Page 84 of The Games We Play
“That reminds me—” I dabbed my lips with a napkin and pushed back my chair. “I should call her before it gets too late.”
Mac ground his cigarette into the pavement with the toe of his boot. “Right, you probably should.”
I hesitated, then looked at him—really looked. His hair was a little messy, his eyes soft but searching.
“Thank you again, Mac,” I said, my voice quieter, more tender than before.
He didn’t say anything right away. Just gave me a slow, thoughtful smile like he was savoring whatever this moment was.
“You’re welcome, Penny.”
He said my name—low, gentle, like a promise that would stick with me long after I ended the call. I waved at him, and he waved back as his eyes lingered on the screen.
I let out a heavy sigh and dropped my head back against the chair.
What a mess.
A mess of emotions. A mess of wanting to get in my car and drive to him right now. Of craving more time, more ofhim. But I knew myself. I knew the second I let him off the hook, the second I made this too easy, it would chip away at what I was trying to prove.
He needed to come tome. He needed to show me that I was worth the effort after he’d shown me the opposite.
Because no matter how badly I wanted to roll over like some damn golden retriever begging for affection…
Mac Ridley still had some groveling to do.
25
MAC
Mac: Boone said you were helping out at Petal Pusher tomorrow???
Logan: yeah man why what’s up?
Mac: Mind if I join you?
Logan: sure thing, that would be great. I’ll swing by and grab you in the morning.
Itugged on my cowboy boots, the worn leather fitting like a glove, and double-checked that my wallet and phone were tucked securely in my pockets. With a quick glance around my apartment, I shut the door and jogged down the steps into the main part of the bar.
The place was quiet, just the soft hum of the coolers and the faint scent of spilled beer clinging to the air. I swung behind the bar and grabbed my pack of cigarettes, stuffing them into my back pocket.
Logan was due any minute. We were heading down to Petal Pusher. The best part was that Penny didn’t know I was taggingalong to help. Not that I expected a big welcome. Hell, I didn’t know if she would be angry or pissed off, but only time would tell. Still, it felt good, doing something for her. Something she didn’t see coming.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” a voice snapped from behind me.
My sister stepped out from the back office, all tight lips and crossed arms, a permanent scowl etched across her face. Her sharp bob swayed with the motion, eyes raking over me like she was trying to read something that wasn’t even there.
“Out,” I said flatly. No warmth. No charm. Hoping she would take the hint and leave me alone.
She propped a hand on her hip, clearly settling in for a fight. “You’re supposed to work the bar in a few hours. You will be back in time… right?”
I rounded the bar until I stood face-to-face with her, arms folded, my patience already wearing thin. I gave her the same once-over she gave me—cold, assessing. Then took a slow breath to keep my mouth in check.
“Have I ever missed a shift?” I asked, my tone sharp but controlled.
“Who knows what stupid shit you’ll pull,” she shot back.
I barked out a dry laugh as I shook my head. “That’s rich to assume mycharacter, especially coming from someone who didn’t show her face in over a decade.”
