Page 8

8

PENNY

As soon as Claire and Angie catch sight of me entering Plus None, they greet me with a group hug. At one point I would cringe over this level of affection, but considering the turmoil my emotions have been in all week, I am welcoming the comfort that their embrace provides.

These women love me. Not just because they are forced to as we are family—but because we all share a common bond.

Each one of us has been the carrier of pain, and with suffering comes understanding.

Angie and Claire get me.

“Good seeing you ladies again so soon.” My words come out muffled, as my mouth is pressed into fabric. I try not to squeeze too hard, since Claire has mentioned how sore her breasts have become.

She has to be the cutest pregnant person ever. Despite my brother being overbearing on a good day, I understand why he is so. He just wants to keep her as happy and comfortable as possible.

From the looks of her swollen feet, I’m wondering how much relaxing she can possibly do here at HH. I mean, she has a freaking treadmill under her stand-up desk.

How she managed to get Nic not to veto that arrangement is pure magic.

“Plan to see more of us,” Angie chimes in. “We have a lot of discussing to do.”

“Oh boy,” I mutter, knowing full well what their intentions are in inviting me here today. I catch Collins dropping off the pastry box out of the corner of my eye. “You are welcome to help yourself before you go about your”—I wave my hand in the air while thinking about my next word—“mission.”

I honestly don’t know what he’s going to do for the next couple of hours. He’ll probably be bored out of his mind just hanging around loitering. I know I would. It takes everything in me not to snap at him to go home and learn some hobby—maybe even a musical instrument or second language—but I know he won’t. He is just too loyal and too disciplined to veer from his target— me .

“I appreciate it, but I’m good,” he calls back.

I wave goodbye at him as he slips from the room, quietly exiting our ladies’ brunch without a word.

Maybe that’s what his presence will be in my life, just a soft reminder that he is here to look out for me, but will not interfere in how I want to spend each of my days.

Surely, we can come to some type of understanding, because if I know anything about my brothers, they aren’t going to back down—even if I protest. That will just spur them on further and probably stick me with two guards instead of one.

I know they are worried about me. The thing is…

I’m also worried about me.

As much as I want to thrive, I’m concerned that everything outside of Soulful Mind will get sabotaged by my own inability to see the world for what it is.

I’m jaded. And jaded people have a hard time finding happiness.

The last thing I need is to feel like a failure before ever really trying.

“Please tell me there’s sugar in that box,” Claire groans with delight, eyeing what I brought. She always has a way of making those around her relax. “I’m at the stage in my pregnancy where eating an entire key lime pie is normal. And I’m starving. Feels like I haven’t eaten in a week.”

“Or an hour ago,” Angie teases, grabbing the box of pastries and moving it into another room that is an offshoot from the main office space.

“Hey, I’m making another human in here”—Claire points to her belly—“and the thing basically never sleeps and treats me like its Snack Bitch.”

Angie giggles, coming back out of the room. “Sure, blame the baby.”

“Oh, I do. For basically making its daddy want to trap me in some gilded cage for safekeeping.”

“I’m sure he’ll spare no expense on the cage though,” I tease, making Claire laugh. “Just sayin’.”

Angie places a hand around my back. “Come, check out the brunch setup. We have a lot of talking to do.”

I feel the rush of nerves flitter through my system. I probably should have had a high-protein snack when I drank my first cup of coffee less than an hour ago.

I allow Angie to lead me into the room where a huge buffet is set up with every food offering imaginable—but in bite-sized portions.

“Wow,” I mumble, taking in the atmosphere of the room.

It’s filled with live plants, instrumental music playing in the background, and the sweet smell of vanilla filling the air. I really could get used to being here. The girls really nailed the aesthetics.

I circle the room, taking in all of its features, marveling at how calm and collected I feel in this space. No wonder they seem so happy here.

