Page 43 of I’d Never Date my Best Friend…Again

My heart is beating like a teenage boy on his way to pick up his date for prom, and my palms are sweating. This nervousness is new to me, because the last person I’ve ever felt nervous around was Penny.

When I asked Penny if she wanted to come to work with me, it was on a whim. The setting sun put a halo around her, and she looked so angelic. I was desperate to see her again. I don’t regret asking her, but I can’t help but wonder what I’m doing.

My talk with Evie pops into my head, and I realize the thought of Penny with someone else is the driving force. I don’t just want Penny in my life; I need her. She is the one woman who’s capable of shattering me and also the one who can help piece me back together.

When I pull up to the curb, Penny flings open the front door, wearing a smile that blinds the sun. She’s dressed in tan cargo pants and a blue cotton tee with her bag slung over her shoulder. Each step she takes closer to my truck matches the pounding of my heart.

By the time she slips into the passenger seat, my heart is roaring in my chest.

“Hi.” She leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek, and I hold my breath as her scent fills the car. She catches Tex and gives his head a rub. “How are you?”

“I’m good.” I pull away from the curb and down the road. “Did you eat breakfast?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “I didn’t want to feel heavy. But I’ll grab lunch later.”

“Penny.” I roll my eyes. “I’m the instructor, and I had breakfast. You have nothing to worry about.”

She narrows her eyes at me, but a smile is trying to sneak out. “I was nervous, okay?”

“Penny was too nervous to eat? I didn’t think that was possible!” My eyebrows shoot to the sky. She nudges my arm, and I laugh.

Although she’s happy and chirpy, I can tell that she’s nervous, so I move the conversation to a more relaxing topic.

“So…tell me what it’s like to work in a library.”

Penny eyes me playfully. “Are you interested in getting to know me better, Liam?”

“Yes,” I say seriously. “I want to know everything you’ve been doing since I was away.” Penny's mouth falls slightly open, and she stares at me.

“I’ve been working there for three years now.” She fiddles with the collar of her shirt. “Everyone there is really nice, and I love getting to see the people in town. It makes me feel connected. It’s not what I thought I’d be doing with my life, but I like it.”

“What books would you recommend to me as a first-time reader?”

Instead of responding, Penny purses her lips and tilts her head. “Are you being serious right now? Stop teasing me.”

“I’m being completely serious,” I insist.

“Wow.” Penny slowly claps her hands and wiggles her brows in jest. “Who are you, and what have you done with my Liam?”

My Liam.

The words hang between us and stick onto my skin like a tattoo. I force my next words out despite the feeling of warmth radiating through my chest.

“I’ve noticed that silence, long stretches of it, is my enemy. So on weekends, when I’m home with nothing to occupy my time, and TV isn’t helping, I’m looking for something that can help to occupy my mind.”

“Oh, I see. Hmmm. Let me think about this for a bit. I’ll make sure to find something that I think you’ll enjoy,” she says softly, as she taps her finger on her lips.

“Thank you.” I drive into the open field of the camp. From here, we can see kids and dogs far off, running around thoroughly enjoying themselves.

“Wow.” She peers through the windshield. “This is heaven.”

I look at it, trying to see it through her eyes. “I know.”

“And they let dogs play with the kids,” she says, with awe in her tone. “Ugh, this is great.”

“Come on.” I get Tex from the back seat. “Let me introduce you to Patrick before class starts.”

We’ve hardly taken a step when a group of kids from my class wave excitedly at us. Tex’s tail wags a million miles a minute at the sight of them.

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