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“He never threatened to disown you. That qualifies as cool in my book.”
Penny waits until we’re in the cab of the truck—just in time, because it’s spitting rain again—before she replies, “I love you.”
“Pen—”
“Just thought you deserved to hear that from someone today.” She reaches over and hugs me. I keep still for a moment, but then I wriggle my arms out of her grip and hug her back.
“I’m surprised that Cooper is letting you use his truck.”
“Very reluctantly, believe me.” She turns it on, peering into the rearview mirror. “It’s not the driving, it’s the parking. This stupid thing is a tank. And yet watching him do the one-handed wheel thing while he’s parallel parking it is so hot, I guess I have to live with it.”
I crane my neck around as she backs out of the space. “You’re good.”
She changes gears and swings out of the lot. “He feels bad for what he said to you, you know. He’s going to apologize.”
I pull my hair out of its ponytail and run my fingers through it. What he said was shitty, yeah, and I hate how he goaded Sebastian, but I can’t blame him. In that moment, he helped clarify everything; I needed to give in or give up. I chose the former, and I have no idea if I’ll be able to make it work, but I want to try. One way or another, Sebastian has stolen part of my heart, and I don’t want him to give it back.
“It’s okay,” I say. “He was right.”
Penny glances at me. “Sebastian told me pretty much the same thing when I started hooking up with Cooper. Don’t fuck with my brother.”
I snort at the way she mimics Sebastian’s voice. It’s not half-bad.
“Callahan protectiveness is unmatched,” she adds.
“Fantastic,” I say dryly.
She drums her fingers on the steering wheel. “So, how’s the sex?”
Heat erupts on my face like a blast from a fireball. “Penny!”
38
MIA
I slipmy hand into Sebastian’s, squeezing it as we walk across the parking lot to the bowling alley. When he told me that Cooper wanted us to go on a double date, I figured we’d just hang out at Red’s, or maybe go to the movies. I haven’t been bowling in ages, even though the one in town is popular with the McKee crowd, thanks to the beer pitchers and themed nights.
It’s ridiculous to be nervous—it’s just a couple beers and bowling—but I can’t ignore the butterfly explosion in my belly. When I went out in the past, it was always a prelude to a hookup. I’ve never been on an old-fashioned date, complete with anactivity.
One thing I’ve got up my sleeve, though? I rock at bowling. Sebastian might be the athlete in the relationship, but I can hold my own where bowling is concerned. Nonno enjoyed bowling, and he made sure that I knew how to throw a strike. By the way Penny smiles at me as we walk into the building, I know she remembers. Something tells me that this idea was hers, even though Cooper is the one who presented it to Sebastian.
It’s not crowded; aside from a group of teenagers at one of the lanes at the far end, we have the place to ourselves. There’s a mini arcade next to the bar, the lights flashing, and a mural over the counter that seems to be showing Sasquatch juggling bowling balls, for whatever reason. The smell of popcorn and cheese sauce, the outdated pop playlist blaring through the speakers, and rows of blue and red shoes behind the counter bring back a rush of memories. I had a birthday party at a bowling alley when I was little; I remember the ice cream cake that dripped on the pink dress that Mom insisted I wear.
Sebastian squeezes my hand in return. “Mia, why are you holding on like we’re about to go into a haunted house?”
Penny tries and fails to hold back a smile.
I scowl, trying to snatch my hand back. “What?”
He holds on tightly enough I can’t break away unless I want to smack into the glass case filled with bowling trophies. “Just teasing. You okay?”
“I’ve never…” I swallow. “I’ve never been on a date before.”
“I know,” he says easily. “Which is why we kept the training wheels on for you, di Angelo. Cooper wanted to throw you into mini golf right away, but I didn’t want to scare you off. Us Callahans don’t fuck around where mini golf is concerned.”
“All games, really,” Cooper says. He winds his arm around Penny, tugging on her braid. She pokes him hard in the ribs. “Monopoly is the most cutthroat. Tag always ends in at least one broken window, so we’re limited to once a year. Bowling is less intense than pool but more intense than darts.”
I raise my eyebrows at Penny. She just shrugs. “I’m waiting for the Monopoly invite, honestly.”
