Chapter 17

After the initial adjustment of not having to constantly look over their shoulders, they fell into a routine. Within a week the paparazzi that had been loitering around her apartment had disappeared, for the most part. When Penny did run across an inquiring reporter, instead of avoiding them, she gave elusive answers that seemed to appease them: “I’m where I need to be,” “I love this town,” and, when questioned about Belle, “I’d like to leave her out of the media. Please respect our wishes. She’s just a little girl.” Most reporters seemed to think that Travis was Belle’s dad, since many of them remarked on their similar eye color.

Penny continued to work at Ruby’s, and while she was working Travis usually took care of Belle. Chrissy had finally given the okay to pick up one of the puppies, which she had named Daenerys, or Rys for short, after a character in Game of Thrones; the pup’s father, Drogo, was also named after one of the series’s characters. Penny, Travis, and Belle went to visit Ms. Hannigan and give her the puppy.

“I’m so glad you two are doing well. I’ve missed you.” Ms. Hannigan hugged Penny and Belle repeatedly. “And look at this sweet puppy,” Ms. Hannigan said, nuzzling Rys, who was licking her face.

“Chrissy assured me that Rys is nothing like Drogo, even though he’s the father.”

“I’ve heard horror stories about Drogo. He’s that mean dog that bites everyone,” Ms. Hannigan said.

“I’ve heard the same thing, but I have to admit, the only person he seems to dislike is Slade, who was visiting when we went to pick up Rys. At any rate, this one seems to take after the mom.”

“Drogo’s an ass, trust me,” Travis chimed in.

“Watch the language, Travis Calhoun!” Ms. Hannigan admonished.

“Sorry, ma’am. What I was sayin’ is that Drogo isn’t very nice, but the mother is. She’s a pug, by the way.”

“Oh, that explains the curly tail.”

“And we brought you a bed, and some food and other essentials. If you need anything else, I’ll bring it over. Don’t go out spending money on anything for Rys, okay?”

“Don’t worry about me, dear.”

“I’m so sorry about all the trouble I’ve caused, Ms. Hannigan,” Penny said.

“Trouble? No, dear, it was so exciting. I don’t remember the last time I had that much excitement in my life.”

“Oh…well, that’s good, I guess,” Penny said with an unsure shrug.

“And now that everything is okay, when are you moving back?” Ms. Hannigan asked.

“As soon as I have a day off and can pack up all the things we’ve accumulated in poor Travis’s house. In fact, can you watch Belle for a few minutes, Ms. Hannigan? I need to grab some things from my apartment.”

“Sure, honey.”

Travis followed Penny next door, and as soon as the door closed behind them, he said, his face crestfallen, “You’re moving back here?”

“Well, yeah. Now that things are all squared away, it’s time for us to get back to reality.” She went straight to the kitchen to throw away some of the food that had gone bad while they’d been away.

“Living with me isn’t reality?”

“No, actually, it’s not,” Penny said, stopping what she was doing to look at him. “Travis, living with you is surreal. It’s too good. It’s too perfect. I need to get back to my routine. I’m still paying for this apartment, my utilities; it’s home for me and Belle.”

“Why would you leave something you think is perfect?” He took off his hat, ran his fingers through his hair, and then put the hat back on. “I don’t understand. I thought we were good. I thought you liked it there.”

“We are good. But it’s not my home. It’s your home. This,” she said, pointing to the small area around her, “is my home. My normal. It doesn’t mean that we have to stop dating, just that I have to go home. I can’t keep pretending.”

“So don’t pretend.”

Her fingers were on her pearls. “What are you saying, Travis?”

“I’m saying…break the lease here. Move in with me.”

“We’re a package deal, Travis. It’s two for one.”

“I know! I want you both. What kind of asshole do you take me for? Why would you think I don’t want Belle too?”

“I’m not being difficult. I just want to make sure you understand what you’re getting into. First the exorbitant amount of money you paid Lawrence, and now living together…we’ve slowly taken over your quiet life. I don’t want you to regret making this decision or resent me for tying you down. And I don’t want to move Belle if you aren’t very sure.”

“I’m sure, momma. Never been more sure of anything else. Please move in with me. Officially.”

“Okay,” she said with a huge smile. “I’d love to, Travis.”

Travis swooped her up and spun her around. They quickly packed up some of Belle’s and Penny’s things; the rest could be dealt with later.

That night after she put Belle to bed, she found Travis lounging outside by the pool, a beer in his hand. She took the baby monitor he had purchased outside with her. “Am I interrupting?” she asked as she closed the sliding door.

“C’mere,” he said in that lazy drawl she liked so much. He moved his legs to either side of the lounge and patted the space in front of him. She sat, her back to him, and put her feet up. One of his arms circled her waist and she laid her head on his chest looking up to the sky.

“I’ve been thinking that maybe when this season of Fight Night ends, which is more or less after the Vegas fight, we can go on a small vacation.”

“Vacation?” She looked back and up at him, her expression quizzical.

“Yeah. A few days, catch some sun, relax. Maybe Mexico or somewhere in the Caribbean?”

“But Belle…”

“With Belle, of course. Why can’t I do the traveling thing? Just because there’s a kid around now doesn’t mean that it still can’t happen, right? I still don’t like kids, but Belle, she’s cool. She doesn’t get in the way. She’s funny and well behaved. She would love the beaches in Mexico. I think it would be great.”

“So you’re basically saying that Belle is the exception to your rule?”

He guffawed. “Yep.”

“I think you like kids, Travis.”

“I don’t,” he answered. “I like you and I like Belle. My niece and nephew are kind of cool too. I still don’t think I’m ready for kids, though.”

She snorted. The man was in denial, with a big fat capital D.

“Well, that sounds great, cowboy. A few days with my two favorite people on a beautiful beach—how can I say no to that?”

“Good. I’m pretty sure they’ll be renewing Fight Night for another season, and my agent emailed me yesterday about a spread in a fitness magazine and a few other endorsements.”

“So the money you gave Lawrence didn’t leave you broke?”

“It put a dent, not gonna lie, but it’ll be okay regardless, and anyway, these new gigs will set us up,” he assured her.

But Penny wasn’t so sure. She turned her head back to the front, his fingers moving lazily on her stomach. She wished there was a way she could help pay him back somehow, but it would take the rest of her life. She had a lump in her throat the size of a bowling ball. Her life had been on a different course than his, but now he was taking her on his. She wasn’t complaining; she was just overwhelmed.

“It’s a beautiful night,” she said at last.

“It is,” he agreed, and kissed her head. “Did you have a good day today, momma?”

“The best.” She pointed to a falling star. “Look! Make a wish, cowboy.”

They were quiet for a moment.

“What did you wish for?”

“To fit into your world,” she admitted.

He set the beer down and put a finger on her chin so that she’d have to look at him.

“I just hope and pray that I can fit into your world and bring you happiness,” she explained. “I never want to be something you regret. So, yeah, to fit into your world. That was my wish.”

“Silly woman.” He shook his head as if she was full of nonsense. “You are my world, momma.” He kissed the top of her head, and her eyes filled with happy tears. He hadn’t said the words, but he’d said so many other things that she had no doubt he loved her back.