Big Dick Energy - Cindi Madsen Page 0,25

I caught the sag of Penelope’s shoulders. A string tugged in the center of my chest, but the rush of triumph overpowered it.

“Thank you for the vote of confidence, sir.” Threat of shoes that doubled as weapons be damned, I flashed my pearly whites. “I promise I won’t let you down.”

Confusion creased Scott’s forehead and pinged through me. “Penny, I realize you’ve worked very hard on this account, but…”

Oh sure. He got to call her Penny.

“I’m asking you to be patient with me a little longer.”

She straightened and took a step toward the guy, no hint of a limp. If I hadn’t known she was injured, I never would’ve guessed, so it must’ve not been as bad as I’d thought. “Of course, Scott. If you and the rest of the Pythons aren’t happy, I haven’t done my job.”

He beamed at her, and so much for thinking I had this in the bag. “We’ve decided that it’d be easier to make a decision if both of you drew up more concrete versions of your plans, to be presented in three-week’s time. As added inspiration, I’d like both of you to join us for a tour of the current facilities next week. That should help you knock this project right out of the park. Or kick it out of the arena, since soccer’s clearly the superior sport.”

Polite laughter came from the two people at his side. Admittedly, I grinned along with Penelope, not one to be outdone. Excitement also stirred at touring the Pythons facility, and I crossed my fingers in the hopes I’d get to meet Chase Blakely. Dad and I had admired him from the sidelines as he tore it up on the field the past few years. If meeting one of our favorite players and designing the complex where he and his teammates played didn’t lead Dad to see this was the career for me, nothing would.

“Count me in.” Penelope swept her ponytail over her shoulder and turned her smile on me. It kicked me in the gut, and I reminded myself it was as fake as her acting like she could stand me. “Archer? Are you up for a field trip and some friendly competition?”

“I’m all in,” I said, daring her right back.

We said goodbye to our client, and I could tell by the pinching and paling of Penelope’s features, she’d merely done a good job at hiding the pain she was in. By the time she settled into her cubicle, her ankle was beginning to swell.

I hesitated by her desk rather than heading to mine. “I can tell you’re hurting. Do you want me to get you ice? Take you to the doctor?”

Her ponytail swung as she shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m fine. All I need right now is peace and quiet so I can get to work. Sounds like my no I in team talk was unnecessary, too. From now on, it’s more may the best person for the job win.”

10

Archer

I put in an extra hour at the office studying every building and shop within a ten-mile radius of where the complex would be built. Next, I researched Councilwoman Roberts and the issues she’d voted on and was passionate about. That way, I could persuade her to my side.

I’d just shut my laptop and packed up to leave the office when my phone chimed.

Izzie: Since you’re going to be home late anyway, can I go to Sydney’s house?

A quick spin of Izzie’s rolodex of friends conjured up a kid with a blue-tipped pixie. Her family—no, their family, as Syd preferred they/them—had insisted Izzie was welcome anytime. “Even overnight,” Syd’s mom had said with a wink, leading me to believe she thought I had overnight guests a lot more often than I truly did.

Admitting it’d been way too long since I’d had a sleepover crossed into territory I didn’t want to get into with a perfect stranger, so I’d simply thanked her and added her to my list of contacts.

Me: How are you going to get there?

Izzie: Sydney’s mom. She said she can drop me off if you’re still working, if that’s what you’re worried about.

That hadn’t even been a blip on my radar. Not because I didn’t care, but I was still getting used to being in charge of another person’s whereabouts. A lot of my gray space was also being taken up with Penelope Jones. I’d alternated between worrying if her ankle was okay, thinking about her freckles and blue eyes and mouth, and