Waking up next to him after a small nap, she ran her hand on his arm, sighing. It was possible that she was falling for him, hard. His fierceness against the world only made him sexier. He stirred. She parted her lips, then debated. Should she tell him she’d lost her job on the first day and that she worked at a pizza place? Hesitating for just a split second, she decided it could wait till Monday. If she had a new job, then it didn’t matter.
Instead she whispered, “Dimples, it’s Sunday morning.”
He traced her arm without saying a word, just a sigh.
Peeking her head up at him, she continued, “Sandy invited us to her house after she goes to church.”
“I don’t want to go anywhere. If we leave the house, I’m afraid something will end this.”
He kissed her shoulder while his hands stroked her breasts. She stifled a moan. “I’ll call her to cancel.”
He pushed himself on top of her and held her hands, and his body only made her muscles relaxed and hot. Before claiming a kiss, he whispered, “She’ll understand if you don’t.”
“Seven times?” She giggled the moment he rolled away the first time.
His sexy dimples whispered to her, “Sexiness, let’s go for the double digits before the weekend ends.”
Laughing, she kissed him, pulling him on top of her. “You’re on, then. I’d like to see who’s more eager after ten.”
Petting her hair, he smiled. “It’s a dare. I like it.”
Monday morning, she woke up next to him while he slumbered. Looking at his peaceful face, she envied him. She’d sleep if she could. Suppressing a yawn, she kissed his cheek, whispering to his sleeping ear, “I’ll see you after work today, Dimples.”
When she emerged from the shower, he rolled over with his head propped on his hand while he took in the sight of her. She leaned on the bed to kiss him when he told her, “Sexiness, I might be in around six myself. I have to go into the office, but don’t cook. I want to take you out.”
“Deal.” She smiled, kissed him, and bounced to the kitchen to get something to eat. Leaving the apartment, she hugged herself in the elevator. Everything would be amazing. She had Jay. She had her interview at three, and with any luck, she’d tell Jay her troubles tonight without becoming her mother. Walking out of the elevator, she didn’t care that she bounced.
All was right this morning.
Serving pizza gave her a little short-term money. She’d at least stave off complete financial dependence on Jay until she found a job. Her heart raced every time someone’s name sounded like his. Her customers told her repeatedly she seemed happy, which meant she only thought of Jay once every ten seconds. His work mattered to him, and she’d never be her mother.
Clocking out at two, she left work to change for her interview. One of her coworkers saw her in her suit and called out, “Luck, sweetie.”
“Thanks.” She nodded and headed for her car. Straightening her hair, she sucked in her breath, looking at herself. She needed grounding. Picking up her phone, she dialed the student-loan people. They would give her a good dose of reality scare, and she’d have to file for a short-term financial forbearance. She hit the buttons while she waited in the parking lot.
Rolling her eyes, she put her makeup away in her backpack, when the computer told her, “Account satisfied.”
Raising her eyebrows, she hit zero for the operator. Maybe she’d dialed wrong. Dabbing at her makeup, she waited until the woman on the phone repeated the voice message. “Ms. Knightheart, the account was paid in full. You don’t owe us anything.”
Gulping for air, she stopped breathing. No. It was impossible, except that she was living with Jay. She’d ask him later. She told the woman, “Thank you.”
She blinked. Jay had done this. She stared at the wheel of her Jeep, knowing the deal had been too good to be true. She punched in the numbers to the lender where the message repeated, “Account paid in full.”
Her lips curled. When had he done this? She’d never asked him to take care of any of it. She shook. She would not become her mother. Not going to happen.
Didn’t she make that clear?
Putting her hands over her nose and mouth, she forced herself to breathe. In. Out. Ten times. She’d go to the interview. She’d needed this job. Tightening her grip around the wheel of the car, she sped down the street.
How could he… No. She’d argue with him later. The job. She glued on a smile she didn’t feel before she parked and refused to let it fall off her face. She would be a great mechanical engineer, and working for a woman with her name sounded fantastic.
Jay never… She stopped her blood pressure from mounting by counting to ten. The tension in her back needed to unwind, because she had to get this job.
After turning off the engine, she focused on the clipping sound of her heels on the pavement. In the office building, the sound changed on the marble. The tap became different when she stepped into the elevator.
Her shoulders relaxed when she stepped onto the floor of Penelope Financial, and her smile grew genuine when she said hello to the receptionist.
“Please take a seat, Ms. Knightheart. You’re ten minutes early.”
Nodding, she relaxed when she took the seat. Mechanical engineering. She’d studied this because math made sense. Buildings made sense. Looking to use people for money didn’t make sense. She refused to go down that road.
“They are ready to see you. Please step this way.” The receptionist opened the door for her. Jumping up from her seat, she tightened her fists. She’d get through this and impress the people.
With confidence in her step, she walked into the room. The chair waited in the middle, again. She kept her head up and smiled at the three people while heading to the center. The fourth one had his head down, but her eyes narrowed, taking in his sandy blond hair. Her eyes sharpened on Jay writing something down on yellow paper.
Her heels froze in place. The woman told her, “Have a seat, Ms. Knightheart.”
His blue eyes flew up in shock, while she quietly sucked in her breath, unmoving. Calling out, he told everyone, “Get out now. Penny, please stay.”
Crossing her arms, she jutted out her chin. “No.”
The three people flew past her out the door. Sucking air in her nostrils, she turned to leave but he blocked her way.
Jay’s big eyes opened before he took her arm in his hand. “Why are you here? You have a job.”
Pulling away, she yelled, “No, I don’t, but that’s hardly the biggest secret between us. Why is my name on the door?”
He inched closer to her, but she stepped backward, shaking her head.
Dropping his hands to his side, he smiled. “Penny, wait. The job beside me is yours. It always has been.”
Her legs planted themselves in a wide stance while she put her hands on her hips. “So you manipulate me, get people not to tell me about your company, and all the while think I’m beside you? Jay, everything has been a lie.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “What happened to your job?”
She threw her hands to her sides dejectedly. “The position was terminated before I ever started there.”
Jay took a step closer to her, but she took a step back. He kept his chin up. “Where have you been?”
She bit her lip then answered, “Working at a pizza shop.”
His voice was low. “Penelope, I named my company after you.”
Penelope Financial. She dropped her hands and her body shook a little. She covered her face. She was becoming her mother. She couldn’t look at him in the eyes. “’Cause you saw me as the biggest idiot you ever met?”
He brushed her arms, stepping closer. “Because you were the one person in my life that didn’t use me for my money. You liked me.”
Turning away from him, she covered her face with her hands. “No. You’re not going to manipulate me anymore. I’m so tired of lies and money and how people use it to get what they want. I liked you for you, but you turned me into my mother, using your money to keep me.”
Leaning into her, he told her, “Stop.”
“I called the student loan company.” Her chin trembled.
He froze in place.
A whimper escaped her lips, but she couldn’t. Pushing him away, she raced out the door. Her heart beat so rapidly, and she didn’t know what to do. Flinching when she heard his office door open behind her, she ran into the elevator. Alone, her chest caved in. She had to go somewhere.
He’d find her at home. No. She only had one place left to go.