Page 25 of Positively, Penelope

Me:How was your date?

Matt:It went well enough.

Me:“Well enough”? Clearly, she’s not the woman for you.

Him:Is she not?

(As if he didn’t already know that!)

Me:Definitely not.

Matt:And why is that?

(Insert distracting quizzical eyebrow lift while wearing those glasses.)

Me:The right woman isn’t going to leave a “well enough” vibe behind. She’s going to make you want to linger and cause you to smile when you think of her. Like that feeling you get when you walk out on an empty stage after an excellent performance and you still FEEL the magic of it all whispering through the air. And you can’t wait to perform again. Or see the performance again. Just to be there. It’s like that.

Matt:*staring at me through those glasses and saying nothing until my cheeks grew hot*

Me:I hope no man ever says a date with me went “well enough.”

Matt:(with analmostgrin) I feel you would leave a very distinct impression one way or another on any date, MissEdgewood.

Now, I ask you. What was that supposed to mean? Matt wouldn’t elaborate even when I asked, and since I didn’t want to wake Iris and Matt needed to get her home, I didn’t push the subject. But really?

Penelope

PS: He seemed to like my designs. I sent them to Gwynn to get an honest answer.

PPS: He didn’t mention his brother or the “daring rescue” incident, so I didn’t either.

PPPS: He didn’t ask for dating tips.

Text from Izzy to Luke:Don’t you dare answer Penelope’s newest email. I can only imagine what you would say in response to her question about Matt’s reaction. Just don’t.

Luke:Now where’s the fun in that? Besides, after her whole “strange man drying my clothes” scare, I’m owed some fun.

Text from Luke to Penelope and Izzy:It’s the hats and the shoes, Penny-girl. Not every man can handle such flagrant and color-coordinated self-expression.

Luke:Plus, you’re kind of like Grandpa’s “homemade” apple cider.

Text from Izzy to Luke:You’re not helping.

Text from Izzy to Penelope and Luke:Penelope, he likely means that you make a memorable first impression. And it’s true. You do. Even without the hats and shoes. Your personality is very memorable. It packs a punch.

Luke:Thus the Grandpa’s homemade cider reference.

Izzy:Luke!

Text from Luke to Izzy:Okay, okay, how’s this? “You know that whole popping into paintings and laughing on the ceiling stuff, Penny-girl? Not everyone appreciates Mary Poppins until they learn that her brand of stuff and nonsense can be fun. And you have loads of stuff and nonsense.”

Izzy:Do you really want me to come over to your house and hit you with my three-volume copy of The Lord of the Rings?

Luke:It wouldn’t be the first time.

Text from Luke to Penelope:Just like Mary Poppins, Penny-girl, you thrive off of helping people. You’ve been doing it your whole life. It’s a God-given part of you. There are a lot of George Banks folks in the world who need your brand of sunshine to open their eyes to possibilities. That “spoonful of sugar” nonsense.

Penelope:Izzy made you write that, didn’t she?

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