Page 12 of One More Chapter
“Great. Just… great. Keep the hits coming. This isawesome.”
I walk toward her like I’m stepping on shattered glass, taking a seat on the carpet when there’s a good three feet of space between us.
“You okay, PJ?”
“Stop calling me that,” she nearly growls. “Andno, I amnotokay with this. None of this is okay.”
I sigh, closing my eyes. This situation might work well for me—a man desperate to right his wrongs and win back the one that got away—but not at the sake of her mental well-being. I wrecked her, and I know it.
The fact of the matter is, I was in the wrong. I told Penelope I wanted to give us a shot, and while there was nothing but the truth in that statement, the moment Avery showed up on my doorstep begging me for another chance, I panicked. I let four years of a relationship and the life we built together braidaround a tear-stained, pleading Avery, tucked my tail between my legs, and let myself believe I was doing the right thing by taking her back and turning into a ghost of Penelope’s past. I have lived in a miles deep well of regret ever since.
And now? She looksdevastated.I did that to her—amdoing it to her right now, all over again. My physical presence in this space is likely doing damage to all of the healing that she’s done. She covers it with anger, but if I learned one thing about her during that week on vacation, it’s that Penelope Barker hides herself well. A rope tugs around my heart. I know that I have to turn right around and take my unpacked boxes back to my parents’ basement. It’s the right thing to do.
I swallow, lift the hat on my head, and comb my fingers through my hair.
“I, uh… God, I’m sorry, Pen. I didn’t realize she double booked us.”
I laugh at the irony, then pull out my phone.
“I’ll fix this. I’ll uh… I’ll get out of your hair.”
I step back into the kitchen, but even as I unlock my phone, I can feel her eyes on me. I know without looking up that she’s staring daggers at me. Once upon a time, those baby blues were hovering over me, more dazzling than the midnight sky at her back. What I wouldn’t give for her anger to be replaced with admiration again.
My mom answers on the third ring.
“Hey, Mama.”
“Anthony! How is the move going? I thought you’d be busy until everything was in its place.”
“Actually, that’s what I’m calling about. I?—”
A racket erupts from her end.
“What was that?”
“Hold on, sweetie—Ed, are you okay?! Wait, give me that— Ant, hold on a sec.”
It feels like forever and a day that the clattering and clanging of metal echoes in the background, along with my parents’ grunts, before my mom returns.
“Sorry. Your dad got all of his equipment delivered and is determined to set it up himself.”
“What equipment?” I ask, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“For his home gym! We’re finally doing it! With all of your stuff out of the basement, he has the space he needed. But the floor isn’t quiteready yet, isit, Ed?”
I hear my father mutter something in the background, but the rest is underwater.
My basement sanctuary is already being turned into a home gym. I have been gone less than a day.
“Ma, you told meand Penthat we could both live here,” I huff, planting a hand on my hip.
“Did I do that?” The twinkle in her voice makes my jaw harden. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. You two lived together once upon a time and you didn’t kill each other.”
“Yeah. We wereinfants.”
My mother’s silence worries me. She isn’t going to give in. I can feel it in the air.
“Anthony, honey, I’m sure the two of you can get along fine for a couple of months. But I’m gonna have to let you go. Call back later?”