AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes.”
She cocks her head to the side, and I hold my breath, hoping and praying she doesn’t mention Andrew’s name. She doesn’t. Instead, she looks around us at the willow and magnolia trees.
“I always wonder why people don’t come to this side of the park. It’s so peaceful here.”
“I guess it’s more peaceful because people don’t use it.”
She laughs and nudges me. “Okay, smart aleck.”
I try to laugh, but it comes out more like a snort. The smile clears from her face, and her gaze holds mine again.
“I met with Andrew.”
My throat tightens, and my stomach swirls. “I saw you both.”
The question “why?” hangs in the air between us, but I refuse to ask because I’m afraid of the answer.
“Liam, this morning, I ran into Andrew at Espresso Yourself.”
I want to scream for her to stop, but my tongue remains glued to the roof of my mouth. I’m waiting for her to tell me that she regrets leaving Andrew at the altar.
“I’ve been trying to reach him for a while now,” Penny continues. “So when I saw him, I asked if he could talk. He wasn’t very receptive but promised to text me…” Penny pauses and takes a deep breath, her gaze staring at something up ahead. “When we were in the library, he texted me.”
So, was it a text from Andrew that caused the change in her at the library? My blood runs cold.
“I felt guilty, Liam. At the coffee shop, I could still see the hurt in his eyes. I couldn’t get over it. I—I felt horrible and so very ashamed.”
She pauses again as if expecting me to respond, but I’m completely overwhelmed by the emotions trying to consume me and don’t utter a word.
“When you saw us, we were talking things over, and I feel so much better.”
A sledge of pain cuts through me, but I manage to smile. “I’m happy for you, Penny.”
“Liam.” She shuffles close to me and grabs my hand. “The reason I feel better is because Andrew knows the truth. It’s always been you.”
“What? Penny, what are you talking about?”
“You, Liam. It’s always been you. I was foolish to believe—”
“Stop!” My voice comes out sharper than I had intended, causing Penny to drop my hand. I regret it instantly, but instead of apologizing, I leave the bench, putting distance between us. Tex leaps onto the space I just vacated and sits, staring at me.
I can feel Penny’s heated gaze on me, and I wish she would stop. My mind is racing with possibilities, and I don’t think it’s fair for her to feed me with ideas of a happily ever after when my mind tells me it doesn’t exist.
“Liam?” Suddenly, Penny is in front of me. I didn’t even notice her leaving the bench. “You will listen to me.”
“Penny, I—”
“It’s you, Liam!” Penny yells, causing Tex to tilt his head. She places both hands on the sides of my face and stares into my eyes. “It’s always been you! You know this!”
“I don’t know!” I return, pulling my face from her hands. “I don’t know, Penny. Please, let this go.”
“That’s it. Today is the day we talk about things. What’s wrong with you? Why are we taking two steps forward and then ten steps back?” Her brows dip in a frown. “I don’t understand you at all. The other day, we had a beautiful time together, and you promised to take me out again; instead, you pulled away and put distance between us!”
“This isn’t going to work,” I answer, surprised my voice comes out strong when there’s an earthquake within. “I’ve kept my distance these past few weeks because I was working with a therapist in the hopes of putting myself back together, but nothing is working.”
“Liam,” She pleads. “That’s not–”
“I am not the one.” I interrupt with a firm voice, looking away from her beautiful face.
