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CHAPTER TWELVE

EMBARRASSMENTS

ADELINE

When Goldie called to say she had a surprise for me, I wasn’t expecting her to show up in Silver Hills first thing yesterday morning. I’ve never been so happy to see her.

“I’ve missed you like crazy.” We’ve been saying that to each other over and over.

She’s wanted all the details about Penn, and I’ve been trying not to obsess about Penn, so…

it’s not going so well. Our little episode in my office hasn’t helped, and running into him and Sam at the Pixie Pop-Up Market isn’t helping either.

Penn, on his own, is enough to make me drool, but seeing how sweet he is with Sam… next level.

I haven’t been able to get my mind off of Penn or Sam. It seems so obvious to me that Penn should have custody of Sam. Why would anyone keep that from happening? I’ve obsessed a bit, telling Goldie all about it.

And Goldie is intent on praising me up to Penn, which is making me a nervous wreck. On our walk to Luminary Coffeehouse, I try to subtly tell her to cut it out.

Inside, Clara, the adorable barista, greets us. “Ah, newcomers and regulars alike! Newbies, you’re off the hook for today, but for the regulars, you know the drill. You dance, you get coffee.”

I glance at Goldie, who raises an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Let’s see what you’ve got,” she says.

I do a little hip shake across the floor and turn back to see Penn watching with approval. He nods at me in a way that makes me feel like I’ve just won a prize and then he turns to Clara.

“Turn up that chorus, please, Clara,” he calls.

Bebe Rexha singing “Chase It (Mmm Da Da Da)” blasts through the speakers and Penn and Sam glance at each other, moving to stand side by side.

They start twisting their bodies in a way that has me laughing right away and then they shift and do this head-up nod thing in perfect time with the beat and with each other.

Everyone starts cheering and clapping, and then both of them break out into a full-on hip thrust, booty-shaking dance for a few seconds until the chorus is over, which makes the shop erupt…

and then they walk up to the counter like nothing has happened.

Once I’ve stopped laughing and cheering, I walk up next to them and put my arms on each of their shoulders.

“Oh my God, you guys were so good! Where have you been hiding those dancing skills?” I say, starting to laugh all over again.

“Not hiding it. Are we, Sam?” Penn asks Sam, coolly.

“Nope. Pretty much right out there in the open,” Sam says.

I point at him. “How old are you again?” I ask.

“Eleven,” he says.

“We’ll have to watch this one,” I tell Penn. “He’ll have the girls lined up.”

Penn stares at me for a beat before he says, “Yes, we will. And he already does.”

Sam laughs and they high-five each other. I roll my eyes and that makes both of them even happier.

Once we’ve ordered—The Celestial Donuts that I should have never tried because I’m already addicted—Goldie leans in.

“Seeing Penn on the TV screen is not even close to experiencing him in person. He’s so hot and so magnetic and he is all about you . He’s a keeper, Addy. He’s crazy about you.” She squeezes my arm, as if she’s breaking it to me gently.

“I can’t keep him.” I shake my head, trying to play it off. “But how do you know?”

She gives me a dry look. “Have you seen the way he looks at you? That’s all I need to know right there. I thought he was going to scorch your clothes right off with those eyes!”

“Goldie! Keep it down,” I tell her, looking around to see if anyone heard her.

“Don’t worry. I’m the only one who heard that,” Camden says. “And I have to agree with my sister.”

“That’s a first,” she teases.

The moment Goldie slides into the chair next to me, eyes lit up with purpose, I brace myself.

I glance across the table at Penn with Sam, looking blissfully unaware of the grilling he’s about to endure.

Goldie’s been dying to interrogate him ever since she arrived in town, and now that she has him cornered, I know she’s on a mission.

“Penn Hudson,” she begins, leaning forward. “Tell us something important about yourself. Something deep.”

Penn, who has just taken a sip of his caramel macchiato, pauses mid-swallow and flicks his gaze to me as if I’ll save him. No can do. I’m here for this.

He sets his cup down, eyes narrowing. “Deep like…childhood trauma? Or deep like my thoughts about pineapple on pizza?”

Goldie grins. “Both, please.”

Sam laughs next to him, happily chewing on a muffin and fully entertained. Camden is sitting next to Goldie and he groans. “Sorry, man. She’s like a chicken pecking for the truth.”

Goldie swats his arm. “I am not a chicken.”

Penn exhales. “No pineapple on pizza. It’s an abomination. That’s Rhodes’ and Sadie’s territory. I’m a purist.”

I gasp. “You monster.”

Sam fist-bumps Penn. “I’m with you.” He gives me an apologetic glance. “Sorry, Addy.”

“Okay, so you’re not into the sweet and savory pizza,” Goldie says. “What about your childhood? Any pets? Tragedies? A schoolyard nemesis?”

He laughs and looks at me like Is she for real?

Oh yeah, she’s just getting started.

