Page 43 of Positively, Penelope

Secret Project

No Trespassing

Matt walked toward the poster and reread the notice. What on earth!

And yet, his grin widened. Those rooms hadn’t been used in years. What was Penelope doing with them? And then he realized, a year ago he would have been suspicious.

But not now and certainly not with her.

What a strange sort of relief.

Surprisingly so.

With another look back at the sign, he turned and carefully opened one of the large double doors leading into the smaller theater. He drew in a deep breath as the scent of the space filled him. Though smaller and more intimate, this theater held so many memories, many of which were of his grandmother. This was the theater she’d overseen when her father started giving her responsibilities.

She’d nurtured a children’s theater and then raised Mum to do the same, and they’d worked together as a team, until—

He paused, taking in the space.

Mum had been first. Unexpected. A car accident that left her in a coma for three weeks before she succumbed to her wounds.

And then Granny, but much different. Two years of battling cancer. Of fighting and failing. Of fading away—every part of her but her smile.

His eyes burned. He’d been hit with three blows in quick succession, with the betrayal of his wife after the loss of two of the other most important women in his life. The burden had felt too large, too heavy. But for Iris and the tattered faith still holding to his broken heart, perhaps he wouldn’t have survived.

But he had. Like many people who had been through similar catastrophes before him. Somehow, on the other side, he finally startedliving again, instead of just breathing and putting one foot in front of the other.

A noise from ahead pulled him down the red-carpeted aisle and deeper into the theater. In the center of the stage, surrounded by boxes, sat Penelope. Her long ginger hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she stared down into a box of some sort. She’d worn more casual clothes today, if anything she ever wore could be considered “casual.” Jeans and a pale-blue button-up with a multicolored sweater-vest over the top, making her look the part of a schoolgirl.

“Hard at work, are you?”

She looked up and a smile spread across her face, causing him to respond as if he didn’t have any control over his face whatsoever.

“Oh yes. I have to clear this stage if we’re going to use it in the future.”

He rounded to the steps. “And where is all the rubbish going?”

“Rubbish?” She tilted her head back as he approached. “There are treasures to be found, Mr.Skeptical. Just you wait.”

He pinched his lips tight and peeked down into a few of the boxes she’d scattered about. “Treasures, are they?”

“The treasures that are meant for the stage are going into the storage room.” She waved toward the other boxes. “The other treasures are part of a very special—” Her green eyes popped wide, and she needled him with a stare. “You didn’t go into the Secret Project room, did you?”

He stepped into the easy banter he’d grown to expect with her, narrowing his eyes before slipping down to sit across from her. “What would you say if I did?”

Her eyes narrowed right back. “Oh good. I’m so glad you didn’t. Respecting a lady’s request is a very important leading man trait, Mr.Gray.” She looked back down at a paper in her hand. “And I’m planning a very special surprise for The Darling House, which I will reveal all in good time.”

Leading man?He rolled his gaze heavenward. He was no leading man. Or hadn’t been in a very long time, and he meant to keep it that way. Being a leading man meant the whole world found out about your heartaches, and there was nowhere to hide.

“You’re quite keen on surprises, aren’t you?”

She blinked. “Of course, especially when I know I’ve made a good guess.”

“And this newest”—he waved a hand toward the door—“surprise of yours? Are you certain you shouldn’t run it by someone in charge?”

“I have, oh ye of little faith.” She looked up from her paper. “I got Grandpa Gray’s approval.”

“You little pixie!” Air burst from him. “What do you put in those cookies?”

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