A/N: The only true apology is changed behavior. I'm sorry to have left this story unfinished for so long.
To make amends, I will be finishing up the story in anticipation of Romantasy Book Con this weekend. As I mentioned in other stories, I have been hard at work on original fiction pieces. I can now be found on wattpad as ZamoraWritez.
I hope you enjoy the update and the ending. I apologize if everything seems different. My writer's voice has changed quite a bit and I hope it's for the better.Please re-read the last chapter, as I have updated it just a tiny bit.
xoxa AR Zamora ( I own nothing related to BBT!)
Mary Cooper stood in front of the kitchen window, chopping potatoes into cubes roughly. Every few minutes, she looked out the window into the driveway expectantly. When she finished the current russet root vegetable, she picked up and slid it into one of many nearby pots, pans and bowls containing potatoes in a variety of cuts.
Behind her Missy wandered in with a food stained tank top and cut off shorts, a baby on her hip.
"Geeze, mom, do you think you got enough potatoes," Missy asked sarcastically.
"Potato salad, scalloped, mashed, wedges and fries," Mary says, pivoting around and pointing at the piles in turn.
"Are you gonna make sweet potato fries, I don't like russet," Missy asked, mischievously.
Mary's eyes narrowed in her daughter's direction.
Missy went on taking the hint that this wasn't a time to play with fire, "What's got you all potato ready, anyway, the barbecue isn't until tomorrow."
"Well I can't have everything cooking at once, can I," Mary replied.
"Are you in charge of providing potatoes for the whole block?" Missy asked incredulously.
"No, but I want to make sure everyone is in a good and distracted by food this year."
Missy chuckled bouncing her baby on her hip, "Why, it's not like Shelly is comin'."
Mary began taking a knife to another potato. "He just landed. Your brother went to get him."
"How did you manage that?" Missy demanded of her mother.
Sheldon had not attended a summer block party since he came back from his second PhD quarter and all the local moms began pushing their daughters to introduce themselves. They all quickly learned that the only way to a match with the up and coming prodigy was by sitting through a lecture series on German physics breakthroughs. Since then he had managed to dodge the event.
With a few more dices, Mary finally said, "Technically, I didn't invite him, I invited Penny."
"Oh, good!" Missy said lighting up. "Poor thing broke up with Leonard again and he wasted no time getting with that girl who was helping Shelly. I knew I didn't trust her. Redhead and a Capricorn."
Missy said this last with vindictiveness before letting her son wriggle free and wander towards the toys in the corner of the room where his brother was already playing.
"Sheldon and Amy also ended their relationship agreement. Can you believe the timing?"
"How did you know that?" Missy asked.
"I'm still logged into his DocuSign on my laptop."
The guilty look on Mary's face nearly made Missy grin. All should beware modern meddling mamas.
The sound of a car door had them looking out the window at the truck that had just deposited a gleeful Christine that waved back to George before heading into the house. The front door was heard and the dark haired woman slipped into the kitchen.
"Mary you didn't tell me she was pretty," Christine said, emphasis obvious.
"Why wouldn't she be," Missy asked not entirely sure she liked the insinuation.
Mary gave Missy the standard 'play nice' look.
"When you said Shelly was bringing his girlfriend, I expected a mousy brainy type, not a bright eyed vixen. And you should've heard her giving Sheldon what-for in the car a few times."
Missy was scowling now. Christine caught the look before saying, "Well, I'll go help George.
"Maybe I should go to," Mary said removing her apron.
"Mom, what does she mean Shelly's girlfriend? What did you say to her?"
"I'm sure I paused between 'girl' and 'friend' when I sent George out," Mary said, fixing her hair and not quite meeting her daughter's eyes.
"You know how Sheldon feels about you fixing him up! And you dragged poor Penny into it?" Missy accused.
"I'm not fixing him up, I'm letting nature take its course. You know how those two dance around each other. He's been working so hard, he deserves a distraction."
Missy folded her arms, "Sheldon has plenty of distractions, mama. Let him make that decision for himself. If he sets his mind on something he gets it."
Mary wasnt listening anymore but looking out the window, a slow grin lighting up her features.
"I'll say," Mary said.
Leaning down to see where Mary had been looking she saw Sheldon helping Penny out of George's lifted truck. When she jumped down she stumbled into him slightly and their eyes locked. To anyone else it would look like a simple exchange. The shorter blonde wrapped her arms around the man's waist and held for a moment looking up in shy adoration before righting herself. As the two headed towards the bed of the truck Missy caught the subtle hand Sheldon placed against Penny's lower back. It was so unlike Sheldon Missy was openly staring.
