Chapter 6
P enny and Able, made their way down the street, chatting about the photograph's they had seen at the gallery. When she mentioned how much she had loved the work that was featured, Able couldn’t help but smile. After all, it had been his art opening they had just left out of. He didn’t let on about that, though. Instead, he proceeded to ask her, a million questions about art and photography, mediums and styles.
He liked that he didn’t feel any pressure with her. Liked that he wasn’t worried about saying the wrong things, or not mentioning the right ones. She had no clue who he really was which meant that he was, for the first time, in a long time, free to just be himself. Which was someone he hadn’t felt like he could be in ages.
“Oh shit, will you excuse me?” He requested, waving his ringing phone in the air.
Penny nodded, not liking the ringtone he had for whoever was calling. The song was Superman, by Three Doors Down. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who had a wannabe superhero, in their lives. It was the same ring tone she had for Cole.
“Sorry, I gotta take it or I’ll never hear the end of it.” Able sighed out, bringing the phone up to his ear.
"How's your big night going, Picture Boy?" Cole's voice came over the line.
"I couldn’t really tell ya, I left early."
“Dude, you do realize that it was, your showing, as in, I think you're supposed to be there for it." Cole reminded, throwing a piece of popcorn across the couch, effectively nailing T.J. in the ear with it. The boy pounced on him, ready to rumble but Cole quickly subdued him in a leg bar without even dropping his phone.
"Yeah, well, something more important came up." Able informed, sending a shy smile Penny’s way.
"Oh I see; what are we talking here, eight, nine, full ten? She must be to drag your ass away from that showing. You haven't shut up about that shit, for weeks now." Cole scoffed, letting T.J. escape from his hold, only to twist him into another one.
"I'll tell ya all about it tomorrow.”
“I’ll hold ya to that.”
“So, what are you up to, tonight?"
"Watching torture flicks with a drunk midget." Cole said it like it was no big thing, as he flipped T.J.’s body off the back of the couch.
"Alright, well you have fun with that, man! Hit me up in the AM, we'll get breakfast. I won't be in town for long but I wanna meet up before I leave out. Sound like a plan?" Able questioned, picturing Cole sitting next to a wasted dwarf, watching The Human centipede or some shit. It wasn't the most disturbing thing his friend had ever told him he was doing with his time. Not even in the top twenty, really.
"Alright, peace out boy scout, Oh, and have fun tapping that ass. Conner out!"
Able shook his head with a laugh, stuffing his phone back into his pocket.
"What’s so funny?" Penny questioned, thinking his laugh was infectious.
"Nothing, really, just my crazy friend, being crazy, is all. He's a trip, I’ll tell ya that. ”
"Oh shit, that reminds me! I should call and check on my son. He's pretty crazy too, especially when he's around… the babysitter. You don’t mind, do you?" She quickly covered, not wanting to inform the hottie standing next to her, that her ex was back at her house, loafing on her couch, and no doubt, going through all her stuff. She wasn’t really sure what Cole was ever looking for exactly, but stuff was always being moved around and it only ever seemed to happen when he was hanging out, which, was most of the time, it seemed.
"Go for it, Babe," Able said pulling the door open to the doughnut shop.
Penny walked with him up to the counter, as she dialed Cole’s number. The phone rang and rang before Cole finally answered, sounding a bit out of breath.
"Ready to be rescued yet, my love?” Cole's cocky voice came over the line.
“No, actually I'm having a wonderful time." Penny informed her eyes darting over to Able.
"Bullshit, but whatever.” Cole returned, not fearing for a moment that Penny was actually enjoying her little date with the bed stain, known as Sal.
“It’s not, whatever,” she corrected.
“Whatever,” he repeated, knowing it drove her nuts when he acted like a bratty five-year-old.
“You are so childish, you know that right?”
“Whatever, but if that’s the case then why are you calling me? I’m super busy over here.” He stated, just as a loud scream came over the line.
"What the hell was that?" Penny shrieked.
