One Size Fits All (The Classy ‘n’ Sassy Series Book 3) (21 page)

CHAPTER
Thirty

P
enny couldn’t
decide what was worse: finding out her ex had cheated on her, or finding out the friends she thought she had never had been her friends at all. Jack had always been an asshole, she’d just been too blind to see it. But Bryn and Mia . . . she really thought they were her friends. In the end, when the paint flew, Bryn had Mia’s back and Penny was alone.

No. She wasn’t alone. She had Theo. She pulled into his driveway—her driveway—and rushed inside. She needed him. She didn’t care if she was covered in paint.

She shook off her shoes and trotted to the bedroom, where she’d left him, and stopped in the doorway.

He took in her rainbow paint–splattered appearance. “What the hell happened?”

She burst into tears.

Theo rushed to her, scooping her into his arms, smoothing her hair. He knew enough to know not to prod further. Instead he led her to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. As the tub filled, he kissed each of her eyes and carefully peeled off her clothes. He helped her into the warm water and she’d never felt more loved or cared for in her life.

When she was clean and the water had turned cold, he emptied the tub and helped her dry off, then tucked her into bed. Suddenly she was tired. So tired. He kissed her and turned off the bedside lamp. She heard the click of the door shutting, then a moment later, the murmur of conversation. A heated one. But she was far too exhausted to care.

---------

“YOU NEED
to tell me what the fuck happened,” Thor said into his cell phone, his patience long gone.

“I don’t even know,” Bryn replied.

She sounded tired but he didn’t care. “You better find out then. She was a mess when she came home.”

“We were painting and everything was perfectly fine and then all of a sudden she and Mia were yelling and then paint was flying.”

“That’s all you know? Come on. Don’t fuck with me. We’ve been friends for a long time.”

“That’s all I know! Mia is just as upset, you know. Penny said some really nasty things to her.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Well, I was there, and she did.”

“Then she must have had a reason. She’s been really miserable at the shop for a long time. Did you even know that?”

“Sort of.”

“So you knew and did nothing about it? What the hell kind of friend is that?”

Bryn sighed. “You don’t understand. We’re under a lot of stress. This business is our lives, and if it tanks, we’re in big trouble. The new girl had some fresh ideas so we ran with them. I’m sorry if Penny got a bent nose about it.”

“She’s been by your side for years. I know she helped keep that shop afloat after Johnny died. And this is how you repay her?”

“What am I supposed to do? Mia is still worried like crazy about the shop’s finances. We’re doing well, but I can’t get her to relax about it. She’s working really hard to make sure we don’t slide back where we were. And I can’t go against her. She’s my partner, for God’s sake.”

“Well, you better fix it tomorrow when Penny goes in to work.”

“She quit. She said she’s done. With the job and us.”

Shit. He knew Penny had been unhappy at the shop, but he hadn’t realized it was that bad. She needed that job. She couldn’t possibly make enough at The Red Brick to support herself. But that wasn’t the point. He knew she’d loved her job once, and loved Bryn and Mia. They had to be able to work this out somehow.

“Please try and do something. I’m begging you, as a friend. I love her and it kills me to see her like this.”

“I know you do. We love her, too, even if we haven’t been acting like it lately. I’ll fix it. I promise.”

“Good.”

“So, are we okay?”

He’d do it if he had to, but he wasn’t going to throw away their friendship just yet. “Of course,” he said, then added, “Unless you keep making my girlfriend cry.” Hoping to lighten the mood a little.

“No more crying, I swear.”

He ended his call and crept back to the bedroom. The hallway light shone into the room, illuminating her. She was so damn beautiful. He knew in that moment he’d do anything to ensure her happiness. He never wanted to see her cry again.

---------

PENNY WOKE
when Theo’s alarm went off. It was Monday, the first day of the work week for him. Normally she’d go back to sleep for a little while, then get up and get ready for the afternoon shift at Classy ’n’ Sassy. But not today. Not ever again. Today she’d stay in bed—maybe even all day—wrapped in the warmth of Theo’s down comforter.

She drifted in and out of sleep as he got ready, enjoying the sounds of having someone there. She hadn’t lived alone long, but she really hated the silence.

The side of the mattress dipped with his weight and she opened her eyes. “Have a good day at school,” she said.

“I will.” He cupped her chin and leaned in with a sweet kiss. “Get some rest, okay? Everything will work out.”

She nodded and nuzzled his palm, kissing the center. The gentle aroma of citrus rose from his skin. He must have used his new fancy shave soap.

“Love you,” he said, and stood.

“Love you, too.”

