Page 268 of On a Fault Line

“I can do that too.”

“Only if my hands aren’t tied, and I can eat popcorn while you do yourthang.”

I shrug. “The options really are endless when you are content picking kernels out of your teeth.”

“Okay, now you’re killing the romance… Like stabbing it to death.”

Well, that didn’t last long.

This evening’s concert performance is being given to just five hundred people, so I find a parking spot easily, despite Penny’s initial trepidation.

The weather is comfortable for late fall, with low humidity and clear skies. Penny has on a pair of perfect-fitting jeans that have subtle sparkles all over them and an eyelet pink blouse. She looks amazing and definitely outshines me, in a pair of jeans and white button-down with the sleeves rolled up.

“Wait here,” I say, a warning tone to my voice, as I exit the vehicle and make my way to her side.

“Ready toFall in Love?” I ask, utilizing the name of Grace and Jace’s tour title as a play on words.

Taking my offered hand, she allows me to assist her. “I already have.”

I bend down to capture her lips with mine. “Maybe we should skip the concert and have car sex.”

“No,” she snaps. “Grace and Jace…”

Now she changes her tune?

I close the door and lace the fingers of my hand with hers. “Oh, the irony. I do recall many times of you propositioning me for car sex.”

“Wowza, you’re dating a slut.”

I pull her closer, tickling her sides. “And I love every second of it.”

Escorting Penny to the check-in area, I provide the worker with the tickets that I got for Penny for her birthday. It feels so good that we can do this together. So much has happened in the last few months that it almost seems like we are living in a dream.

Once we get through the gates, I turn to the girl who has captured my entire heart. “I love you, Penny.”

She stands on her tiptoes and places a kiss on my lips. “A lot?”

“More than a lot.”

“Me too, Collins. I love you more than a lot. Somewhere between your brooding silence and your chivalrous nature, I fell for you. And I fell fucking hard. I never want to let you go.”

“Penny, I fell in love with you long before I even realized it was happening. You make me want for things I thought I couldn’t have. You are imprinted on my heart, ruining me for anyone else. It’s been you, Princess. It’salwaysbeen you. Even when having a romantic relationship was far from my mind, you consumed my life. You beguile me.”

Tears fill her eyes, and I use my thumbs to hijack any that escape to make their journey south.

We keep walking along the paved and lit path, until we reach the beautifully decorated concert space. It’s enchanting with white and pink roses adorning the stage and elegant seats for all the guests in attendance. Little tables are speckled about for resting any food and drinks.

The crowd buzzes about while drinking specialty cocktails and snacking on appetizers.

“I don’t see popcorn,” Penny says, scanning the options.

“There,” I say, pointing to the little cart set up with a worker dishing out cotton candy-flavored popcorn into little pink snack boats.

“Oh, my goodness, my two favorite things as a single treat.”

We walk over to the cart and I order her popcorn and a strawberry daiquiri that is served in a heart-shaped flute. I settle for some cider.

If I’m going to deal with Penny’s impending crash in roughly thirty-four minutes, I shouldn’t also be dealing with one of my own.

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