“Actually,” Theo grabbed his plate and rose slightly from his seat, “if you don’t mind, Penny, I love scampi. Want to trade?”
I loved him. He gave up his coconut shrimp for me. I mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to him as he exchanged our plates.
Dex scoffed with a low growl, turning his attention to Theo. “How’s the Goat?”
“I’m sorry?” Theo’s fork stopped mid twirl around his linguine noodles.
“The Goat, or Lopa. Whatever the fuck it’s called. How is it?”
“Language, Dex,” June reprimanded, her stern stare focused solely on Dex.
“Sorry, Mother. Well?” he asked, returning his attention back at Theo.
“Fuck you,” Theo said, glaring back at him. “Sorry, Mom.”
I laughed a little as Margo’s eyes met mine. She smiled under her napkin.
“Doesn’t matter anyways. Now that Penny is in charge, I’m sure the place is great. Isn’t that right, Penny?”
I nodded, not uttering a word. Now all of a sudden he wanted to compliment me?
“I love the Lopa,” Margo added in her happy tinkly voice that eased some of the tension in the air.
“So do I,” June said.
“It’s got just the right amount of class. Penny and Theo make a great team running it together.” Margo winked at me as I smiled.
The conversation turned to favorite dining places in Miami as Theo and Dex glared at each other from across the table.
TWELVE
THEO
Hell yeah, I just fucked your fiancée.
I wanted to say it to Dex. I wanted him to know what it felt like to feel that sort of pain. He didn’t really care for Penny. That was a fact. When I heard him order her the scampi, I knew right then. And then the fucker didn’t care she didn’t want it. As long as he had his big ass basket of heart attack then everything was right in his world. I looked over at Penny, and she smiled at me as she popped a coconut shrimp in her mouth.
Fucking her in the bathroom was hot as hell, and I wanted more than anything to reach across the table and pull her on my lap as I told her all of my dreams and secrets.
My mother kept shooting me odd glances, and I was probably in for some sort of ‘talk’ later.
My eyes couldn’t stay off Penny, no matter how hard I tried.
Why couldn’t she just tell her father to kick rocks? This charade of an engagement needed to stop.
At the end of the meal, Dex turned to Penny. “I’ll take you home and stay the night.”
My anger flared as I tried to think of anything to help her out of the situation. “Penny, we have to go over profits and losses early. Did you want to meet at the Lopa around five in the morning?”
Her eyes met mine, and I winked to her.
“Sure,” she agreed. “Listen, Dex,” she turned to face him, “I’m still feeling under the weather, and I really just need to get some sleep before tomorrow.”
Dex frowned, making the ugliest face ever, and I wanted to punch him. My fist balled, ready to take him out.
He rose from the table. “Fine.” A look of relief crossed Penny’s face. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Night, Dex.” I nodded and he nodded back. Asshole.