Page 41 of Cinder
“Ready, Red?” he asks her casually, but the look he gives her is anything but.
Frankie rolls her eyes, but she’s already sliding off the stool.
“I live here now,” she tells me.
“And she’s not leaving,” Mason says easily.
“Don’t make it weird.” Frankie nudges him in the ribs before turning back to me. “See you around, Penny.”
Her fingers brush briefly against my arm before Mason steers her toward the door.
“Night,” I call after them.
Chip disappears into the back room, muttering about inventory, and Gwen starts stacking some fresh glasses.
“You walking?” she asks without looking up.
“To the motel?
“Yeah.”
“Text when you get there.”
She slides a napkin toward me with her number already written down. I smile softly, gently folding the napkin up and popping it into my pocket.
“You sure you won’t need me longer?”
“Nah. Kitchen’s closed now, so it’s just drinks, which is manageable.”
“Okay.” I nod goodbye, then I pull my jacket on and step outside.
It’s only just past eight, but the sky’s fully dark with that kind of inky tone that feels deeper because there aren’t many streetlights. My eyes catch on the town’s clock tower glowing in the next block, and I stare at it for a beat before taking a couple steps forward.
Then I hear footsteps behind me. Quick ones.
“Penny!”
I turn to see Elle jogging toward me, Evan a few steps behind her with Gus on the leash.
“I forgot to say goodnight,” she says breathlessly.
“Well, we can’t have that. I would’ve turned into a pumpkin.”
She giggles, then throws her arms around my waist without hesitation. I hug her back, my palms resting gently around her shoulders, as Evan stops just close enough to reach her if needed.
“Goodnight, Penny.” She presses her face into my sweater for a second, and when she pulls back, I notice the flecks of gold in her hair.
“Goodnight, Elle.”
She pulls back with a grin, then turns to grab Gus’s collar and whisper something into his fur.
Evan looks at me, the streetlight catching one side of his face.
“You walking?”
“Yeah, to Maplewood Motel.”
He glances once at the dark stretch of road toward the motel, then back at me.