When she just taps the table waiting for his answer, he starts talking. “Uh, I had a dog named Draco Malfoy. No huge tragedies, except for the time I ate a king-sized Snickers bar and threw up in the boys’ bathroom at school…in the sink because all the stalls were full.”

“Noooo,” we all groan.

“Yeah, it was bad. It wouldn’t drain…”

We all groan again and Penn shudders with the memory.

“I haven’t had a Snickers since,” he says sadly.

Goldie nods. “Relatable. What about a nemesis? You’re scrappy out on the field…I bet you’ve been punched in the face a few times off the field too.”

“Just once,” he says, rubbing his jaw like he can still feel it. “Junior year of high school. Guy thought I was flirting with his girlfriend. I wasn’t.” He pauses, then smirks. “But she was flirting with me.”

Camden chuckles under his breath, and I elbow Goldie. “Are you satisfied?”

She doesn’t hesitate. “Oh, I have more.” She turns back to Penn, crossing her arms. “Do you have any hidden talents? You’re quite the dancer. Do you have a stripper past?—”

“Goldie!” I gasp.

Penn laughs and his eyes drill into mine when he says, “Wouldn’t you like to know…”

The visual burns my eyes and I shake my head, pretending to be grossed out.

“It’s time we turn the tables,” Penn says, eyeing me.

“Why are you looking at me? She’s the one asking all the questions,” I blurt out.

“No, you should totally ask her the questions,” Goldie says, resting her chin on her hands.

Penn lifts his eyebrows, challenging me.

“I love pineapple on pizza,” I say.

His eyes narrow. “I think we’ve already covered that.”

“Okay…I had a dog named Josh that I loved. When we were moving, my parents said he was going to live at the retirement home and roam the countryside.”

They all groan. “No, they didn’t,” Penn says.

I nod. “I believed them until I went to look up the retirement home and I couldn’t find any by that name.”

“Brutal,” Goldie says.

“What about your most embarrassing moment?” Penn asks.

Without even having to think about it, I say, “Oh, my most embarrassing moment was when my boyfriend asked me to prom and played “Gettin' Some Head” by Lil Wayne in front of everyone…”

“No, he did not!” Penn says.

Everyone’s eyes are wide, but then I look at Sam and want to kick myself. Me and my big mouth. Fortunately, he still looks confused.

“I didn’t know that!” Goldie gasps.

Penn swipes his hand over his face, laughing. “What did you do?”

“I broke up with him!”

Everyone laughs.

“I don’t get it,” Sam says.

“It was…nothing. I-I shouldn’t have brought it up,” I say.

He frowns. “Why?” Then he leans in. “Pretend like I’m not even here.”

Penn laughs and slaps his hand on his shoulder. “Impossible.” He grins at me and we share a heated look for a moment before looking at Sam again.

“Impossible,” I repeat.

“You guys are being weird,” Sam says, which makes us all laugh.

Penn’s eyes meet mine over Sam’s head again and my insides warm.

I have to pull myself out of a Penn stupor, and so I look at Sam and say, “What about you? Any childhood pets?”

A cloud crosses Sam’s face. “No, but I want a pet more than anything.”

His expression makes my heart pang. “A dog or a cat?”

“Either one. Both!” he says, shrugging. “When I grow up, I want to rescue all the dogs and cats that need a home.”

Penn squeezes Sam’s shoulder. “I think that’s a great idea, buddy.”

Gah, my heart just doubled in size.

Later, as we’re leaving, there’s an awkward moment before we say goodbye. Penn leans in and wraps his arms around me. “Thanks for sharing your childhood traumas,” he whispers in my ear.

I laugh and lean up, whispering in his, “Pineapple pizza is superior.”

He tickles my side and I jolt in his arms, laughing harder as his fingers dance over my ribs.

“I will never admit that,” he says finally. “But I’d be happy to order some for you if you ever want to have pizza together…”

I pull back and give him a coy smile. “Just two friends eating pizza?”

He makes a face and says through gritted teeth, “ Right . Just two friends eating pizza.”

I smirk and move away, missing the loss of his hands on me. When we get in the car, Goldie fans her face.

“The pheromones and the sexual tension and all the I want you so much vibes,” she says, her hands waving around in the air. She turns to face me. “I think I just got pregnant from the close proximity of all your longing.”

“Shut it.” I laugh. “You heard him. We’re just friends.”

“Yeah, and the ocean is pink. I give you two weeks, tops, before you’re climbing him like a tree.”

“Still here,” Camden says from the back seat.

“You can handle it, bro,” she says, looking at him over her shoulder. “Don’t pretend like you’re not Mr. Chef á la mode.”

“What does that even mean?” He snorts.

“You know,” she taunts, laughing. “But we’re not talking about your player ways right now, we’re trying to get Adeline to acknowledge that she and Penn are hot for each other.”

My cheeks flame and I shake my head, trying to act like Goldie couldn’t be more wrong.

But I’m pretty sure everyone can see right through me.

The more I’m around Penn, the more I like him.