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Penelope jerked her head up, finding a group of six people standing around her She didn’t recognize any of theirl who showed up to River Rock would’ve juh her embarrassment, but that seemed i but trouble, a hassle to anyone she cares about

“You were so aweso her ar next to her

They looked around Penelope’s age,“Thanks I have a special talent when it coh heels”

The group laughed

“Up for so at Penelope like she was on thein here, then heading over to Kinky Spurs”

Kinky Spurs—the bar where she’d gotten in trouble, where all this began

The e in deep into her bones She wasn’t this woman Darryl made her believe she could be And maybe it was time they both realized that “I doubt I’ll leave with you,” she said, pushing off the hay bale, sliding back into her high heels “But the drinks sound like exactly what I need”

Darryl finished handing out the final gift then set the Santa bag onto the table next to hi fun, dancing and drinking, and celebrating Christrand style It occurred to Darryl that for all the trouble he thought Penelope was going to be for hiht with his bosses than he could have put his safe, but das up these past couple days with her

He liked this life Going back to a world without Penelope in it didn’t appeal in the least Now he siet her to see that her place was here, with him

“Darryl”

Soh the crowd, and when he heard his na her way through the people and waving at him

He met her halfway

“You have to helpreally bad happens,” she said when she reached him

“Of course,” he said “What do you need?”

She grabbed the sleeve of his Santa suit and weaved hih the dancefloor full of people Sohty Santa, but Darryl stayed focused on Maisie as she led hiot there, he understood the problem immediately