Page 57 of Someone You Deserve

And here’s the thing—we’re not in a relationship. Hell, I can’t even tell you the last time the man went on a date. I technically have no right to be upset that he chose not to share his new venture with me.

But I am.

And he’s going to hear how I feel about it before the night is over.

Maybe it’s the stress of this week. Maybe I’m about to start my period.

Or maybe I’m so sexually and mentally frustrated by the man that I’m about to explode, but when he knocks on the back door to the bakery just after six, I swing the door open and glare at him while simultaneously fighting tears back.

“Uh. Is everything okay?” he asks, staring down at me timidly.

“No, Penn. Everything is not okay.” I let the door go, not bothering to hold it open for him as I walk away, striding back to the kitchen where I still have an order of a few dozen cupcakes I need to put frosting on for a birthday party tomorrow.

The door slams shut and then I hear his tool bag hit the floor behind me, but I don’t look back as I reach for the bag of frosting to start piping it onto cupcakes again. My chest feels like it’s cracking into pieces, my jaw is clenched tight, and my hands are shaking from the adrenaline racing through me.

“Care to tell me what the hell is wrong then? Because if I’m reading the room correctly, it seems like you’re pissed off at me.”

Spinning around, I stare at him. “Maybe you’re not a complete dumbass after all, then.”

Penn’s brows pinch together. “A dumbass?”

“Yeah, a dumbass. A big, tall, muscular dumbass.”

One of his brows lifts and he eyes me cautiously. “Okay…”

“I can’t believe you!” My voice cracks as I toss the bag full of frosting onto the metal counter and throw both of my hands in the air.

“What the fuck did I do, Astrid?” he asks, his voice uncertain. “I mean, shit. I just got here and you’re already fucking pissed at me. Am I late?” He pulls his phone out of his pocket to check the time and thenshakes his head. “By three minutes? Is that the problem? I’m fucking three minutes late?”

“No!” My hands cover the center of my chest. “The problem is you never told me!”

“Told you what?”

“About the house!”

“What house?”

“The one you bought to turn into a rental!” Realization dawns on his face as his features drop and his spine straightens.

Both of our chests are rising and falling with labored breaths as we stare at one another, the tension rising in the room.

After a few moments, he says in a low growl, “How did you find out about that?”

“Do you think I’m stupid? That I wouldn’t find out? In this town?”

“Not at all.” And then it hits him. “Bentley told you, huh?”

“No. It was Pam.Bentleydidn’t even know where you took him last night, Penn. I asked him and he said you never said anything about the house. But Pam came into the bakery today and mentioned it casually because she assumed you would have told me. Since we’re soclose.” Shaking my head, I point a finger to my chest. “Me! The person you tell everything to!” Tears fill my eyes now. “But I guess you don’t…”

Penn tilts his head at me, confused. “I was going to, Astrid. I was just waiting for the right time.” He runs his hand through his hair in frustration and huffs out, “But it’s never the right fucking time.”

“The right time? Why? Why not just tell me when you bought it? Why wouldn’t you let me celebrate that with you?”

He swallows roughly. “I…”

“I just can’t believe you didn’t trust me with this. What you’re doing for yourself…it’s huge, Penn. It’s amazingand brave and…”

“Why are you so mad that I didn’t tell you?” he asks, cutting me off.

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