One Penny: A Marked Heart Novel

by M. Sembera

  Without being able to help it, she smiled, "Really?"

  Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he added, "Be nice if I wasn't the odd man out for a change."

  Scowling at him, Penny teased, "You know, asking your sister out on a date is strange even for you."

  Letting go of her, Braden threw his hands in the air saying, "Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures."

  "That's sick Braden!" Penny practically shouted while bursting into laughter.

  Nodding in agreement and smiling with pride for cheering her up, he put his arm back around her leading her back inside.

  The Dog House was packed when Penny and Braden arrived. Luckily, Kieran and Liv were already at the bar and they were able to squeeze in next to them. Charlotte stayed out of the manager's office most of the night and hung out behind the bar next to Auggie. It was fun and Penny started to feel like her normal self for the first time since things ended with Seth.

  After closing, Braden, Kieran and Liv hung out in the main area of the bar while Auggie closed up. Penny headed to the back to hang out with Charlotte.

  Watching Charlotte balance out the night's receipts, Penny sat in the chair facing the desk.

  "In thirty-four hours you'll be a Caffrey, You ready?"

  "Yes!" she blurted before adding, "But I will miss living with you."

  Smiling at her, Penny replied, "It won't be that different. We're always together anyway."

  "True, but your food tastes so much better than his."

  Laughing, Penny shared, "I've been cooking a whole lot longer than he has and I still have no idea how you got him to start anyway."

  "Oh that was easy. I just explained to him that the only thing I know how to make is scrambled eggs so unless he wanted to eat them for the rest of his life, he should learn how to cook."

  With a suspicious expression, she questioned, "And that really worked?"

  A secretive smile answered more than Penny cared to know as Charlotte replied, "Other promises concerning dessert may have been made."

  Penny wrinkled her nose and made a disgusted face as Charlotte started to laugh. They both sat still for a moment when they heard shouting coming from the main area of the bar.

  Running through the swinging doors at the same time, Penny rushed right up to the fight as Charlotte made her way over at a slower pace.

  Auggie was holding on to Braden from behind with arms across his chest, growling, "I said knock it off."

  Liv was facing Kieran with her hand on his chest shouting, "Stop it!" at him.

  Before Penny could ask what was happening, Braden griped, "You're a sorry ass mother f..." when Liv cut him off agreeing, "Yea that's a dirty thing to do."

  "Why ya takin' his side?" Kieran barked at Liv.

  "You're wrong for making her think..." Liv fussed before stopping when Auggie alerted, "Liv."

  "What am I missing?" Penny asked as the four of them looked at her like they'd been caught.

  Jerking away from his brother, Braden took a step closer to Penny saying, "Nothin' Pen, let's go."

  Shaking her head at him, she looked at all of them asking, "This is about me?"

  Everyone stared at her before Braden nodded saying, "Guess no one else is man enough, I'll tell you."

  "Braden," Auggie snapped before Braden turned around and hollered, "You should be just as mad as I am."

  Auggie instantly yelled back, "I'm not gonna tell the man what he can and can't do in his shop."

  "Did Penny say that to you when mom refused to draw out your tattoo or did..."

  Cringing Penny heard Charlotte shout, "What?"

  Auggie instantly grabbed the front of his brother's shirt.

  Auggie looked like he was about to murder Braden when Charlotte shoved him away and stood in front of Auggie.

  "She refused?" Charlotte questioned with an angry glare.

  "Lotte..."Auggie started before Charlotte narrowed her eye at him fussing, "I cannot believe you."

  Scowling Auggie looked like he had no idea what to say then, pointed at Braden swearing, "Your dumbass is out of the wedding."

  Braden appeared genuinely wounded before Charlotte looked at him assuring, "No you're not," then back at Auggie saying, "No he's not."

  "The hell he's not," Auggie griped.

  Narrowing her eyes at him, Charlotte questioned, "Do you wanna marry me?"

  With a stunned expression on his face, Auggie nodded.

  "Then he's in the wedding," Charlotte informed before turning and heading out of the room.

  Quickly behind her, he asked, "Where are you going?"

