"Penny, what do you even need a recipe book for anyway? When was the last time you even cooked?" complained Max. Penny was dragging him around a book store looking at the multitude of cooking books.
"I won't be cooking, dummy but I want people to think I do. I saw this woman's kitchen on TV and she had the most awesome bookshelf, in her kitchen" she paused to gage Max's reaction. "In her kitchen!" she repeated for emphasis.
"You don't even read Pen"
Penny mumbled something under her breath ignoring him.
"So I need some books for my new bookshelf. Just look for ones with really cool spines" and she waltzed down the back of the shop. Slowly running her fingers along the spines and not aware of the man standing next to her until her fingers touched his "Oh sorry" she laughed looking into the eyes of Grant.
"Oh it's you, hey; wow you're back, how are you?" Grant smiled giving Penny a hug
"Hi Penny, So in order, Yes it's me, Hi, Yes I'm back and just for the weekend. I think that's everything." He smirked.
Penny laughed a little embarrassed "So why so short a visit?"
"Work thing, they let me out for the weekend" he joked
"So thinking of cooking"? Grant asked. Penny seemed confused "What?"She mumbled. Grant pointed at the cookbooks
"Oh yes just a little dinner party to throw together" she lied. She had no idea why but she liked to try to impress Grant
"Wow I'm impressed so tell me, what's your specialty?" In a panic Penny glanced at the first book she could lay her eyes on entitled 'Seventy Soufflé Dishes'
"Soufflé, it's my most praised dish" she smiled sheepishly. "Really?" asked Grant sussing that Penny could be telling a little white lie.
She laughed knowing she'd been rumbled "Alright, I can't cook. I just want a book that will look pretty on my new bookshelf"
Grants eyes lit up "Oh my god were you watching the show with the woman's amazing kitchen?"
"Yes, FINALLY someone who gets it, I was just telling M.." Penny stopped short from mentioning Max's name. They both looked a little awkward and looked at the books.
Penny spoke "So how long are we gonna not talk about what we should talk about? Grant looked at his shoes and said nothing.
"Max is here with me, let me go get him" Grant shook his head "I don't think so Penny. I don't think he'd want to see me". Penny grabbed Grant's arm as if making sure he couldn't escape. "No, he does, he really misses you"
Grant looked sad and serious "It would just be too awkward Penny, for everyone, but look give me a call anytime it's been great to see you" Penny reached out and took his hand "Please Grant, can I at least give him a message?"
Grant nods "Tell him, tell him I miss him too" Squeezing Penny's hand he turns around and walks out of the store.
Back at Penny's apartment and under the pretext that she needed a second opinion about how her new 'kitchen bookshelf' looked. Max lay down on the couch and turned on the TV. Busily clicking through the channels while Penny made coffee she decided to tell Max what had happened at the bookstore, she took a deep breath and tried to sound as casual as possible.
"So Max guess who I ran into in the bookstore?" Max keeping his eyes on the TV answered sarcastically "The guy who runs the bookstore"
Ignoring his comment she continued on "No stupid, it was Grant"
Not a word from Max while Penny held her breath. She rushed around to the couch and sat down. "He's only here for the weekend". Still there was no response from Max continuing to flick through the channels on the TV.
"He'd wanted me to tell you he really misses you"
Penny grabbed the remote out of Max's hand "Max! You guys should at least talk, you didn't even break up. You're on a break, remember". Max turned to look at Penny
"I know, I really want to see him but if it's only for the weekend what's the point"
"The point is you both miss each other, you're miserable"
"I'm not miserable!" exclaimed Max
"Oh come on you only had one Dinner yesterday and no desert. You even started cleaning. In Max's world I'd say that's being miserable"
Max shrugged and Penny put her arm around his shoulder "I could call him to arrange a time" she smiled hopefully.
Max smiled back and rolled his eyes "Fine, you know if you concentrated this much on your own love life..." Penny stopped Max's teasing by pulling his hair and got up off to the couch and back to admire her kitchen.
Dave reached into the fridge for a bottle of beer turning to continue watching Max pacing the floor for the umpteenth time.
"Dude would you just stand still for a second, you're making me seasick" Max stopped immediately staring at Dave with a mixture of anxiety and annoyance on his face.
"This is totally Penny's fault. What was she thinking? HUH?" Max cryptically asked Dave.
Dave looked perplexed "Max chill..."
Max pointed at Dave "Don't say it, Dude"
Dave shrugged and was relieved to see Penny come through to door "Hey losers, what's up?"
"Will you please tell Max to calm down" pleaded Dave
Penny opened her mouth to answer when a knock at the door stopped her.
Everyone looked to Max, taking a deep breath he moved toward the door and opened it. Butterflies started in Max's stomach the moment he saw Grant and immediately felt how much he wanted to reach out to Grant to hug him tightly but instead he stood still, dumbstruck.
Grant smiled "Hey Max".