A Penny for Your Thoughts Read Online Free Page A

happened to her since they’d been together. It seemed likely he’d never even missed her...not like she had him. But then, she’d always known she was the one who was the most “in love” in their relationship.
    She cleared her throat and repeated the story.
    “And you don’t think this could have been some kind of prank?”
    Penny shrugged, unable to shake her disappointment at the impersonal tone of the meeting she’d dreamed about for years. She had expected more.
    “I don’t know. Could be. He knew my name though. I don’t know anyone who would call and threaten me like that.”
    “What about...” Matt’s green eyes softened, and he hesitated. “What about Travis...or a friend of his?”
    Penny grimaced at the thought. She shook her head vehemently. “Travis wouldn’t do something like that...not after...” She bit her lip before she said too much. “Well, he just wouldn’t, that’s all. Besides, he’s got a girlfriend now. He’s way too busy to waste his time playing practical jokes on his mother.”
    Matt nodded understanding.
    “A girlfriend! I can’t believe he’s that old. What is he doing now?”
    Penny beamed. “He’s staying with his father now, going to college in Los Angeles, in love.”
    “Good. That’s a good place to be,” Matt murmured.
    “In Los Angeles?”
    “No, that’s not what I meant.” He flashed her one of his engaging smiles before dropping his gaze to the statement dangling limply from his fingers.
    The phone rang, and he leaned over to pick it up.
    “Chief Williams.”
    While he was on the phone, Penny watched him like a schoolgirl worshiping her favorite football hero. He seemed so businesslike and confident. He’d certainly grown up in the intervening years, even if she apparently had not.
    She searched his desk for photos, clues to his present life, but nothing personal presented itself. Mounds of paper covered each side of the wooden surface.
    “Yup, okay! Let me know. Yeah... Bye!”
    Penny raised her eyes to Matt’s as he put down the phone and looked at her.
    “Sorry about that.” He pushed the statement form across the desk toward her. “So, I guess you’d better fill one of these things out, or Patty will have my head.” His infectious grin brought a smile to her face. He handed Penny his pen.
    She leaned on the desk and bent her head to the paper, hoping her hands wouldn’t shake. She had no idea what he was doing, but she heard no sounds, and she desperately hoped he wasn’t watching her. Her hand jerked mercilessly across the paper.
    “Umm...Penny...I was wondering. Have you eaten yet? Would you like to get some dinner? You know...catch up?”
    Penny’s eyes flew to Matt’s. He smiled sheepishly, but his mouth drooped on meeting her eyes. He pushed his chair back restlessly.
    “Oh, man, I didn’t even think. Are you...?” He ran his fingers through his thick dark hair. “Are you married now? I can’t believe I didn’t ask.”
    Penny burst out laughing. The panic in his eyes was nothing compared to her own anxiety.
    “No, no, not me. Nope. Not once.”
    He leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “You haven’t married? In all these years?”
    Penny’s face flamed. She tightened her lips.
    “Well, no.” She dropped her eyes to the statement and concentrated on the task at hand. How humiliating! Didn’t he realize she’d been busy dancing with movie stars and dining with princes? Or had she been dining with movie stars and dancing with princes?
    She tried to concentrate on the statement, this time fully aware he watched her. She had to scratch the word “dinner” out once. Penny had hardly forgotten his unexpected invitation. Wasn’t he involved with someone? How could such a handsome man be available?
    She kept her eyes on the paper and forced herself to slide her pen across the paper. Chances were if he was unattached, it was for the same reasons he’d always been truly unavailable. And she had never figured those