AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As she waved goodbyeto her guests in the early evening, Penny reflected that her birthday had been a happy one. She turned back into the house and began to rinse plates before loading the dishwasher.
The doorbell went. She sighed, no doubt that would be Allie; the kids were bound to have forgotten something. Wiping her hands, she headed for the door.
“What did they forget...” she began, pulling it open.
“Hi.”
She stood speechless at the sight of David on her doorstep clutching a huge bouquet of flowers and a pretty cardboard gift bag.
“Happy birthday,” he drawled, handing over the flowers and gift bag.
She stood unmoving.
“Penny?”
She blinked. He was still there.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
She reached out and accepted the bouquet he thrust toward her. Utterly bemused by his sudden appearance and unable to speak, she stood back and waved him inside.
Leading the way through into the recently renovated kitchen, she watched as he looked about the room. He peered into the garden.
“Nice,” he said with a nod.
“I’m glad you approve,” she replied dryly, finding her voice.
Honey jumped up and he bent to fuss over her. “Hello, girl, you’re looking fine... she is a beautiful dog.”
“Yes.” Penny watched him with the dog that was supposed to have been theirs. Her heart pounded, while her stomach twisted into knots.What did he want?
“I’ll just put these in water.” Bustling about under the sink for a vase large enough to take the enormous bunch of flowers, she wondered what on earth David was doing here. Taking her time, she removed the cellophane and placed the heady mix of scented flowers into a vase. Surreptitiously she studied him.
Still the dark-haired, blue-eyed, sexy hunk she knew so well... Except did she? WouldherDavid have cast her off so easily? What did she know? Maybe her husband had already abandoned the Penny she’d swapped lives with. That thought hadn’t occurred to her before. Perhaps there were two Pennys out in the universe both lost to love...
“Can we talk?”
She snapped her gaze to his. “What about?”
“Us.”
“I-I don’t know. I’ve just managed to build a life for myself here and...”
“Here?” He frowned. “You mean that in a wider sense, don’t you?”
She nodded. “I do, yes.” She wasn’t about to deny the facts to simply please him.
“I’ve been talking with Jack...”
“Jack?” She was surprised to hear that.
“Yeah, he kept texting me until I finally agreed to meet him for a drink. He said I needed to see some pictures you have.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “The thing is I don’t think it is a good idea. I just... I-I don’t think I can be around you.”
He scowled at her. “Your feelings have changed?”
“No, I...” Her voice wavered.
