Page 21 of Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore

I’m not good at facing up to the fact I didn’t make it doing the thing I was passionate about. Chasing my dreams didn’t exactly pan out the way I thought it would and now I’m back here, in this little town, with my tail between my legs hoping I can remember how to write again.

“No, I don’t suppose it is,” Penny replies. “But it’s damn impressive. You’re a New York Times bestselling author. You were on the Today show.”

There’s so much pride in her voice. There was a time I was proud of that, too. Now I know it’s all fleeting.

“The higher you climb”—I turn to study her—“the harder you fall.”

“At least you climbed.” Penny glances down at her drink. “I’m still here, ten years later, exactly where you left me.”

“You own your own bookstore, Penny. Eighteen-year-old you would be so proud.”

“I’m just having an off day.” She sighs. “Ignore me.”

Impossible. I offer her a smile. “Hey, at least you look good doing it.”

“Are you referring to what you saw earlier?!” Her eyes widen in surprise as she coughs out a laugh. “Jacob Montgomery! The mouth on you.”

My grin widens and I shrug as her laughter peters out.

“I’m not even sure that was the most embarrassing part of my day.” Penny sighs again. “Not only did I end up naked in your room—and your father saw me—but, as you know, I’m so pathetic that Eli offered to be my fake boyfriend.”

I’m still thinking about all those freckles and curves, so it takes me a few seconds to catch up to her last words.

“You’re not pathetic, Penny.”

She coughs out a laugh. “Were you there tonight? The candles, the peni, the cleanse.” Her eyes grow more animated with each word at the same time her hand movements become wilder. The fact that I somehow forgot about the weird blue dildo thing is a testament to how distracted I’ve been by those damn freckles scattered across her very ample cleavage, and the dips and valleys of skin I’d be smart to avoid, even though my eyes keep flicking between there and her magic eyes.

“The Liberty Ladies are obsessed with finding me a match. All because my ex ended our engagement when I wouldn’t close my store and follow him to California. Like they expect me to be heartbroken over Dick. That’s the most pathetic part about all this. They shouldn’t feel bad for me because I’m alone; they should feel bad because I was ever with him.” Penny rolls her eyes and grabs a piece of the napkin from beneath her drink, tearing at the damp tissue. “It’s exhausting telling everyone I’m fine alone.” Her gaze flicks to me quickly, then she shifts and grabs another piece of the napkin.

I rest my hand over hers. “You’re not pathetic for letting go of a relationship that wasn’t serving you.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly before pulling her hand back and settling it in her lap.

“I think it’s our age,” I continue, trying to ignore the sting of her creating distance between us. “Everyone expects us to have figured it all out by now. My roommate just got engaged to a girl he met six months ago. They’re already planning on trying for kids next year.” I scoff. “I don’t even know what I’m doing next week.”

Penny’s eyes soften. “Apparently moving in with your vovo.”

I chuckle. “Touché.”

I grab my drink and raise it to her in cheers. She taps her glass against mine and hums after taking a sip. “Are you writing while you’re here?”

“Supposed to be. I owe my agent some words but I’m having a hard time finding them.”

The lines around Penny’s eyes turn severe. “Writer’s block?”

Panic grips my heart and I bring my hand to my chest to ease the ache. “You don’t say it.”

She shrinks back. “Sorry.”

I shake my head and focus on the cider. Then after a few seconds, I shrug. “Not your fault my last book bombed. Or the one before that.”

“No, that’d probably be your main male character’s fault,” she mutters. I stare at her in surprise. She’s like a doe in headlights. “Sorry, what? I didn’t mean—” She shakes her head and then covers her face. “Just ignore me.”

“No, please elaborate on how my characters are flawed, in your opinion.”

She winces. “Seriously, just forget what I said.”

Well, now I’m curious. What I believed was maybe a throwaway comment is clearly so much more. She’s thought about this. It’s obvious in her demeanor.