One Size Fits All (The Classy ‘n’ Sassy Series Book 3) (20 page)

CHAPTER
Twenty-Eight

T
he rest
of the week at Classy ’n’ Sassy had been a chilly one, and it had nothing to do with the the arrival of fall. Everyone kept to themselves, heads down, jobs done. Some days Penny had to fake her way through, unable to stand being in the same room with either Bryn or Mia. It seemed everything they did irritated her.

Penny looked at the clock. Damn it. Not even 11 a.m. yet. This day was going to drag, despite that it was Saturday and their busiest day of the week. It had been forever since she’d had an entire weekend off. She hadn’t even asked. But she was done caring what they thought. It was the big homecoming game in Kenville and she’d much rather be there, cheering for Theo and his players.

“I’ve got somewhere I need to be, so I’m taking off,” she said to Bryn as she slid an arm into her jacket.

“But it’s going to get busy in here. It’s just me and Chanel.”

“Sorry. You guys can manage without me for one day.” She forced a smile.

“Okay. I guess we’ll see you tomorrow night then, for painting class.”

“Yep. See ya then.” Penny headed for the back employee entrance, a weight lifted as she pushed it open.

After a quick stop at home for a wardrobe change, she donned an orange cable-knit sweater and headed for the high school’s football field. She found a single empty seat—hot dog in hand—just as one of the boys on the blue-and-white team kicked the ball toward the orange-and-black team. Penny knew very little about football, but watched intently. She’d need to learn a little bit about the sport if she was going to be with Theo. She just wished he was with her so he could answer her questions.

As the clock ran down at the end of the second period . . . or quarter . . . the band marched onto the field as cheerleaders danced around. Penny sat there, enjoying the atmosphere. She could see why Theo loved it so much. But then she caught some conversation that perked her ears right up.

“That new coach is hot. What’s his name? Theodore something or other?” A woman sitting in front of Penny chatted with another woman. “He’s from Kenville, right? I wonder if he’s married.”

“He graduated with my cousin,” the other said. “I don’t know for sure, but even if he’s married, who cares? I don’t want to marry him . . . ” She lowered her voice. “I just want to fuck him. I should see if my cousin can introduce me.”

“Hey! I saw him first!” the first woman exclaimed. “Get in line.”

Penny couldn’t believe what she was hearing. They didn’t care if he was married or not. Were there no women left on the planet who respected other women’s relationships? So much for female solidarity.

Theo led his team back onto the field after the short intermission. She wanted to run down and hug him, show these women that he was hers.

“Damn, that’s a fine ass,” woman number one exclaimed.

Penny couldn’t sit there for the next hour or more, watching them salivate over her boyfriend. She stood and inched her way to the end of the row. She’d stand if she had to, but she managed to find another seat toward the end of the bleachers, farther away from Theo. All the excitement she’d experienced during the first half was gone, replaced with fear and anxiety, counting down the minutes until she could get to him.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Kenville coaches and players cheered for their win, and Penny’s heart cheered, too. Her excruciating wait was over.

The masses stood and shuffled to the ends of their rows and out of the stadium. Come on! Move! Let’s get out of here. Finally she made it to the end of her row only to become a salmon swimming upstream against the flow of people as she made her way toward the field. She kept her eye on Theo as he talked with the other coaches, the kids, the referees. A woman. Not the ones who had ogled him all game. But still.

“Are you sure you can’t come over for dinner tonight?” the woman whined.

“I can’t. Sorry.” Theo shook his head, then noticed Penny standing there. “Hey! What’re you doing here?”

“I wanted to surprise you.” His smile made her chilled body instantly warm.

“How about tomorrow, then?” the woman persisted, ignoring Penny’s existence. “I know Joey would love it. I’m sure he could use some extra practice time with you, one-on-one.”

Penny didn’t know who Joey was, but it sure sounded like it was this woman who wanted the one-on-one time.

“We’ll arrange something for before school, okay? But thank you for the invitation.” He leaned over and kissed Penny’s cheek. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

The woman still stood there, making the situation ridiculously awkward. Get the hint, lady! Penny was seriously appalled by the lack of manners in these women. It was a damn fight to the death out here in Dating Land.

“Okay,” she finally said. “I guess we’ll make plans for another time. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried my lasagna.”

The woman walked away, leaving Penny in pure shock. These women did not give up. And she couldn’t help but wonder how many others were admiring Theo’s ass at games, inviting him to dinner. Was every single woman in Kenville out to sleep with her boyfriend? And how long would it be before he caved?

CHAPTER
Twenty-Nine

W
hat do
you want to do today?” Theo asked as his hand snaked around to cup Penny’s naked breast.

“I know what you want to do.”

“Got a problem with that?”

“Not at all.”

