby always was a jealous one. But she shouldn't be jealous since we're friends with benefits and nothin' more. Sure, we've been messin' around for years, but I haven't even met her parents…or any of her friends. It's not like it's one-sided. Ruby Sue also sees me as nothin' more than an occasional fuck.
"You punched a bag of flour?" Buddy asks in disbelief.
I glare at him as I attempt to shake off some of the white powder from my clothes. Penny drives me crazy…and not in a good way. That girl can get under my skin like no other.
Buddy stares at the floor with a frown. "You're making
an even bigger mess, Colt. Why don't you just go home, man? I'll close out for the night."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure."
Before I can step outside, Buddy says, "Hey, Colt, a little word of advice."
"Yeah?"
"One girl is a handful. Two is just plain old crazy."
I roll my eyes at him. "Night, Buddy."
"Night, Colt."
I trudge up the hill to my house, strippin' off my t-shirt on the way. I run my fingers through my hair to get rid of the last of any flour remnants. Buddy's words haunt me as I walk. I'm not stringin' both girls along. First of all, Ruby Sue and I are just friends with benefits. And Penny and I ---. Well, I don't even know what the hell Penny and me are. It's not like I'm datin' both of them or havin' sex with either of them. All in all it should be uncomplicated, but it's anything but. I need to figure this shit out and quick. I feel like I'm danglin' on the edge of the cliff and waitin' for somebody to push me over.
I don't know what the hell got into me tonight. Why should I care if Tucker takes Penny out on a date? It's really none of my business. But then seein' them together tonight got my blood boilin'. I just wish I could understand why. There must be some dormant anger inside of me when it comes to those two. I didn't know Tucker Hayward until he started comin' into the bar recently. I don't even remember the guy from high school, but every time I see him I just wanna punch his lights out. Maybe we have some unspoken hatred towards one another because of somethin' that happened in the past. Hell if I know.
I hop onto the porch and scratch Mack behind the ears. He follows me inside as I go to the kitchen for a beer. I take a long swig and shake my head. I just want things to be the way they were before Penny got back into town. And I know there's only one way to make that happen.
I need to stay far away from Penny Preston.
CHAPTER 9
PENNY
AFTER OUR LITTLE fight, Colton avoids me the rest of the week like I have the bubonic plague. I'm still reeling over the fact that he has a girlfriend, so I'm totally fine with the cold shoulder. I'm still mad at him, too.
It's Friday night, and the bar is busier than it was last Friday. It's just Buddy and I at the helm, and I'm surprised at how well we manage the bar together when we don't have any distractions, namely Colton. Said distraction is currently moping in his office behind closed doors.
I'm in the process of wiping down the bar when a bouquet of red roses appear in front of my face. Looking up from the flowers, I see Tucker Hayward with the biggest smile on his face. "I know it's not Saturday yet, but I just saw these and couldn't resist."
I lean forward and sniff the sweet-smelling roses. "Oh, Tucker, they are lovely. Thank you."
His smile widens as he takes a seat at the bar in front of me. "I was trying to think of restaurants we could go to, but then I realized that I don't even know what you like to eat. I didn't know if you liked Italian or seafood. And then I was worried that maybe you don't like to eat carbs or maybe had a shellfish allergy or ---."
I place my fingertips over his mouth to halt his rant and laugh softly. "I'm sure wherever you choose will be great. I love pasta actually, and I'm not allergic to anything that I know of."
He instantly seems to relax, and I can't help but find his nervous behavior positively charming. It's nice to have a devastatingly handsome guy being so flustered around me. The fact that he's thinking about me and bringing me flowers even before our date lets me know how much he's looking forward to it. And I find myself really looking forward to our date as well. I haven't even so much as gone out on a date with another guy in the five years since Colton and I ended things. I was busy with college life and completely heartbroken. But now I think maybe my heart is finally healed just enough to try something new with someone different.
Tucker and I talk for another five minutes or so before he leaves. Smiling, I carry the bouquet of roses back to the kitchen to put them in some water. I'm humming and arranging the flowers in a vase I found under the sink when I hear the door to Colton's office open. I stop humming and stiffen my shoulders. I never know what kind of mood Colt is going to be in, but it's almost always angry and broody.
"Who brought the roses?" Colton asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
I pick up the vase and set it on one of the shelves so that I can take it home with me later. "Tucker Hayward," I answer without looking at him.
He harrumphs, goes back into his office and slams the door.
Well, that was interesting.
At least he didn't punch another bag of flour, I think to myself with a grin. I smell the roses one last time before floating out to the bar for the rest of my shift. I suddenly feel lighter and happier than I've felt since I've been back in Willowbrook.
Yeah. Tucker Hayward is just the distraction I need.
