BREAKING POINT

She had turned him down. And it wasn’t the first time. A week had passed since then, and maybe she was over thinking, but she beginning to feel him withdrawing from her and she couldn’t blame him. It was never her intention to hurt him, and even now with Jeremy gone, she didn’t think she was brave enough to take that step with anyone. She wasn’t even sure if she would be able to open herself and her heart to anyone else.

She looked at Howard. He had finished feeding. She lifted him up-right and began to rub his back to burp him, tilting her head so that she could feel his hair against her cheek. Despite the weariness that was coming back in a tidal wave and the fact that life had just thrown her another rather dramatic curveball, she found herself singing softly.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Sleepyhead, close your eyes, for I’m right beside you…

—————-

Joey could hear the song well before he reached the kitchen. The house was so quiet, you could just about hear a mouse scratching in the pantry at this time of night.

Penny had a beautiful voice. He recognized the tune, of course. Who hadn’t heard that old lullaby that seemed to be part of every mobile that new parents hung over a baby’s bassinet?

He had rushed back to his room to do nothing but splash some water on his face. He didn’t want to feel this way anymore. Craving a woman who would never be his. She had turned him down yet again. He’d decided that maybe it would easier to move on if he kept his distance, but he still had to see her everyday, although their talks and time they spend together was reduced.

He still felt so strongly for her. Could never see her as just a friend. He realized that when he’d seen Penny beginning  to feed her baby.

And now it was happening again, as he listened to the soft sound of her song.

There was something about this particular woman and child that touched a part of him. Something about this woman that made him love everything about her. Made him want to protect her. To have her. He would do anything for her.

He was an adult. He was successful in his field and if he got this promotion, it would be a huge step up for him. He had a lot going on and he couldn’t afford to let anyone or anything distract him.

He would focus his energy on his job then. He had a chance to get that. It was better than thinking about things that were impossible for him to have.

Like a family…

He wanted one. He wanted one…. With Penny… And little Howard. Hell, he already considered them family. Sometimes you just can’t get everything you want. He wondered if a relationship with Penny was one of those.

Had it been a mistake for he and Audrey to let Penny into their home? Of course it wasn’t. He would never regret helping Penny.

Ah well…it was only for a little while now. He had already made up his mind to move out soon. He was actually looking around for a house. Maybe when he did move out, he’d be able to put Penny out of his thoughts once and for all.

Taking a deep breath, he entered the kitchen

Penny stopped singing as soon as she saw him come into the room and she was well covered so it was easy to sound perfectly relaxed.

“Ermmm, I’m sorry I had to run off like that” he began. “I just… Remembered something and I had to go check out”

“It’s alright” Penny replied, cradling Howard’s head. He was asleep now. “I hope everything is okay?”

“Yeah. Yes, it’s all good” Joey replied hastily.

She stood up. “I better go put Howie down and get some sleep. You should too”

He nodded, “I will soon” he replied.

“I’m sorry I didn’t take the tea anymore” she said while he grinned at her. “And thanks, Joey… For…”

She looked as if she had a whole bunch of things she wanted to say but couldn’t de-cide where to begin. The way her gaze slid away from his suggested embarrassment.

“For everything.” she said. “For everything you’ve done for Howard and I”

Man…those eyes…that smile…and that little wobble in her voice that told him how much this meant to her.

What was it about Penny Hampson that seemed so astonishingly different from any woman he had ever met?

He found himself willing her to look back and catch his gaze again. He wanted to smile back at her.

No. What he really wanted to do was gather her into his arms and just hold her. To assure her that she could always count on him. That he could make her happy again.

Okay. That wasn’t entirely true, either.

He wanted… He wanted…to kiss her.

He and Audrey had let her stay in their home in the wake of a personal disaster. Of course she was grateful. Somehow he felt like he was taking advantage of that and the thought was appalling.

She said she wasn’t ready. That what she needed right now was a friend. The last thing she needed in her life at the moment was someone hitting on her.

A very long time ago Joey had made a promise to the amazing woman who’d chosen to become his mother that he would always strive to be the best person that he could possibly be, however hard that was.

Maybe putting Penny completely off limits wasn’t going to be so hard because it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. He just had to focus on letting her go. They were never going to be a thing.

Joey turned away. “Sleep well, Penny” he said softly.

————-

He’d gone crazy. Penny thought.

But Penny had been forced to stop trying to moderate Joey’s behaviour thirty minutes ago.

“We’ll talk about that later,” he’d said, with a hint of impatience at having to repeat himself so often. “Stop worrying, Penny-I’ve got this.”

He leaned closer so that he could whisper in her ear. “To tell you the truth, I’m actually having fun…. All the time, it’s work… work… work… This is fun for me somehow. I want to do something different”

The glint in his eyes told her that he meant what he said. The low growl of his voice so close to her ear that it tickled made Penny feel as if something were melting deep inside her.