Page 30 of Just Bromantically Invested

Around Seven’s eyes gets all tight. “That sounds like an awkward conversation.”

“No, she was cool. Very interested.” My heart reminds me of its feeble existence, and I give it a rub. “I’m going to have a girlfriend for Penn in no time.”

“If that’s what he wants.”

“He was very open to the idea when I mentioned it today. I think.”

“Well, with confidence like that, nothing can go wrong.”

“Shut up,” I mutter. “I just want him happy.”

“And you happy too, right?”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No. It’s an important thing. Which is why I’m making sure you’ve got yourself in mind while you’re running around making up all these elaborate plans.” Seven frowns and tilts his head in thought. “Actually … is Molly behind this? Do I need to have a word with him?”

“No, it’s got nothing to do with Molly.” I almost laugh. “If it was Molly, he’d be trying to plan ways for me to win Penn over.”

Seven doesn’t look impressed. “Nothing like hearing your boyfriend supports problematic behavior when it’s 2:00 a.m. and you can’t sleep.”

“Molly’s just a romantic.”

“Don’t I know it?”

Seven rubs his face tiredly. “I think you need to put this plan to bed.”

“Too late.”

“It’s a terrible idea.”

“Consider your concern registered, but the plan’s already in motion.”

He stands, and as he’s leaving the room, I hear him say, “I’ll make sure we have scotch.”

Little does he know that I won’t be needing the scotch. Unlike my roommates, I don’t have a tendency for breakdowns. My life is simple enough that I avoid all the dramatic shit they’re dragged through. And thank fuck for that.

No blanket burritos and emotional support alcohol for me.

Pennand I have a meeting with a client the next morning. We plan out the garden, run through some options, and give her rough pricing on each stage. She’s engaged and seems ready to sign, which means we’re booking months in advance now, and things are really starting to look good.

I give Penn my vision, and he makes sure it works from an engineering perspective before bringing it to life on his computer. We’ve streamlined this stage of the process, and I love that even though things were shaky over the weekend, everything feels like it always does when we work.

We make plans for me to stop by his place this afternoon to tell him about the women I’ve got lined up for dates with him, and then I head over to the almost-flashed clients’ house and keep going with the gardens. It’s gone from an overgrown weed jungle to a tropical paradise in only a matter of weeks, and in a few more days, it will be finished.

It’d be great to have a whole team of people to help me put this together much faster, but we’ll get there. One day.

I shower at home after work, then make my way to Penn’s. Hopefully, he’ll be ready for an early dinner because I’m fucking starving after accidentally skipping lunch.

His apartment is quiet when I step inside, and I love it here. So different from Bertha. I love how alive that house feels, but Penn’s place is calming, even if it is in a row of other tiny apartments, which I’d normally hate. Penn makes his place feel like home.

I strip off my clothes and hang them by the door, then grab a Coke from the fridge while I wait for him to show his face.

The distinct sound of a toilet flushing reaches me, but it’s not Penn who comes down the hall. It’s Lana.

She spots me, and her whole face morphs into shock.

“Why are younaked?” she shrieks.

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