Page 35 of Sex, Lies, & Techy Guys (Love on the Sunshine Coast)

I give him one last out, “If you have any reservations, I’ll do this on my own. I’ll take all of the risk.”

“And have Penny think she’s not the most important thing in my life? Not a chance.” He flings his door open.

Pausing as we meet up behind the car, we confirm the mission we’re undertaking with a fist bump.

Kyle stays back a pace from Mila’s door, letting me take the lead. I knock, and light flickers through the peep hole. We’re met with silence.

I knock again, harder.

Mila’s voice calls through the door harshly. “She doesn’t want to talk to you. She’s asked you to get your stuff and leave.”

“We will, but only after she hears us out.”

We’re met with a moment of silence again then Mila’s voice. “She’s not interested.”

Kyle and I fidget, unsure what to do. Then the lock clicks and the door opens.

My heart races. My palms sweat. I’m sure my words will fall out of my mouth in a jumble, but Kyle can help make sure we get the important point across.

The door abruptly stops, barely opening a couple inches, secured by a chain lock.

I mentally stumble but we’re making headway.

Mila peers through the small opening. “I had to see you guys for myself. Penny thought the world of you and it turns out you’re fucking assholes. If you don’t get out of her life, I will personally take it upon myself to destroy both of you.”

Then the door closes and the lock flips again. A moment of stunned silence passes before Kyle and I look at each other. No headway made.

“Damn,” he says.

“Yeah. Talk about a good friend. She’s fierce but we’ve got something even stronger.” I lift my hand to knock again but Kyle grabs it, stopping me.

“She’s too mad to hear it right now. We should go home and get the report we wrote up that details our belief that Penelope Fournier was set up.” His voice of reason isn’t enough for me this time.

“I’m not leaving this doorstep. Not risking losing her again. Plus, we don’t have any proof that we gave that to the lawyer.”

“It’s killing me that she thinks we used her. How do you prove love?”

“We have to explain.” I knock and wait.

“Go away.” It’s Penny’s voice, and my hand flies to the door handle.

“Penny, open up. We can explain. You were Penny Anderson to us, not Penelope Fournier.”

“We know you’re innocent,” Kyle adds.

“Is that why I have a plea offer? Thank you for working so hard to gather all of the evidence. Guess I should be thanking you for convincing Tony not to throw in jail time. At least our threesomes were good for something.” Her words are full of disdain but at least she’s talking. Hope finds its way into my heart.

“We’re not doing this through the door, so let us in, come outside, or come home. We can help you.”

To my surprise the lock flips, I hear the chain slide, and she opens the door. The tiny flicker of hope grows.

She steps aside, motioning for us to come inside. As we pass, she says, “The only reason I’m letting you in is so I don’t embarrass Mila in case her neighbors overhear.”

Penny walks ahead to the living room and sits beside Mila who clutches her hand.

My heart breaks that we’re the ones who’ve caused her pain, cause her to take solace from someone else. I want to rip her hand from Mila’s but I respect that we don’t have her trust back yet.

We take seats on the other side of the room and accept the death stare Mila shifts between us.

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