One Penny: A Marked Heart Novel (17 page)

"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.

With everyone in place, Reverend Gary, who also happened to be a Caffrey, started the rehearsal ceremony.

Just as he was getting to dearly beloved, Auggie looked over at Kieran asking, "Is that a yellow heart?"

"Yep," Kieran replied before Penny cheered, "Did you check out the smiley face in it?" referring to the fresh tattoo she had giving him at the top of his forearm.

Shaking his head with a laugh, Auggie said, "I should have known."

Penny's proud smile at the moment was cut short when Reverend Gary cleared his throat saying, "If you don't mind."

Ignoring him, Charlotte leaned closer to Kieran to inspect the tattoo before complimenting, "Wow, that looks great Penny."

Reverend Gary glared at Charlotte's continued interruption as Auggie griped, "You can stop lookin' at her like that."

"Don't defend me," she snapped before apologizing, "I'm sorry Reverend, please continue."

Auggie growled under his breath before a scowl took over his expression. Penny drew in a deep breath thinking 'This can't be good'.

The 'I do's' consisted of a 'Yea' from Auggie and a 'Whatever' from Charlotte. When that was over Charlotte and Auggie turned to head back down the aisle. Penny noticed him reach to take her hand and watched her refuse it with a loud huff before taking off without him.

Blowing out an exasperated breath over her almost sister in law and brother, Penny headed towards the couple.

Seeing the discontent on their faces, she decided to intervene.

"So is everyone as excited as I am for tomorrow?" she cheered.

They both stared at her with unpleasant expressions.

"There is going to be a wedding tomorrow, right?"

Charlotte gave the bottom of her shirt a little tug before saying, "Well I don't know. Augustus could get mad at me and tell me not to show up," before walking off.

"Damn it Charlotte," he griped, taking off after her.

With a heavy sigh, Penny shook her head at them.

~

It was a little after one in the morning before Seth was able to work up the nerve to have a conversation with the brother Braden advised he should talk to. After driving by Auggie's house and seeing the driveway empty, he tried the next logical place he thought he would find him.

When Seth walked into The Dog House, he saw Auggie sitting at a table in the corner with a bottle of whiskey and a glass in front of him.

"Bar's closed," he informed without looking up from his glass.

Taking a few controlled breaths, Seth walked towards him.

"I want to be with Penny," he forced out feeling anxious.

Lifting his glass, Auggie replied, "Good for you," before taking a sip.

Unsure of himself, he asked, "What do I do?"

Setting his glass down, Auggie answered, "Prove it."

Confused, Seth questioned, "How do I do that?"