Page 109 of Loved

Rob laughed and ran over to us. "Seriously? You hooked up with Penny? This is just too good. Anyone want a beer?"

"What do you mean either time?" I asked again.

"The second time doesn't really count I guess," Brendan said and leaned against the kitchen counter. "I kissed her, she didn't kiss me back."

"When?" I turned to Penny.

"In the hospital," she said quietly.

I clenched my jaw. He’d been there with her before I even knew she’d been admitted. So they’d kissed before I showed up? I’d just thanked him for being there with her when I should have been wringing his neck.

"Don't get mad at her,” Brendan said. “I'm pretty sure she was doped up on morphine and she still pushed me off. Clearly she chose you. I didn't even get a thank you forsending her flowers. I'm not used to losing. I'll have a beer," he said to Rob.

That didn’t make it better at all. He’d kissed her when she was high. That was just as bad as what McCarty had done. And Tyler.Freaking Tyler.

"You got it." Rob slid a beer down the counter and Brendan picked it up.

"I do really appreciate the fact that you were there when Penny fainted," I said. "But I think it's probably best if we don't make it a habit to hang out here."Fucking creep.

"Calm down, James,” Rob said. “Brendan's cool. He even apologized for hooking up with your girlfriend. That's a quality guy. Besides, you can't blame him for trying. That's the risk of having a hot girlfriend."

No, they were supposed to be terrified of hitting on her in front of me because I’d kick their asses. This was just another reason why I needed my ring on her finger. "I'm not sure I'm completely comfortable having two guys here hitting on her," I said.

"I'm not hitting on Penny," Rob said. "She's the one that clearly wants me." He winked at Penny. "Was she a good kisser, Brendan? I bet she was a good kisser."

"A great kisser." Brendan smiled at her.

"I knew it," Rob said.

This was fucking ridiculous. I was just about to open my mouth, but Penny beat me to it.

"Okay," she said. "Will you all just stop? Stop talking about me like I'm not standing right here. James.” She turned to me. “Brendan's just a friend. I told you that.”

True. But she was also just friends with Tyler Stevens and that guy definitely had ulterior motives. He’d given her roses for fuck’s sake.

“And actually, you should be thanking him because I talked to him that afternoon when I left your placeconfused. And he told me to choose you. He was actually really nice and helpful."

"That's true," Brendan said. "She told me you were a better lay than Tyler, so I told her she should choose you.”

I stifled a laugh.

“I didn't even hit on her. Or wait. Maybe I did. I think I probably said that if she really wanted to know what a good lay was she should call me."

Penny groaned. "I said stop talking. But yeah. See? He was just being a good friend. Despite that last part. And Rob," she said, turning to him. "I don't want to sleep with you. I'm in love with your brother. So please just stop saying super weird things to me. It's really inappropriate."

"I do like you," Rob said. "You're like a million times better than the troll. Feisty too. I like a girl that can stick up for herself."

"Oh my God. I asked you to stop."

Rob smiled at her. "Stopping." He pretended to lock his mouth and throw away the key. "And Brendan's not going to hit on Penny anymore either, right Brendan?"

I wasn't at all surprised that Rob had immediately started talking right after he had thrown away the key. He didn’t know when to shut up. He never had. But I couldn’t help but smile. Having him around really did feel like old times. Him being here plus me being so happy with Penny made me feel young again. It was hard to be upset about Brendan, or Tyler, or anyone else when I was so damn happy. I still preferred him not in my apartment though.

"Sure, I won't hit on her anymore," Brendan said. He took a sip of his beer.

"How about you two go hang out at Brendan's place?" I said.

"But I just set up the Xbox! Let's all play Golden Eye. We can shoot it out." Rob patted my chest and walkedback toward the living room. "Besides, Penny promised to school us."

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