Page 121 of Loved

Penny hadn’t texted them since then? She hadn’t told them anything at all?Fuck.“Oh. Well. A lot has happened actually. I resigned.”

“Oh no,” Mrs. Taylor said. “Why did…”

“I read the new article,” Mr. Taylor said, cutting her off. “Articlesactually. All of them.”

Seriously, fuck.

“There were more articles?” Mrs. Taylor asked. “Why didn’t you tell me? I’d like to read them too. Were any of them in today’s paper? I have it in the other room.”

“It wasn’t favorable,” he said. “It’s probably better if you don’t read it.”

“Oh. Oh my,” she said.

This was really not going well. “Mr. Taylor, whatever you read in the paper isn’t true. I assured you last time I was here that Penny was the only student I’ve been involved with.”

“That was before the investigation found…”

“What investigation?” Penny’s mom asked. “There was an investigation?”

“It’s bogus,” Rob said through a mouthful of pretzels.

Where had he gotten a snack from?

Rob kept munching. “The university just wanted to cover up the scandal as fast as possible. James didn’t sleep with any other students, despite what those fuckers said.”

And why was he cursing?Stop it, Rob!

“He’s in love with Penny. I’ve seen it firsthand. They’re smitten.” He winked at me like he thought he was helping.

I wanted to slug him.

But Mr. Taylor somehow looked appeased by his explanation.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Rob picked up another pretzel. “He’s actually here to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

Seriously, what the fuck, Rob?!

“What?” Mrs. Taylor gasped.

Penny’s parents both turned to me.

I cleared my throat. “I’m in love with your daughter. My brother’s right, that’s why we’re here. And I’m sorry, I really should have called. But I wanted to do this in person. Mr. Taylor, I will do everything in my power to protect Penny. I’ll take care of her. And I’ll love her until my dying breath.”

Mrs. Taylor was smiling so hard.

But I couldn’t read Mr. Taylor at all.

“And if you’d give me your blessing…I want to propose to her. Tomorrow. It’s been a crazy week. And I want her to know that it’s the two of us against the world from here on out.”

“Yes!” Mrs. Taylor said. “Of course, yes.”

Mr. Taylor cleared his throat. “No.”

Rob started choking on his pretzel.

Ian hit him on the back.

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