Page 34 of Once Upon A Second Chance

Behind us, the diner door bangs open. Jesse stomps out, his face thunderous.

"Penny—"

"Not now, Jess."

"But—"

"I said not now." Her voice leaves no room for argument.

Jesse glares at me for a long moment before throwing up his hands. "Fine. But we're talking about this later."

As he storms off, Penny sighs and leans against my truck. "I need pancakes."

"After that performance?" I grin. "I'll buy you the whole damn diner."

She laughs, the sound warming me more than the Tennessee sun ever could. "Ground Rule #8: No buying me restaurants until at least month two."

I open the passenger door for her. "Noted."

As we drive off, I catch one last glimpse of Rebecca through the diner window—her perfect facade finally cracking as the entire town turns their backs on her performance.

And for the first time since she arrived, I breathe a little easier.

Chapter Eight

Penny

The glow of my laptop screen casts flickering shadows across my living room as I half-heartedly scroll through patient progress charts.

Bijou is sprawled across my feet, snoring softly, her tiny paws twitching in some small doggy dream.

Outside, the cicadas hum their endless summer song, the sound drifting through my open windows along with the faint aromatic scent of Mrs. Delaney's honeysuckle bushes.

My phone buzzes on the coffee table, rattling against an empty wine glass. Richard's name flashes across the screen.

Richard:Hypothetically.

I roll my eyes even as my lips twitch. He's been starting texts like this all week, ever since the diner incident.

Me:Hypothetically what?

Three bouncing dots appear. Disappear. Reappear.

Richard:If someone wanted to spend 48 hours in a cabin in the Smokies... would that violate Ground Rule #3 (No Cohabitation Before Six Months)?

I sit up so fast Bijou startles awake with an indignant yip. My thumbs hover over the screen as my brain scrambles through possible responses.

Me:Define "hypothetically."

The response comes instantly:

Richard:Completely theoretical. Purely academic.

Before I can reply, another message pops up:- a photo of a gorgeous A-frame cabin nestled in dense woods, its wide deck overlooking misty blue mountains. Sunlight glints off a steaming hot tub in the corner of the frame.

Richard:Two separate bedrooms. Full kitchen. Private hiking trails. Hot tub works. And before you ask, no, I didn't rent it just for this. A buddy from med school owns it.

My pulse kicks up. I can practically smell the pine trees throughthe photo.