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“Gushing. That’s terrible.” Gran’s mouth twitches and her sarcasm breaks through the tension in the air.
“I didn’t want her figuring out who Lucy Landon is, okay?” If Penny searched my desk, she would have discovered notes, post-its, and emails, all linking me to Lucy.
“So, you said a few mean words and sent her on her way.”
“She chose to leave,” I mumble, as Penny’s wide eyes, brimming with unshed tears, fill my mind.
Gran grabs a wooden spoon from the drawer and points it at me. I swallow hard. Surely she won’t use it on her forty-year-old grandson. “For someone who writes romance, Lincoln, you’re very clueless. What would it hurt for her to know?”
First, ouch. Lincoln. It’s the second time she’s used my full name, which means she’s not happy with me. And second, what would it hurt for Penny to find out? The anonymity I’ve coveted for so long. The freedom to write whatever I want without personal judgment. People will ridicule me. The opportunity of getting to know anyone as Linc McArthur will be ruined. And there will be no chance of my own happy-ever-after, because who wants to date a male romance author?
Gran catches my eye and traps me with determination in her glare. “McArthurs are risk takers, Linc. Don’t let the fear of what others might think hold you back from living your best life. You’ll never experience life in all its beautiful glory if you live in a carefully constructed box of comfort. Besides, if you just give Penny a chance, I’ll think you’ll discover the truth.”
Gran’s got a point about stepping out of my comfort zone, but this is different from her adventures. She was a pioneer of her time. Me? There’s nothing trailblazing about writing fiction. Besides, my entire career is riding on the Lucy Landon brand. To fans, she writes relatable characters. My readers identify with the emotionally charged plots and real-to-life circumstances written by afemaleauthor.
The amount of fan mail I’ve received from women thanking me for helping them through a difficult time, or for showing an understanding for what they’re going through, is beyond anything I ever expected. Who knew people would identify with Lucy’s stories? I don’t want to be the one to disappoint them when they find out Lucy is a single, forty-year-old man. I don’t want to burst their bubble of hope for romance in their lives. It’s like finding out Santa Claus isn’t real. Not that I’m as popular as Santa, but the sentiment is the same.
Gran mutters under her breath as she busies herself in the kitchen, leaving me to wallow in her words and the wave of self-pity threatening to take me under.
As much as I want Lucy Landon to remain a mystery, Gran is right. McArthurs are risk takers. I just don’t know how much of a risk I’m willing to take with Lucy. As for Penny? I owe her an apology.
Penny
“He did what?” Blake fumes, slamming his drink on the table. Another family meal gathered on the back porch at the ranch. Another macho display by my brother. This time, Emily is here for some moral support. “Who is this guy? Where does he live?”
“Calm down, big guy,” Emily says. “Going all alpha male won’t help the situation. How about a bit of compassion for your sister?” She rubs my back as I sip my soda water, and I’m thankful she spoke before I did, because I’m so tempted to throw my drink at my brother.
“And stop eavesdropping,” Jenna says, glancing over at the table from our corner on the porch.
I’m sandwiched between my best friend and my sister-in-law on the outdoor couches, while my brothers toss back beers and shoot the breeze about football, horses, the ranch, and whatever else their small minds can come up with. Obviously, Blake has been more interested in our conversation than talking about horses.
I still haven’t heard from Linc since he told me in so many words that I wasn’t welcome at the McArthur house anymore. The rest of my family found out about my dalliance with Tripp thanks to the article Maisie submitted to the online blog,Studio Today—the poor man’s version ofTMZ.Hugh refused to publish her submission, even though it’s now gone viral. He could’ve easily jumped on the wagon of gossip to increase the Autumn River Daily’s followers. But his loyalty is with me, and I respect that.
He’s furious with Maisie, though, and has suspended her untilhe decides whether to fire her or demote her to the newsroom lackey. I haven’t spoken to Maisie, and I have no intention of doing so. I don’t have the energy or mental capacity to deal with her games. Some people are just nasty, and there’s no changing that.
But now I have to navigate the aftermath with my own family.
Since my ungraceful departure from Clarissa’s home, I’ve consumed an awful lot of carbs and watched too many sappy movies. Just when my heart was beating again after being left battered and bruised by Tripp, Linc stomped all over it. He didn’t hold back from telling me how he really feels, and I’m still reeling from his words.
Thankfully, after a week of solid work, I have all the information I need to write the article on Clarissa. I’m sad I didn’t get to say goodbye to her. Perhaps when all this blows over, I’ll pay her a visit. She is one special lady, and for what it’s worth, I’m grateful I had the opportunity to meet her and gain insight into the strong, fearless woman she is.
“So, let me get this straight.” Zeke’s voice carries across the porch, joining in the conversation I didn’t ask him to be a part of. “You’ve been painted as the scarlet woman, and this other jerk that you have feelings for kicked you out of his house because you’re a homewrecker and you thought his gran was a famous author?”
I slowly nod. Zeke’s words pretty much sum up the whole situation. It sounds stupid, because it is stupid. My life is a complicated mess. There are too many intersecting pieces, and I just want to compartmentalize them all. Figure things out one mistake at a time.
“You’re not having much luck with men, Penny,” Blake says, tilting his chin in my direction. “Looks like you’ll have to purchase a few cats. I heard Cindy Warman has a few available at the animal shelter.”
“Would you shut it, Blake?” Emily tosses a wadded up napkin at my brother and fires off an angry glare. “Who gave you permission to have an opinion on this? The last time I looked, you were also checking the single box. So, unless you have something worthwhile to add, I suggest you mind your own business and stick to topics that you know about.”
A deep shade of pink creeps up Blake’s neck as my other brothers laugh. Blake shoots them a glare and mumbles a few indecipherable words before lifting his bottle to his lips.
“Way to go!” Jenna laughs, high-fiving Emily. “That’ll teach him, and the others, to keep their noses out of your business, Penny.”
A smile tugs at my lips. And this is why I love these two women seated on either side of me. My brothers mean well, and I know they have my best interests at heart, but we’re not teenagers anymore. They don’t need to act all tough and heroic.
“So, what are you going to do about Linc?” Jenna asks, once my brothers take the hint and resume their conversation.
I shrug. “Nothing. He’s nobody.” There’s nothing I can do. He’s a family member of one of my assignments. That’s all. Nothing more. I shouldn’t have gotten involved. Even if those kisses alluded to the possibility of something more.