"Probably just someone getting murdered. You live in a shit hole, what do you expect?" Cole offered, signaling T.J., to turn down the horror flick.
"Babe, how do you want your coffee?"
Able leaned over to whisper the words into Penny’s free ear, sending a shiver down her spine as his lips brushed against her lobe. Normally, she would hate for someone to, right off the bat, be calling her cute little pet names like Babe, but she wasn’t hating it right now, not with the way Able said it. It didn’t feel put on or teasing. It seemed comfortable the way he said it, like they had been knowing each other for years, and not just an hour.
"Black, one Sweet’N’Low, please.” She replied, in too high pitched of a tone. Jesus, the man had her sounding like she was going through puberty all over again.
"Oh, God, you're getting coffee… on a date? Ya, that sounds fantastical, as in, so fucking lame. Listen, why don’t you ditch that jackass, and head for home? I'll run a bath, get you a big bowl of Rocky Road, and then you can tell me all about your terrible night with the bed sore. And, I promise, I won’t even laugh that hard. Oh, and I’ll wash your back, total score all the way around for you. So when should I expect you, ten… twenty minutes?” how’s traffic?” Cole questioned, watching as T.J. sprayed a pile of whipped topping into his mouth from his spot on the other end of the couch. Quickly, Cole snagged the can, doing the very same thing.
"Tempting, but no. How's my T.J. doing?" She questioned, pointing to the doughnut that she wanted out of the case. It was a hard choice, they all looked so damn good.
"He's kicking my ass at monopoly." Cole lied with the role of his eyes.
"We don’t have monopoly.” Penny noted, following Able as they made their way over to a booth in the corner.
“Ya, come on in guys. It’s down the hall, the last door on your right.”
Cole’s muffled voice, could barely be heard. It sounded as if he had his palm covering the receiver.
“Hey, wait, my rooms the last room on the right! What the hell is going on over there?!”
When she didn’t get a response Penny gave her phone a glance, realizing the call had been ended.
“Jackass,” she whispered under her breath, with the roll of her eyes.
"Everything, good?" Able questioned, his brows a bit furrowed.
"Peachy keen," she lied, sipping her coffee, and enjoying staring into his warm blue eyes.
The pair, easily started up a conversation, spending the next few hours, lost in their own little world of getting to know one another. It was the strangest thing, each felt as if they weren’t just meeting for the first time, but had known each other for a lifetime already. It was that easy, that laid back. Time just slipped away.
"So, this was…," Able started, leaning into the window of Penny’s cab.
"Interesting?" she offered, looking up at him with a smile.
"Definitely that; I don’t think I've laughed that much in years. Thank you for that, Livi."
"No, thank you, and thanks again for helping me ditch that douche bag, Sal."
“Don’t even mention it. It was my pleasure, I assure you. But, you better start being more careful about who you’re hanging out with. I’m not gonna be in town much longer. I won’t be able to play the psycho ex-boyfriend, for ya, next time.”
“Oh, you’re leaving, that sucks… um, I mean, of course, you’re leaving. You live in New York, this is Cali, so ya, you gotta go home, right?” She rambled out with the roll of her eyes, feeling stupid.
“Ya, now that I’ve met you, it does suck.” Able noted, reaching in to wipe at her chin with his thumb. She had a bit of powdered sugar smudged on her silky flesh. Instantly his thumb went back to his lips where he licked the sweet taste of his finger.
The sexy act, had Penny’s eyes going a bit hooded. He had done it so smoothly that she wasn’t even sure he had realized how intimate his gesture was. It left her licking her own lips, wishing she had the balls to lean in for a kiss.
“Leaving or not, I’d still like to see you again. I mean, if you’re up for it, that is.”
Penny couldn't stop grinning. He had this way of making her feel like she was fourteen years old, drooling over her first crush. She also liked the fact that he didn’t seem too over confident about what her answer would be.
"I'd like that," she finally answered, after making him wait for a beat.
"Kay, well, I got your number. I'll be hitting you up soon; promise."
