“No way, you’re Mr. Popular.”
“I’m flattered,” I laughed lightly, something I’d never found easy around her.
She started running her fingers along the hem of her sleep shorts, and I had the distinct feeling she was a little nervous.
I waited. Hmmm. Interesting.
“You know, even though we’ve known each other twenty-five years, we’ve never really spoken much.” Her gaze flicked up to mine again.
“We speak…” I began, though I knew she could hear the hesitation in my tone. I swiftly wanted out of this conversation.
She shook her head slowly but firmly.
“No, we don’t. In fact…” she looked down to her feet, “we’ve spoken more in the last two days than we ever have. I’ve always had the impression you didn’t like me. I’ve never been able to figure it out.”
The anxiety I always felt around her returned like it had never left, and brought all its friends with it. “What? Lowe…”
“Anyway…” she continued, “I was surprised when you came by yesterday. I know Lauren and Lucian have pushed this on you, but I’m good at my job, Penn.”
“I know, I wouldn’t have hired you otherwise.”
She lifted her legs out of the pool and stood up. “I’m glad. I just wanted to make sure you knew that. I’ll do a good job for you.”
“I know.”
She smiled at me, but the slight downturn in the corner of her eyes told me she wasn’t quite sure she believed me.
“Lowe…”
“Night, Penn. See you tomorrow, sleep well.”
She walked off along the path, back into the house and to bed. Where she’d be sleeping down the hall from me.
“Goodnight, Lowe,” I whispered into the air, far too quietly for her to hear me.
True to his word, my name was down on the visitor list, and this time, I was waved straight through.
The adrenaline coursing through my body kicked up another notch, just as it had done every mile the car had eaten up on the journey here. If I wasn’t gripping onto the steering wheel so tightly, my hands would be shaking. I was running on a diet of nervous energy and caffeine, two things which didn’t really go well together given the rate at which my heart was pounding.
I hadn’t gone back to sleep.
I’d spent the night trying to predict what Jupiter would say to me, analyzing every play of last night’s game and how it would affect his mood today. Outside of Lowe, I knew there was nothing I’d ever wanted more. But the difference between Lowe and Jupiter was that I might actually have a chance at getting him; the uncertainty of it, however, was what had me rubbing at the pain in my chest before it gave way from the pressure.
I turned between the olive trees, once again surging up the driveway to find him waiting for me. Arms crossed over his chest once more, it was as though standing outside his house like a warrior was all he did when he wasn’t welcoming guests. Not that he was especially welcoming.
I got out of the car and stayed by the door. “I hope you’ve already been on a run, because I’m still recovering from yesterday.”
He laughed, his entire demeanor relaxing from the tension he’d been holding onto. “You’re lucky it’s a rest day.”
“Thank fuck for that,” I grinned.
“Come on,” he waved me in, “let’s talk.”
I followed him in silence through his house and round to the side, until he stopped in front of a large table and chairs set up by the enormous telescope I’d spied yesterday. Rosa had clearly been here already, given the matcha and coffee set out on the small table. I sat down in front of the coffee, and made myself comfortable.
“Pretty impressive piece of machinery,” I nodded to the telescope. “Don’t tell me you’re secretly controlling the Death Star in your downtime.”
He picked up his matcha with a smirk. “Nah, that one just controls the Millennium Falcon.”
