nap. “I need to use the potty. Please,” she added.
“Okay,” Penny said and scooped her up into her arms. “Be right back.” She practically sprinted to the restroom.
Scarlett liked to give very little warning before she needed to use the bathroom. In that one way she was just like her father. Very uncaring of the consequences of her actions. Fine, she also had brown eyes like James. Otherwise she was as sweet and beautiful as her mother.
“So this is going very well,” Tanner said.
I turned to him. “Really? What part of this conversation do you think is going well?”
“You weren’t going to be allowed to hang out with her anymore. So I inserted myself into the situation to appease her husband. You’re most welcome.”
“Tanner, I don’t actually want to find love. I told you that.”
“Yeah, but I had to continue with the charade. Did you expect me to tell her that this was all a ploy just so you could sleep with her?”
Fair point. “No, of course not.” I didn’t need James and Penny both mad at me.
He looked over to see that Penny and Scarlett were still in the restroom. “Hmm…too bad.”
“What’s too bad?” I learned a long time ago that you had to ask Tanner questions when he left stuff open ended. Waiting in silence for him to fill in the blanks never worked. He always acted like he had all the time in the world and would literally make you wait and wait and wait some more.
“Because she also agreed to sleep with you tonight. Room 904 at your usual place.”
Wait, what? I would’ve choked on my milkshake again if I’d just sipped any. “What are you talking about?”
He lowered his voice. “I told her that it’s better to get you out of her system than to let this unresolved sexual tension between you go on any longer in its destructive path.”
My heart started beating faster.
“But I’m assuming you can convince her that just this once isn’t quite enough. I’ll leave that to your performance in the bedroom tonight.”
“You’re kidding me right now.”
He laughed. “Do I ever joke about true love? And you’re going to have to pull out all the stops, because it sounds like James knows his way around the bedroom quite well.”
Why would I want to know that? I couldn’t question him any further because Penny and Scarlett sat back down.
I swore Penny blushed when she met my gaze.
This was really going to happen. I was going to sleep with Penny? For just a second I thought about James. But I squashed it back down. James never gave a shit about my feelings. Why should I care about his?
“So what’s the plan?” Penny asked. “I know you’re going out with the guys tomorrow, but maybe we can all get together on Sunday?”
Sunday? But Tanner said…
“Out with the guys?” Tanner asked and looked over at me.
I wasn’t actually going to go get drinks with them after I fucked Penny tonight. She must realize that. “James, Rob, and Mason. You’re welcome to come, Tanner. I just didn’t mention it because I know you don’t get along super well with them…”
“Of course I get along with them. I get along swimmingly with everyone. Just because Robert Hunter is jealous of our friendship doesn’t mean I don’t like him.”
Penny was looking back and forth between us, clearly finding our conversation entertaining.
“What are you giggling about?” I asked. I couldn’t wait to silence her with a kiss. How many nights had I dreamt of that?
“Nothing. You two bicker like an old married couple.” She handed the rest of her milkshake down to Scarlett, whose eyes lit up.
“We do not,” Tanner and I both said at the same time.
“Point made,” Penny said with a laugh.
I shook my head. “We’re meeting at My Favorite Bar at 8:30,” I said to Tanner. And you’re more than welcome to come.
“Oh, The Dead Rabbit?” Tanner asked. “Sounds great.”
“No, My Favorite Bar.”
“Huh. The Back Room?”
“No, My Favorite Bar, Tanner.”
“The one in East Village?”
“Tanner…”
He snapped his fingers. “Oh that swanky rooftop one?”
“The name of the bar is My Favorite Bar. None of us have ever been there, but it has good reviews.”
Tanner laughed. “What a stupid name for a bar. I knew your favorite was The Dead Rabbit.”
Penny shook her head. “Yup, definitely an old married couple. I gotta get Scarlett home before she falls asleep again.”
“But Mommy, I haven’t finished my milkyshake yet.” She gave it one last very loud slurp. “Never mind.” She pushed