“Penelope, you should come with us to dinner,” Bobby said, unaware of the electricity humming between her and his brother.

“Oh, I can’t,” she said. “I have to get back home so I can—”

Damn it. The only excuse she had at the ready was feed my fish, and there was no way she would give voice to that level of lame.

“Bobby’s right,” Cole said. “You should come with us. We’re just going to grab a quick burger. Nothing fancy. Bobby’s got to get home for his big party.”

“Um, well, if you’re sure I wouldn’t be—”

“We’re sure,” Bobby interrupted, leaning forward and grabbing her hand. “Come on. I’m starving.”

Penelope let Bobby drag her forward but gave one last questioning glance at Cole to make sure it was really okay.

But he obviously hadn’t expected her to turn around just then, because his expression was as open and vulnerable as she’d ever seen it.

She just wished she knew what he was feeling.

Heck, for that matter…

She wouldn’t mind knowing what she was feeling.

Chapter 18

It was an odd thing, being jealous of one’s brother. Cole wasn’t used to it.

Protective? Yes.

Adoring? Definitely.

Amused? Always. Bobby was one of the funniest people he knew.

But jealous? It wasn’t really a part of their relationship. Until now.

Cole watched as Penelope and his brother walked ahead of him, hand in hand, bickering like an old married couple over whether the regular fries or the sweet potato fries had been better at the restaurant.

The sweet potato fries had been better by a long shot, but saying so would mean agreeing with Penelope, who hadn’t once glanced back at him on the long walk to the adult care home where Bobby lived.

And yet, despite the fact that the woman he was sleeping with was barely glancing his way, Cole was fucking loving every minute of this.

He couldn’t remember a day when he’d felt this whole. Ever.

He quickened his pace to catch up with them and Penelope gave him such a genuine, happy smile that he wanted to reach for her other hand.

Instead, he shoved his hands in his pockets.

The sky still looked like rain, but so far it had held off, and the late afternoon was unseasonably warm, making for a pleasant walk from the subway station back to Bobby’s place on the Lower East Side.

A couple minutes later, they were in front of Bobby’s group home.

Cole usually hated this part. Hated the empty feeling after Bobby went happily back to whatever he and his friends had planned for the evening, leaving Cole feeling a little hollow.

But tonight was different. Tonight, when Bobby dashed up the steps and gave one last wave before disappearing, Cole wouldn’t be left standing alone.

“It was nice to meet you, Penelope,” Bobby said.

“You too.”

“And I’m really sorry about the popcorn.”

She waved this away. “Don’t think a thing about it.”

Bobby nodded and smiled. “I’ll see you again soon?”

Cole’s heart broke a little at the sweet ignorance behind Bobby’s question, and started to save Penelope from having to answer, but she beat him to it.

“I’d like that.”

Cole glanced down at her sharply, looking for the lie behind her words, but saw only Penelope’s usual genuineness.

Bobby grinned happily and hugged a surprised Penelope before turning to Cole.

Cole hugged his brother, feeling the usual combination of love and guilt that happened whenever they said goodbye.

“I’ll see you soon, okay, Bobbo?” he said quietly.

“I know,” Bobby said, thumping Cole’s back twice and pulling back. “But now I have to go to my party.”

Cole smiled and allowed his brother to pull away. Bobby’s face was conflicted. “You can come to the party if you want, Cole. They’ll let you.”

“Nah, you go,” Cole said. “I’ve got things to do.”

“Like hang out with Penelope?”

Cole glanced down at the tiny brunette by his side. Her face was tilted up so he could see beneath the bill of her hat, and she wiggled her eyebrows playfully. She was also completely unperturbed by the butter splatters on her shirt and jeans.

“Yeah,” he heard himself say to his brother. “I’m going to hang out with Penelope.”

He watched as his brother bounded up the steps, turning back as he opened the front door and giving one last happy wave before disappearing.

Penelope started to turn away, but Cole held up a finger for her to wait. A moment later, the door opened again, and a friendly-looking woman with short black hair stuck her head out and gave Cole a wave.

“The residents are supposed to check in and out whenever they come and go. Bobby always forgets this, but he hates it when I baby him by walking him all the way inside. Gloria always watches for him.”

She nodded in understanding. “How long has he lived here?”

“Since I was twenty-five. After college I tried to have him live with me, but it just…he got bored when I was at work. He hates being alone. I hated having to put him in a group home, but—”

“Are you kidding?” Penelope said as they began walking. “He clearly loves it.”

“Yeah.” He swallowed. “Thanks for saying so.”

“This is so not my business, but are your parents in the picture?” she asked.