Page 56 of Penny & Royce

“Hungry?” he asked, lifting his head so his eyes locked with hers.

Penny’s mother’s hand reached out and squeezed Penny’s forearm. “He’s gorgeous.” She said it far too loudly for Royce not to hear, and Penny gasped.

“Mom!”

“What? You two are going to make some beautiful babies together.”

She gasped again, but Royce only laughed. And he made everything worse.

“If they look anything like their mother, I’d have to agree.”

The blush Penny was sure flooded her face was unbearable. And yet, over the next couple of hours while Royce prepared sloppy joes, she couldn’t help but notice how well he fit in.

On several occasions, he made her mother laugh. It was almost too easy to forget their reason for checking on her.

Her eyes locked with his over the table during dinner, and each time, she fell a little more in love with him. Royce had a knack for making people feel comfortable, it seemed, and he’d picked her to share his life with.

How had she become so lucky?

As it got later, Penny helped her mother prepare for bed and promised to check in on her the following day. They left the house, and she immediately reached for Royce. She held on to him like she finally had somewhere safe to put the weight of the day.

“You were…” Her voice cracked. “You were so good with her.”

Royce pulled back so she could see him clearly. “I’m not perfect, Penny. I’m just head over heels for a certain someone, and I’d do anything to see her smile.”

This time, a sob did break through, and he held her tighter. When she calmed, he asked the one question she wasn’t ready to answer but knew she’d have to figure out.

“Do your brothers know?”

She hesitated, gathering her thoughts. “They’re aware she’s declining. But I don’t think they know it has gotten this bad. We’re going to have to consider putting her in a home or hiring someone to be here for her.”

“Let me know what I can do to help.” His voice stayed gentle. “I can be there when you have that conversation, or I can stay out of the way if that’s easier. Whatever you need.”

Penny shook her head. “I can’t tell them. Not yet. Jason’s wedding is just around the corner. They’ve already postponed once. I don’t want them to have to do that again.”

She stared up at him then, pleading but for what, she didn’t know. “After the wedding. We can figure it out after Jason’s wedding. One thing at a time.”

“Whatever you need,” Royce murmured.

And she believed him.

14

ROYCE

Royce grabbed Penny’s hand and hurried her around the side of the barn.

“Royce,” she whispered, half laughing and half breathless, “what are you?—”

He tugged her into the shadows and pressed one finger lightly to his lips, his eyes flicking toward the yard. “Shh.”

She stared at him like he’d lost his mind.

Which was fair, seeing as how he probably did.

Glancing over his shoulder, he strained to hear whether they’d been followed. Nothing. Just the soft rustle of hay, the distant sound of livestock, and his own pulse thudding harder than it needed to.

Then he swung his attention back to his wife and winked.