Page 415 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 5
“I used to feel guilty too. For being happy. For being with Penny when I broke the rules to have her. But I don’t regret breaking the rules. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.”
I didn’t say anything.
“You made a promise when you were 16 years old. You’re allowed to break it.”
“I know. I just…I need to be alone for a few minutes. You can take the car back for Penny.”
“I’ll take a taxi.” He tossed the keys at me. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”
I nodded and climbed out of the car. I knew he was right. I’d told myself as much. But I just needed a minute to breathe.
Matchmaker - Chapter 44
Saturday
I was sitting in the middle of all the portraits I’d painted of Brooklyn. They used to make me feel close to her. But tonight, she’d never felt further away.
I wasn’t sure how long I sat there staring. But I felt the wetness on my cheeks. I never did get the blue of Brooklyn’s eyes right in the most recent painting. And I realized right then that I didn’t really remember how her eyes looked. She was drifting away. I opened up the photo album that Kennedy had given me all those years ago. But instead of my eyes gravitating to Brooklyn like they always used to, they gravitated to Kennedy. I slammed the album closed.
“You paint?”
I turned around to see Penny leaning against the doorjamb. “I’m sorry. Your door was unlocked and…”
“It’s okay.”
“No. It’s not.” She sat down next to me on the floor. “I really messed up. I…”
“Thought I was gay. Yeah, I got that. I loved all your evidence too.” I smiled over at her.
She hit her shoulder against mine. “In my defense, I literally saw you kiss Tanner. What was I supposed to think?”
“It probably would have helped if I’d told you the truth about Brooklyn.”
“You can tell me now.”
“It’s a long story.”
She shrugged. “I’ve got time.”
“I’m pretty sure I fell in love with her the first moment I ever saw her.” I looked at the painting in front of me with Brooklyn’s smiling face. “She stuck out. Not because of her worn uniform or anything like that. But because she was…she was just a really good person. She wasn’t tainted by this world yet. She was pure. And perfect. And she was mine.” I filled Penny in on the story. All the way up to the vows I never got to say to Brooklyn. The ones I said at her funeral instead. I even told her our bitter last words to each other.
I looked over at Penny. She was wiping tears off her cheeks. “My heart hurts for you.”
It was something exactly like Brooklyn would say.
“I had no idea,” Penny said. “I’m so sorry.”
“How could you have known? I never told you.”
“Why not?”
“Because I didn’t want you to look at me like you’re looking at me right now. Like I’m broken.”
She leaned over and hugged me. “I don’t think you’re broken, Matt. I think you’re in pain. And that’s when you’re supposed to let friends in.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “About everything. And while I’m at it. For the past few years…I didn’t think of you as a friend. I lied. You remind me of her. And I think I…I just liked being close to you. I definitely had a little crush on you.”
She pulled away from my hug. “Wow, the guys were right? They’re never going to let me live this down.” She laughed even though it was forced. She tried to wipe her remaining tears away.
