Blind Kiss(65)

“Eat the sandwich, Penny.”

“Oh, just what I need, another controlling husband.”

“You look gaunt.”

“I assure you, I’m not starving to death.”

“Please eat it.”

I looked up and caught Masen looking down Penny’s cleavage. Glaring, I said, “?’Sup, Masen? How’s the hep C?”

“Cut the shit, Gavin. You wanna drink or you wanna get the fuck outta here? I’ll make sure Penny finds a warm bed.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll take an Alpine Duet, and she’ll have a water.”

“Make that a vodka soda with lime, please,” Penny said with a flirty smile.

“Eat the sandwich, Penny, and I’ll stay here as long as you want while you drown your sorrows.”

She took five reluctant bites and said, “I’m full.”

“Two more bites.”

“Quit treating me like a child. Why are you here anyway? Ling obviously called you.”

“She was just looking out for you. She wanted you to be able to cut loose, but she has an early flight.”

Penny stood up and clapped her hands. “Well, in that case, cutting loose is exactly what I’m gonna do.”

I sat at the bar and watched Penny dance to every funky eighties song the cover band knew over the next hour. She tried several times to lure me out on the dance floor, but honestly, I enjoyed watching her more. Even after all these years, she still danced with the raw abandon and utter grace she always had.

What if Joey hadn’t dropped her that day? Would Penny’s life be different? Would we be together? After her injury, any variation of the name Joey was like a bad word. If Penny got into a checkout line and the cashier’s name was Joseph, Joe, Joey, Josephine, even Jodie, she’d switch lines. I told her including Jodie was ridiculous but she said it sounded too similar. That was how she dealt with it.

Finally Penny got bored dancing alone, so she grabbed Masen, who kept looking over at me, probably worried I was going to kick his ass. Lilly, the other bartender, started serving me a small shot of whiskey with each beer I drank.

“Lilly, are you trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me?”

She pointed to Penny. “Is that the girl you always talk about?”

“That’s her.”

“I thought she was married? She’s not wearing a ring.”

“I don’t know. She’s out of her mind.”

When Penny came back to the bar to get another drink, I said, “How come you’re not wearing your ring?”

“I called Lance today and told him I wanted to separate. You’re the first person I’m telling.”

For the first time in my entire life, I was speechless. Penny just separated from her husband, something I thought would never happen.

“Earth to Gavin. Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“Does this mean you’re gonna run around fucking a bunch of guys?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t be a jerk. I told him I wouldn’t cheat on him. I just need to get out and have some me time.”

“I see.”

“I see? What’s up with you?”

Lilly was eavesdropping. When I looked up, she walked away. “Nothing. I think it’s good. You could use the space.”

“I’m only staying out here for a week. I need to get back to Milo.”

“Milo’s fine.”

“He’s still my son, and he’s confused. Lance told him Mommy and Daddy had a fight.”

“Mommy and Daddy? You guys baby Milo so much, but the kid is smart as fuck. When you’re not around he acts totally different.”

“How do you mean?”

I gestured to the stool. “Sit.”

“No, I’m going back out there with Masen. Just tell me how Milo’s different.”

“He’s into girls and stuff. I bought him condoms.”

“What?” She looked furious. “How dare you. You’re not his father.”

“Well, apparently neither of you gave him ‘the talk’ because he came to my place and asked me about it. Like . . . how to do certain things.”

“Oh God, I’m so pissed right now. You better not have said anything weird.”

“I told him to be kind and respectful and to make sure he cares a lot for the girl. I didn’t give him any specific pointers, Penny. Are you kidding? I told him he should wait as long as possible, and once he was ready, he should wrap it up.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I said it’s a lot better when you’re in love.”

She was staring at me, blinking impassively, but her bottom lip was quivering.

“Penny?”

A tear sprang from her eye and ran down her cheek. “Thank you,” she said in a low voice.

“So I did good?”

“Yes, Gavin. That’s exactly what I would’ve said to him. I just wish he would’ve come to me.”

“Trust me, P, boys want to hear this stuff from another man—not their mom.” I stood from the stool. “We should go now.”

She shook her head. “No, I want to dance more.”

Watching her saunter back out onto the dance floor, I thought about how badly I wanted to lick her back. I shook the thought away—I had to. It felt like hours had gone by, all while she continued flirting with Masen. I finally got fed up.