What would Penelope say when she finally realized I wasn’t a high school English teacher? What would she think of my real occupation as CEO of one of the most successful companies in the country? Would she be impressed with my successes, impressed by my wealth? Or would she scorn it all because of the lies I’ve told her?
I climbed out of bed, moving silently so that I wouldn’t disturb her. I never meant for any of this to happen. When I came here, it was with the intention of developing a relationship with the son I didn’t know I had until a few months ago. It never occurred to me that I would fall into bed with his overwrought sister. Or that I would care about the carnage I’d leave behind when I left town with my son in tow.
But now…things were getting far too complicated!
I glanced around the room. I wanted to leave her a note, but didn’t see anything I could write on. I decided a text message would probably work just as well. My alarm bleated again. I quickly turned it off, stared at Penelope for a second longer, then slipped away, leaving her to get some well-deserved rest.
My rented house was just a few blocks away. I was in the shower within minutes of leaving her, rushing through my morning routine as I tried to remember if I got my lesson plans finished the night before. I was shaving when my cellphone rang. My first thought was that Penelope woke up and was calling to ask where I’d gone.
“Harrison? This is Mitchell Faraday. I just wanted to let you know the paperwork was filed and the party should be getting served as we speak.”
“Paperwork?” I asked, my mind jumping around, trying to remember what paperwork I’d asked my lawyer to file.
“On the custody matter. The judge agreed to hold a hearing tomorrow morning—“
“Custody?”
Oh, hell!
I suddenly remembered a hurried phone call as I rushed to Penelope’s bakery the day before. I’d just found out that my son—her brother—had gotten arrested for public intoxication over the weekend. I was so angry that I decided to push the button on the custody battle I’d promised my sister I would delay until I better knew what JT’s situation was. But I was so angry, and then Penelope looked so overwhelmed, so vulnerable, and we kissed and I forgot all about it.
I disconnected the phone as Mitchell stammered over his own words, trying to explain himself. Tugging on the first set of clothing I could find, I jumped into my car and rushed back to Penelope’s house in the hopes of catching the process server before he performed his duties. But there was a car pulling away from the curb out front.
A sense of dread settled in my stomach.
I barely had the car in park before I jumped out and rushed toward the house, bursting through the door without stopping to knock. I found her in the kitchen, staring at the paperwork where it was spilled out over the counter.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I tried to stop them.”
She didn’t speak at first. Then, in a quiet, broken voice, she said, “I don’t understand.”
“I tried to tell you last night.”
It was true. I did try to tell her. But, somehow, I couldn’t make the words come out. Or maybe I just hadn’t tried hard enough. I don’t know which it was, but I know that I would forever regret not telling her before…before the taste of her lips and the feel of her eager body under mine.
She turned, with such fear and shock in her eyes that it was like a physical blow just looking at them. I almost wished she would hit me. It would probably hurt less.
“Tell me what?”
Was there any point in trying to deny the truth now?
“He’s my son, Penny.”
A cloud of confusion washed over her face.
“JT’s is my biological son,” I repeated. “And I want him back.”
There. It was out in the open now. I waited for her to respond, for her to yell and scream, for her to tell me what an ass I was. But she just stood there, her eyes stuck on my face, and I got the distinct impression that she didn’t see me. I wasn’t sure she was seeing anything.
“His mother and I, we had a brief relationship when I was in college. I never knew she’d gotten pregnant.”
Penny moved slightly, a jerk of her chin that might have been an attempt at a nod. I stepped toward her and she didn’t move away, so I continued, took her arms in my hands as I stared into her face, desperate to make her understand.
“His mother gave him up for adoption without my permission. I never even knew about him. And when I ran into her a few months ago, she told me the truth.”
“And you came looking for him.”
“Yes.”
“You must have been thrilled to find out our parents had died. One less obstacle to overcome.”
“Penny…”
She pressed her hands to my chest, all her attention focused on them as though she couldn’t make herself look anywhere else.
“Is this why last night happened? Were you trying to…what? To catch me off guard? To use me before I found out what a lying bastard you are?”
She said it so softly, so calmly that the sting was that much more intense.
I grabbed her wrists, pulled her closer to me, lowering my head so our lips were a breath apart.
“I never wanted to hurt you.”