It would be a little hypocritical of me to judge.
More dots as she typed, and I stared at my phone with a healthy helping of disbelief.
It hadn’t even been a day, and here she was, asking to see me — the girl who didn’t date. And maybe it was nothing. All I knew was that I’d gone to bed with a smile on my lips and her face in my thoughts, and I’d woken up exactly the same way. My mind had been rolling her around like a fine wine, appreciating every second I’d had with her over and over again. And if I had a chance to see her again, I’d take it, and I’d use it.
So, sounds like we’re both needy then. What to do, what to do?
I typed back, my smile stretching. I could think of a thing or two. Or three. If you come over later, I can show you. I’ll have visual aids.
Tell me there will be graphs. I love a good graph.
I laughed out loud, garnering looks from Phil and Jude, who flanked me at their monitors.
Girl, I’ve got graphs like you’ve never seen. Big, long graphs, packed with data I compiled all by myself.
Fuck, I love it when you talk dirty to me. I’m off at 8. Be there around 8:30?
Good. And make sure you don’t have panties on.
Too late.
I set my phone down and leaned back in my chair, sighing, knowing I looked like a sap. My saving grace was that I was thinking about all the places I’d fuck Penny in my apartment in a few hours.
“Was that her?” Jude asked, looking like a hyperactive puppy.
“Yeah. She’s coming over tonight.”
Jude shook his head. “Man, I cannot believe you bagged Penny. After all this time. I guess your high school voodoo shrine in your closet didn’t completely go to waste.”
My face went flat. “I didn’t have a shrine.”
Phil snorted. “You kept a gum wrapper from a stick of Wrigley’s she gave you junior year.”
“Fuck you. It had her number on it.”
“Sure it did, buddy. What about that broken bracelet you kept of hers?”
I rolled my eyes and chuffed. “She asked me to fix it.”
“But you didn’t,” Jude shot.
“Because it was too broken,” I volleyed.
“Then why didn’t you give it back to her?”
“Because it was fucking broken, and I didn’t want to admit it to her, dick.”
Jude gave me a look. “You wanted to keep it.”
“Jesus, I’m not arguing with you about this, Jude.” He was right. I’d never tell him. “She’s coming over tonight at eight-thirty, so I need you guys to … you know. Leave.”
Phil frowned. “Man, we were supposed to work tonight.”
“Yep, and now you two are going to work at Angie’s.”
Phil pouted. “I won’t get any work done, though. I can’t be with Angie and not hang out with her.”
“You’ll find a way.”
Jude perked up. “Philly, ask her to make those blondie things she makes. Or brownies. Or, like, she can bake anything because I want to eat her sweets.”
Phil’s face hardened. “You’re not eating my girlfriend’s sweets. Those sweets are mine.”
Jude put his hands up. “Easy there. I’m talking about the baked goods, not the baker.”
Phil was still pouting. “I can’t believe we’re getting kicked out so you can nail Penny. No,” he said with a shake of his head, “I can’t believe you’re actually nailing Penny. Is she the same as she was in high school?”
I thought about it. “Yes and no. She’s just … more now. People love to say they don’t give a fuck, but Penny actually means it. She’s got her own gravity, and it’s so hard not to want to know her, want to orbit her, even if just for a minute. When she walks in a room, everyone turns to look. But she was always that way. It was why Rod picked her out to torture in high school; he wanted to rein the brightest star and treat her like his pet.”
“Ugh, that dick.” Jude folded his arms. “Penny was so gone for him, and he didn’t give a single shit about her. While she was gushing over their six-month anniversary, he was bragging about the laundry list of girls he’d fucked behind the bleachers. And she had no idea, not for two full years. She was stupid for him.”
I sighed. “Well, seems Penny has flipped. She doesn’t do dating. Ever, apparently.”
Phil pushed his glasses up his nose. “Do you think it’s because of Roddy?”
“I don’t know.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I guess it’s possible. I don’t know how many times I found her abandoned at a party or crying after one of their fights. It was like I had a sixth sense for her. I’d just stumble onto her and know how to make her feel better.” I sighed. “All I know is that she says she doesn’t do feelings and wants no strings, which is fine. For now.”