  "To see your mother," Charlotte snapped causing Auggie to stop dead in his tracks.

  Turning back to them he looked at his brother and warned, "I better not see your ass before three on Saturday," before taking off after Charlotte.

  It was silent in the bar before Penny put all the pieces of their argument together.

  Looking at Braden, she asked, "Does Auggie know I'm apprenticing?" as he nodded she asked, "How?"

  Shooting a dirty look at Kieran, he spouted, "Ask the vault over there."

  "Boy you better..." Kieran snapped before Liv fussed, "Be honest for once in your life."

  Swallowing hard, Penny said, "I asked you not to tell him."

  Kieran's jaw flexed as he looked away from her.

  Braden shook his head saying, "I'll be in the car," before passing Liv mumbling, "And you call me a punk."

  Once again the bar was silent.

  Glancing between Liv and Kieran, Penny frowned.

  "Did you know Kieran told him?"

  "Yea, I did," Liv answered.

  Focusing back on Kieran, Penny asked, "Why did you tell him?"

  "You're his little sister, I wouldn't have felt right about hiding it from him."

  "So it's just Auggie your honest with and everyone else can go to hell is that right?"

  Appearing agitated at Penny's tone, Kieran replied, "I have a responsibility in preserving my trade. It's not just something I woke up one day and thought it would be cool to do. It's my legacy."

  "Oh shut up!" Penny snapped before griping, "You can spout that legacy crap all you want but you only up hold it when it's convenient for you!"

  "That's right and while I'm being honest, I told your brother 'cause I figured he'd say no!"

  Penny was so stunned by what he said, she physically took a step back.

  "You don't want me in your shop?" she questioned in a shaky voice as a tear rolled down her cheek.

  "Penny, I love having you at the shop," he said apologetically before admitting, "You don't have any business tattooing there."

  Shaking her head at him, Penny tried blinking the tears back but it was no use.

  Glancing at Liv, who looked horrified at what her husband had just shared, Penny continued shaking her head as she turned to leave the bar.

  She heard Liv blurt, "You're an asshole," as she rushed to her side.

  "What do ya want me to do Liv," Kieran griped from behind them before Liv whipped her head around demanding, "Fix it!" before walking with Penny out of the bar.

  When Penny and Liv made it to Braden's El Camino, he was passed out in the passenger seat. Making her way to the driver's side, Penny leaned her back against the door and frowned.

  "He was right," Penny sniffled as Liv wiped her hair away from her tear stained face.

  "Who was right beautiful?"

  "I am a fool...Nothing ever turns out and I..."

  Placing her hands on the sides of Penny's face, Liv looked her directly in the eyes saying, "You listen to me. You're the only one of us that's not a fool. You make your own sunshine. None of us know how to do that. You find happiness when there isn't any. That's not foolish, it's a miracle. You make all of our lives better just by being you."

  "Maybe I should start drinking," Penny replied, still hurt but feeling a little better.

  Pulling her into a hug, Liv laughed, "Nah, if you start drinkin' they'll be no
one to drive Braden's dumbass home."

  Smiling, she hugged Liv back.

  Pulling away from The Dog House, Penny reached to turn the radio on when Braden swatted her hand away.

  "I thought you were asleep."

  "Just thinkin' with my eyes closed."

  "If you say so."

  "Liv's right ya know."

  Nodding, Penny replied, "I know...You really are a dumbass."

  Thirty

  Lying in her bed, Penny held her own wrist in her hand staring at her tattoo. Pressing her thumb against it, she could feel her pulse. Closing her eyes, she remembered Seth saying 'I can feel your heart beat' right before he kissed her for the first time. The longer she thought about him, the sadder she became but this time, she wasn't sad for herself. She still had her family and he had no one. After dwelling on that for a moment, she hopped out of bed, ready to start a brand new day.

  Braden was curled up on the couch sleeping as Penny headed towards her front door. Stopping a moment to watch him sleep, her heart was sad for him too. He was lost. Caught between what he always wanted and what he never really had, her brother was hanging in the balance. He needed someone, a friend.

