Page 13 of While the Sun Shines

She rubs at her eyes. When she drops her hand, she turns her back to him, picking up her mug of coffee. “No, I haven’t seen them.”

“Wait, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Pen?” Drew asks, but she pushes past him, out onto the porch.

“Marital discord,” Cooper whispers loudly.

Drew follows her outside and pulls the door shut behind him. “Penny, what is it?”

“I told you. Nothing.”

He jogs around to get in front of her before she can make her way down the porch steps to the path through the front garden. “Doesn’t seem like nothing. Did I say something?”

“Yes. No.” She touches her fingers to her forehead. “Last night, you suggesting battle of the pies—you forgot? About the bartending competition? It’s in two days, Drew, on Saturday. I’ve been talking about it all week.”

“You have?” he asks, and oh no, that was the wrong thing to say. Her eyes drop and her shoulders curl inward. “I’m—I’m sorry, I, yeah, I guess I wasn’t—”

“Actually listening?”

“Yeah.” He nods. “Uh, that.”

“That,” Penny repeats. She smiles, but it looks forced. “It’s fine. It’s spring, you’re busy, and no, I haven’t seen the shear bolts, but check your Jeep. You always leave things in there.”

“Oh, thanks. Good idea.” He turns to the cars parked in their neat row in the driveway. He should check the farm truck, too, just in case. Oh, and maybe the cheese room, while he’s at it.

And actually, if Penny’s out here, maybe she wouldn’t mind glancing into the truck for him. “Pen—” he starts, but when he turns to her, she’s staring down into her coffee again.

Oh.

Oh shit.

She doesn’t even look mad. Just…sad.

“Penny?” he asks.

She holds up a hand. “I’m fine. We’re not talking about it.”

“Wait, but—” His mind’s blank. Shear bolts is all he can think, running on repeat through his head. Focus, he tells himself. “Uh, can I hear about this bartending thing now?”

She rolls her eyes, and that little spark of irritation with him is at least better than the slump to her shoulders. “You gonna listen this time?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Absolutely? Absolutely not thinking about haying?” she asks.

Yes, he starts to say again, but fuck, she has his number, doesn’t she? Knows him far too well. Even better than Whit and Cooper it seems, or at least recently, with them so caught up with each other. And sure enough, through the kitchen window, he can see them already kissing again, Cooper laughing softly as he puts his arms around Whit’s neck.

“Okay, you got me. I’m sorry,” he says, and this time when she smiles, it seems more genuine. Softer, and he loves it when she looks at him like this. “I’m here,” he says. “I’m listening. What’s going on? Tell me everything.”

But her eyes flick past him. Inside, Sadie barks.

That same car as last night pulls into the barnyard. Shiny and clean, the only dirt on it from the tires as it rolls across the driveway to park next to the flowerbeds in front of the porch.

If it’s a customer who’s back again, they must really want some cheese. Could be a good sale, and Drew waves toward the guy who steps out of the car.

He’s taller than he seemed from what Drew saw of him last night. Slim and fit, with dark hair, and skin a deep brown. Knows how to dress too, looking put-together in nice jeans, a pressed shirt, and leather shoes.