“Penny, did you know?”
Her friend read her mind. Her hands shook in excitement, though she focused on the road. She giggled. “Know what?”
“That’s a no, then. Let me get my business closed so I can meet you for coffee. I have your back. You’re both my friends. Finish shopping. Be there soon.”
Pulling into the mall, she found a spot in the back. Good. In Miami people stayed out late every night. Technically, she could walk around all night, never going home, but she’d need sleep at some point. Running to the outlets with good quality clothing, she tried on countless dresses, settling on four at one store, two at another, three someplace else, and, surprisingly, one at a store she’d never heard of.
Her only issue was spending too much on these clothes. But if she shopped at Gainesville where it was cheaper, she’d have had additional shipping costs. Biting her lip, she forgave herself. She started work tomorrow.
Glancing at her phone, she saw the time. It was getting late, and she had to be up early.
She’d face Eva soon.
She walked out of the mall as more people headed inside.
Gritting her teeth, she faced traffic. She’d get moving, though part of her wished to stay. Crowds sounded more tolerable than Eva, though they’d always been friendly.
The lights and cars slowed her down on the roads, but soon enough she found herself on US 1, parking at the shop in the Gables.
Fumbling for her purse, she almost screamed when someone opened her car door. Stifling her terror, she breathed, then yelled out, “Fernando, never touch my car door!”
“I came to greet you, baby girl, and walk you back in.”
Why would he still be here? She had enough changes in her life, but staring at a mistake hadn’t been on the agenda. She groaned before reminding him, “I’m not your baby. Not anymore. I never really was.”
Fernando had cute brown eyes, but her fingers ached to touch Jay again. Her lips tingled while she thought about a few hours ago. And the hardness on his body showed the dedication he had to everything he did. In comparison, the boy staring at her right now was just that, a stupid boy. And she now preferred a man. Jay, to be exact.
Stepping out of her Jeep, she locked the door, and kept two feet from Fernando, who followed her inside. Eva first. Fernando second.
Eva sat with Sandra. Fernando waved at them. Clearly, they’d became friendly yesterday. Penny imagined a huge bull’s-eye on her forehead when she ordered her chamomile tea. Waiting for her drink at the counter made her jumpy.
Hopefully the drink would calm her, like it was supposed to. “Here you go, ma’am.”
She jerked her nod before she closed her eyes to take a relaxing breath. Heading to the table made her stomach flutter, and in taking the seat, her legs bounced. “Hi.”
Sandra reached across the table and squeezed Penny’s hand in support.
Eva’s eyes narrowed. “Nervous to talk to me? We were always friends, Penny.
“Sandra tells me you didn’t know Jay and I were dating at all until you came home yesterday.”
Lying didn’t solve anything. Sandra didn’t need to smooth this over. Not when she hadn’t done anything wrong. Ripping open the honey in the plastic package, Penny’s hand only slightly shook as she stared up at her, then nodded. “I knew.”
“And you dated him online anyway?”
“No. We weren’t dating. I was dating Fernando, staying away from Miami.”
“Then one day back you land Jay. The same day we were breaking up.”
Penny’s lips pressed into a grimace. She liked Eva as a person, but she didn’t get to interfere in her life either. “I came in for coffee. He was here. I went to my mother’s that night he broke up with you.”
Eva mimicked her head shake. “Don’t be nervous. I’m not the bad girl in this story, but I wish you had told me you loved Jay a long time ago. I would have done things different too.”
“Loved?” She sipped her coffee before shaking her head. This was getting out of control fast. Her body hoped to throw him down on her bed and have her wicked way with him. Love took time. She bent her legs, then straightened them out while sitting. A headache formed. “I don’t know what to say. My life is spinning fast right now, but I’d never purposefully hurt you, Eva. Part of me is terrified of getting in your way. You always get what you want out of life.”
Eva’s smile grew larger. “True. Which is why I need your help now.”
Penny’s heart raced at being confronted. Sipping her tea in a gulp didn’t stop the sinking feeling in her chest. She gazed away then she asked, “What do you need from me?”
Eva raised a finger while she reached into her bag, taking out a folder. She had a glimmer in her eye while she pushed it toward Penny. “It’s a contract for Jay to sign, sponsoring our production of Cinderella.”
Business and manipulating killed her libido, and it would crush his too. Opening the contract, the number “two million” glared in her eyes, overpowering everything else she saw. “Are you serious?”
Eva shrugged. “He’s one of many sponsors, but his company benefits from me being happy for the two of you and my production company gets the money. It’s a win-win.”
Did all rich people care about giving and getting something when discussing how to help each other? Jay would probably talk about a deal while he slept. “You talk like him. I can’t promise anything but to show him this.”
“You can persuade him, Penny,” Eva prodded. “You have everything going for you.”
“She promised to talk to him. Trust her,” Sandra said.
Nodding, Penelope added in a straight tone, “It’s a lot of money. And I don’t have anything to do with his business deals. Giving this to him already makes me feel uncomfortable, but I will because I’d like us to be friends still.”