  Making her way to the couch, she crouched down and tapped him on the forehead.

  "Braden."

  Stretching his arm over the side of his face, he groaned, "I'm asleep."

  "Braden."

  He breathed out a loud sigh before griping, "What?"

  "You never said anything about Seth breaking up with me."

  Sliding his arm down he kept his eyes closed as he scowled at her saying, "There's nothing to say."

  "So you're indifferent?"

  "I'm your brother."

  Nodding, she asked, "Can you do me a favor?"

  "Will you let me go back to sleep if I say yes?"

  Rolling her eyes, she said, "Sure."

  There was a pause before he griped, "What is it?"

  Taking a deep breath before blowing it out, Penny asked, "Can you check on Seth?"

  "You want me to go check on him?"

  "Yea," she snapped before explaining, "He doesn't have anyone."

  "Whose fault is that?"

  There was a slight sting in his words causing Penny to question, "What's that supposed to mean?"

  Shaking his head, Braden rolled over answering, "Nothin' Pen, I'll check on him for you."

  Hopping up, she assured, "It's not for me."

  "Whatever you say."

  Placing her hand on her hip, she sneered down at him, insisting, "It's not!"

  "Okay, it's not. I believe you. Now let me go back to sleep."

  Letting out a loud frustrated groan, Penny stomped over to her door and walked out, slamming it behind herself.

  The bell above the door at Legacy Ink rang as Penny walked in.

  "'Morning," she cheered seeing Liv smile at her before stepping to the back.

  Walking behind the counter, she noticed Kieran at his station. When he didn't look up at her, she tossed her purse under the counter and checked the calendar for appointments.

  Thinking Kieran must be working on art for the morning's first appointment, it was unusual for someone to schedule that early, but it looked like Liv had been the one to mark it down. Moving to his station to start setups, she stopped when he turned around in his chair.

  "What are you doing?"

  Trying not to make a face at him, she said, "Your set-ups... you have an appointment in thirty minutes."

  "I'm doin' 'em myself today," he replied before turning back to his table.

  Sticking her tongue out at the back of his head, she mentally blurted 'Jerk!' before heading back behind the counter.

  Thirty minutes came and went while Penny stood behind the counter.

  With a heavy sigh, she asked, "Do you want me to scratch Mr. Ass... Assat... Um, that can't be right... I don't know how to pronounce it. Anyways, it doesn't look like the guy's gonna show up."

  Giving her a confused glare, Kieran stood up and walked to the counter.

  "What does it say?"

  Shrugging Penny replied, "It's Liv's handwriting."

  He leaned over and looked at the calendar before hollering to the back, "Liv!"

  Stepping in from the back, she asked, "What's up?"

  "Mr. Ass-hat?"

  Glancing up like she was trying to think, she replied, "Ya know, it's possible he goes by a different name but when he was talking that's what kept popping into my mind."

  Covering his face with his hand, Kieran shook his head and started to laugh.

  Seeing Liv's smirk as Kieran continued to laugh, Penny raised her eyebrows and looked off to the side thinking, 'Yea, that's not weird at all'.

  Still shaking his head at Liv, Kieran walked back to his station saying, "Mr. Ass-hat isn't my client. He's yours," to Penny as he sat down in the in the opposite chair.

  Caught off guard, Penny asked, "What?"

  Pushing his stool towards her with his foot, Kieran replied, "You want it or not."

  Speechless, Penny frantically nodded at him.

  ~

  Flipping through channels, Seth stopped on Yesterday to Today: Ancient Civilization's Impact on the Modern World. Leaning his head back against the couch, he closed his eyes and listened to the documentary. It didn't take long for him to recall the last time it was on. That was the first night he made it into Penny's top ten.

  Two minutes in, he couldn't stand it anymore and turned the TV off. Seth was miserable. No, beyond miserable. Unsure what was worse than miserable, whatever it was, that's what he was.

  Tossing his remote on the couch, he stood up and walked into his kitchen. Pulling out a box of coco puffs, he turned and opened his cabinet. Staring right at him was Penny's black and white polka dot bowl. With a heavy sigh, he closed the cabinet. Walking back to his living room, Seth stuck his hand down into the cereal box and retrieved a hand full of the chocolate puffs just as there was a knock at his door.

