Page 98 of Inarticulate

No matter how alone you feel, you have some truly great friends at your side. Please don’t push them away. I know Dominic is giving you a hard time, but he’ll get over it. He can’t be too angry if he’s leaving messages on my voicemail that pertain to your sexual prowess and how I’ll soon learn that I can’t live without it.

Anyway, I better get going. I just wanted you to know there’s no hard feelings on my side. And I hope there’s none on yours.

I still think you’re remarkable.

And, hey, maybe it shouldn’t be a case of two chances too many. Maybe it’s third time lucky. Who knows?

For now, I’m going to take a break from Rydel and see where the world takes me.

Savannah

Chapter Thirty-One

“She hasn’t left Seattle.”

Keenan kept his attention on the road, pretending he didn’t know who Penelope was talking about as he drove her ass home. Her broken down car story was a load of shit. Her problem was a case of wanting to drink for New Year’s and the expectation that he would be her chauffeur.

Not likely. He was going to dump and run.

Spending the night at Mrs. Augustine’s, drinking with Dominic who wanted to gut him, and Penelope who was suddenly more overprotective than usual, was as inviting as a prostate exam from his high school gym teacher.

“Mom said Savannah’s not handling losing you.” He could see her shrug in his periphery. “I don’t blame her. Been there. Done that. Created the theme park in my mind so I never forget it.”

Fuck.He ground his molars and pressed his toes harder on the accelerator, a one-track mind set on getting the fuck out of this conversation. The settlement had been hard enough. He’d had to sit across the table from Spencer, his imagination running wild with all the ways the asshole would’ve comforted Savannah. And he would’ve comforted her. He could see it in the man’s eyes. Could tell the guy was out for blood and pleased he was on the winning team.

“I know you didn’t want to tell me how you ended things the other day, but maybe you should get in contact with her again. Just once. Ya know, for closure.”

Nope. Not going there. He’d been castrated by the email Savannah sent yesterday. Castrated over and over and over again until he was certain he’d never regain his masculinity. A reply wouldn’t gain closure. It would only prolong the misery and the unending loop of castration.

“Would you want to see her again?”

Fuck.He slammed his palms against the steering wheel and shot her a glare.

“Just asking…”

He turned onto Mrs. Augustine’s street and contemplated booting Penelope out the door without slowing. He wouldn’t even pause. Before him, the tree-lined street housed less than the usual herd of cars associated with an Augustine party. There were only one or two. Dominic’s Mustang included. The subdued gathering wouldn’t change his mind, though. Anything less than solitary confinement would be a chore.

He pulled into the drive, stopped before the garage, and waited for Penelope to get the fuck out.

“You’re not coming in?”

He was still glaring at her. How could she not see that?

“Mom will be furious. I think she prepared something special in the hopes you’d show.”

He jerked a thumb toward the house, telling her to get out.

“Fine. Be a dick.” She shoved open the passenger door and slid from the car. “But before you go. You might want to check out the porch.”

His gaze traveled to the place in question, where Dominic stood before the front door, scowl in place, beer bottle raising to his mouth.

Nope.Definitely not a welcome party he was willing to be greeted by.

“Is that enough inspiration to hang around?”

He glared at Penelope, signed fuck-no and jammed the gearstick into reverse.

She gaped in return, her surprise catching him off guard. “You really don’t want to see her?”

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