* * * * *
I TAKE ONE last glimpse at my reflection in the mirror before leaving my apartment. I've decided on a little black dress and matching heels. You can never go wrong with an LBD, in my opinion. And since I don't know where Tucker's taking me, I figured it was my best bet.
It's ten minutes until six, but I have a feeling Tucker will be early. Sure enough, when I round the corner of Crawford's Bar, Tucker is waiting outside of his silver Escalade. His face instantly lights up when he sees me. "Penny, you look beautiful."
Such a charmer. He's already laying it on thick, and I just eat it up. It's been a long time since I've had a guy be so nice and flattering to me. "Thank you, Tucker. You clean up pretty well yourself," I say, eyeing his suit jacket, dress pants and shiny shoes. He looks like a politician, and a handsome one at that.
He opens the passenger side door for me and closes it once I'm inside. He rounds the front of the vehicle and climbs in behind the steering wheel. "All set?" he asks.
I take a deep breath and nod. I don't know why I'm so nervous, but I don't think it's all nerves. I think some of it is guilt. Guilt that I'm finally dating somebody other than Colton for the first time in my life. I suppress the guilty conscious quickly, though. I don't want anything to ruin my date with Tucker.
Tucker takes me to a nice, little Italian restaurant at the edge of town. I haven't been here in ages, but it was always my favorite. I can't help but wonder if he knew that somehow. Maybe I mentioned it years ago during one of our study sessions.
We're seated at a secluded table near the back. The place is fancy with white tablecloths, linen napkins and candlelight at each table. It's a very romantic atmosphere, and I order a glass of wine to qualm my nervousness. Our waiter is very friendly and clearly Italian from his thick accent.
We both order a pasta dish, and it doesn't take long for the awkwardness between us to fade. Tucker seems to be clearly enjoying my company, and I am enjoying his. We small talk about things that happened back in high school and then what we've done with our lives since then.
"Culinary school after a political science degree? Political science I can understand, but culinary arts ---. I remember when you burnt that cake in home economics class when we were partners," he says with a grin.
I hide my face in my hands. "Oh, God. You remember that?" I ask, mortified.
"They had to evacuate the school because of the smell. That's hard to forget, Penny."
Giggling, I reach for my glass of wine and take a long sip. "Yeah, I suppose I'll never live that one down."
"It was my first F. Ever," he remarks.
That makes me laugh again. Maybe it's the wine talking, but I'm having a great time. Who knew Tucker Hayward was so damn charming and sweet?
"Penny, I have an ulterior motive for asking you out tonight. I actually have a proposition for you," Tucker says, suddenly growing very serious.
My interest is piqued as I wait for him to continue. I have no idea as to what proposition he could possibly be talking about.
"When I go back to New York at the end of the summer, I'd love for you to come with me and be my campaign manager while I run for
state senator. We have a tight race ahead of us, but I know with you behind me that I just can't lose." Before I can protest, he adds, "Everything will be provided for you --- a place to live, a nice salary and an office right beside mine." He says the last sentence with an anxious grin.
I realize that he's asking me for so much more than just being his campaign manager. He wants a future with me by his side. Am I ready to even consider moving on from Colton? I glance around the restaurant. Isn't that what I'm doing already, though? Moving on? I am on a date with someone else…and Colton has a girlfriend.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I tell him, "I don't know, Tucker. I just got back and ---."
"Just promise me that you'll think about it," he says, reaching across the table and placing his hand over mine. "That's all I'm asking."
I give him a small smile and nod. "Sure. I'll think about it."
His eyes light up with satisfaction. "Okay. Now, enough talk about politics and the future. I want to wine and dine you tonight." He raises his wine glass, and I replicate his gesture. "To us," he says with so much hope lacing his voice that it makes my smile broaden.
"To us," I say back.
Our glasses touch, and then we sip our delicious and very expensive wine. As Tucker and I chat about everything under the sun but politics, I feel like a small piece of my heart is beginning to mend itself back together. Maybe Tucker Hayward is just the person I need to get over Colton. Maybe it is time to move on and never look back. I just don't know if I have the strength to do that yet, but I'm going to find out.
At the end of the night, Tucker walks me to my door. I nervously fiddle with the straps of my purse while looking anywhere but at him. "I had a great time," I tell him, and I can hear the tremor in my voice.
Why am I so nervous? But then when I look up at his striking blue eyes and perfect smile, I realize that I'm starting to develop feelings for Tucker. Maybe they started all the way back in high school when we were always competing against each other for the highest GPA. They're not the same feelings I have for Colton, but it's a small spark that could definitely develop into something more. There's hope in that realization, and that's all I need to convince myself to step forward, wrap my hands around Tucker's neck and pull his lips down to mine.
Remember Me Always: A Contemporary Romance Page 11
