It’s not that funny.
“We’re just friends,” Penny clarified. “Matt practically grewup with my husband, James.”
“James Hunter?” Kennedy’s eyebrows both raised.
I knew what she was thinking. James hadn’t exactly been thekind of guy to settle down in high school. He was high or drunk more than halfthe time.
“Mhm,” Penny said. “Do you know him too?”
“Um, yeah. I mean, I used to in high school,” Kennedy said.
“Wait, you all went to high school together?”
“Yeah, we were all friends because Brooklyn…”
“We used to hang out in Brooklyn,” I quickly corrected. I didn’tmean for it to sound so dirty though.
Kennedy opened her mouth, probably to call me out on mybullshit, but I cut her off.
“Penny, could you grab some more ice?” I asked. “Wedefinitely need more. I think there’s another pack somewhere in the back of thefreezer.” It was a total lie. But sending Penny on a wild goose chase was theonly way I could think to buy time to bring Kennedy up to speed on everything.
“Sure thing,” she said and stood up. As soon as Penny was outof earshot, I started talking.
“Penny doesn’t know about Brooklyn. Please don’t tell her. She’sone of the only people in my life who doesn’t stare at me like I’m broken. Kindof like you are right now.”
Kennedy put her hand to her chest like it hurt. Maybe it did.Because mine physically ached. “I’ve never looked at you like you were broken. Ilooked at you like you were grieving.” She searched my face. “You’re stillgrieving.” She didn’t ask it like a question. She said it like a statement. LikeI was that easy to read. Was I really that transparent?
“Matt!” Penny called from the kitchen. “I can’t find it. Wheredid you say it was?”
“I’ll be right back.” I left Kennedy alone and joined Pennyin the kitchen. “Sorry, Penny, I must only have the one.”
She kept the freezer door open and leaned in a little closerto me. “She’s pretty,” Penny said. “And I didn’t see a ring on her finger.”
I glanced back toward the living room. “Yeah.”
“Maybe it’s just me, but I can practically feel the chemistrybetween you two. And now she’s hurt and has to spend the night?” Penny shruggedher shoulders. “Seems like fate to me.”
“Would you stop being a nosy matchmaker for five seconds? She’snot going to spend the night.”
“Why not? You’re always spending the night with randomwomen.”
Exactly. Random women. Not women like Kennedy. Shedeserved more than that. And I couldn’t give that to her. I glanced back intothe other room.
“I should probably get going,” Penny said loudly enough forKennedy to hear. “I don’t want to be late for dinner.” She winked at me. “Askher out.” She left me alone in the kitchen and went back into the living room. “Needanything else before I head out?” Penny asked. “Do you want me to call adoctor?”
“No, I think the ice is enough,” Kennedy said. She reacheddown to readjust it.
“It was really nice meeting you. Hopefully I’ll see youaround again soon.” Penny turned to me. “Don’t forget to call James.” She pattedmy chest and was out the door before I could even say goodbye.
The door closed behind her and the silence settling around mewas unnerving. The last time I’d been alone with Kennedy was at Brooklyn’sgravesite. It had been right before we both went off to college. And we didn’tknow how to say goodbye to the person that couldn’t come with us.
We promised we’d keep coming back to visit Brooklyn. I’d keptmy promise. But I didn’t think Kennedy had. Not that I blamed her. I was theonly one who seemed keen on staying stuck in the past. Losing a best friend washard. But losing the love of your life? There was no healing from that.
And as much as I wished Kennedy understood what I was goingthrough, she didn’t. I glanced up the stairs. And it was a good thing that Iwas here. Because I couldn’t let Kennedy see the paintings upstairs during herpicture taking. She’d think I’d completely lost it.
Chapter 27
Tuesday
“Penny seems nice,” Kennedy said as I made my way back intothe family room.
“Yeah. She is.” Even if she is a dirty little meddler.I sat down next to Kennedy on the couch. I thought the silence stretchingbetween us would feel awkward. But it didn’t.
“I’m glad James remarried. When I heard he tied the knot withIsabella?” She shook her head. “What was he thinking?”
“He wasn’t.” I didn’t need to elaborate. Kennedy knew what Jameshad been like when he was a teenager. He was rarely sober enough to thinkanything through.
“You know, sound really carries in this house,” Kennedy said.“So do you often spend the night with random women? Don’t tell me you’ve becomeMason?”
I laughed. “You’ll be happy to know that Mason has settled down.Rob too.”
Kennedy smiled. “The woman married to Rob must have all thepatience in the world.”
“She does. They somehow balance each other out perfectly.” Daphnealso somehow never got mad when Rob was a flirtatious fool.
“So all the Untouchables are hitched? Except you.”
I laughed. “No one calls us that anymore.” I looked over atthe TV and wished it was on to distract us. The last thing I needed was anyoneelse obsessed with my love life. Or lack of one. “Penny’s been trying to set meup. She has a whole dating profile for me and everything.”
“Wow, I cannot imagine you on a dating app. Any matches yet?”
I thought about Ash throwing a ball of fire at my dick. “No,not yet.”
“I’m really surprised you’re the only one who hasn’t settleddown. I mean, you were ready to all the way back in high school.”
We were both quiet for a minute.
She rested her chin in her hand as she stared at me. “It’sbeen 16 years, Matt. I kind of just figured…”
“Brooklyn was endgame for me, Kennedy.”
It looked like Kennedy wanted to cry. “I miss her too,”Kennedy said. “You expect that hole to fill up with something, anything. Butshe left a damn big hole.”
“She really did.”
Kennedy pressed her lips together. “All those things you saidat her funeral. They were supposed to be your vows.