  He had no intentions of answering the door but decided to check and see who it was anyway. Shoving a hand full of cereal into his mouth, Seth looked out of the peephole. Chewing, he stepped back and stared at his door. Another knock and he paused before looking out of the peephole again. Tucking the box of cereal to his chest with one hand, he turned the doorknob with the other.

  "What's goin' on, man?" Braden asked as soon as Seth opened his door.

  Shrugging, Seth grabbed another hand full of cereal, "Do you want to come in?" before eating it.

  "Yea...You okay there?" Braden asked as he stepped inside.

  Nodding, Seth offered him some coco puffs as he held the box out to him.

  With a slight laugh, Braden said, "Nah, man, I'm good."

  Thinking suit yourself, he sat back down on the couch.

  Another hand full of cereal mixed with a concerned look from Braden caused Seth's stomach to hurt.

  Taking a seat on the other end of the couch, Braden shared, "Looks like you've got a fun night of eating coco puffs alone in the dark ahead of you, so I'll make this quick."

  Leaning his head back against the couch, Seth asked, "Is it about Penny?"

  "Sorta."

  Seth looked over at him saying, "I don't mean to be unfriendly Braden but I'd rather be alone."

  "Than with Penny?"

  "No," he quickly replied before informing, "She's the one that ended things."

  "I know she did and I can't help you."

  Seth couldn't help giving him a stupid look as he snapped, "Well, thanks for stopping by."

  "Anytime," Braden laughed.

  It wasn't that Seth didn't like Braden, he got along with him fine but at the moment he didn't find him amusing.

  "Shouldn't you be at the rehearsal dinner?"

  "Should be. I got myself uninvited," he replied with a 'Whatever' expression before saying, "It's cool though, I've got a date instead."

  Looking at Braden, he started to wonder why he'd come over in the first place.

>   Braden slapped his hands against his knees before standing up.

  Standing up too, Seth shared, "I'm sorry, I..."

  "I know man, I can't imagine not havin' Penny in my life and I'm just her brother."

  Now he was just being cruel, Seth thought, cringing at his statement.

  "It funny ya know..." Braden said trailing off as he walked to the door.

  "What is?"

  With his hand on the knob, he continued, "How two people can want the exact same thing but neither is willing to take the risk."

  "I tried..." Seth replied unsure if he was trying to convince Braden or himself.

  Nodding he suggested, "Well man, if you tried, you tried. That's all you can do. Right?"

  Seth didn't have it in him to agree as he watched Braden open his door to leave.

  "Besides, I'm not the brother you should be talkin' to anyway," he shared before stepping out and closing the door behind himself.

  ~

  Liv was sitting on a bench off to the side while the wedding party prepared for the wedding rehearsal when Penny arrived. In a fantastic mood after Kieran's approval of her artwork on his arm, and then Charlotte's wedding present being ready to pick up, she skipped up to Liv.

  "What are you doing way over here?"

  Hopping up, Liv replied, "Waitin' for you, Beautiful."

  Penny gave her a suspicious scowl.

  "Fine, I'm tryin' to keep my mouth shut."

  With a laugh, she blurted, "Since when?"

  "About ten minutes ago," Liv laughed in response before saying, "Come on you'll see."

  Confused, Penny walked with Liv over to where everyone else was standing.

  The closer they made it to everyone, the more obvious it was that Liv wasn't the only one keeping their distance from the wedding party.

  As soon as they walked up, Charlotte stated, "Penny's here, let's get this over with."

  Everyone instantly obeyed, moving to their positions.

  Charlotte's youngest sister Lola made her way down the aisle first carrying an empty flower basket. Penny walked arm in arm with Kieran meeting Auggie where the altar would be in the morning. Silvia pouted as she made her way next to Penny all by herself. Next came Charlotte's other sister Jenna with Ailin. Lastly, Emerson walked his seemingly disgruntled daughter down the aisle.