Page 18 of Unspoken Promises

“I know!” She shakes her head and swipes my carrots over. “Enzo, where did you find her? My sister from another mister!”

I can’t help but laugh. Penelope has no idea what her throwaway comment means to me. A stranger found something in common with me. It feels amazing.

“Where do you live? We should hang out,” Penelope says.

It’s not easy to play it cool. My first friendship invite.

“I actually live at Monarch Hills with Enzo right now.”

She raises her eyebrows like I’ve said something scandalous.

“I mean, in the empty house. NotwithEnzo. He’s my boss. That would be weird.”

A naughty laugh slips. “I’d do my boss if he gave me the chance.”

Enzo lowers his head and shakes it.

“What?” she challenges him. “James is hot. He’s married, but I do love a silver fox.”

The second thing we have in common. I’ve always had a thing for older men being attractive.

She scans the last item then puts a hand on her hip. “I don’t have any evenings free because I’m filling in here for my aunt the next few nights. I normally work at thebookstore, but maybe…” She turns back to Enzo. “You should bring Ava to Town Hall.”

She addresses me again. “It’s kind of a town social gathering once a month. You’ll meet lots of people and get stuck in to the Echo Valley vibe.”

I glance at Enzo, hoping he’ll invite me, too.

He waves his hand over toward the cash register, indicating she should ring us up.

Penelope hits a button for the total. “That will be eighty-five and twenty-two cents.”

Enzo pulls his wallet from his back pocket.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He slides a black Amex out of his wallet. “I’m paying.”

“Why?”

“I haven’t signed your cash off yet.”

I would be embarrassed, but his thoughtfulness catches me off guard. It’s really… sweet. I do have some money, but he didn’t know that.

My lips twist. “I’d argue with you, but that doesn’t usually work out my way.” I grab the bag of carrots from the other side of the scanner. “But take these off the bill.”

Penelope refunds the carrots.

He gestures with his pointer finger for me to put them back through.

Penelope’s eyes shift back and forth like she’s watching a tennis match.

I want to do something nice in return. “It’s a gift. You treat me, I treat your horse.”

Penelope stares at him for a reply. It takes a moment, and eventually he nods at me as if to say thank you.

When Penelope finishes bagging up the groceries, we exchange numbers.

I’m so thrilled at having made a friend I have to forceback the emotional pebble in my throat and the celebratory sting in my eyes all the way to the car. I sing to the songs on the radio all the way home, not even caring that I’m off-key and don’t know the words. I made a friend. Someone wants to meet with me and talk about aliens and…hang out.

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