She listened to him leave then slipped back into slumber and fragmented dreams of her friends and the fun they used to have. Their favorite song was even playing. The one Bryn always made them sing as a threesome when they went out for karaoke.

Oh. Wait. It was coming from the nightstand.

Penny grabbed her phone and swiped her finger across the screen before she thought it through. “Hello?”

“Hey, Penny. It’s Bryn.”

Fuck. The urge to hang up was strong but her body was weak. “Hey.”

“Can we talk about last night?”

“I guess.” Penny was still too groggy to formulate complete thoughts.

“I don’t really know what happened, but we understand how you feel. Right, Mia?”

“Yes,” Mia said.

Crap. They had her on a three-way call? Penny was not awake enough for this. She sat up, an attempt to shake off her sleepiness.

“We’ve been taking you for granted and it’s not fair,” Bryn continued.

Keep talking
,
she thought.

Mia cleared her throat. Obviously this was not easy for her. “I guess I didn’t realize I was hurting you so much by using Chanel’s ideas.”

Wow. Mia acknowledged her part? This was one for the record books.

“But you have to understand that we need to do everything possible to make this business a success. We can’t ignore good ideas, regardless of where they come from.”

“I do understand that.”

“We need to be a team,” Bryn stated. “Just like we always have been. We’re stronger that way.”

With only three sentences, Bryn had opened the box of nostalgia in Penny’s brain. All the good times, and how even during the bad times they’d stuck together and made great things happen.

“We do make a good team,” Mia added, then continued. “Which is now even stronger. You can’t discount Chanel just because she’s younger than us.”

Penny hated to admit it, but Mia had a point. Chanel was a spoiled brat, but she did have some fresh ideas. Though she was still pissed they destroyed everything she’d built the last four years.

“So can we please have our awesome team back?” Bryn begged.

Mia answered first. “I’m in if you guys are.”

Penny had nothing else to lose. “Yeah. I’m in, too.”

“Yay!” Bryn cheered. “Mia’s already at the shop and I’m on my way in now. I’ll stop for champagne. You’ll be in at two, right Penny?”

A little smile crept to her lips. “I’ll be there.”

This felt good. Maybe it all needed to fall apart a little so they could realize what they were losing. What they were being so careless with. Not only a successful business team, but their friendship.

“Great!” Bryn said. “ ’Cause I promised Thor I’d fix things and make sure you don’t cry anymore.”

Huh? Dread crept in and began to strangle the joy. “What are you talking about?”

“Um . . . ” Bryn giggled nervously. “I told Thor I would make things right with you.”

“You talked to him? He asked you to apologize?”

“Kind of . . . but not really.”

“Did you or did you not talk to him?”

“Yes. But—”

“You know what? Forget it. If you can’t apologize to me on your own, then this isn’t going to work.”

Penny hung up. That whole conversation about teamwork and friendship had been bullshit. They’d only called because her big, bad boyfriend made them.

Fuck.

CHAPTER
Thirty-One

T
hor collected
the practice equipment and lugged it to the shed. When he finished stacking orange cones he closed the metal doors and slipped the padlock through the hasp. He turned around, ready for the pizza he’d ordered ten minutes ago and would pick up on his way home.

He was taken aback, not expecting to see Penny. She stood there, hands deep in the pockets of her jacket, an expression he couldn’t read, but he sure as hell didn’t like.

“Is everything okay?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you should call Bryn and ask.”

Shit. “Why don’t we grab a pizza and go home and talk.”

“Talk to me, or talk some more to Bryn about me behind my back?”

He closed his eyes and let out the breath he’d been holding. He was just going to have to fess up. “We weren’t talking behind your back. But I did call her last night. You were so upset and I didn’t know what else to do. I thought if I asked her what happened she could tell me and I could fix it.”

“But you can’t fix my problems. And you definitely can’t demand that someone apologize to me.”

He took a step forward. “I love you and I hated seeing you like that.”

“But if you really love me, you wouldn’t go behind my back.”

“I’m sorry. I was so mad at how they made you feel and I just couldn’t sit there and do nothing. I’m sorry if that makes me a bad guy.”

Her gaze softened. “You’re not a bad guy, but you can’t can’t just swoop in and save me from everything, either.”

He took another step toward her. “I can’t help it that I want to protect you.”

“I don’t need protecting.”

“Listen.” He stepped to her and took her hand in his. “I’ve never been in a real relationship before, so I don’t know all the rules. But I swear . . . I’m going to learn them.”

“Okay.” She stared down at her free hand and chipped-off pink nail polish.

“I mean it.” He tilted her chin upward. “I’ll be better. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

He pulled her in to him and she wrapped her arms around his midsection and squeezed.

