Playing at Forever - By Michelle Brewer Page 0,15

card, Tom. It really wasn’t that hard.” Graham looked around. “Can we take this inside?”

“No,” Tommy shook his head. “I don’t want you here, Graham. I want you to leave.”

“After I came all this way?”

“Yes. Go back home.”

“Exactly how long were you planning on taking this little hiatus? You do remember you have auditions. Scripts waiting to be read.”

“They’ll wait.” Tommy spoke through clenched teeth. “I mean it. Get out of here.”

“This isn’t going to do good things for your image, Tom. Think about it. It won’t impress studios.”

For just a moment, Tommy hesitated. This was his livelihood that they were talking about. Was he really willing to sacrifice it all?

And then he thought better of it. No, he would be better off in the end. He could return to work with his head on straight. Wouldn’t the studios prefer that?

Of course they would.

“Goodbye, Graham.” And with that, Tommy closed the door in his manager’s face.

“We need to talk, Pen.” She heard Kevin’s voice before she saw him and she groaned. He and Gina had seemed to have some sort of tiff earlier and she’d stormed out of the restaurant in a huff. She had been dreading this all day, certain that the argument had something to do with her.

“Then talk.”

“Let’s go in the office.” This was not going to be good. She sighed, setting down the plates she had been carrying to set a table. On the way to the office, she made sure to ask one of her waitresses to finish her task.

She was certain that whatever conversation that was going to take place was going to do wonders to improve her day. After her earlier argument with Kevin, two of the waitresses had called in with the flu along with one of her busboys. Things would have been okay, if only Gina hadn’t walked out as well. The lunch rush had been hell to get through.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know how to say this, Pen.” She dreaded whatever words he was about to say next.

“Just say it.” There wasn’t much he could say that could hurt her any worse than she’d already been hurt.

“Gina wants out.” Penny was actually filled with relief, a smile forming on her lips.

“Great, I don’t think the three of us should be working under the same roof anyway, considering our situation.”

“No—you’re not understanding, Penny. She wants out. As in the both of us. She wants you to buy us out. Either that, or we sell the place.”

And for just a moment, the room swayed in front of her.

Sell The Seaside?

She couldn’t even consider the possibility.

But the alternative? She didn’t have the funds. She didn’t have the credit.

“Are you hearing me?”

“Yes, Kevin. I heard you.” She was positively livid. As if Gina hadn’t already taken enough from her—now she was even going to ruin this. The one and only thing she cared about.

“She wants this taken care of as soon as possible.”

“Well, that’s not going to happen. You know what this place means to me, Kevin. How can you even put me in this position?” she shook her head, rubbing one of her temples. “I have to get back out on the floor.”

“If you can spare me, I was planning on leaving early.”

“Get out of here, Kevin. Just get out of my sight.”

She would rather do it all alone than have to look him in the eye.

By the time Tommy showed up, Penny was exhausted. She sat at the bar, two empty shot glasses in front of her, a third waiting, and a nearly untouched mixed drink in her hands.

“Rough day?”

“Understatement.” She took a long sip from her glass.

“Want some company?” Penny didn’t answer. The truth was that, yes, she did want company. She wanted Tommy to sit there beside her into the wee hours of the morning, talking about the life they used to live and reminding her how easy it had all been once upon a time.

But she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. She was too hurt, too angry. She needed to think.

Even though that was the last thing she wanted to do.

“You can talk about it, if you want.”

“I just—I need some space right now, Tommy. Just because you come running back here out of the blue doesn’t mean that I have to drop everything in my life and—”

“I know, Pen—I’m not asking—”

“I have a lot going on right now, Tommy. I just don’t think this is the best time for a reunion.”

Even as she spoke the words,