Page 39 of Offsides Attraction

“Come on, Cal. Elspeth needs your help.”

“I’ll do it,” Bash said. Cal looked at him like he’d caught another touchdown.

“Have you ever used a cash register?” Maggie asked.

“I’m a fast learner.”

“He is. Smartest guy I know,” Cal said.

“It’s not as easy as it looks. You need to be pleasant and helpful, and you’ll be on your feet all day.” It sounded like Maggie was trying to talk him out of it.

“As long as no one rushes me, I’ll be okay. I’ll get Elspeth’s number from Cal and coordinate with her.”

“If you’re sure.” Maggie didn’t sound convinced.

“He’s sure.” Cal answered. Bash knew he could do it. How hard could it be?

“I know you said it held up, but really, how is your hand, Lucas?” Maggie’s voice was softer than it had been when she’d spoken to him and Cal. Lucas crossed his arms and leaned on the island’s counter as if he planned to settle in for a long chat.

“It could be better. Maybe I should come over and you could put some of that stuff on it?”

“I’m working.”

“Then maybe I’ll stop in at Brewster’s and you can just hold it for a while.”

“And maybe I’ll hang up, so I don’t lose my dinner,” Cal said, snatching the phone away, but Bash heard Maggie’s laughter before Cal disconnected the call. “Dude, use your own phone when you’re making googly eyes at my sister.” Cal shoved the phone in his back pocket and scowled at Lucas as he went back to their now cold dinner.

“You’ve never worked retail?” Cal asked Bash.

“Never. I’ll just channel my inner Penny shopgirl and I’ll be fine.”

Cal snorted. “You mean your inner Penny-owner. Or part-owner, technically.”

“Really?” Bash tried not to let his interest show. He’d already tipped his hand when he’d interrogated Maggie, but luckily, Cal had been too concerned to notice his interest. If Cal knew his other roommate was interested in his other sister, he’d clam up. Maggie and Penny were older than him, but Cal didn’t seem to care, and he was intent on protecting them. If anything, Bash and Lucas were the ones who needed protection. But he would tell Cal about him and Penny. Soon-ish.

“Yeah, she was all set to move to New York City. She even had a job lined up at the publishing firm she’d interned for the previous summer.”

“What happened?” Lucas asked, getting sucked into the saga.

Cal scratched his head. “I’m not really sure. I remember Elspeth needed help at the store. It was supposed to be temporary, but she kept finding reasons for Penny to stay. And then she dangled partnership in front of her, and I think Penny’s roommate found someone to take her share of the rent, so Penny stayed.” Cal stared out the window. “She was miserable. I remember her coming home each day. She was living with us, waiting for the apartments above Marketplace Main to be finished, and she’d slump next to me on the couch. We’d both complain to each other. She’d rather be in New York with the editing job she’d abandoned, and I wanted to be on the ranch and not stuck in school.” He fiddled with the football-themed salt and pepper shakers.

“Seems to have worked out for both of you,” Lucas said, and Cal brightened.

“If they’d homeschooled me like I’d asked, I wouldn’t be here. And I think Penny’s found her groove. Elspeth pretty much lets her run the show, and she gets to escape in the winter.”

“Yeah?” Bash asked, needing to squeeze information out of Cal.

“Yep. Elspeth goes to the condo in Arizona for a month and then Penny takes off.”

“Arizona?” It didn’t make sense with her creamy complexion, but in the last two minutes Bash had learned everything he thought he’d known about Penny was wrong. She wasn’t a cloistered shopgirl. But why didn’t she correct me?

“No, she likes to travel. She’s been to Morocco and Thailand. The Galapagos Islands. Several European countries. She’s visiting our Scottish family and then going to the south of France this spring. Why the sudden interest in Penny?”

“Just curious. We’ve been working on my small-talk skills.” And kissing. And touching.

Lucas slapped him on the shoulder. “Good work. Keep it up.” Keeping it up was easy. Bash’s challenge was keeping it down. Celibacy had never been so hard.

“If that’s what you’re calling it. Good luck.” Cal said with a snort.

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