Once I make my round, the girls and I fill up plates, and then Claire and I gather back around a table that is set up with different juices and a pitcher of water. Everything looks fresh and magazine worthy. I love how bright and airy the room feels. It’s weird because it is a closed-in space, but yet the least claustrophobic area of the entire office.

“So, Penny,” Claire says, obviously about to change the subject. “How about you come work for us?”

“Wow, you’re extra blunt today,” Angie calls out over her shoulder, as she grabs a muffin from the buffet.

“It’s hormones. They dissolve my already sheer filter.”

“I, um…” I stutter.

Claire props her hands on her widening hips, underneath the surface of the table. “Okay, fine, I’ll just use guilt.”

My eyes bulge as I think of the direction she is going with her thoughts.

“I’m pregnant,” she states simply.

“That much is obvious.” I laugh.

“Hey now, I realize that I’m looking extra blimp-like but go easy on me. Anyhoo, we are a women empowering women company. Thus, dicks are welcome, but not part of our brand recognition. Unless we use Nic as inspiration and create a Man-Child Box.”

I hiss. “Ouch.”

“I don’t mean that,” Claire says in a rush. “I love your brother, and it is scary just how much. I think me being pregnant has unleashed more of his overprotective tendencies, and I’m still learning to cope with all that entails.”

“Aww, but you are doing a really good job.”

Part of me wonders if Nic’s need for control over me is stemming from his inability to control aspects of the pregnancy with Claire.

“Anyway, I digress. Back to why you should work for us. You have a gorgeous personality and face, and you have an appeal about you that many people will be able to relate to. Plus, you have modeling experience.”

“Not much,” I interject. “My past experience is a dumpster fire at best.”

Claire waves off my comment, as if I’m just being modest. “I already included you on my latest vision board, as wishful thinking, so you gotta now.”

I let out an awkward laugh.

“Oh, and you are family and we trust you and yada yada. Please .” She is jumping out of her skin. Begging.

It’s not that I have jobs lined up or really a clear path to getting one. Working at Plus None is a great opportunity to be part of something that has the potential to grow. Angie and Claire have already accomplished so much with their start-up in a short amount of time. They would make great role models.

While part of me thinks they are hiring me simply because I’m the youngest sister of their partners, I know that when I’m determined, I also put my heart and soul into a project.

Perhaps there is a real place for me here at the company. Maybe I can even make a difference to other women around the world.

“Penny, come and get more food,” Angie coaxes me back toward the buffet. “You barely took anything. And Claire, quit harassing my favorite sister-in-law. Give her time to think.”

“Hey…” She pouts out her bottom lip. “I thought I was the favorite.”

I appreciate Claire’s ability to keep things lighthearted. It does help to not be so serious all the time.

“Maybe if you ever tie the damn knot around your man”—she animatedly expresses with some waves of her hands—“you can slide into the spot of being a contender.”

“Wow, your spirited language is a bit offensive,” Claire goads, obviously teasing.

“Oh, shut it,” Angie pretend snarls. “You know that man of yours is ready to take that leap. He might as well cuff you to him until you settle on a date.”

“Well, he does like a bit of kinky goodness in the?—”

“He is my brother!” I blurt out, covering my ears in fake dramatics but unable to contain my laughter.

The more I hang around these ladies, the more I yearn for a friend of my own. I just don't know how to even go about meeting people these days—especially those who just want companionship. I lack the commitment to socialize regularly and enjoy doing things on my own terms.

Plus, I’m not even sure what I have to offer. I almost forget what it feels like to try to make an effort and hope to be liked. It feels very middle school vibes, and yet that is what my heart really wants. Fake drama. Normalcy.

I want someone to treat me like I’m not seconds away from breaking.

Over the next thirty minutes, I munch on finger foods, laugh with the girls, and try to picture working here. It isn’t hard to imagine. At least I would know the work environment isn’t toxic. Having Angie and Claire as my bosses would be a bit weird—especially if I fail to produce their visions—but I know that their gentle guidance is what I need right now.

