Page 29 of Sex, Lies, & Techy Guys (Love on the Sunshine Coast)

One stop down. I pass a flower shop and decide to go for an added surprise, but they’re not open. Back to Plan A.

At the pastry shop, I select a variety of croissants and get us each a coffee, then head back home. It’s far too comfortable considering her place home. How much of what we have is nothing more than fantasy? If I had to assess, I’d say zero percent.

A text comes in while I’m driving and I have the car’s audio system read it aloud. It’s the lawyer letting us know that he had to push today’s meeting back a day. He’s going to squeeze us in tomorrow, the day of the mediation. How kind of him. The meeting’s sort of pointless since we’ve loaded everything we could find into the secure portal his firm uses. Other than handing off the thumb drive, we don’t need to be there, and that shouldn’t need to be at a specific time. This damn billionaire loves making demands.

Lance is included on the text, but I go ahead and reply with a voice text and let him know that we’ll keep digging and see him tomorrow.

I’ll consider the extra time a gift from the universe to make up for all the time we’ve spent thinking about Penny when we’re supposed to be working. She messes with our minds.

Raindrops speckle the windshield and lightning strikes in the distance as I pull up to the house. I grab the coffees and box of pastries and barely get the door shut before the deluge unleashes.

My heart is full as Penny enjoys the chocolate croissant. “Any chance you guys can take a rain day to crawl back into bed?”

“I’d like to, but we got a one-day extension that we have to take full advantage of.”

Rain pounds the windows harder and harder making her offer extra enticing. Why do rainy days seem like they should be reason for a vacation?

We wrap up breakfast and head into the office before I realize I’ve left my satchel in the car. I wiggle my mouse around and click all of the buttons before it decides to cooperate.

Lance looks over. “I thought you were going to get a new one?”

“I did but I left it in the car. Can you believe they didn’t have any wireless ones in stock? Shit. I have Penny’s mail in the car, too.”

“Why do you have her mail?”

“Her box doesn’t latch right. And yes, it is on the honey-do list.”

I step into the hallway. “Hey Penny.”

“Did you change your mind on taking that rainy day?” She pops around the corner in the same short shorts and tank top that tortured us over breakfast. Her hair has been swept up into a messy bun, and I’m tempted to remove the clip so it falls over her shoulders.

“There’s no question about what I want to do. This job is fucking with our heads though.”

She frowns.

“Anyway, the door on your mailbox wouldn’t stay shut so I grabbed your mail, but I accidentally left it in the car. And we’ll fix the door for you once the rain lets up.”

Her playful pout falters. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Didn’t want it to get wet.”

Her hands wring together, which seems odd given that I’ve simply grabbed a couple of envelopes. Not like there was a sex toy delivery or something.

“I could run out and grab it,” she offers.

“No need—”

“That’s not the kind of wet we like to get you,” Lance calls from his desk.

“I’ll grab it when the rain lets up.”

“I don’t mind.”

Is she bored? Maybe a check is coming? She’s not dressed to run to the bank and deposit it, and with her lack of electronic skills, I doubt she uses electronic deposit. What’s the hurry?

“The whole point of bringing you breakfast was so that you could have a relaxing morning, not run out in the cold rain.”

She peers out the window and I head back into the office.

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