Playing at Forever (28 page)

“Seriously, Tommy, it could have waited.”  This time he laughed, shaking his head. 

“There you go, always putting yourself second.  For once, Penny Lane, allow me to do things the
right
way.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“Family first.
 
Then
career.”  She thought back to her father’s words.  Had he spoken with Tommy? 

“But we’re not family anymore—”

“Oh, we most certainly are.  Have you received those divorce papers you left for me?” 

“No—”

“Then you’re still my wife.”  Penny rolled her eyes.

“I was never your wife, Tommy.  It was all just a charade.”

“No—it wasn’t.  And I have proof.”

“What are you talking about?”  He wasn’t making any sense. 

“That’s what I’m going to show you.” 

They pulled up to his house just a minute later and Tommy didn’t waste time allowing the chauffeur to open the door.  He was pulling her with him toward the house before Raul even stepped out of the car. 

“Sit.”  He commanded
,
pointing to the couch she had once fallen asleep on as they watched a movie. 

“Tommy…”

“Please, Penny.  Just sit there.”  He disappeared upstairs for a moment, returning with a DVD that he eagerly set up.  Was this some uncut version of
Fate
?  Was there something she’d missed? 

It wasn’t until the picture popped up on the screen that she figured out what it was. 

“Do you want to go first, or should I?”  Penny was asking him.  “Okay, I’ll go first.  I am marrying you, Tommy Davidson, because you are the only boy who has ever made me feel like I’m beautiful.  And because it was so hard for you to promise that you wouldn’t leave me again. 
And because…because I missed you.”

The video continued, this time Tommy speaking.  “I am marrying you, Penny Lane, because you are the only girl I have ever
really
loved.  And because, from the moment I saw you, I knew that I would never find someone better.”

The tears that had filled her eyes the moment she saw the two of them spilled over, trailing down her cheeks.  She watched as they married one another, both of them happier in that moment than they had ever been. 
We were drunk
, she told herself, but she knew that was only an excuse. 

She had really been happy that night. 

Finally, the video closed with two very simple statements. 

“I promise to tell you the truth, from now until forever.”  Penny closed her eyes now, knowing exactly why she would make such a promise then.  She had been lying to him for so long, claiming that there was nothing more between them than friendship and business.  She’d known it was more all along.

“And I promise to do everything in my power to make you happy.”  A few more tears slid down her cheeks as the video came to a close. 

“Why did you show me this?” 

“Because I think it’s about time we live up to our promises, Penny.”  He was suddenly kneeling down in front of her, taking her hands in his.  “You deserve nothing but happiness in this life, and I would love nothing more than to be the one to give that to you.  If signing those divorce papers will do that, then I will do it right now.  I have them right here—all it will take is a couple of signatures, and it will all be done.”

“Tommy—”

“But,” he paused, setting the papers on the couch beside her.  “I thought you should know that what I said in that video is true.  I have loved you for as long as I’ve known you.  I left you once because I was afraid.  Do you remember the last time I called you, after I left?”  Penny thought back, unable to recall the details.  “You told me you were going out with Kevin.  And I knew, in that moment, that I could never have you.  So I walked away.

“But I was selfish, and I couldn’t let you go.  When you came back into my life…”  Tommy closed his eyes.  “I’ve never felt happier than I was lying out there in the sand with you, Penny.  But I was still terrified.  Do you have any idea how amazing you are?  To even think that, on some level, I could call you mine…

“I was an idiot.  I pushed you away.  And I’m sorry.”  He reached out, brushing away her tears with his thumb.  “It’s tough, losing the love of your life.  It’s even harder when it happens twice.” 

She recalled his father saying those words. 

“Now, follow through with your end of the bargain, Penny.  Tell me the truth.”

“I can’t,” she whispered, shaking her head. 

“Please,” he pleaded with her.

Finally, she closed her eyes. 

“You broke my heart, Tommy.  Not once, but twice.”  He looked away, the vigor in his eyes suddenly disappearing. 

“But I’ve come to realize two things.  First,” she took his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eye.  “It’s all about quality.” 

Penny couldn’t help but to laugh at his expression, his eyes growing wide and confused.  “You may have broken my heart, but you have given me love, Tommy Davidson.
You
have made me happy.”

“And what’s the second thing?” 

“The second thing is very, very simple.”  She leaned forward, touching her lips to his—her tears forgotten, the walls around her heart nothing but dust.  “There isn’t another person on this planet that I enjoy kissing more than I enjoy kissing you.”

This time, Tommy chuckled, taking her into his arms and kissing her exactly the way a man in love with his wife would do.

“I love you, Mr. Davidson.”

“And I love you, Mrs. Davidson.”

Michelle Brewer has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember, and it was her love of reading that led her to want to become a writer.  She lives in Michigan with her husband of three years and their one-year old son, with whom she loves spending her free time.