Penelope shut the door. “You’re not,” she confirmed for Lincoln. “They came out to offer moral support in the wake of your best friend being a total jerk.”

Lincoln winced. “I figured it was something like that. Although he’s not returning any of our calls. Jake said his brother had been in an accident, but none of us can get details.”

Penelope studied Lincoln. Saw the concern for his friend that wasn’t quite disguised by Lincoln’s ever-present smile.

“His brother’s okay,” she said, even though it wasn’t her news to tell. “He’s banged up and has a broken leg, but it could have been much worse.”

Lincoln breathed out a sigh of relief. “Thanks for telling me. I don’t know why that fool thinks he has to keep secrets….”

Penelope smiled gently. “Right. Because you’re an open book, hmm?”

Lincoln’s head snapped back just slightly, and his blue eyes went guarded as he studied her.

Yup. Lincoln Mathis definitely had secrets. Ones that were far darker than Cole being overprotective of his brother.

She inwardly sighed. Men and their secrets.

Janie and her mother were still staring at Lincoln.

“You came to check on your friend?” Janie said. “Now that is a legit bromance.”

He winked at Janie. “Actually, my concern is more for his brother and Penelope. As far as I’m concerned, Cole is being a moron.”

“That’s true,” Penelope muttered.

He turned to face her, his eyes gentling. “What happened?”

She shrugged. “The usual dude thing. He pushed me away when I got too close.”

“Idiot.”

She gave a weak smile. “Totally.”

“Have you figured out your plan yet?”

“Nuh-uh,” Janie said, stepping forward. “Penelope is not the one who needs a plan. He’s the one who messed up.”

“I know that, pet,” Lincoln replied smoothly. “But Cole is…well, a guy. If we want him to come to his senses, we’re going to have to tread carefully. Handle this exactly right, you know?”

“What are you thinking?” Penelope’s mother asked, crossing her arms over her chest and giving Lincoln a suspicious look.

Penelope smiled. Apparently even Lincoln’s good looks weren’t enough to hold off the fierceness of a mother cub for her wounded cub.

Lincoln never took his eyes off Penelope. “Well, it all depends on Penelope.”

Her smile slipped at the uncharacteristic seriousness in his gaze. “What do you mean, it depends on me?”

“It’s simple, love. Before we go even a step forward, I need to know one thing. Do you love him enough to want him back, even though he’s been a complete fool?”

Penelope sucked in a breath, the bluntness of the question taking her breath away just slightly.

On one hand, her chest literally ached every time she remembered how much it had hurt when he pushed her away. To remember the flatness of his eyes, and the ease with which he could throw away everything they had had, the second life got a little bit difficult.

On the other hand…

A montage of Cole flitted through her mind. Him buying her that damn Mets cap. The way he’d die for his brother. The way he loved his job but would never let it rule his life the way Evan had.

The way he’d looked at her as though she were everything.

The way he’d wanted her just the way she was. The way he’d seen what nobody else had seen.

He’d seen her.

He’d wanted her.

And though the stubborn ass might not be ready to admit it, he cared for her. She was positive.

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “Of course I love him enough to want him back.”

“Excellent,” Lincoln said with a wide smile that had her mother and sister sighing all over again as he shrugged out of his suit jacket. “So, here’s how I’m thinking we play it…”

Chapter 28

THREE WEEKS LATER

“Hey, hold the door, please!”

Cole half jogged the last couple of steps to the elevator door just as a hand slid between the closing doors, triggering the sensors so that the door opened again.

“Thanks,” he said as he stepped into the elevator. His smile froze halfway to formation when he saw who’d held the door for him.

“Hey, Cole!”

“Penelope.” He forced his smile to completion, if only to match her casual happiness. It’s what they did now. An awful lot of forced. At least on his part.

It had been nearly a month since the day of Bobby’s accident. Three and a half long weeks since he’d last kissed her. Held her.

It would have been easier if she’d given him the cold shoulder. If she’d gone all icy-cool and distant. It’s what every other woman he knew would have done.

But Penelope wasn’t every other woman.

He didn’t know if it was because they had to work together, or if it was because she was just ridiculously decent, but she was every bit as friendly to him now as she’d been since the very first day she’d met him.

Of course, there were slight differences.

She didn’t meet his eyes anymore. Sure, she came close—he was sure other people didn’t notice the way her eyes would sort of stop just shy of his when they were talking to each other in a meeting.

But he noticed. He felt it.

She also didn’t touch him. Not ever.

She’d playfully sock Lincoln in the arm, or give Jake a high five, but she steered clear of Cole.

But she still greeted him every morning. Still popped into his office unexpectedly, even invited him to lunch a couple of times. Or, like now, she was chatting on about their upcoming meeting with the Web team as though nothing had happened between them.

As though they hadn’t been lovers. As though he hadn’t ruthlessly dumped her on a Manhattan sidewalk outside a fucking hospital.

“Cole?”

“Yeah.”

She gave him a confused smile. “Did you hear anything I just said?”

“Sorry,” he said, clearing his throat. “Guess I was distracted.”

She nodded, understanding as ever. “How are things? Bobby’s still on the mend?”

Damn it, Tiny, stop being so goddamn sweet after I treated you like garbage.

“Yeah, he’s good,” Cole replied. “Bruises have faded almost completely. The cast holds him up some, but he’s gotten the hang of crutches. And turns out his new lady love has been quite the doting little nurse.”

Penelope smiled. “Carly?”

“Yeah. She’s sweet.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to suggest that Penelope should meet her sometime, but of course she wouldn’t.

And whose fault is that, fuckwad? Cole barely flinched as his subconscious scolded him. He’d grown used to it.

The elevator opened on their floor and Cole stepped aside so Penelope could exit first.

They walked side by side toward their respective offices, together, but not.

The separation made every part of Cole hurt, and he didn’t have the faintest clue what to do about it.

“Hey, Penelope.”

She paused as she unlocked her office door and looked up. “Hmm?”

I miss you. I want you back. I’m so fucking sorry.

“Do you think you could email me those mock-ups you’re working on? They’re better than mine, so I’m thinking we should just submit yours at the meeting today.”

“Sure thing.” She flashed him another easy smile and went into her office, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Cole stood there for several seconds, staring at her door, wanting to walk in but not knowing what to say.

Lincoln appeared at his side, chewing one of his disgusting power bars. “This is getting pathetic, dude.”

“Shut up,” Cole growled, half walking, half marching toward his own office.

Lincoln, being Lincoln, didn’t take the hint and fell into step beside him. “Nobody blames you that you screwed it up. I mean, we all expected it.”