Page 84 of While the Sun Shines
“Who the hell put you in charge?” Penny asks.
“Also Drew,” Cooper says. “Best decision he’s ever made, except for…so very recently when he—” Cooper grins at Drew. Winks too. And oh—oh, Drew’s seen that look on Cooper’s face before, half mischief and half daring Drew to stop him. Because he knows—shit—Cooper knows what Drew recently did. What Drew and Penny recently did. Last night. In bed. And he’s going to fucking say it—
Drew claps his hand over Cooper’s mouth. “No,” he snaps.
Cooper licks his palm.
“God, fucking gross,” Drew says, wiping his hand on Cooper’s sleeve.
“And that summarily announces the start of round one.” Cooper slips his hand up under his sleeve and tries to wipe the fabric against Drew’s arm. “Now c’mon everyone, places please. We’re on a strict schedule because Deb’s gonna kick my ass if this goes into dinnertime. Abelardo, step on over here and get ready to very definitely be extremely fair ’cause this is a stupendously serious competition. Deb, you stand there and be your awesome self. Courtney, Drew, go help your people, please.”
Courtney, Drew thinks as a woman rounds the back of the bar. Yeah, that has to be her and no, Drew hasn’t met her before, her blond hair tied up on top of her head, laughing as Cooper ushers her toward Whit. Cooper knows her, clearly. Whit too, it seems. They must…those nights Whit and Cooper go out together. They must spend at least some of them stopping by here. When Drew didn’t even manage that.
He will. He is. Quickly, he slips behind the table with Penny.
She grabs his wrist, tugging him next to her, and points her other finger at Whit. “We’re coming for you. Watch out.”
“I fully have no idea what I’m doing.” Drew is careful to not move his arm so she doesn’t let go. “I’m serious. You know my skills include opening a beer and that’s it, so this will very much be a disaster.”
“Sure, but it’s going to be our disaster. And anyway, Whit isn’t half as good as he thinks he is.”
“All right, calling this to order,” Cooper says.
“This isn’t a courtroom, hon,” Whit says.
“Courtroom of the best bartender. Oh, I need a gavel. Or a microphone. Abelardo?”
“Ab, absolutely do not give that man a microphone,” Penny says.
“Abelardo, please deduct five points from team Penny for that comment.”
“Ab, don’t,” Penny says.
“Guys, c’mon, be nice or he’s never going to visit us again,” Whit says.
“Oh no, you won’t be able to keep me away,” Abelardo says. “This is by far the best time I’ve ever had.”
Penny too, Drew hopes. And yeah, she has to be having a good time because she’s still smiling, her hand’s still around his wrist, and when she laughs, she ducks toward him, pressing her forehead into his shoulder and shaking her head.
Perfect, he thinks. This is—yeah, this is better than baling. More satisfying than sheep dotting a pasture, to have Penny laughing against him, all warm breath and the press of her face into his arm.
“All right!” Cooper abandons his ketchup bottle to grab a whiteboard and prop it on a barstool. “We’re doing three rounds tonight. First round: speed round, extra points awarded for presentation, taste, and how nice to me you are.”
“We’re all fucked,” Whit says.
“Yes, please,” Cooper says. “Markers, babe.” Whit tosses the marker and Cooper catches it. “Thank you.”
“Did you take that from the farm?” Drew asks Cooper, pointing at the whiteboard.
“Just borrowing it.”
“That had my entire month’s cheese schedule on it.”
“Welp, now it doesn’t. Um, sorry. Okay, ready?” Cooper pulls the top off a marker with his teeth and scrawls old fashioned across the top of the board. Penny reaches for the little jar of bitters, but Cooper holds up a hand. “No starting until the official signal.”
“Nobody can read that,” Whit says.
Cooper sure enough did take Drew’s whiteboard from the farm and wiped it completely clean. He waits for annoyance to rise through him, but instead what comes is a wash of relief that Cooper went and erased the plan Drew’s fallen so far behind on. And honestly, the board looks better like this, as Cooper keeps writing.
