Free Delicious by Susan Mallery Page A

been caring and responsive and just adventurous enough to keep him guessing about what was going to happen next.
    “I think they both do it because they can,” she said. “I’m not sure Naomi’s ever met a guy who didn’t want her and Reid is just, well, Reid. Women flock to him.”
    “Not you.”
    “I know. I always saw him as a friend.”
    “And after we split up?”
    He’d wondered. Had his brother offered comfort?
    He’d told himself it wasn’t possible. That neither of them would do that to him. Except Reid didn’t play by the rules and Penny had wanted revenge.
    “Yuck,” Penny said, sounding both sincere and annoyed. “Why on earth would I sleep with your brother? It’s gross and tacky. It would be like you sleeping with Naomi.”
    “No, thanks.”
    “That’s my point. Besides, I wouldn’t have done that to you.”
    “Why? I thought you hated my guts.”
    “I did. But I didn’t want you punished.”
    He thought about the angry fights, the things she’d said to him. “Could have fooled me.”
    Penny put down her empty bowl. He hadn’t understood then and she doubted he would understand now, but she meant what she’d said. She didn’t want Cal punished—she’d wanted him to get it. She’d wanted him to love her enough to want to have a baby with her. She’d wanted them to be a family.
    Deep in her heart, she believed he loved her but with Gloria always ready to pounce at any sign of emotional weakness, he’d been afraid to show his tender side. Leaving had been a last-ditch attempt to get him to admit that she was important to him. The plan had backfired. Instead of coming after her, he had let her go and decided that being apart permanently was the best course for both of them.
    “It was three years ago,” she said. “Does it really matter now?”
    “Probably not. But speaking of the past, I heard an interesting story about you the other day.”
    Uh-oh. “From who?”
    “Gloria.”
    “Then it’s probably not true.”
    “She said you’d stabbed one of your cooks when he wouldn’t do what you said.”
    Penny laughed. “Actually, that is true.” She giggled at Cal’s shocked expression. “Well, sort of.”
    “What happened?”
    “This guy was bugging me. He didn’t like that I’d been promoted over him. You know how guys are in the kitchen. Every word is profane and it’s a giant power play. The guy had been backing me into the corner and touching me. I told him to stop it or I’d make him stop it.”
    She paused as Cal stiffened. “Don’t get all macho on me. I mean it. I took care of him.”
    “How?”
    There was anger in that word. His hands curled into fists and he looked ready to take on the world.
    His reaction was that of a man to a woman in jeopardy. She liked that he was still one of the good guys, even if he wasn’t good for her.
    “I didn’t exactly have a plan. One day I was cutting up chicken. Someone called to me. I turned, just as the guy moved close. I don’t think he meant to do anything. It was a small kitchen and really crowded. Anyway, I was holding the knife and someone bumped me from behind. I fell forward, so did the knife, which slid neatly between his ribs.”
    She shrugged. “I didn’t hit anything vital and even though I told the police it was an accident and everyone backed me up on that, all the guys in the kitchen thought I’d done it on purpose. Including him.”
    “What happened when he came back?”
    “He called me ma’am.”
    Cal grinned. “Good for you. Now you have a reputation for being a tough boss.”
    “Now I have a reputation for being a dangerous bitch who’ll take out your eye if you talk back to her. I like that. It makes my job easier. I wonder how Gloria heard about it?”
    “She hears everything.”
    “Ah. A network of spies to admire.”
    Penny was suddenly aware of the quiet of the evening. Except for the guy cleaning up the dining room they were alone. It was late, she was tired and that made her