"Well, I'll be... What did you do, mama?"
"I haven't done a thing except invite Penny to the family barbecue at exactly the right time."
With that Mary left Missy to scoop up her toddler and head out the door.
"Put that case down and give your momma a hug!" Mary said loudly across the lawn.
Penny and Sheldon both put distance between themselves like guilty teenagers. They had both completely forgotten about being in full view of others.
Dropping the case promptly and moving forward he embraced the small brunette. After a few moments clamping her son in a hug Mary turned to invite Penny into a similar crushing embrace. Penny accepted it, smiling over the woman's shoulder.
"How was your trip?" Mary asked, releasing Penny.
"It was fine until I met George and he told me my careful plans had been thwarted. I'm used to you making travel arrangements on my behalf, but not cancelling them," Sheldon said, eyeing his mother with suspicion.
"I didn't want you to be stuck in a hotel with a bunch of strangers." Mary was the image of innocence.
"I hope you're not suggesting Penny and I stay here." The very thought of trying to navigate the social environment of having a potential partner in his mother's home was making his eye twitch.
"No, don't be silly, there's no room here," Mary waved it away. "I made arrangements for you to stay in the boat house by the lake."
"If I had known that I would've taken them straight there," George said a minor grumble in his voice.
"Well, pardon me for wanting to see my son as soon as he landed," Mary said, giving her eldest a reproachful look.
"The boat house? Meemaws boat house?" Sheldon asked.
"Yea! George fixed it up to rent out as one of those air bed and breakfasts."
Penny was going to point out that it was just "BNB" but she was fighting down nerves. Besides, Mary looked too much like a proud mama and Penny knew better than to deflate her excitement. Luckily a newcomer arrived interjecting.
"It doesn't even look like the dilapidated shack we spent summers in as kids," Missy said, sidling up with one toddler on her hip and holding the other by the hand.
"Missy!" Penny exclaimed, moving to embrace her before Sheldon could.
"Well, I hope so, but I'll have to inspect it first," Sheldon said.
"What, you don't trust my craftsmanship?" George asked mildly offended.
Sheldon gave him a sizing look. "Your handiwork is fine, it's your mathematics I distrust."
"It was good enough for the city engineers," George rebutted folding his arms.
"'Good enough' is the lowest bar you can set for yourself," Sheldon narrowed at his brother's comments. "Aim higher."
"Can I get rid of him now?" George grumbled.
"Well, okay, but make sure you two are back at dinner time," Mary said to Penny. "That way you can all get settled in."
"We never picked up a rental car," Penny pointed out to Sheldon.
Sheldon's reply got lost as he watched her balance his nephew on a hip. She looked every bit as though she was right where she belonged. She didn't even bat an eye when the other twin began pulling on her arm. Penny just waited patiently for him to speak. A thought entered his mind surprising him. She was acting as a social buffer and making this entire trip not only bearable, but almost… fun.
"I can take you to the rental car place," Christie offered when Sheldon didn't speak. "There's one on the way there."
"Wonderful!" Mary said. "I'll see you two for dinner. George, you can help me set up the tables."
"Missy is here, can't she help?"
"Sure and you can watch the twins," Missy offered George with a brilliant smile that showed her canines.
"Which tables did you need help with, mom?" George asked, giving Missy a wide berth as he went around her.
Penny handed the boys back to Missy, promising to return and helping Sheldon reload the suitcases.
Leaning in close she said, "I'll sit shotgun so you don't have to make small talk."
When she turned to get in he stopped her with a gentle hand on her hip. She looked up mildly astonished at this new touch. The subtle lower back touches and now this?
"Thank you for being here with me," he said sincerity in a low voice.
Penny could only murmur, "Of course." before getting into the passenger seat.
If she had stood there looking up at him for a moment longer she would have broken at least three of his PDA rules that Amy had shared with her. But as she buckled she wondered idly if he would have stopped her.
After ensuring they were able to acquire a rental, Christie gave Penny the address to their destination.
"I didn't know your family owned a lakeside property," Penny remarked as they passed neat manicured lawns down the winding road. It looked like a very private community and several of the homes looked recently renovated.
"It was a vacation home Meemaw had when we were kids. An uncle of ours was living there then tried to sell it from under us. George and I secured the deed and had him removed. Well, I secured the deed, George did the removing."