He maneuvered himself on top of her, his hips between her thighs, tantalizing nips and kisses along her jawline and neck. “How about we stay in bed for most of the day . . .” He sucked her nipple between his teeth. “Then later we’ll get dressed and go out for dinner.” He licked a trail from her cleavage to her belly button. “I’m in the mood for Italian.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

A perfect lazy Sunday. It had taken some time the night before, but Penny had finally gotten those women out of her head, and all the crazy scenarios her brain had concocted. Spending the afternoon and evening wrapped in Theo’s arms had helped. He was a good man. It wasn’t his fault he was hot and women noticed.

Penny needed to keep reminding herself of that and not let her brain keep envisioning bad things. Especially since it was starting to happen far more frequently.

His lips inched lower, pulling her from worrisome thoughts. “Maybe after dinner we’ll rent a movie and get some wine.”

Wine. Crap. She’d totally forgotten. “Ugh . . . ” she sighed. “I can’t.”

“What?” His head popped up.

“I can’t do a movie. Maybe not even dinner. I have to meet Bryn, Mia, and Chanel at that wine and painting thing at seven.”

“Skip it.”

“I should, but Bryn already paid and I don’t want to deal with the fallout if I don’t show. I don’t have a new job yet, remember?”

“Well, maybe it’ll be a good thing if you go. It might help and then you won’t need to find a new job.”

“Doubtful.”

“I know things have been tense. I wish there was something I could do to fix it.”

He was just the sweetest man on the planet. “I appreciate that, but I don’t know what will fix it.” Penny felt herself slipping into the sadness she’d forced away all week. The memories of all the good times. The friendships she’d lost and would probably never get back. Bryn and Mia had been her rocks when everything with Jack was falling apart.

“Well, I may not be able to fix it, but I can sure make you feel good right now.” The devilish grin was back and he darted his tongue out, licking her center. “How’s that?”

“A good start,” she said, and relaxed against the pillow, pushing away the sadness. She had Theo and maybe that was all she needed.

---------

“ARE YOU
sure you have to get ready now?” Theo whined like a kid who’d been told it was time for bed. He wrapped both arms around her naked body. “Five more minutes?”

They’d spent the entire day in bed, watching silly TV, eating potato chips and Chinese takeout, and of course, making love. It was one of those blissful relaxing Sundays and she honestly did not want to leave. She could skip flat-ironing her hair to stay with him in bed for a few more minutes.

But when those five minutes were up, and she’d stayed an extra five, he still held her tight. “Don’t go.”

She laughed as she pulled away. “I already gave up straightening my hair and a shower to stay in bed. Now I really need to go. And besides, you’re the one who said this might be a good thing. Remember?”

She stood and turned back to him, his body stretched out across the bed, arms above his head. The corner of the sheet covered only his pelvic region, like a spread in
Playgirl
. Oh. My. Sexy. What was she doing again?

“I remember,” he said. “Hurry and go so you can get back to me.”

After quickly arranging her hair into a messy bun and dusting on some makeup, she pulled on her clothes from the day before. She really should start bringing more with her when she slept over.

“Same clothes?” Theo asked.

“I don’t have anything else,” she laughed as she put her bra back on, then her orange sweater. “Unless you’re going to clear a drawer so I can leave a few things here.”

“That can be arranged.”

She leaned down to kiss him and he pulled her on top. She expected more than just the small smooch he gave her.

“How about I give you more than a drawer?” he asked.

“Oooh. Like some closet space?”

“How about half the closet, your own dresser, and a key to the front door?”

“Well, that’s a bit much. I don’t know if I need all that, just for the few nights a week I spend here.”

He kissed her again, his smile widening. “You’re not getting it. How about you move all your stuff in here? And spend every night here?”

“But then my apartment would just sit there. And who would feed Scarlett? I can’t just leave her there alone every night.”

Another laugh. “How about you bring Scarlett and all her things here, too.”

“Oh. Would I be . . . getting rid of my apartment?”

“That’s the idea. What do you say? You want to move in?”

She hadn’t expected this. Not at all. Not so soon. But it felt more right than anything else in her life ever had. “Yes.”

A few more kisses and Penny was out the door, while Theo got busy cleaning out his closet and moving unimportant things to the attic. This was so freaking exciting! She couldn’t wait to get this painting thing over with so she could get back to his place—their place—as soon as possible and help.

Penny pulled into the lot behind the painting studio and immediately spotted Bryn’s mini van, Mia’s Nissan, and Chanel’s Mini Cooper. Ugh. She was last to arrive. She hurried in and sat down at the empty easel next to Mia.

“You made it. We were wondering what happened to you,” she said, sipping on a glass of red wine.

“Sorry. I was busy.” Her goofy grin betrayed her.

Bryn handed her a glass of wine. “Spill. The story, not the wine.”

