Page 54 of The Singles Club

She twisted a pen between her fingers. “I got in touch with Leonard, the guy who is supposed to meet with Penny at the reunion. He doesn’t want to do the makeover.”

I opened my emails. “Most guys aren’t into that stuff. We can keep him anonymous. The feature is really about Penny.”

“I know, but what if he backs out at the last minute?” She sat down on my chair, her eyes pleading with me. “Just imagine, Penny all done up. Standing there waiting for him, but he never shows. Not only is that sad to write but messed up for her…. And Carlos won’t be happy either. Did you see his email?”

Uh-oh.

“Yes, and that would be bad for us, but worse for Penny.”

My phone rang. Pam. “Penny’s here for her ‘before’ picture.”

“Thanks, I’ll be right out.” I looked over at Becky. “Don’t mention anything to her,” I said. “But we should find out if their usual correspondence changed at all.”

Becky nodded. “Okay.”

I headed into the lobby to greet Penny. She wasn’t as relaxed as when I last left her. Not a good sign.

“Hi.” I went in for a hug instead of a handshake. Something told me she needed one. “Are you ready?”

“I don’t know.” Penny wrapped her long dark cardigan tighter around her. “I’m not sure he wants to do this anymore.”

“Come into my office, and we’ll talk about it there.” I led the way, silently praying that this would all work out. I guided her to my chair and sat in the one beside her. “Now, tell me what happened.”

She pulled at the cuff of her sleeve. “I don’t know, it’s just a feeling. I know something is wrong.”

“Can you be more specific?”

“His emails… they were more… intimate… and then not so much. There are fewer of them. I feel like he’s trying to pull away.”

I put my hand over hers. “Your reunion is coming up in less than two weeks. It’s probably nerves. It’s perfectly natural.”

“You think?” Penny looked down at me, hope filling her eyes as if I had all the answers.

What if I was wrong?

Honesty.

She needs honesty.

“I can’t promise that, but let me ask you this… from his previous emails, did you doubt at all that he would be there?”

She smiled. “No. Not at all.”

“Okay, then there has to be something else. Let Leonard be for now. Only reply when he reaches out. No pressure. And I’ll try to get in touch and find out what’s going on. Is that alright?”

She nodded. ”Yes, I can do that.”

“I listened to your song, by the way. ‘Somewhere Out There.’ It’s beautiful.”

A hand went to her mouth, and I couldn’t tell if it was a smile or a frown, her eyes were mixed. “That’s my wish,” was all she said.

“What is?” I asked.

“That somewhere out there, someone is thinking of me too.”

My heart must’ve swelled and dove into the pit of my stomach at the same time. I had to make sure this went right. She needed and deserved a happily ever after. If there was such a thing. And if there wasn’t—at least the hope that there was.

But what if he was a jerk… or worse, married? I really didn’t think this feature through before I gave it the green light.