Wondering at this Penny was once again noting she was learning a new side to Sheldon. He was very private and reclusive, but he very clearly cared about his family.
Just as she lost herself to thought the navigation chimed telling her to make the next right. The road led down almost all the way to the water where a sky blue house rested at the end of a long row of similar homes. She pulled up the second story driveway matching the number to the home on the GPS.
"Wow," Sheldon said in awe. Turning to Penny he muttered, "Don't tell George I said that."
Burying her mood beneath a smile she assured, "Your secret is safe with me, moonpie."
Sheldon, to her surprise only gave her a sidelong smile before getting out of the car to retrieve their luggage. Heart pounding as she followed, Penny tried not to read too much into it, but failed. She led the way up the fresh concrete path up to a porch that ended at the top of the hill that the home was built into. The door and all the windows looked bright with fresh white paint and a modern keypad lock adorned it. Entering the code Christie had given her, Penny pushed open the door and was greeted with a brilliant entry way.
It was a small place with white wood paneling and large windows all around. It's open floorplan was definitely reminiscent of a high end rental house or cabin. A kitchen island with a sink separated the living room from the shining appliances and another sitting room could be seen just past a bathroom on the left.
"Wow," Sheldon said again, following in and looking around stunned. "George really did a number on this place."
"Are you saying it meets your inspection standards," Penny said bemused, closing the door behind her.
"When my uncle lived here, it looked like a scene out of a horror movie. I would check the closets for murder clowns anytime I visited."
Sheldon turned the corner to look down the hallway. Just before the staircase down to the lower floors, there were two bedrooms waiting to be explored. What was once a darkened decent was now lit up with a chandelier made of clean birch wood. He hadn't expected George to take the renovation so seriously.
"I had no idea he did all this…" Sheldon said softly.
He waited for the familiar fear. The palpitations and stomach tightening that came with change. It never did. Instead, as Penny passed him, he felt all his nerves settle, the warmth of her body alluring as she continued before him.
"Which room should we use?" Penny asked, standing between both doorways and peering into each one separately.
"It doesn't matter," Sheldon said.
Penny raised a brow and looked over her shoulder, "'It doesn't matter'? Don't you have to do a ten point check on each bed before you decide?"
Sheldon let the rolling suitcase stand on its own, closing the distance between them. That same overwhelming urge from the night before was rolling through his veins. He had begun mentally documenting the feeling and trying to find words for it. It arose anytime they were alone. It was a chaotic feeling in his chest that was only brought to heed when he could possess her.
"I have plans for diligent hands on testing for a very specific use case."
Penny couldn't process Sheldon's words, but the look in his eyes told her exactly what kind of "hands on" tests he had in mind. Her breath caught as his arms wound around her waist. She could only hold onto his shoulders for balance as his lips moved down to hers.
Never in a million years would she be able to explain what had changed. If she tried to replicate this in any way she could never fathom the steps she had taken to make the man she had known for years transform into the person pushing her back against the doorframe to the room on the right. She matched the quickly escalating kiss accepting the hands that roved over her jeans. His lips moved to her neck and she could hear his breath become as labored as her own.
Her scent and the softness of her skin overcame Sheldon. The faint taste of the humid summer air was like an ambrosia and he instinctively nipped just above her collar.
"God, Sheldon." Penny's hand found his hair and tightened, he deciphered that she was encouraging his movements and decided on more experimentation. Sucking the skin between his teeth he was rewarded with pitched sounds and moans that made him ache primitively.
Neck kisses had always been Penny's weakness. Hickies were her kryptonite. All she could do was hold Sheldon for dear life as she arched up and granted him access. Her entire body was sending signals to her brain demanding to be touched.
The sound of his lips releasing her echoed in her belly and she dragged his mouth back to hers, guiding him back towards the bed in the room.
The frame hit the back of Sheldon's knees and he was caught off guard stumbling upon the bed that was much lower than his own. He fell back haphazardly and found himself slightly winded. Inwardly, he began scolding himself about not properly surveying the rooms like Penny had jested he would.
That all fell away as she sidled into view. He watched her arms cross and the hem of her shirt rise up past her navel, then sternum and finally over her head to reveal lots of creamy skin glistening with sweat from the moist heat outside. The green eyes surveyed him like a spider who had just caught a fly in her trap.
Her voice was low and beguiling while she loosened the button of her jeans. "Let's test your limits, shall we, Dr. Cooper."