First Time: Penny's Story (First Time (Penny) Book 1) by Abigail Barnette

Author:Abigail Barnette [Barnette, Abigail]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

As much as I would have liked to spend the day with Ian, I felt the kind of thoroughly gross that only a shower at home and clean clothes of my own could fix. Instead of asking him to drive me, I made up an excuse about needing to swing by the office for something and took the train.

My phone rang its generic ringtone as I climbed the steps from the subway. My heart dropped into my stomach at the picture of my parents that popped up on the screen.

“Hello?” I answered as I reached the sidewalk.

“I’ve been trying to reach you all morning,” my mother said, sounding put out, as always, that I’d been momentarily unavailable to her. “I saw your Facebook status about Brad. Why didn’t you call us?”

Because it’s taken you five months to call me. The last time we’d spoken had been the week before Brad and I had broken up.

“I guess I’ve just been really busy. But I’m fine, don’t worry about me—”

“How could I not worry about you?” Mother said with a heavy sigh. “You’re twenty-two, Penny. Tick-tock.”

Sometimes, I felt like my parents thought we were living in an actual Jane Austen novel.

“I know. But I am seeing someone else now. He’s an architect.” That was going to be my golden ticket, right there. Dating a good guy with a steady income.

“An architect?” I heard the caution in mother’s voice. “They don’t make very much money, do they?”

“He does,” I assured her. “He owns his own company. He’s, um, a lot older than me.”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that, if he can give you a secure future. God knows you won’t have one working as a secretary. And you certainly weren’t having much luck with men your age.” Mother laughed. “I’m so relieved. When I read about Brad, I thought, oh, Penny, here we go again.”

My stomach always hurt when I talked to my parents.

“Well, I’m calling because your father is speaking at a symposium in the city in two weeks. It’s on a Saturday, but we would love to have dinner with you on Friday night.” There was no suggestion that maybe I would have plans or anything. Then she said the words I didn’t know I’d been dreading: “You could bring your new boyfriend.”

“Oh. Um.” I reached into my purse for my keys as I neared my building. “You know, it’s kind of new—”

“Excellent. I’ll tell your father. Will you be able to pick a suitable restaurant? I don’t want a disaster like the last time.” She chuckled, but the last restaurant we’d gone to had seemed totally suitable to me. I’d have to try harder to find someplace impressive enough.

“Yeah, I’ll find someplace.” I would ask Ian. He would know better restaurants than I would.

Oh god. I would have to ask Ian. To dinner. With my parents.

Mother and I hung up with our usual sign-off, which consisted of her saying goodbye and ending the call before I could respond. It used to bother me.

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