“I’m sorry,” she said to his chest. “Everything is such a mess and I just don’t know what to do.”

“I’m here for you. Whatever you need. Just ask.”

Maybe that was best. He had to step back and just be there for her when she needed him. If everything in her world crumbled, he would be the one thing she could depend on. No matter what.

---------

PENNY FOLLOWED
Theo to his house after a quick stop for the pizza he’d ordered, but she probably should have gone home. After last night and this afternoon, now the thing with Theo, her bed was looking pretty good. Maybe she’d stay in it for a week. She didn’t have much else going on.

He parked and got out and she opened her door, too.

“I think I’m gonna head home.”

“But you are home, remember?”

She hadn’t. “Oh, right.”

She followed him in, the scent of bubbling mozzarella dancing around her head. Normally it would make her stomach growl with anticipation. Not tonight.

He set the box on the counter and pulled out two plates. “One piece or two?”

“Are you sure you want me here? I won’t be good company tonight.”

“I don’t care. You belong here. Good or bad.” He leaned and kissed her cheek, then set two pieces on one plate and one on the other, handing her the lone piece. “At least try to eat a little.”

They sat in the living room, HGTV on the flat-screen. Not because he liked it. Because she did. She took a bite of pizza and it tasted as good as it smelled. Damn it. She was supposed to be wallowing in her misery here.

Theo turned and smiled at her, sauce smeared on the left side of his mouth. God, he was so freaking cute. She couldn’t help but smile.

Okay, maybe he could be her white knight. Just a little bit. Saving her with pizza and girlie TV.

---------

EVEN WITH
all the messiness of the last couple of days, it still felt good to wake in Theo’s arms. She didn’t like fighting with him. She’d never fought with Jack. But maybe that was why their marriage ended. She’d never told him how she felt or what she needed. And neither had he. Maybe a healthy, normal relationship was messy. It all had given her a new outlook on life and relationships.

She’d ignore the fact that it probably applied to her friendships as well. At least for now. She wasn’t ready to deal with that yet.

“What are you going to do today?”

“I don’t know. I need to call some of those listings in the paper, even if they aren’t exactly what I’m looking for. I can’t survive on the money I make waitressing three nights a week.”

“Well, I just want to let you know, and this in no way means I’m trying to save you or anything, if you need to take some time to rest or get your head right, it’s fine. You don’t have to rush out and take some crap job just because you think you need to. We’ll have your stuff moved in by the end of the week, so you won’t have rent or utilities to pay.”

“I appreciate that, but I refuse to move in here and not help out financially.”

“I know. But we can figure it out later.”

“As long as you agree I’ll be helping.” She flashed him a wicked smile, to make sure he knew she was done being serious. “And maybe we can upgrade to the platinum cable package. Then we’ll have all the home improvement and cooking channels.”

“Anything you want,” he said, and grabbed her by the ass and pulled her on top of him, giving her a kiss that curled her toes and made her girlie parts tingle. But then he pulled away, leaving her full of desire, and stood. “But I really need to go now.”

“You’re going to leave me all alone in this cold bed all by myself?” She stuck out her bottom lip for effect.

“If I don’t go to work I’ll get fired. And then what will we do?”

“Good point. I guess I’ll have to warm myself up then.”

His left eyebrow rose. “Yeah?”

“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. But this will have to be old-school style, since all my toys are at my apartment.”

His jaw almost hit he floor. “Are you serious?”

“Someone has to test out the merchandise we sell in the shop.”

Theo closed his eyes and shook his head. “I can’t even think about that right now or I won’t leave the house.”

Penny laughed as his gorgeous ass retreated to the bathroom. “Maybe tonight I can put on a little show for you.”

“Promise?” he asked over his shoulder.

“Pinkie promise.”

Theo got ready for work and she stayed in bed, no masturbating. She could wait. It would be more fun later on. Instead she grabbed her phone and began searching job listings on the
Newford News’
s Web site. Maybe she could get a hostess job now, since she had restaurant experience. Or a daytime gig as a waitress. But would the pay be comparable to what she made at Classy ’n’ Sassy? Probably not.

She searched some more, and there actually were a couple of decent listings that would utilize her marketing skills. Perfect. She’d call right at 9 a.m.

“Bye, baby,” Theo said, and leaned down to kiss her. “I’ll see you when I get home.”

Damn, she loved the sound of that. If she worked fast, she could probably box up most of her apartment and get some of it over to Theo’s place by the time he got home. She could make dinner and it would all be perfect.

The crap of the last few days faded away and Penny was filled with hope for her future. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time.