Playing at Forever - By Michelle Brewer Page 0,19

hardly put a dent into what I’d need to pay for his half. And I’m pretty sure I won’t get approved for a second mortgage, and even if I could, I’m not sure I could afford it.”

“You can’t sell.”

“I’m afraid I’m not going to have much choice.” Penny looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “This wasn’t how my life was supposed to go, you know?”

“Sometimes, things just don’t go according to plan.” Tommy was well aware of that. She sighed loudly, brushing away her tears.

“Oh well, I’ll figure something out. I still have time.” She shrugged her shoulders, rising to her feet. “Enough with all of this. How about we go do some of that shopping you were talking about?”

He knew that she was through with the subject for now. She’d told him the truth, but now she wanted to pretend she hadn’t. She wanted to forget about all of it.

Tommy didn’t know this because he knew Penny so well, although part of him was beginning to think that he still did. No, he knew all of this because this was the exact reason he’d come back to Ravenside.

He wanted to forget all about the problems waiting for him back home.

He wanted to forget about the tabloids, about the fights, about his career.

All he wanted to do was spend the day with the one and only girl he’d ever been able to be himself around.

Chapter Four

Penny clung to Tommy as if her life depended on it.

Partially because it did.

And partially because she had missed him so much.

The wind was loud, the engine louder. Tommy navigated the motorcycle like a pro, as if it was an extension of himself. She knew that he liked the freedom—the wind, the speed, the danger. Tommy had always lived on the edge.

Normally, Penny was not a risk taker. She drove a small sedan and she always wore her seatbelt. She ate her meat medium-well. She never gambled.

But here she was, on the back of a bike, speeding down a tree lined street. And she wasn’t even afraid, really.

They had spent the afternoon shopping. Well, that wasn’t entirely accurate. They’d taken an hour or so to actually shop, Tommy just buying a few pairs of jeans and some t-shirts right off the rack. The rest of the afternoon had been spent trying on goofy outfits and reminiscing about all of the costumes they had worn during their plays.

Now, they were on the way back to the motel, the day coming to a close. The sun was already beginning to set, summer officially over and autumn creeping in. Everything was a blur as they drove by, but she could see the vivid reds and oranges of the leaves.

It was so beautiful, she thought.

The bike rolled to a stop as they came up to a light and Penny leaned forward, so that she was impossibly closer to him. “Hey, do you have plans tonight?”

“I’m pretty sure my social calendar is empty right about now, Pen. What’d you have in mind?” She imagined, briefly, how close they would be to one another if not for the helmets they wore.

“You want to come over to Amy’s for dinner tonight? She’s been pestering me about inviting you over.”

“I’d love to.” He told her, the engine roaring back to life as they passed through town. It was only a moment before they arrived at the motel.

Penny immediately noticed a very flashy car parked near Tommy’s room, an equally as flashy man leaning against it. She pulled her helmet off the moment the bike stopped, Tommy doing the same. “They belong to you?” she asked, nodding toward the man. Tommy swore quietly.

“Unfortunately.” He groaned, holding his arm so that Penny could use it to balance herself as she climbed off the bike. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tame it. She was suddenly very conscientious of her appearance as she felt this newcomer studying her.

Obviously, this man had high standards. She was quite certain that she would not meet them as she glanced down at her worn jeans and plain gray sweater. No, she was certain she wouldn’t even come close.

“So this is the reason you’ve come to this rink-a-dink little town.” The man removed his sunglasses, tucking them into his pocket as he approached them. Penny wasn’t sure if she should be offended or flattered. “My name is Graham. And you are…?”

Penny took the man’s outstretched hand. “Penelope,” she told him, both her tone and