She avoided direct eye contact with Eva until she told her, “Jay doesn’t have your middle-class view of numbers. The only penny he counts as important is you. Don’t let me down.”
No. She kept her gaze down. Involving herself in these affairs should not be how she talked to him. As friends, she could say anything to the man. As a potential date that wasn’t a lie like Friday, she didn’t know how. She’d figure out what to do somehow. “I’m going to go home now. Work starts tomorrow. Fernando, go home to Tallahassee and don’t follow me to my car.”
***
Entering the apartment, she saw Jay pacing and talking to someone on the phone. His broad, naked back left her fantasizing about how strong he’d be holding her. Licking her lips, she pretended to be busy, and needed to get her bags in her room. She smiled at him, and he nodded before going back into his office.
Breathing normally took a few seconds, but she cooled off to put everything away. After putting her clothes down, she stared down at the bed. Jay taking off those sexy boxers would steam up her room and cause her to explode at the same time.
Laughing, she decided to get something to eat before bed. It wasn’t like she could sleep anyhow. Tomorrow was the big day.
After putting the papers on the counter, she decided to make them dinner. Pasta, eggplant, and breaded chicken. Jay stayed in his office while she prepped for the food. When she was done, she put the food in the oven, then went to put her new clothes in the closet, and washed the hot sun off her body.
Smelling clean and fresh, she went back to check on her food and caught Jay reading the folder she’d left on the counter.
Biting her lip, she told him, “I promised to deliver that to you from Eva.”
“Clearly. It had my name on it.”
This wasn’t how she’d planned tonight. She’d rather have another go at that kiss, but he seemed so serious at the moment. She went into the kitchen to open the oven and not look at him. “I told her no, but she insisted I give it to you. I said I would, but I swore not to be involved with your answer.”
“Will she leave you alone if I agree to this?” he asked.
Turning around,
she met clear, judging eyes that made her body want to jump out of her skin. Rubbing her hand on her nightshirt, she gazed down again. “She mentioned we’d be friends no matter what you said.”
“I’ll have my lawyers look at this.”
He hopped out of his chair, walking back to his office, not looking at her. She picked at a loose thread on her shirt, hoping he’d not notice the blush go down her entire body. When the door clicked closed, she opened the oven to check on the food.
At least she did one thing right today. Finding the oven mitts, she took out the food, placing it on top of the counter next to the oven. She smiled then washed her hands. She hadn’t cooked in a while. Calmness enveloped her and soon everything in the kitchen smelled delicious. Finished, she heard the crackle of the oil one more time, then she added her ingredients to the stir-fry pan to let everything get brown and cook together.
A hand went on her back, causing her knees to almost buckle.
“Smells delicious, Penny. Is there enough for me?”
“Yes.” Arching her head back, she caught hold of herself before she jumped into another fire. Math was addition, one step at a time. She should live her life one thing at a time. It would make everything better. “I hoped you’d join me. I need to calm down to be fresh for work tomorrow. It’s why I moved back here.”
Not because she missed him, though she always had. She should stick with friends until she understood what was going on with him and started her new job.
He found the plates in the cabinet and told her, “I’ll clean up after. Go inside, download a book, and relax. Tomorrow will be hard.”
“You’re not mad at me for giving you those papers, though?”
He stared up, surprised. “No. I’ll settle with Eva and keep you out of it.”
Why would he do that? Eva and Jay spoke a language she didn’t understand at all. “Settle? You’ll give her the money?”
He shrugged. “I get it back on my taxes. So it’s a wash and it makes our lives easier. Don’t stress over it.”
Two million dollars? “Is that because of me or your own conscience, Jay?”
“I don’t have one of those anymore.”
Yes, he did. They were always friends. He needed her. “Don’t lie to yourself or to me. You know right from wrong, and you always have. Jay, you’re a good man.”
“It’s good you think so. Let’s eat.”
She didn’t mention the kiss. It would be better to bury that. After putting her dish in the sink, she took his advice and downloaded a book to read and relax with before bedtime.
She listened to him clean up while she was under her blankets. If they weren’t friends, stripping him down and kissing him senseless would be so much easier.
Chapter Fourteen
Penelope couldn’t sleep. Jay’s kiss and what she hoped to do with his body tortured her, when she should have been focused on today. Spending the last few months without a full-time job while deferring her student loan bills weighed heavily on her shoulders. Her mother hadn’t offered a dime to pay for anything. Now, soon, she could start fresh. The job gave her hope. Good. When her alarm clock flashed five o’clock in the morning, the second before it beeped uncontrollably, she rolled out of her comfortable bed. She’d sleep tonight, after a full day of work.
Work kept her honest. Dragging her butt into the shower, she hit a different setting button to see her other options, and rainwater trickled on her head. Giggling, she let the soft sounds and sometimes-sideways water calm her twitching nerves.
Twenty minutes later, she stepped out of her home spa, found a towel, and picked out her favorite new brown and pink dress. After wiggling her feet into her fancy high-heeled sandals, she stared at herself in the mirror. She appeared happy. Good. With a smile, she finished the look, brushing on a little makeup. After jamming the rest of her makeup into her new pocketbook, she needed only one more thing. Coffee in a trusty cup to wake her body up before heading into work.
