Playing at Forever - By Michelle Brewer Page 0,23

have convinced her not to. Tommy was going through some sort of career crisis, a crisis that could potentially leave him broke and penniless, and here he was trying to talk her into taking his money? Well, that wasn’t going to happen.

“How bad, Tommy?” she thought about the cover of the tabloid.

“I’ve just been going through some things, that’s all. But I’m already starting to see everything a little bit more clearly.” He brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear. “Don’t worry about me.”

“But I do,” she told him, reaching up now to graze the circles beneath his eyes with her thumb. “I’ve been worrying about you since the day I met you, Tommy Davidson. Nothing is going to change that.”

“I’ll be okay. You know me, Pen. I always find a way to get through it.”

Penny sighed, shifting her gaze. “How long are you planning on staying?”

She was afraid to hear the answer, but as she stared up at him just a moment ago, she couldn’t bear the thought of him disappearing into the abyss again, leaving her with nothing but memories. She couldn’t do it again. She couldn’t take the debilitating emptiness.

She realized that this was part of the reason why she hadn’t wanted to tell him the truth about her life earlier. Sure, she was embarrassed. Who wouldn’t be? But she was also afraid. Afraid of letting him in, knowing the pain she would face once he left.

“I’m not sure.” At least he was honest.

“But you are leaving, eventually.” Tommy nodded.

“I have to.” She knew this. “You’ll get sick of having me around soon enough, don’t worry.”

“I just got you back again.” She felt tears forming in her eyes. “Why didn’t you call, Tommy?”

“Oh, Pen. I don’t know. Because I was an idiot.” It wasn’t the answer she was looking for, but then again, she had no idea what she wanted him to say.

“You’re not going to do that again, are you?” His eyes were always so conflicted, as if he was always torn between two things. “Promise me you’re not going to do that again, Thomas Davidson, or you can walk away right now. I’m not going to let you waltz back into my life just so that you can turn around and leave me to rot again.”

“Penny, I—”

“Promise me.” She demanded, knowing she could go no further if it meant more heartache down the line. Losing Tommy, even just as a friend, had been a painful experience.

He held her eyes for a long moment before he finally spoke.

“I promise,”

“It shouldn’t have been that hard.”

“No, it shouldn’t have.” She longed for him to talk to her. To open up to her just as she had done earlier in the day. But she knew Tommy. It took him time.

Eventually, though, he would tell her everything.

“I’m sorry.” She nodded her head.

“Whatever it is you’re afraid of, Tommy, you’re going to have to face it sooner or later.” She knew that she was going to have to take her own advice too, eventually.

Baby steps, she told herself. Baby steps.

“Maybe it’s you I’m afraid of.” His tone was playful, but his eyes were very serious. She wondered for a moment if he felt the same fears she did. A fear of opening up, of feeling the pain. Had she ever done anything to give Tommy the impression that she was going to hurt him? She didn’t think so, but then again…

“Well, you should be. I have piles of pictures of you from way back when. If you’re not careful, I just might have to post them on the internet. You think your image is bad now, just wait…” Penny was doing her best to lighten the mood once more. Things had taken serious turn that she hadn’t been prepared for. She wanted the evening to end on a good note.

“You wouldn’t dare,”

“Don’t try me.” She warned.

“Well, maybe it’s you who should be afraid of me.” His eyes were suddenly very playful.

“Oh? And why would that be?” And then he was leaning in very close—so close she could feel his breath on her neck as he whispered into her ear.

“Because I know exactly where you’re most ticklish,”

Before she knew what was happening, she felt his fingers dancing along the curve of her waist.

And Penny squealed with laughter, slipping out of his grasp and running down the street. When he caught up with her, she found that she was cornered, her back against the thick trunk of a tree. She was