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He tried to figure out how to give them enough details without revealing things he was certain Penny wouldn’t want them to know, like wanting to lose her virginity and how it had all started as a bet. “We’ve been together for a few weeks, but, because I’m a dumbass, I was determined to keep it casual. Penny went along with it…until last Friday. She asked me to stay, and I made one of my typical lame-ass excuses and left.” Gage hated that he’d done exactly what she’d asked him not to. Lumping her in with the other lovers he’d left immediately after sex, offering a lie in his attempt to escape.
Rich whistled and looked at Toby. “We’ve been keeping a list of those excuses. She hates it.”
“I know,” Gage admitted.
“Did you get into a fight?” Toby asked.
Gage shook his head. “No.”
It was one of the things he loved the most about Penny. She was even-keeled, a thinker, not a yeller.
“You know, Penny’s not a grudge-holder. I’ve done some stupid shit to piss her off a few times over the years, and it was always a simple fix. I just admitted I was wrong and apologized. Of course,” Toby glanced Rich’s direction. “I have no idea how she’d react in a…uh…a…”
“Relationship,” Conor helpfully supplied, clearly enjoying the conversation a little too much.
Rich just kept shaking his head. “Penny and Gage,” he repeated, as if those two words didn’t quite fit together.
“We could have run a million tests and never seen this anomaly coming,” Toby said. “Jesus. This throws all the dating data in the world into question.”
Rich agreed. “Total breakdown.”
“Thanks, guys. Super helpful,” Gage grumbled.
Toby laughed. “You didn’t seriously expect us to have any insight on this, did you? I do most of my dating in RPG—been getting lucky inWorld of Warcraftlately. I like to go old school sometimes.”
Conor snorted. “Jesus. I can see why you guys are friends. You speak the same language.”
They all laughed, and Gage acknowledged it wasn’t really advice he needed. In truth, he was hoping for their blessing. These guys were two of Penny’s best friends and, well…his too. “You really think we’re a mismatch?” he asked Toby and Rich.
Neither man responded for a moment, looking at each other as they thought about the question. Gage respected that they were taking his concern seriously.
Then Toby looked at Gage. “You know, when I think about it, you and Penny are probably the perfect couple. You have the same interests, the same competitive spirit, which will ensure a lifetime of awesome gaming.”
“You’ve got the same great taste in friends,” Rich added. “And you’re not allergic to cats, so that’s a bonus.”
Toby grinned. “She’d probably kill me for saying this, but I’m pretty sure Penny’s been crushing on you since her first day at Russo Enterprises. She may have hidden behind her computer whenever you stopped by the office, but I always caught her peeking at you.”
“You want to know a secret?” Gage said, leaning closer. “I was checking her out every time too. I told myself it was just to see what kind of crazy outfit or hairdo she was sporting, but the truth is, she fascinated me. Caught my interest right from the beginning.”
Rich started shaking his head again. “Even so…Penny and Gage. This is going to take some time to sink in. Hey, you know what? This opens up the avenue for couples’ costumes on Halloween and at Comic-Con.”
“There’s an unforeseen perk,” Conor joked.
While his brother was kidding, Gage could see Toby and Rich seriously considered that the true silver lining.
“Today is her birthday,” Toby said.
“I know.”
“She’s having a party at Divine tonight.”
Gage sighed. “And she has a date for it. Because I stupidly suggested she invite her neighbor to go with her.”
“Jesus,” Conor muttered. “Youwerefighting this hard.”
“That’s not a problem. You’re a rich, good-looking guy. Just go in there all Shrek-like and grab Princess Fiona away from Lord Farquaad,” Rich suggested.
Gage looked at Conor, who shrugged one shoulder.
