Page 14 of While the Sun Shines

“Hi there,” Drew says.

Penny shoves Drew to the side and jogs down the three short steps from the porch.

And then she’s running. Holding her arms out and laughing.

The man picks her up, swings her off her feet, and turns her in a circle.

“What?” Drew asks, but neither of them hear him, caught up in hugging each other tight.

CHAPTER THREE

“Oh my God,” Penny says over and over again. “Oh my God, oh my God.”

The man sets her down, only to hold her at arm’s length, look her over, and then crush her in another hug. “I came to see you.”

“Way to call beforehand. Holy shit, hi!” Penny doesn’t let go of him as she turns around. Doesn’t look at Drew either, her eyes cutting past him as she yells, “Whit!”

And Whit pushes past him just like Penny did, practically leaping down the steps.

Drew’s hands hang empty and loose as Penny keeps hold of the guy, even as Whit hugs him with a flurry of Spanish, all three of them talking over each other.

At least Cooper doesn’t bowl Drew over too, just comes to stand next to him at the edge of the porch.

“Huh,” Cooper says. “If I hadn’t already met Whit, I’d think that dude invented tall, dark, and handsome.”

Whit beckons to Cooper, slapping the guy on the arm. “Get down here, Coop. This is Abelardo, Ab—hold on. They don’t speak Spanish.”

“Actually, I very much do speak Spanish.” Cooper holds out a hand to shake Abelardo’s. “Vamos a meterle el muñequito a la rosca.”1

Whit’s eyes widen. Penny covers her face, and between them, the guy laughs with a dimpled smile.

“Okay, you must be Cooper,” Abelardo says.

Whit claps his hand over Cooper’s mouth. “No more. Please.”

“I’m never, ever going to be able to forget that,” Penny says, rubbing at her ear. “Holy shit.”

Drew smiles weakly. “What’d he say?”

“No,” Whit says. “Do not repeat that.”

“Oh, I will tonight, babe.” Cooper winks, his words muffled behind Whit’s hand.

“And that must make you Drew.” Abelardo’s grip is firm, his hand large as he shakes Drew’s. “I’ve heard so much about you. So great to finally get to meet you.”

“Yeah,” Drew mumbles. Abelardo, Abelardo…no, he’s never heard the name.

Or he has, and it was the same conversation as Battle of the Bartenders. Fuck.

Abelardo squeezes Penny’s shoulder. “Veo a qué te refieres.”2

She laughs, leaning into him again.

Drew used to trade cheese for Penny’s help with his Spanish homework in high school, and it had quickly turned into her just taking his pencil and worksheet and doing it herself. Even now, she covers her ears if he attempts even a couple words, groaning your accent until he stops.

“Uh, welcome,” Drew gets out.

“What a beautiful place,” Abelardo says. “I swung by last night, but you guys were out.”