Page 64 of Enemies with my Bestie’s Brother
“Oh, for God’s sake, Parker!” I hear my baby sister yell from the kitchen before she storms up to the door and shoves Parker out of the way.
“She’s not here because she went back to Keene, you absolute idiot.” Penny’s eyes are flaming with anger, her brow furrowed deep.
“No, she didn’t,” I say, more in disbelief than in actual denial.
Has she really been gone for a week and I didn’t know?
“Yes, she is. Feel free to check the guest bedroom.” She steps aside and I wander over the threshold in a daze.
As I step down the hallway toward the guest room, I can hear Penny and Parker mumbling to each other. I knock on the guest room door, but there’s no answer.
I push open the door, finding the only confirmation that I needed to see that Penny is telling the truth. Not that I really thought she was lying.
“Why did she leave?” I ask as I come back from the hallway.
Penny glares at me as she continues peeling carrots. Parker doesn’t look up as he types away at his computer. Sometimes it seriously sucks having your best friend and your sister married. It means that your best friend is always on your sister’s side when it used to be the complete opposite.
“Is that a serious question? Because if it is, we might have to rush you to a neurosurgeon to have you checked for brain damage.”
“Okay, enough with the hostility, Penny. Just tell me what’s going on.”
“What’s going on is that you’re a complete and utter asshole. You succumbed to your fears and said a load of horrible things to Whitney, and fired her. Seeing as her job was done, by no choice of her own, she decided to go back to Keene. She left the morning after the party, but since you never bothered to come apologize until now, you never even had a clue.”
“So, she’s really gone?” I ask, plopping down onto the sofa. “Is she still moving here soon?”
“She’s hesitant about it. She doesn’t know if San Francisco is the place for her. Last I heard, she’s thinking about moving to Orlando or New York City,” Penny says, rolling her eyes. “You know, it’s one thing for you to mess up your own relationships, but do you have to mess up mine too? I was so excited to finally have my best friend near me again, but you had to go and ruin it.”
“Don’t you think I feel bad enough already?”
“No, I don’t!” she says, throwing the vegetable peeler onto the counter and stomping over to me. “If you want to fix this and get Whitney back, then let me tell you, you have a lot of groveling to do. Do you want Whitney back?”
“I want Whitney back more than anything! I love her, Penny. I love her with everything that I have. I made a huge mistake the other day, breaking up with her and firing her. I know that. I just want a chance to make it right with her.”
“Then you need a grand gesture,” Parker finally pipes up from across the room.
Penny and I both turn to look at him.
“What? I’m trying to get work done, but you’re both distracting me.”
“You have an office for a reason, you know,” Penny retorts and rolls her eyes.
“Hey, this is my home too, and if I want a change of scenery, then I should be allowed to have it!”
“What were you saying about the grand gesture?” I ask, putting a hand in front of Penny’s face as if it will make her disappear.
She shoves my hand away and huffs before crossing her arms over her chest.
“You need one. You need to show Whitney how truly sorry you are, and beg for her forgiveness. You should fly out to Keene and bring her a dozen red roses.”
“Whitney hates roses. Get her white calla lilies instead,” Penny interjects.
“So, you think it’s a good idea?” I ask Penny.
“Well, it’s the only one you’ve got, so it can’t hurt to try. Plus, Parker does know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”
She gazes at Parker dreamily just as a cry sounds from the baby monitor. “That’s Baby J. I’ll go get him.”
Penny pads softly down the hallway to the baby’s room.
