One Penny: A Marked Heart Novel
they just plain disapproved of Liv. As far as the older members of her family were concerned, especially Penny's mom Sarah, the men in the family could pretty much do whatever they wanted. They were boys. But God forbid if one of the girls step out of line.
    Liv was laughing as she made her way to the couch.
    "Don't let me stop you from shakin' that big ol' Irish bootie."
    Penny laughed back before correcting, "My bootie's not big but it is very Irish."
    "Neighbor boy Lurker seemed to enjoy it," she shared.
    Practically jumping on top of Liv, Penny hopped onto the couch.
    "He was watching me? How? Was he smiling? Did it look like he was going to knock on the door and say hi? Or did he seem..."
    "Whoa there! Somethin' going on with you and Lurker?"
    Penny slid back and leaned her head against the back couch cushions, saying, "I'm trying to make friends with him."
    Slapping her hands together, Liv blurted, "Ha!" before saying, "You are something else, Penny."
    "I baked him muffins all last week and the most I got was a 'Thanks' but..."
    Liv's eyes grew wide at Penny as she interrupted her questioning, "You did what now?"
    With an eye roll as she sighed, Penny explained, "I was trying to be friendly so we could be friends. I baked muffins every morning last week and when he came out to go to work I gave them to him."
    "A...."
    "Stop looking at me like that!"
    Taking a deep breath, Liv shared, "I'm sorry but no one does that. Unless, they're trying to poison someone."
    Sitting up straight, Penny gasped, "Oh my gosh!" before asking, "Do you think I should go tell him they're not poisoned?"
    Laughing Liv said, "No!"
    "Why are you laughing? I don't want him to start thinking I'm crazy! I was going to do cinnamon rolls this week."
    Shaking her head at Penny, Liv replied, "You are so sweet and silly. Everyone should get to have you in their life, but he may not want to be friends."
    "He wants to be friends, I know it. It's just he doesn't know it yet."
    "Just promise you'll stop before you start baking cookies with his face on them."
    Penny nodded with a smile. Maybe wooing someone into friendship with baked goods wasn't a common thing but maybe if people did things like that more often, everyone would be happier.

 
    Six
    Thankfully Seth had the good sense to stop by the grocery store on his way home from work Friday. He couldn't bring himself to step foot out of his apartment after his run Saturday afternoon. He'd laid in bed all day Sunday with a bag of chips and a jug of water thinking of reasons to move. Then he started making a mental list as to why he should have never moved there in the first place. That led to Seth questioning why the universe hated him enough to place him right next door to the only person, other than his father, that could bring an anxiety attack on just by thinking about her.
    Reaching out, for the third time, to open his door, Seth drew in a deep breath and then exhaled leaning his forehead against the door instead of opening it. Surely Penny wouldn't be out there today. There was no doubt in his mind that Liv went straight inside and told her he was watching her through the window.
    He had already embarrassed himself enough with her, in one of the most humiliatingly regretful experiences of his life. Now if he gathered the courage to talk to her what was he supposed to say? 'Hey, you know how I took you out that time, didn't speak to you and wouldn't sit next to you? Then had all my classes switched around so I wouldn't have to be anywhere near you? Well, good news neighbor! Now I just peer at you through open windows like a perv'.
    The truth was, it had taken Seth nearly the entire school year to work up the courage to go up to Penny and ask her out. He couldn't believe it when she said yes. The night of their date, she looked so pretty in her little yellow sundress. When she smiled and held his hand, it was like holding fresh air and sunshine.
    Then her two older brothers walked in and said they needed
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