The two finished their coffees. Then, Bonnie, making the prudent decision not to push her luck, hooked her arm through Penny’s, leading her towards the door. “We’ll be off then.”
“Bye,” Bonnie said with a wave.
“Tomorrow,” Seamus said with a confident nod, looking only at Penny.
Penny slowly lifted her head, then lowered it, taking in his physique once more, a blush blooming on her cheeks. “Thanks. Looking forward to it.”
They burst back out into the daylight, arms still linked, and couldn’t help laughing their way down the street. When she finally pulled herself together, Penny swatted at her friend.
“You are horrible,” she complained.
“What?” Bonnie asked innocently.
“You’re worse than a matchmaking mother in one of those Bridgerton books.”
“Well, I didn’t read the books, but I definitely enjoyed the shows. And if you’re lucky, you might be able to enjoy some moments as steamy as those.”
Penny’s brown eyes went wide. “Bonnie,” she exclaimed through gritted teeth. “He only offered to show me around. You can’t even call that a date.”
“Oh, it’s definitely a date. I don’t think guys like Seamus show you around unless they’re interested in a date.”
Penny’s arms circled her body as if holding herself together while she absorbed this thought.
“Come on,” Bonnie said, pulling her along. “Let’s do some shopping. All your clothes say I’m lovely, innocent, and cute. Not, please kiss me until my lips fall off. And I should know, I looked through all of them.”
Back in the sunroom that evening, Penelope sat curled up in blankets on the couch she’d claimed for herself. Bonnie was settled across from her. They’d finally managed to get a few more groceries in and were able to relax with a cup of tea in front of each of them—something Penny was getting used to.
Even as she sipped it, she marveled at the changes happening to her in such a short amount of time. She wasn’t naïve enough not to realize Bonnie had filled their afternoon with distractions intentionally. Still, she was surprised that she’d let herself get swept up in them. She looked at outfits and tried on clothes without panicking at the idea of wearing them out with Seamus.She let herself feel pretty in front of the mirror instead of picking out her every flaw. She knew Bonnie’s infectious cheer had made it easier. But she was willing to give herself some credit as well.
Over the past few years, as she worked on herself and came to understand her worth, especially in her job, the changes were starting to take effect.
Coming out of her introspection, she wanted to thank Bonnie for this opportunity, even if it was forced. Instead, she felt immediately guilty. Bonnie sat huddled on her couch. The smile she’d presented to the world all day long had dimmed. She cradled her tea to her chest, her shoulders slumped over it. Her thoughts were obviously elsewhere.
“Almost ready to talk about it?” Penny asked softly, into the silence.
Bonnie wore a faraway and slightly pained expression. The question seemed to bring her back to herself. She blinked, then lifted her tea to take a slow sip. “Almost.”
“I appreciate your efforts to set me up, Bonnie,” Penny said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I get that you want me to have an adventure. But I don’t really feel right about it. Not when you’re going through what you’re going through. I feel like I should be making a pact with you to swear off men instead.”
Bonnie’s eyes closed, and she smiled into her tea, breathing out the faintest hint of a chuckle. “Only you, Penny.”
“I think it’s what any friend would do,” Penny said defensively.
“And that’s why I love you. Because you genuinely think that. But it’s not. It’s what you would do. Because you are the sweetest, kindest, best friend a girl could ask for. But it’s not what I want from you. I’m not saying I’m prepared to see you all cuddled up with some guy,” she amended quickly. “But you deserve some fun. Sometimes, I feel like you’ve given up on men without ever giving anyone a chance.”
Penny’s shoulders drew in as she lifted her mug of tea to mask her discomfort. “I just never found someone who made me feel… you know….”
“But you haven’t given anyone much of a chance.”
“I shouldn’t have to,” she said with more conviction than she felt. “I mean, there should be something there—something from the beginning. Chasing after someone when there isn’t is foolish.” She chose to omit that she’d done precisely that and learned the hard way. “I’m not saying love at first sight. I’m not that much of an idiot or a romantic—whatever you want to call it. But you should feel something. And I just haven’t.” Unbidden, the thought of Finn and his lopsided grin flashed through her head.
“And does Seamus make you feel something?” Bonnie asked with raised eyebrows, catching the look on her friend’s face.
“Of course, Seamus makes me feel something,” Penny exploded, as her body straightened out again. “He could make an eighty-year-old woman feel something. I’m just not sure it’s the right kind of something. And I don’t understand why he’s interested in me.”
Bonnie put her mug down and looked more directly at Penny. “Don’t sell yourself short, Penelope North. Yes, he has dreamy blue eyes and, obviously, an amazing body. But I don’t think you realize all you’ve got going for you.”
“Yeah,” Penny snorted a laugh. “Penny with the mousy brown hair and eyes to match is definitely on his level.”
