I dropped down and yanked my suitcase out from under the bed. It had been a long bus ride back to Monterey, but Ginny had arrived just minutes after me. She'd heard more than enough via cell phone to know that I probably needed a ride back to Santa Cruz.
I stood up and slammed the suitcase on the bed. "Maybe. Maybe we'll never know, because I'm leaving. He doesn't need me around anymore, except for one thing–that is definitely never happening again."
Ginny clapped her hands and then swung open the closet door. "All right, then, let's do this. We'll get you packed up and out of here. You can stop by the lounge on your way out of town and tell them you can't perform this weekend."
I unzipped the empty suitcase, but the zipper felt heavy. "I forgot about my gig."
"It's okay. There's karaoke tonight in Santa Cruz. I bet we could even get Joshua to give it a try. With you back in town, he can finally stop moping around. Maybe this was the perfect way to shake him out of his rigid, little plans. Joshua's probably ready to finally hear what you want." Ginny pulled out my short row of sundresses.
I caught them before she dumped them in the suitcase. "I'm not going back to Santa Cruz for Joshua. This is ridiculous!" I marched my clothes back to the closet and hung them back up.
Ginny smothered another smile. "So, you're not leaving?"
"The thing is, I don't need a man," I declared with my finger up to the ceiling. "I finally broke away from Joshua, and thank God for that. He had my whole life planned out as if I were some paper doll. And we only ever looked good on paper. Did you know he couldn't even light a fire in the big fireplace at his parents' home?"
"Not the outdoors type," Ginny said.
"And, I don't need Penn," I bellowed. "I only used him to break me out of a rut, and now I'm out. I've got great ideas for my own company, my own brand of hospitality, and I don't need him for any of it. I'm going to be a success on my own."
Ginny couldn't stop a giggle. "Which is why you and Penn got along so well in the first place."
I glowered at her while I dumped out my suitcase and shoved it back under the bed. "I'm even going to stay here just to prove how little he means to me. His parents still think we're engaged, and I still have my singing gig in town. I've got everything I want, and I don't have to let Penn mess it all up for me."
"So, you're not coming back to Santa Cruz," Ginny grinned.
My hands dropped. "Oh, Ginny, I'm sorry to make you drive all this way."
"Not a problem," she said. "How about we make use of Penn's great kitchen while you're still here."
I laughed, feeling lighter than I had all day. I linked arms and led Ginny out to the kitchen. "And leave a huge mess for him to clean up when he gets back. If he gets back. Maybe he got the point and will leave me alone for the rest of the summer."
"I don't think that will be the case," Ginny nodded to the door.
My chest filled up with hot ash as I saw Penn's car sweep into the driveway. "How about we go out for dinner? There's a great place just up the beach; we can use the back door."
Ginny waved over our shoulders at Penn as I dragged her down the steps from the deck to the beach.
#
I was shocked to see Penn leaning against the kitchen counter when I headed to the door for my morning run. His hair was a mess, as if he'd just rolled out of bed, but he was dressed in sweat shorts and a black tank top. I refused to notice how great his arms looked. The tattoos were in the way, a definite detraction, I tried to remind myself.
"Good morning?" Penn asked. He handed me my water bottle.
"You're up early." I snatched the full water bottle from his hand and headed for the deck door.
Penn followed me. "I was worried you'd be gone. I don't want you to go. Can we please talk?"
"No," I said. I heaved open the sliding door and stepped out into the chilly morning breeze. "There's nothing to talk about. I'm staying because I want to hold up my end of the deal. Remember, it's just business."
"So, you'll stay?"
His flabbergasted expression made me turn around. "You'd been hit with big news and you were upset. Or do you actually think I've been sitting around daydreaming that you'd ask me to marry you?"
"I just thought-"
I didn't let him finish whatever he was going to say. Instead, I bounded down the deck stairs to the beach. Penn was right behind me, but I ignored him and started running. He caught up to me and settled into a pace that matched my own.
I scowled and veered away from him to the wet sand. It was easier to run there, and I picked up the pace. Penn groaned, but matched me stride for stride. So, I headed away from the water to where the sand was deep and hard to run through. It was punishing, but I was in a foul mood, and every time Penn grunted, my anger got lighter.