Page 14 of Daddy's Treat
A sick pit opens in my stomach at the thought of a Candi, Sandi, Mandi, and Kade sandwich. Or whatever that would be called.
“Sorry, ladies, but as you can see, I’m already busy today.” Kade completely dismisses them.
The triple-i’s turn to leave, but at the last second, Sandi turns and levels her gaze on me. And boy, is it an awful one. If looks could kill, I’d be somewhere around the Earth’s core right about now.
“Lucy has been looking for you. She’s going to justlovethat you ditched to eat pancakes and bacon.” I flinch at Sandi’s words because she’s totally making a reference to the Penny-pie name and clearly reminding me of my place in the social structure. As if I could ever forget. Though Kade has done an excellent job of distracting me from it for a while.
“I’m sure thatLucyis capable of doing whatever it is she needs on her own. Oryoucould help.” Kade looks like he is struggling to keep a civil tongue, and I fall a little bit in love with him for standing up for me. It’s the second time he’s done that.
Sandi storms off after the other i’s in a huff. I feel myself deflating in my seat, knowing that when I get back to the house, they are totally going to make my life h-e-double hockey sticks.
7
Kade
Penny looks so defeatedafter her sorority sisters—and I use that term loosely—leave that I want to teach all those girls a lesson. They could all use a couple hours at the club with a belt to their asses. I can think of a couple of masters who would love making girls like them come to heel.
I give Penny a few minutes alone with her thoughts, but when she doesn’t seem to be snapping out of it and looks more and more forlorn as the seconds tick by, I decide it’s time for a change of scenery. I drop a couple bills on the table and stand.
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”
That seems to shake her out of her momentary funk. “Where are we going?”
Good question. Somewhere where none of her classmates are… which limits things significantly since this is a college town. It only takes me a minute to decide that we will go to my place. We can watch a movie or whatever she wants to do.
“My place.”
I half expect her to argue, but she just shrugs and says okay. I put her bag over my shoulder then put my hand on her lower back, leading her out of the diner. It’s a short walk to the lot where my car is parked and a ten-minute drive to my house.
We spend the drive talking about movies we like. I’m surprised when Penny says she likes a lot of 80s hair bands and early 90s rock. She says that her grandma has a thing for the lead singer of Poison as if that explains it all. We talk about our favorite foods, and I find out that she’s obsessed with candy corn. What she said in her sleep last night makes a lot more sense now that I know how much she likes it.
We are laughing about her dreaming of candy corn cupcakes when I pull into my driveway. She studies my house like she’s going to have a pop quiz on it. I don’t know why, but I feel a little nervous. I want her to like my place because I want her to want to be here with me. As often as I can get her here. If she’s here, she isn’t at that stupid sorority house.
“It’s like a dream house,” Penny finally whispers. “Do you actually live here?”
I look at the house, trying to see it from her perspective. Yes, my house is large, but definitely not the typical place most people with my kind of money would buy. I won’t lie. I did buy it with my future in mind. When I saw the place, I saw it all. A loving wife, kids, maybe a dog. It was easy to imagine building a life in this house.
Even though it’s early in our relationship—not that we have an official relationship, if I have my way, she will leave here today as mine—I can easily see Penny filling the role of wife. What would our kids look like? Would we have daughters with her brown hair and deep green eyes? Or sons tall and strong with my blue eyes.
“Yes, I actually live here.” I finally make myself stop daydreaming and answer her.
“By yourself? No, roommates?”
I laugh at her look of shock and awe. “Yes, shortcake. I live all alone.”
“Wow. That sure beats sharing a house with twenty of your closest enemies and whatever guys they’re hooking up with that week. It’s enough to make a person appreciate quiet. I’m lucky that I got my own bedroom. I’m pretty sure it used to be a closet. A big closet, but it doesn’t have a window, and I barely have room for a desk and my bed… Sorry, I’m rambling again.”
“No need to apologize, shortcake. I don’t mind. Would you like to go inside, or would you rather sit here and stare?” I ask in a teasing voice.
“Definitely inside.”
Before I can get around to her door, she’s already jumping down from her seat. “Next time, you’ll wait for me to get the door for you.” It’s not a request; it’s a command. She definitely senses the difference because her eyes widen, and she nods quickly.
Penny walks around each room, touching things and humming with pleasure when she finds something she likes. She shows particular interest in my bookshelf but doesn’t comment. I know she loves to read, and I’d be happy to know her thoughts on my collection. It’s an eclectic mix of classics, biographies, autobiographies, and suspense novels.
“Cheese and crackers, is this your kitchen? Obviously, it’s your kitchen. It’s in your house. What I mean is… I think I might actually be speechless.” The shocked look on her face at not being able to articulate exactly what she’s thinking is both hilarious and cute.
“Speechless? That won’t do. I prefer it when you say whatever is on your mind. I learn so many interesting things. What did you say I looked like again? A Thor-Superman hybrid?”