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"Fine. I don't have a problem with that. But you could wait to tell me. We could have gone back together."
"What for?" she laughs bitterly. The sound is painful to hear from her voice. "To go further with this charade? No, Parker. I refuse."
Penny takes a deep breath, as if building her courage. She squares her shoulders and looks at me resolutely.
"You're free, Parker. I don't intend to play this game anymore. From now on, you and I can go back to our own lives. My brothers will arrange for our family’s PR rep to talk to the press and clear up this whole misunderstanding."
"This isn't about the press, Penny," I say as I move forward again, grabbing her arm at the elbow to keep her from moving away from me. "It hasn't been for a long time, and we both know it. It's about me, it's about you, it's about us."
"About us. And what exactly do you think is going on between us?" she asks me in a hurt voice, causing me to feel a pang of sadness.
"We've fallen in love," I say.
"No, we haven't," she says, shaking her head. "Love is for two people, not three. Or at least, for me it is. I can't keep playing this game, waiting for you to decide between Brittany and me."
"What does Brittany have to do with any of this?" I ask, not understanding what on earth she is talking about.
"She has everything to do with it," Penny says, completely hurt. "What? You didn't run into her arms as soon as she called you? You said it yourself. You went after her, to look for her."
Shit, is that what this is all about?I think, finally realizing the point.
"Brittany had a car accident last night," I say in a firm voice, making her expression change from pain to shock.
"She called me, sounding drunk again, and I heard the exact moment the crash happened. I didn't have time to explain what was going on, so I left in a hurry and called 911 on the way," I tell her.
"Oh my God!" Penny covers her mouth with her hands.
"Is she okay?" she asks completely freaked out.
I nod.
"She's out of critical condition now. I spent the night at the hospital, talking to her mother, since she couldn't get a flight to come to New York until this morning. Penny, that's why, and for no other reason, I left last night. I couldn't let Brittany die."
"No! I— I understand," she whispered, looking away, clearly embarrassed.
My hands reached for her, and my fingers cradled her face as I made her look up.
"There is nothing between me and Brittany," I assured her.
"There’s nothing between us either, Parker," she says, crying.
"It's time. It's time for us to get back to reality," she whispers through her tears.
"I'm being sincere," I assure her, unsure of why she would insist this.
"In what way?" she asks me.
"In how I feel about you." I take a step closer to her.
"I love you, Penny Gould, and that's all the reality I need or want," I assure her.
She looks at me as if she can not believe me, as if she is afraid to, but I will not allow her to feel doubt.
Firmly, my lips seek hers, certain that I can not resist another moment apart from her.
I never want to leave her again, and I promise myself, I never will.
Chapter thirty