He was adorable in his awkward stance, his hands shoved into his pockets, his long locks falling over his smoldering blue eyes as he looked down at her. The combination, had her grinning up at him like a damn fool.
"Sounds great; goodnight, Holden."
Penny whispered her farewell before leaning up in her seat to place a peck of a kiss on his cheek. Once again, giving Able that infectious goofy grin of hers.
He was a goner. He couldn’t stop smirking as the cab pulled away. The woman was really something else; so down to earth and real. She wasn't like most of the girls that he met, lately. She was something, all her own. He just had to see her again, there was no way around it.
Quietly, Penny unlocked her apartment door, a goofy grin pasted on her lips. Two steps inside though, had her grin fading and fast as she found the apartment completely trashed. A couple more steps had her letting out a little sigh as she found both boys passed out on the couch, Cole on one end and T.J. on the other. Wrappers and soda cans covered the coffee table and the air, smelled of sweaty man/boy.
“Oh Jesus,” Penny shook her head, as a half naked woman, went running across the screen of the laptop that set on the coffee table. She was being chased by a large man with a chainsaw, screaming with every step that she took.
Snagging the throw blanket off the back of the couch, she draped it over the pair before leaving them to rest. She made her way to the kitchen, a hankering for Rocky Road, growing in her gut. Which, was pretty shitty for her, considering she didn’t currently have any in stock. Hoping to find something that would suffice, she swung open the freezer door. Instantly her eyes locked on a brand new tub of her favorite tasty treat.
"Who knows ya, my love?' Cole's soft voice came from behind her.
Her jaw dropped a bit as she turned around to meet Cole’s sleepy gaze. She couldn't help but suck in a breath. He looked so damn sexy standing there. His blue jeans hung low on his hips, his shirt was still missing, and he had kicked off his boots and socks, leaving him barefoot.
"You, do," she admitted, popping the lid off the container.
Making his way past her to the sink, Cole grabbed two spoons before following Penny over to the table, where she kicked off her boots, before letting out a heavy sigh as she dropped down into her chair.
"So, how bad was it? " Cole questioned, dipping his spoon into the tub, right beside hers.
"I confess, it was God awful." Penny nodded, stuffing a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
"Huh, I knew it! I mean… oh, that sucks! I’m so sorry to hear that, my love.”
Cole was unable to keep the smirk out of his voice as he tried to reflect sympathy with his tired greens.
"It did suck, but the entire night didn’t. In fact, the second half of it was… amazing.”
The end of her sentence took on a dreamy note, one that had Cole rolling his eyes.
"Oh really, now? Please, do tell.”
"Well, I got to meet a real-life knight in shining armor, for starters. He scared off the smelly breathed dragon, known as Sal, saving the entire night from doom. He also saved me from a murder rap because I was about to kill that little mattress prick. So, double win for me, if I do say so myself!” She finished, grinning like a fool.
"Let’s not get too hasty with counting wins, just yet. Though your victory smile is dazzling, I’ll give ya that.” He grinned, reaching to dab some ice cream off the corner of her infectious smile. As soon as he got the smudge of Rocky Road, he snapped his thumb back to his mouth, sucking the spot her lips had touched.
“Alright, my beautiful maiden in distress, do tell, who this courage's black knight, might be? Oh wait, let me guess. He’s not a knight at all or a Prince, for that matter. No, that’s not how your story ever seems to go. A frog, yes, that’s more your storybook style, isn’t it? Ribbit, ribbit!”
Cole was getting a pretty good laugh out of himself. Which, earned him a kick under the table, right to his shin. Hurting Penny’s bare toes much more than his rock solid leg bone.
“You’re the only frog that I ever kissed Cole Conners, and look where it got me. Doubtful I would make the same mistake again.”
“Ouch, you wound me, maiden!”
Cole, gripping his chest and rocking back in his chair had Penny letting out a little giggle. He was so damn funny when he was sleepy. He always had been. It was during these late night hours that the real Cole could be found, and just like she already knew, Cole could be a very charming man, when he wasn’t pretending to be a jackass, that is.
