Clay

Elise keeps looking at the door, the oversized cappuccino mug hovering just under her lower lip. She is a good match for Wanda, I think. I don’t know what it is, but they seem to go together. I wouldn’t have automatically assumed that a construction goddess like Wanda would match up so well with a quirky redhead like Elise, but when they are together they just spark. It’s just nature. There’s nothing you can do.

“I’m sure they will be here any second,” she mutters to herself and to her cappuccino.

When the waitress swoops by, I raise a hand to order a tray of sweet things. Cookies, pastries, scones. Carbs. All the carbs. I figure that no matter how she feels about the auction, carbs are definitely required.

I don’t know what just happened, but the air changed. I don’t even have to turn around. I know that they are coming. I know that Penny is looking right at me.

When she sits down, the satisfied smirk on her beautiful, plush lips is the only answer I need.

“So how did it go?” Elise gushes as Wanda settles in next to her with a grin.

“It went amazing,” Wanda confirms.

I lock eyes with Penny, bracing myself for the download of that superhighway of her mental state. All at once I can feel her excitement, her fear, her courage.

“You got it,” I smile.

“We got it,” she smiles back.

“Wait, what?”

Wanda sticks her chin out. “Oh, yeah. Looks like we are business partners. Check it out.”

Elise gasps in surprise. “Oh, that is amazing! Good!”

I feel my eyebrows go up. That explains some of the nervousness that Penny is broadcasting.

“Partners, huh?” I ask, trying to hold back a little bit of jealousy that seems to be creeping into my tone of voice.

“And you thought I had commitment issues!” she smirks.

“No, I know you have commitment issues,” I mutter back, but she isn’t listening to me right now.

Elise is talking a mile a minute, making suggestions, dropping some very impressive names one by one. I don’t think that Penny even knows a lot of these people, but she definitely will. She definitely should.

“Hold on… Hold on,” I interrupt, leaning forward. “If there are going to be investments made in this new partnership, I am first in line, okay?”

Wanda purses her lips dramatically. “Excuse me? What are you saying?”

“Dibs. I call them.”

“You call dibs?” Penny repeats suspiciously. “Dibs on what?”

I want to answer right away, but stall. I feel like there’s more going on in that question than just whether or not I get to give her a million dollars or so to build me some houses.

And I can also feel Wanda and Elise leaning forward, eager to hear what I’m about to say next. It’s a little much.

“I want to be your round one investment,” I answer slowly. “I want you guys to get this done right. Anything you need. You just say the word.”

Nodding excitedly, Wanda glares at Penny. “That’s good,” she says. “See how he just jumps in there and commits right away? That’s good. Strong.”

Penny rolls her eyes. “Yeah. Okay. You are coming through loud and clear, Wanda.”

“I have a guy who can set you up a partnership agreement if you want,” Elise suggests helpfully. “He’s really fast. Really good. Do you want me to give him a call?”

“Yeah,” Penny breathes, shaking her head as though trying to clear it. “I guess… yes? We have to get that done.”

“Just take it one step at a time,” I suggest, reaching out to take her hand in mine. I can feel her fingers trembling lightly and she looks up at me with surprise.

“Okay, one step at a time,” she repeats hoarsely.

“Oh my God, they are totally holding hands in public,” Wanda stage-whispers.

Penny automatically draws her hand back, leaving my fingers cold.

I guess that was a little bit too familiar. But she seems nervous. I want to reassure her.

“Get the partnership agreement, get some funding in place, and you guys can be rolling right away, right? Do you want to drive out there and take a look at it?”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asks me suddenly, her voice dropping so low I can barely hear it above the ambient noise of the coffee shop. “You don’t have to invest. Since we are friends and everything. You’ve already done so much for me. You don’t have to do this.”

“Actually, I do have to do this,” I smirk, leaning forward. “I don’t have a job anymore, so I need you to go build me some houses real quick.”

“Wait, what?” she gasps. “Did Ron fire you?”

I nod. “Three times, actually. Twice by text. Once in a phone call.”

“Wow, he is really on a roll,” Wanda observes. “He fired us too.”

“Okay… I guess everybody is free and clear!” Elise announces. “So, I just have to run to the office and check on a couple of things. Should we take a field trip? Go kick some rocks at your new development site?”

“Absolutely,” I smile, watching the light dance inside Penny’s eyes. “Let’s go see what the future looks like.”

“That sounds good,” she sighs, biting her lip gently. “We will meet you there, okay? I have something I need to do real quick at home.”

My eyebrows go up as I watch her look me up and down. This is another excellent part of the Penny Experience. When she is flying high, she is the most beautiful creature in the world.

“Yes,” I agree quickly, daring to take her hand again and pull her to standing. “We will meet you there.”