Page 117 of The Show

“I don’t want space! I just want Penn back so we can talk.”

“Really?”

“Yes!” I threw my hands in the air. “This whole thing is so stupid. When’s he coming back?”

Rafe looked at Murray, and Murray raised his eyebrows. Rafe narrowed his eyes in answer, but neither of them said anything. Or anything the rest of us could understand, anyway.

“What? What’s going on? When is Penn coming back?”

Murray turned to face me. “Look, Lowe, Penn has loved you for as long as we’ve known him, and we’ll always protect him. If you don’t think this will work out between the two of you, then just let him be for a while.”

“Good God! The three of you are ridiculous!” Lauren said, reaching for a slice of pizza and a paper napkin. “Just tell us where Penn is, then we can all get on with our lives.”

To be fair to Murray, he did have the weight of four very stern looking women bearing down on him. He didn’t stand a chance at not spilling the beans.

“He landed in Houston and he’s just left Marnie Matthews.” Murray looked away for a second, then back at me. “He’s going to California. After that, he’s planning to meet The Lions on their away stretch, so he won’t be back here for ten days.”

“Ten days? Ten days?! That’s how long he’s not going to speak to me?!”

My upset had been replaced by outrage at how this entire situation had spiraled, and how it could have been avoided if I’d chased after him quicker, or taken the stairs instead of the stupid elevator.

Lauren tutted. “Told you… childish. He still hasn’t spoken to Nancy either, and that’s been three months. Although Nancy is a pain in the ass, and probably hasn’t noticed Penny isn’t speaking to her anyway.”

“How long’s he in L.A. for?” I asked, but continued before the boys could answer. “Actually no, you know what? It doesn’t matter.”

I glanced at the clock. It was eight p.m. here, which meant it was five in Los Angeles. He still had to fly there from Houston. If I hustled, I could get there at the same time as him, but there was no way I’d get a commercial flight at this short notice.

I snatched up my phone, and dialed my mom.

“Hi, darling. How are you? Did you find Penn and make up?”

“Hey, Mom. No, not exactly. But I need you to help me get him back, please. I need a huge favor.”

“Of course, LoLo, whatever you need. “

“Please can I take the jet? I need to get to L.A.”

21

Penn

“Let me get this straight, you’re offering me the position as Manager for The New York Lions?”

“Yes, Mr. Chase, that’s correct, Sir,” I replied.

It was Friday evening, and I was sitting in a Starbucks around the corner from the Johnson Space Centre, waiting for Marnie Matthews. Up until a couple of hours ago, I’d still had no clue how I was going to get her on board at The Lions, but as luck would have it, she finally answered my call. This was mostly because I’d managed to get hold of her office number, and begged her to meet me in a place of her choosing until she relented, but I was taking it as a win.

However, from the time and place she’d given me, it was obvious she didn’t think I’d make it; something which was confirmed from the hesitation and surprise in her voice when I’d agreed. I didn’t add that I was mid-flight en route to Houston to track her down, and if she’d told me she was somewhere else we’d have done a U-turn in the clouds.

I’d been sitting here an hour, and Marnie Matthews was currently sixty seconds late.

I wasn’t one to give way to panic, but I assumed that seeing as she worked with rockets and everything, she’d be a stickler for punctuality, even if she’d rather have been anywhere else. I had the impression she was a person who stuck to her word.

Luckily, August Chase had called - on neither the time nor the day he’d previously requested - but I was thankful it provided me with a shred of distraction while I waited for her. Though only a shred, as I was watching the door like a hawk circling prey.

“Have you got your offer?”

“Yes, I’ll double your current salary, and you’ll have a million dollar bonus if you get us to the top of the East League this year. Five million every time we win the Trophy.”

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