“Lies, to be wounded, would mean that you had your armor off, and we both know that with you, that never happens. You got this shit locked on tight. It’s a shame too because it looks pretty damn heavy from over here.” Penny challenged, giving his entire being a once over as she plunged her spoon back into the tub.
Her statement was the real wound that went straight through, the very armor that she assumed, he always wore. It hurt his soul, that she thought about him like that. It would make sense for anyone else to see him that way, strong, untouchable, and unaffected, by anything, and everything. Hell, he loved that the rest of the world's image, was just that, of him. He built a career on playing that character. Cocky, egotistical, a man’s man, who can kick ass and take names, on screen or off. That was who he was, too, more or less but with Penny, it was different. He was different. Her saying what she said, had crushed him. He realized that even after all these years, she still hadn't forgiven him. Not even enough to let herself see the truth, when it was right in front of her eyes, day after day. She was one of the very few people, who stood on the inside of his armor, and not on the outside.
She was the only person in the entire world that could take him to his knees, with just one look. She could knock him right the fuck out, with just one gentle touch. TKO, he never stood a chance when it came to her, she was smarter, stronger, and faster to take him off his feet with just a few weighted words.
Tonight, wasn’t the night to get into all that kinda shit, though. Not that it would do him any good, even if it was. If she couldn’t see through his cracked armor, after thirteen years, who’s to say, she ever would or could.
“Alright, well, all I just heard, was that you were back to thinking I’m a white knight with armor, which, is a step up from the frog. So, I’m gonna mark that as a win, for me.” He shrugged, snagging another bite.
“Haha, what a laugh, but this isn’t a fairy tale with comedy, this is a true story. You, as a white night, is completely laughable.
“Okay, so what am I in this little story of yours?” Cole questioned, leaning into the table as if he was truly fascinated by the tale that she was spinning.
“That would make you the black knight, if anything. Because my knight from tonight was definitely the white knight.” She smirked.
“Black knight, white knight, same difference. They’re both out for the same thing, in the end, to win the heart of the maiden. So go on and tell me about my competition, I’m all ears.” Cole prodded, cupping his ear with his hand.
“Well, his name is Holden, and he's a photographer…, and he has a cat, who just happens to be awesome, according to him, and judging by the picture, I’m inclined to agree. He opens doors, say's
please and thank you, and chews with his mouth closed." She laughed, as Cole snapped his lips together. "He's in his thirty's, in great shape, sexy, smart, funny, charming…,"
"He sounds terrible!" Cole interrupted with a groan as he rolled his eyes.
“You’re right, he does.” Penny nodded.
“Ha, I knew it!” Cole exclaimed, already gearing up for his traditional ‘I told you so’ speech, but just as he went to open his mouth, Penny shut him right back up.
“Terribly perfect, that is,” She announced, a smile on her face that said she wasn’t gonna let him get to her this time.
“Sorry, I just vomited in my mouth a little,” Cole informed, giving a few sickly sounding coughs, for good measure. “Anyway; so, when’s the wedding? I mean, it's not everyday that a girl gets to meet the man of her dreams." Cole taunted, in his gay best friend voice.
"No, no it’s not, but maybe twice in a lifetime, if she’s lucky, that is."
A serious note passed in Penny’s tone as her eyes met his. The intense look she gave him hurt his heart to see, to the point that he looked away, unable to keep her gaze.
"Does he live around here, uptown, downtown, next door, maybe?" Cole questioned, trying to bring the conversation back to collecting facts about the new guy.
"No, that's the sad part. It’s just my luck, he lives in N.Y.C. He's just out here for work, he leaves next week."
Cole tried to hide his happy smile but failed, just as much as she did at not looking bummed about the city boy leaving out so soon.
"Well shucks, that really does bite the big one. I'm sorry love, better luck next time, right?" He offered with the shake of his head as he leaned in to take a large victory bite.
"Yeah, but he wants to see me again before he leaves, so…, ”
"Oh, come, on! Please tell me you saw right through that line?!”
Between a Rock and a Hard Place Page 9
