Change of Heart - By S.E. Edwards Page 0,46

believe him. I try to focus my attention on my surroundings. The wooden interior of the home is sparsely decorated, with only a few rugs on the floors. There’s a certain rustic charm to the place. The furniture looks mostly second-hand, from the dark-green couch in one corner to the white recliner on the other side. There are some curious trinkets here and there: a marble vase serving as a flower pot, a stone sculpture of a meditating Buddha. But mostly, nothing stands out. I follow Amanda and Rich down another hallway.

“You can sleep in here,” she tells Rich, gesturing through an open door. “I prepared an extra bed for you. Unless, of course, you’ve changed your mind…” she trails off, the implication of her suggestion made obvious by the way she lilts her voice and brushes his chest.

“No,” Rich says resolutely, stepping away. For some reason, I feel a curious sense of relief on hearing that one simple word. “What about Penny?”

“Her?” Amanda grimaces and spares a dismissive glance my way. “There’s plenty of room in the house. I’ll give her an extra blanket and she can find a corner somewhere.”

“No, Amanda.” Rich turns on her. His face is stern. “Penny came here with me, and she’s done nothing wrong to you. We might need to stay for a few days. I told you before it’s important. You’re doing us a huge favor, but I will not have you treating her like dirt.” He pauses and looks her in the eye. “Understood?”

“Men,” Amanda mutters. “Give them a roof and warm food and it’s still not enough. Bring them into your home and it’s still not enough. This is my house, Richard. You know that?” She sighs. “Fine, though. As long as she behaves, I’ll be the perfect hostess. But the minute she does something wrong—” She gives me a pointed look, “—all bets are off. Do you understand that, Richard?”

“I do. Thanks. She’ll behave.”

I roll my eyes. They’re talking about me as if I’m not even there! Though if, as Rich said, we’re to stay here a few days, I can understand the need to make peace with Amanda. I can be the bigger woman and swallow my pride—and damn all her insults! They’ll roll off me like water off a duck’s back.

Rich continues speaking. “I’ll take the blankets,” he says. He motions me over. “Penny, come here. You can have the bed.”

“Thank you, Richard ,” I say in my sweetest voice as I walk toward him. Amanda snorts audibly as I pass.

The room she’d set up for Rich is spacious and cozy. A big, if somewhat old, queen bed sits in the middle. “You know, Rich,” I add innocently, trailing one finger down his forearm over the tattoos, “it looks like there’s easily enough room for two on that bed.”

Rich makes a choking sound, and Amanda’s face scrunches up like she’d just taken a bite of a bad plum.

“Kidding!” I sing out as I plump down on the bed. I pluck at a piece of lint that had caught at my waist. “I wouldn’t want to do anything Amanda doesn’t approve of.” I offer them both a radiant smile.

“Yes, well…” Amanda trails off, then frowns. “Anyway. I was just making dinner.” She looks at Rich. “I assume you’re hungry?”

“Both of us are famished,” Rich says. “Thanks.”

Amanda turns away and starts down the hall. Her retriever trails at her heels. “I’ll call when the table’s set.”

Rich comes in and closes the door. He waits until Amanda’s footsteps fade from hearing. Then he turns to me, wearing the hugest grin. “That was brilliant!” he exclaims, laughing. “I’ve never seen Amanda try so hard to control her temper! And you knew she had to do it after her promise to us.” He leans back against the doorframe. “You’re something, Penny, you know that?”

“Thanks,” I beam. “It takes a lot of practice.”

Rich grins. “I’d say. Anybody who can throw Amanda off like that deserves my fullest praise.”

“So what is it with you two, anyway? If you don’t mind me asking. How long ago were you together?”

“A long time ago,” Rich stresses. “I met her right around the time I moved to Oregon from New York.”

“She didn’t really invite you to sleep with her, did she? I’m not sure I heard that right.”

“You did.” Rich sighs. “She was always very forward like that. I’m not sure if she would have agreed to let me stay if she didn’t think she had a chance.”

My