“Oh you know. The usual.” Penny sipped. “Theo asked me to move in with him.”

“Oh my God!” Bryn hugged her. It felt nice. Like old times. “That’s so awesome. Thor’s the best.”

“Yeah. He’s pretty great.” Penny turned to Mia, who was sipping her wine, keeping her gaze elsewhere.

“Attention, ladies!” the instructor commanded. “We’re going to get started.”

She rambled through some basic information and they practiced a few simple techniques, all the while sipping wine. Penny felt good. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

They started their masterpieces with a brown line, which they were told would become the trunk of a tree. With each stroke, Penny saw her lines morph into an actual picture. And it looked kinda good. Or maybe it was the third glass of wine. They topped their trees with red, orange, and yellow leaves, then added a rope swing hanging from a branch.

“I’m going to add a carved heart to my tree with mine and Eli’s initials in it,” Bryn said.

“Totes adorable,” Chanel added. “Mia, you should do it, too.”

“That’s pretty corny.” Mia sipped some more wine. “But cute at the same time.”

“I’m going to do it, too,” Penny said, and dipped her skinny paintbrush into the white paint and did just as Bryn had.

“Are you sure?” Mia asked. “You haven’t been together very long.”

The question sounded like it was aimed at far more than just a little heart and initials on a painting. And Penny was sick of it. “Yeah, I am. I’m sure about many things in my life. And I’d like it if you kept your opinions to yourself.”

“Don’t bite my head off. It was just a question.”

“It wasn’t, and you know it.”

“Sue me for looking out for you.” Mia tipped her glass and downed the rest of its contents.

“You hide behind that excuse, but I think you just like to judge people and tell them what to do.”

“I do not.”

“Yes you do. Look at Bryn,” Penny said and stood, motioning to her. “All you do is judge her. She can’t even go get married without you shitting on it.”

Mia stood, pointing her paintbrush at Penny. “You know nothing about me or why I do anything I do. So keep your mouth shut.” She flicked the brush as she said the last word and a splotch of red paint flew at Penny, landing on the sleeve of her cashmere sweater.

It was natural reaction mixed with pure adrenaline that made Penny do what she did next. She grabbed her fat brush, resting in a pot of yellow paint, and flicked it at Mia. It hit her on the shoulder and on her cheek. Penny reveled in the shock on Mia’s face.

But the shock didn’t last long.

“I can’t believe you did that. What’s wrong with you?”

“You started it.”

“Girls,” Bryn said, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. “What’s going on?”

“It’s just Mia being her normal bitchy self.”

Mia’s mouth opened into an O. Penny had surprised herself, too.

“Penny, you’re out of line,” Bryn said.

“Am I? Aren’t you sick of how she’s constantly bullying you? You hardly have any say at the shop anymore. Everyone just has to bow down to Mia. She already has her pet, Chanel, trained.”

“Hey! Don’t be jealous that they like me better.”

Penny’s hands curled into fists, her body hot with anger. “Trust me. Jealousy is the last thing I feel. For weeks I’ve had to sit back and let all of you walk on me.” She looked from Mia to Bryn. “After everything I’ve done for you for years, you repay me by pushing me aside for some annoying little brat who has the common sense of a housefly? I thought you both were smarter than that.”

“Is there a problem, ladies?” The instructor stood behind Chanel, but no one moved.

Mia’s stare bore into Penny, and before she knew what was happening, Mia raised her hand, fingers curled around her paintbrush, and swiped it across Penny’s cheek. It took a second for Penny to react, appalled by what had just happened. Instead of walking away—the mature thing to do—she aimed her brush at Mia, swiping her across the nose.

What happened next was a blur of color and cold, slimy paint. Some wine was in there, too. Mia threw a pot of blue paint at Penny and she hurled back some orange.

“Ladies! Stop!” the instructor yelled.

“Penny! Mia!” she heard from Bryn.

But she just couldn’t stop. The rage that had built for weeks was now flooding out though her hands as she hurled paint and brushes and whatever else was within her reach at Mia. The anger, the hate, the hurt and sadness. All of it.

When she ran out of things to throw, tears spilling down her cheeks, her body covered in paint, the floor around them a mess, she finally looked up, her chest heaving. Bryn’s arms were wrapped around Mia, both of them crouching down, Bryn’s body shielding Mia’s. When they realized she’d stopped, they stood straight, gaze on Penny. She looked around the studio and every set of eyes was staring at her.

She turned back to Bryn and Mia. “I quit. My job. Our friendship. All of it.”

No one moved or said a word.

Except the instructor. “All four of you. Out. Now!”

Penny grabbed her purse and turned on her heel. She took a step and her foot slid out from under her. Catching herself on a chair, she lifted her chin as high as possible and walked out, waiting until she got into her car before falling apart.