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“What happened?” Penny asks, reaching out to feel my forehead. “One moment, Tex and I were playing, and the next second, he was running to you. I was so scared.”
Taking a deep breath, I reach out to ruffle Tex’s ears and give him a kiss. “Thank you, Tex.” I turn to Penny. “It was a panic attack.”
She gasps, and the concern in her eyes increases. “Are you okay?”
“I’m a little tired, but I’ll be okay. Luckily, they don’t happen as often as they used to, and I’m getting help for them.”
“But how did Tex know?” She asks, astonishment evident in her voice. “I swear he wasn’t paying any attention to you.”
“He’s one special dog,” I shrug, petting Tex.
“Where can I find one that can tell me when I’m gaining weight? I’m a mess with all the things I eat these days,” Penny teases.
I smile and shake my head. Tex drops his toy into my lap, panting playfully.
“Well…” Penny chuckles. “Tex just said it’s your turn to play. Are you okay? You can rest if you—”
“Penny?” I lean forward to kiss her forehead. “I’m fine. It’s just a little panic attack, and it’s gone.” I push myself off the mat, rising fluidly. Not only is the panic gone, but so is the dark shroud. I feel good, and I intend to hold on to this feeling for as long as I can.
“Come on, Tex.” I walk away from our mat, starting to feel excitement. Tex races ahead of me, his tail whipping against the air. I crane my head to look at Penny, who is still on the mat, watching me. “Penny, what are you doing over there? Come on.”
Without hesitation, she sprints toward me, her hair flailing in the wind.
“Wanna play a game of tag with Tex and me?”
“Sure,” she giggles, her eyes bright. “What do I do?”
I explain the simple game to her, and her eyes glint with the thrill of the competition. That’s Penny, always eager to take on challenges and win.
We play for a little while longer before heading home.
When we get to Penny’s mom’s house, there’s an ease between us. Our conversation and my panic attack helped to clear any secrets that were keeping distance between us. As I gaze into Penny’s eyes, my lips tug up, and I find my eyes drawn to her lips. When I meet her gaze again, she smiles. She places a hand on my cheek. I close my eyes, put my hand over hers, and turn to kiss her palm.
Her gasp has me opening my eyes only to see her eyes shining and her mouth slightly open. I put my hand on her cheek and lean toward her. She smiles just as my lips touch hers. Every nerve ending in my body comes alive at the gentle touch. I slide my hand from her cheek to the back of her head, pulling her closer.
Her soft sigh has my heart racing, and my entire body flooded with warmth. I loosen my hand on her head and slowly pull back. Penny follows me and gives me one last soft kiss. When she finally pulls back, her eyes are gleaming, and her smile is bright.
She leans in and kisses me on the cheek before getting out of the car. I watch her walk up to her front door; before walking in, she turns to give me a smile and a wave. We didn’t discuss a second date, but I already know the next place I want to take her.
Chapter 22
Liam
I love days like this. Endless blue skies, air that smells like sunshine, and warm enough to not need a jacket, but not so hot you’re sweating. It’s perfect. I feel my cheeks lift as I park the car in front of Bake My Day to grab some of Evie’s chocolate donuts. I know I should eat healthier, but like I said before, my sister’s baking is ridiculously good. And since I’m here, I’ll stop by to visit Evie. It’s a win-win.
When I walk into the bakery, the smell of fresh baked goods surrounds me. I inhale deeply and hear my stomach rumble in response.
“Hi, Sophie,” I say to the clerk behind the counter.
“Hey, Liam. Here for your usual?”
“You know it.” I smile at her as she rings me up and gets my order together. “Is Evie in her office?”
“Yup.”
“Thanks.” I head back to where Evie’s office is. As I get closer to the office, I hear laughter, followed by the sound of familiar voices.
I knock and then push open the office door and peek inside, I see Evie and Jess seated across from each other, with Jess’ laptop on the table and Sean’s face on the screen.
