Playing at Forever - By Michelle Brewer Page 0,62
did.” She shook her head, but he could tell she had been crying. “It’s not my business.”
“Then what the hell are you so upset about?” He was going insane with all of this. “I mean, do you have any idea how hard this has been on me?”
“I don’t care if you sleep with another girl, Tommy. You and I—it’s just business.” He wanted to yell at her then, to call her a liar. All of this ‘it’s just business’ talk—she didn’t mean that. She couldn’t. “I just wish you would think about things a little bit before acting.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Everybody knows I was already cheated on once. I’d really rather them not think it’s happened to me twice.”
Of course. Tommy was such an idiot.
“When I saw you with her…” Penny shook her head. “I just don’t want to be that girl, Tommy. Please don’t make me into her.”
“I’m sorry, Pen.” He stepped into the bathroom, coming to stand behind her. “It’s just…I’ve never had to worry about anyone but myself.”
“Well, you can have your life back soon enough.”
“That’s not what I meant.” She shrugged her shoulders.
“It doesn’t matter.” It did though. Tommy sighed, placing his hands on her shoulders and massaging them a bit. “Can you unzip me? It took two people to get me into this dress.” He tugged on the zipper, guiding it down her back though he didn’t really need to. It did most of the work itself—but he liked being near her. “Thanks.”
He nodded, taking a few steps back. Her entire back was now exposed.
“I meant to tell you this morning—Kevin signed the papers. They were filed yesterday.”
“So—it’s official then?” Penny nodded. He could tell she wasn’t sure how to feel about this.
“Why don’t we go celebrate?” He suggested.
“Right now? Tommy, I’m a mess.”
“No—not right now. Tomorrow. Instead of spending a few days here, why don’t we go to Vegas?”
“You’re serious?” Tommy nodded. Suddenly, the fast pace Vegas offered sounded like a great idea. He could use the distraction. “You’re crazy.”
“Have you ever been to Vegas?” She shook her head. “Well, all the more reason to go. I promised you you’d get to see some new places, didn’t I?”
“Well—I guess we’re off to Vegas, then.”
They arrived in the mid-afternoon, Tommy navigating the busy airport like a pro. Penny was almost to the point where she didn’t even notice the photographers anymore—almost, but not quite.
A limo was waiting while Tommy spoke with someone on his phone, his expression telling her that it was a serious call. She said nothing, wanting to give him his space.
The argument they’d had the night before replayed in her mind.
She wondered if this would be it. Their last hurrah before going their separate ways.
He’d done well, she thought. A whole two months.
She sighed, resting her head against the cool glass.
Had it really only been two months?
It was a very short drive to the hotel, and an even shorter check-in. Before she knew it, they were walking into a room that was probably as big as Amy’s entire house, all laid out before her. “Do I even want to know how much this cost?” She asked him as he finally hung up the phone. Tommy only laughed, shaking his head. “Now this is insane, Tommy.”
“This is the Bellagio.” He told her. She dropped her bag to the floor and stepped further into the room, Tommy following closely behind. “I can’t wait until you see this all lit up at night,”
“It’s pretty incredible right now.” They were looking out a window, the entire strip seemingly visible from where she stood. Below them, the lake began to come to life.
“This is a sight we’ll save for tonight,” he told her, turning her away from the window and guiding her back toward the foyer. “You can have either bedroom—they’re identical to each other. Maybe we could spend some time by the pool for a bit?”
“That sounds nice,” she liked the idea of laying out by the pool, maybe getting a little sun. Even though she’d had a lot more time to relax lately, she felt more tense than ever. Especially whenever she was around Tommy.
Maybe an afternoon by the pool was exactly what she needed.
Tommy had been right to suggest the pool. She had lain out for hours, enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin. He had joined her for awhile before slipping away, retiring back to the room to make a few phone calls.
Now, she sat at the bar of a