Page 60 of While the Sun Shines

“Sorry, none of the cows went to a fancy-ass college like you did,” Drew says.

“At least here, you don’t have to fight with an actual pig for the pullout couch,” Julie says. “Remember that time we tried to camp in the back field and apparently stole their favorite napping spot? You haven’t known fear until you’ve had a cranky pig snorting at you.”

Pullout couch…oh. Yeah, that is what’s in Aunt Lucy’s basement. The old tube TV that had seemed so modern and new once, the wires from dusty video game consoles, a dart board long-missing its darts, and the couch that unfolds into a bed.

A double bed.

For him and Penny.

Couples versus couples, Lucy had said.

Drew feels his face turn red. “We really should head home tonight,” he says. “Thanks, but, the cows and—”

“You better be planning on a cow to drive you two in that case,” Lucy says.

“We can’t—” Drew points from himself to Penny. “We aren’t—” We aren’t sharing a bed tonight, he thinks desperately. Aren’t a couple. Definitely won’t be able to survive being trapped in the basement together.

“You know,” Julie says slowly. “Instead of self-driving cars, what about cow-driven cars?”

“Is that—” Drew’s voice feels weak. “Is that your grand post-graduation plan?”

“Besides, you can’t leave anytime soon,” Lucy says. “You just got here, milking or no.”

Drew shakes his head. “We really have to—”

“Whit and Cooper can do the milking tonight and tomorrow morning,” Penny says. “And Abelardo. He’d love it.”

Drew turns to her. “What?”

“I think we should stay,” she says. “They can handle the farm, right?”

Again? he wants to ask. It’s one thing if Cooper and Whit swap their scheduled days without bothering to update the calendar, but it’s Drew’s turn to milk. Should’ve been this morning, too, if he’d gotten out of bed.

Which would’ve meant actually getting to sleep.

And last night—

He looks at Penny’s mouth. They kissed. They really, truly kissed, and holy shit that reality still feels impossible.

“Let’s see if you can manage a night away from the farm,” Penny says.

“Ooh,” Julie crows behind her hand. “Shots fired!”

The cheese, Drew nearly says, but Penny’s got her eyes on him.

Thinking, she’d said. He swallows.

“You’re sure?” he asks. Abelardo, he could say. And it’s not like they brought anything to stay overnight with.

But Penny’s nodding, and Julie clinks her beer bottle against Penny’s, clearly delighted.

“See if it kills you, right?” Penny says and Julie laughs and Lucy squeezes his shoulders.

It won’t. Whit and Cooper can milk.

But sharing a room with Penny might.

CHAPTER TEN