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I snort. “She’s right, though. I’m working on it nonstop, and I keep messing shit up. The symposium is next week, and I’ve barely practiced.”
“Work on it more later,” she says. “I have pizza on the way.”
At the mere mention of food, my stomach growls. I’m not sure when I last ate. Maybe the protein bar at the lab earlier?
Sebastian wouldn’t let it stand. He’d already be in the kitchen, whipping up something amazing.
Something I told him not to pursue.
I flop against the bed again, my breath hitching.
“I thought maybe we could do each other’s nails,” Penny says. I hear the concern in her voice and bite my cheek to keep the tears at bay. “And pick out another movie to watch. Dad and Nikki are going out to dinner, so we can use the big TV in the living room.”
“Fine.”
“I won’t even suggest any rom-coms this time.”
“It’s whatever, Pen. Put on whatever you want.”
She frowns at me. “Sebastian came back from his road trip today. Last of the season.”
“Please don’t—”
“He wants to come talk to you.”
I shut my eyes. The day after I left, he visited the house, asking to speak with me. Penny deflected, which I’m grateful for, even though I’m sure it wasn’t comfortable for her. I need to work on being extra nice to her right now, because she’s the one caught in the middle between me and the Callahans. I’m sure Cooper is positively thrilled with me.
“I can’t.”
Penny’s voice is hesitant. “That’s fine, I’ll tell him to leave the things on the porch.”
“What things?”
“A pair of shoes and your jacket. I guess you left them at the house.”
“You should give him back his jersey.”
“I don’t think he’ll miss it.”
I lean over the side of the bed and rummage in my bag until I find it. My heart squeezes at the sight of it. The one and only time I wore it, he took it off so tenderly. “Take it. Give it to him or throw it out, I don’t care. I don’t want to see it again.”
Her face falls. Her kindness and her father’s kindness are helping keep my dream alive right now. I need to remember that.
“Please,” I add, holding it out.
She takes it. “Okay. But for the record, I still think you should talk.”
“Noted.”
“You were friends too, you know.”
I laugh hollowly. “Believe me, I do.”
“So maybe even if it doesn’t work out romantically, you could just—”
“It already didn’t work out,” I interrupt. “He thinks I should cut my family out of my life.”
“He was just frustrated,” she says. “We all saw what they were like at that barbecue. You don’t think they’re perfect either.”