I have a habit of trusting the wrong people, so this would be one stressor in my life that I wouldn’t have to second-guess. I know they will never take advantage of me.

“So, hypothetically,” Angie says with an attempt to be casual, “if you were to come work with us, we would offer you some equity, a comparable and competitive salary, the ability to get promoted, and a full benefits package.”

“Can I just ask one thing?”

Angie shifts on her feet, placing her empty plate onto the table behind her. “Yes, of course.”

“Did my brothers put you two up to this?”

Claire spits her water into her cup, as she laughs. “Ha, even if they did”—she pauses to glance up at me—“which they didn’t—it would just make us do the opposite.”

“She speaks the truth,” Angie chimes in, giggling.

“Have you not realized that while those two bossy brothers of yours like to call the shots, neither Angie nor I give a damn? We basically make it our life’s mission to drive them nuts. They make defying them too easy.”

All of the tension in my shoulders releases as I let out a laugh. “You have a great point.”

“Penny,” Angie says softly. “Yes, you are family, but you need to build up some confidence in yourself. I used to hide in the shadow of my twin brother, James, always thinking he was the outgoing one or the one that everyone loved. Well, it sucks to feel inferior, but those feelings are put onto us by ourselves. So, stop.”

“Okay…” Angie is right. I am hard on myself.

“You are enough, just as you are. We have a certain image we are looking for, and you would be a great asset to our subscription boxes. The way to build a brand is to have that likability factor. And trust me, girl, you have it.”

I try my best not to cry. I want to cry. I want to contradict her kind words and brush them off, but I resist. Sometimes I just need to take that leap of faith. “I’ll do it.”

“What?” Claire and Angie yell in unison, while looking at each other like they won a lottery, and then back at me.

“I’ll accept the job.”

“But you haven’t heard the salary or benefits package yet,” Angie says in shock.

“I trust you,” I state simply, and I do. Plus, I’m not doing this for the money. “Ooff…” I stumble backward as I get clobbered by a surprise group hug. It is unexpected, catching me off-balance. I stay upright, careful not to let Claire fall. “Were you really doubting my decision?”

“Um, yeah,” Claire says with astonishment. “And Nic basically told me that there was no way you would be—” She quickly shuts her mouth, covering her hand over her lips to resist from blurting out her next word.

My eyes narrow. “ Sensible ?”

Angie bites her bottom lip, confirming that the talk between my brothers has been full of speculation. Ugh, they can be so annoying…

“What a punk ,” I mutter, recalling the nickname, Punk, I’d given to my brother growing up.

“Anyhoo, you can’t decline now. It’s written in my tears of joy.”

I shake my head over their enthusiasm. It’s not even noon, and I already have managed to accomplish an important item on my goal list. Not too bad for just starting out.

“When do I start?”

“Soon. Probably next week or the following one. Your hours will vary, and some of your shifts are dependent on the weather,” Angie explains, “as the photographers might need certain lighting to capture certain shots. Don’t worry though. You have the flexibility to take time off as needed. We are confident that you will love it here.”

“I believe I will.”

I help clean up the brunch items, throwing away trash and wiping down surfaces with cleaning spray I find in the break room. After I say my goodbyes, I head out into the hallway.

My eyes scan the area, looking for Collins, but I don’t find him.

A chill runs up my spine, as I take a few steps toward a group of chairs outside the bathroom.

Then I feel it… A hand on me.

My eyes snap to the source, finding the calloused grip of a man on my arm.

And no matter how hard I try, I can’t protect my mind from plummeting into the pit I spent most of my days trying to resurrect it from at the therapy facility.

Don’t touch me.

My arms wrap protectively around my midsection, squeezing my abdomen until pain radiates through my core.

And with a growl that confuses even my own ears, I twist and turn, trying to dislodge the hand holding me prisoner in my own mind’s maze.

Get off of me!