Page 99 of Positively, Penelope

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The Gray House bustled with crowds of people once again, there to show faith in the Darling’s success as much as in Matt’s family. Friends, donors, business owners, artists, and even a few gentry, likely from Grandfather’s connections.

Matt’s gaze found Gwynn, dressed in astonishing red, as she assumed her role of hostess alongside Grandfather. Yes, the theater had a ready future on the horizon, especially when Gwynn took her rightful place at the helm soon.

Her theater. Her inheritance.

That had always been her dream.

And his dream?

His body relaxed into the realization of having found those long-lost dreams again. This setting only fueled the magic of it all. With the evening glow of sunset shining pinkish-gold hues through the tall windows and each door framed with greenery and twinkle lights, the room became its own fairyland, beckoning him forward toward his dreams. And—his grin deepened—perhaps his own happily ever after.

As a string quartet invited some of the more interested, dramatic, or gifted folks to use the ballroom for its original purpose—to dance—his gaze searched for his two favorite pixies.

He’d left Iris in Penelope’s care, his little girl ecstatic with the idea of “getting ready” with Penelope—which seemed a mutual pleasure. Gwynn had convinced Penelope to plan to stay the night at the house so that she wouldn’t have to walk back to the cottage after the ball, but they’d had little time to converse. Not with all the preparations. But he’d quieted his heart to the resolution of embracing each day of Penelope Edgewood’s acquaintance, whether romance bloomed or they maintained their friendship alone. He rubbed at the center of his chest, where the thought of her returning to the States still ached like a bruise.

But she’d never planned to stay. The very idea of an internship meant temporary.

And she’d never sought out a romance with him, so the decision to initiate one had to be hers.

He turned his gaze heavenward, his thoughts ushering up a little plea. His heart couldn’t link “temporary” with Penelope in any scenario of his mind.

He knew now. He wanted forever.

But how could forever work? He was needed here. She wanted to go there. It was an impossibility.

Yet he’d thought saving The Darling House an impossibility three months ago, until Penelope.

Until Penelope...

As if summoned by his thoughts, a flash of pale-blue and gold shone in his periphery. He turned, his attention immediately drawn to the little princess in red running toward him, her silver mask sparkling with copious amounts of glitter and a few crooked rhinestones. All of her blonde hair spun in myriad curls upon her head and a tiny little crown—the one he’d seen on Penelope’s head before—nestled within those beloved curls.

“Daddy, I’m a princess.” Her arms wrapped around his waist as she looked up at him. “Penelope let me wear her princess crown.”

At Iris’s mention of Penelope, Matt raised his gaze to the object of his thoughts. Penelope walked forward, pink lips in a broad smile and green eyes sparkling behind her silver mask. No, more like glided. Or something. He wasn’t quite sure, except that the pale-blue gown she wore poured over her like liquid starlight, only pausing to hug various parts of her body in a rather fetching way. One side of the gown boasted a sheer long sleeve, while the other side showed her bare shoulder, complete with a generous sprinkling of freckles. She looked as if she’d stepped directly from a storybook, and his breath held in utter appreciation.

He dragged his attention from the distraction, heat branching from his increased pulse to his neck. Thoughts unraveled in dangerous synchrony about her lips and those curves and his need to hold her.

Yes, he’d moved well beyond friendship.Wellbeyond. And he needed to prepare his heart for the devastating possibilities.

All of Penelope’s hair curled atop her head in a similar fashion as Iris’s, and pink toenails peeked from a pair of silver heels. How could he deny fairy tales when he’d just stepped into one?

He faintly remembered Iris speaking and pulled his gaze back to his daughter.

“That was very kind of her to let you wear her crown.”

“A little girl needs to wear a crown once in a while,” Penelopeadded as she closed in. “And Iris has some catching up to do since her daddy had lost sight of fairy tales for a while.”

His gaze came back to hers, unswerving. “I believe I’ve revisited my previous ideas about fairy tales, MissEdgewood, and found I was wrong. You’ve more than proven your point. Where would we be without a little magic now and again?”

“Not in the theater, that’s for sure.” Her smile split wide. “And tonight, well, everything looks so enchanting.”

His attention followed the lines of the gown again only to return to those beautiful green eyes of hers.Indeed.

“You certainly look the part.” He waved toward her. “Stunning. Absolutely.”

Her nose scrunched with her smile, and she leaned in, nearly derailing his self-control with her nearness and her scent. “This was your grandmother’s. Can you believe it?” A soft laugh bubbled from her. “Grandpa Gray gave it to me.”

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