The place was dead when she left.
Twenty minutes later, she had halfway finished her latte when Jay texted her. Missed you this morning. Have a good day at work.
Smiling, she calmed down. Jay being her friend gave her hope for everything else. Not sleeping with him was the right thing to do. Otherwise, she’d change their dynamic, and she needed a friend.
***
Finding a spot in the parking lot hadn’t been hard. Today she started her new life. She carried her mostly finished coffee, her heels clinking on the marble floor of the lobby. When she signed the roster at security, the man’s eyes didn’t have any light in them when he asked, “Penelope Knightheart?”
“Yes.” She let the security guard wave a machine looking for metal on her body. Did she look dangerous? Funny.
He waved her through. “Come this way. The owner demanded to see you the second you arrived.”
“Why?” She couldn’t have done anything wrong. It was the first day, and she hadn’t had the chance to wow anyone yet. She glanced at the clock—still two minutes before she had been scheduled to arrive. “Am I on a list?”
“The boss doesn’t tell me his thoughts. I do what I’m told. Now follow me.”
She assumed she must have more paperwork to fill out. Yes, that made sense, but something didn’t add up. Penny bit her lip while she rode the elevator to the top floor of the building. The security guard pointed to the encrusted door. Paperwork was usually done in human resources, not the president’s office. Gulping, she gazed at the security guard, who told her, “I have to get back to my post.”
Right. Whatever happened, she’d have to face the situation head on. She hadn’t done anything. Squaring her shoulders, she proceeded inside. A secretary nodded at her. “Ms. Knightheart?”
“Yes.”
“Go inside. Mr. Wells will see you now.”
Why would the president of the company want her? Her hand only slightly shook when she clutched the doorknob, hoping, somehow, something would stop her. Lightning didn’t strike to knock out the power, and she pushed ahead while smoothing over her skirt. Pasting a happy-to-be-here face on, she proceeded to his desk. The man stared up. Perhaps she had overreacted. Opening her mouth took effort while her head stayed on her shoulders. “Good morning, Mr. Wells, it’s good to meet you.”
Without raising his head, his eyes rolled up to meet hers. “Sorry you had to move, Ms. Knightheart, but we’ve had to eliminate your position. I have my secretary drawing up a package for you now, containing money for your move and a month’s severance pay.”
No job. What? Did he just say that? Her ears turned red. “Why? I didn’t do anything.”
“It’s not about you.” His eyes returned to his desk, not staring up at her. “Get out now. I have other things to do. Sign the papers and get the money. Goodbye.”
How had this happened? She needed the job. She opened then closed her mouth. Could she say anything to change this? She stood there motionless while the secretary came inside the office. The secretary stood in front of her. “Let’s go now.”
Her eyes would water any minute now. “Please.”
Uncaring, the woman answered, “Follow me.”
Penny swallowed, needing to stop the tears, and followed the secretary out the door to stand at her desk. She couldn’t cry. She needed to show them how wrong this was.
The secretary pushed paper at her hands. “Please sign this saying that you were adequately paid for your time and inconvenience of moving.”
She took the pen in her hand without thinking before she argued, “I didn’t do anything.”
“Doesn’t matter. Please sign.”
The paper glared at her, telling her that she had screwed up entirely. She had spent all her money in the past two days. Apartment, car, clothes. She took a deep breath, refusing to hyperventilate. If she didn’t sign, she’d not get the three thousand dollars. Staring at the paper for a minute, she couldn’t think of any argument. Looking up at the sky, she took the pen and followed
the directions for signature and initials.
The secretary checked the boxes, ensuring everything was in order before she handed her an envelope. Peeking inside, Penny noticed her paycheck. It covered what she had spent, but she’d not have any extra money.
Why had she left a security deposit on a place she’d never afford for long now? What was she supposed to do? Coldness took over her body. Soon enough, she’d have nothing—again. Gainesville left a sour taste in her mouth. Hard work was supposed to pay off with a house and a car.
Her cheeks were wet from tears as security walked in to escort her off the premises.
***
Outside, near her car, she covered her mouth until no more tears came out of her eyes. She’d been fired? What? No one had an answer. She stared at the car. How could she afford it? Or her student loans? Or her half of the rent? Or the whole rent on a new place?
Her heart raced while panic struck her paralyzed.
Her mother’s answer would be to smile and flash her chest to get money out of men. And Penny’s skin turned ice cold. She’d never be like her mother.
Looking at her smart phone, she had an idea. The weight on her shoulders lessened considerably. She needed a job. She’d have to find another job. Fast.
She gulped for air. The bars of the parking lot didn’t cover the view of the street. A red “help wanted” sign across the street caught her eye. A pizza shop. Turning on her heels, she went inside. A temporary job would stave off the panic until she found a job for her degree.
With the money in her pocketbook and a low-paying job, she’d buy herself time to figure out her next move.
Good. She worked better with a plan.
Chapter Fifteen
Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush Page 7