Page 154 of Loved

“Well, we need to decorate our new apartment.”

“Which we’re going to do together.” She tried to hand me the card back.

But I refused to take it.

“James, I don’t want a credit card.”

“But I want you to have it.”

“You know…it is so tempting to go buy like…a big couch from Macy’s or something to teach you a lesson.”

“A couch, huh? From Macy’s? That $1,000 will really set me back.”

She shook her head.

“You can’t even think of something more expensive than a couch, can you?”

“Well luckily for you I’m not an asshole that wants to spend all your money.”

“One of the many reasons why I love you.”

Her cheeks flushed. “I’m not going to use the card.”

“Better to have it just in case. Now open the box.”

She lifted the lid to the box and smiled. “You framed it.” She grabbed the picture of me and Rob from the bar the other night. I had no idea why she wanted a framed photo where Rob was giving her the finger. But she’d asked for it, and she seemed very pleased.

“Penny?”

She looked up at me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you tonight when you told me to stop. It won’t happen again. And just for the record…you know me better than anyone else.”

“Thanks, James.” She held the picture to her chest. “That means a lot to me.”

“And I like to think I know you better than anyone else. I know you had a lot of these on your bed back home.” I gestured back to the box. “I know you can snuggle up to me now, but I wanted you to feel at home here too. With me.”

She picked up the stuffed teddy bear. “You bought me a stuffed animal? So I’d feel at home in New York?”

I nodded.

She threw her arms around me.

I laughed and caught her before she knocked us both over.

“That is the sweetest thing, James.” She smiled up at me. “I was worried about being homesick. But honestly? I haven’t been at all. I love it here with you. Really, James. You’re all I need.”

I knew what she meant. She was home to me too.

“One moment you’re hitting your friends and the next minute you’re buying me a stuffed animal? Our life it going to be quite the rollercoaster, isn’t it?”

I had a feeling that everything was going to be okay from here on out. Isabella was out of our lives. I’d figure out some way to make this all up to my friends. And most importantly…I had Penny. I pressed my lips against hers. Now I just needed to convince her to put her red dress back on so I could tear it off her with my teeth.

Chapter 38

Saturday

I reached out across the bed but all I felt were empty sheets. I slowly opened my eyes. Penny was nowhere in sight. I yawned and sat up.

---