Page 117 of Someone You Deserve

Dick shrieks as his phone jumps from his hands, landing on the ground with a thud.

Good. I hope his screen is fucking cracked.Asshole deserves it.

“What the hell are you doing here, Penn?” His eyes dart around the empty parking lot, quickly realizing that we’re all alone.

“You honestly don’t know?” I ask, pushing off the car, uncrossing my arms, and walking up to him, watching his head crane back on his neck as he stares up at me.

His throat bobs as he swallows hard. “No.”

“I didn’t take you for an idiot, Dick.”

I watch his eyes narrow and then his jaw clench. “Don’t call me that.”

“I’ll call you what I see fit, asshole.”

“There are cameras everywhere, Penn.” He smirks. “You’d be a fool to try something you might regret.”

My control snaps as I grip him by the collar of his shirt and press him up against his car, his eyes full of fear as I hover over him. “I don’t give a shit who sees what I’m about to do to you.” He grimaces as I slam him into the car again. “Lucky for you, I don’t have time to getlocked up today. I’ll just tell you this one time, Dick. Keep Astrid’s name out of your fucking mouth for the rest of your existence.”

He turns his head away from me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I slam him into the car again. “Don’t play dumb, Dick. You know exactly what I mean. This is a small town and gossip spreads like herpes—once it starts, it just keeps burning and everyone ends up catching it.”

“Sounds like you have some experience with herpes. Does Astrid know that?”

This time I rear back and punch him in the face. “I said don’t fucking talk about her!”

He stumbles backward and, when he lifts his head again, blood is streaming from his nose. “I swear, I don’t know what she sees in you,” he mutters.

“And that’s just it. You don’t have to understand it. But you do have to accept thatI’mthe one she chose. And if you can’t, and you keep running your mouth about us, this won’t be the last time my fist meets your face.” He glares at me, hunched over. “Have I made myself clear?”

He nods. “Crystal.”

“Good. And in case you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought, stay the fuck out of the bakery too. I don’t give a shit what you say about me, but when you start fucking with Astrid’s livelihood, that’s where I draw the line. Astrid doesn’t need your money and I don’t need the temptation to punch you again.”

I turn on my heel and walk back to my truck, vibrating with anger and wishing I could have done more damage to his face than I did. I didn’t plan on hitting him, but the second he started running his mouth about Astrid, I gave in to the instinct.

Still, there’s no telling if he’ll take my warning seriously, and confronting him doesn’t stop the gossip from flowing. It also doesn’t stop the churning feeling in my stomach that’s come on in the last twenty-four hours, so I head to the one place and one person that can help me come to grips with my new reality better than anyone.

***

“Mom?” I shut the front door behind me and call out for her, not sure where she’d be at this hour. It’s late on Friday night and I have an early morning, but if there’s one person who can help me clear the fog from my brain, it’s her.

“In the kitchen!” she calls out to me. I find her standing at the stove, pouring hot water into a cup of tea. “Penn, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you have fun plans with Astrid?” she teases before turning to me and taking in my face. And as soon as she reads my expression, her motherly instinct kicks in. “What’s wrong, Penn?”

I reach up and pull on my hair. “There’s just a lot on my mind, Mom.”

She motions for me to sit at the counter on one of the stools. “Do you want some tea?”

My mother drinks tea every night. She and my father used to drink it together. And even though I’m more of a coffee guy, I oblige her and hope she appreciates the company. “Sure.”

Once our cups are full and steaming, she motions for me to join her on the couch. She blows on her mug, takes a sip, and then says, “Talk to me, son.”

“That’s why I’m here.”

She grins at me softly. “I have to say that as a mother, I’m honored I’m the person you all go to for things like this.”

“That’s because you always give the best advice.”

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