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Luke knew he had messed up when he interrupted Penelope Anglophile baking club last time and because of that, he had planned to help out at the next one.
Or maybe it was also just an excuse to spend some time with Penelope and make sure she is really doing better after her painful breakup.
Remembering that there would be a bunch of women that might not be so happy to see him again, considering last time he solely canceled the event with his appearance, he knew he had to bring a peace offering. Considering it was a Christmas cookie baking event, he had something special in mind.
"Here goes nothing." were his words to himself, when he rang her doorbell.
With a similar not so excited look on her face, Penelope slowly opened the door and he tried not to grin so widely this time, but of course, he had again a very goofy smile on his lips.
"Are you kidding? Wasn’t last time bad enough, Luke? What do you need this time?" huffed Penelope standing in the door staring daggers at him.
Bringing up his hands in surrender he also presented two big Thermos and responded "Look, I am bringing gifts and I thought I could help, for ruining last time."
Her stern face softening a little on his words as she looked puzzled "You do realize it is a geeky girls Christmas cookie event?"
"Ok, maybe then blood wine would be more fitting then mulled wine, but it is the thought that counts, they say." was his rather weak comeback completely ignoring the aspect that he was not a girl.
"Who is at the door, Penny?" came from a very nosy Darcy while she opened the door wide to give all six women a good look at the rude interruption.
"Oh, hello. YOU again." greeted Gracey friendly with a small wave at Luke.
"Did I hear something about mulled wine? Give me that." With those words Pari grabbed the two Thermos and brought them in the kitchen not waiting on Penelope’s protest.
"What are you waiting for, Penny? Don’t you want to invite you’re frenemy in?" dared Snails with a grin on her face.
"You are all ok with him crashing our party?" wondered Penelope surprised looking from one woman to another, but was just greeted with smiling faces and head-shakes.
"Oh come on, it would be rude to kick him out while Pari is already pouring the wine in eight cups." clarified Ai with a wink to a still unsure Penelope blocking the path for Luke.
"Besides, we could really do with an extra pair of hands to help with the trays." confirmed LilP stepping closer to Penelope, hoping she would let Luke finally in.
"But he is late, all the doughs are already done, just some rolling and cutting out to do and moving trays in an out the oven." thought Penelope out loud.
"Well, then I will help exactly with that." tried to persuade Luke as her casually stepped into the apartment, making his way to the kitchen. "For me please, just a small cup, thank you. Oh, I am Sorry I am Luke by the way."
"No worries, Luke, I am Pari." Smiled the women at him and continued pointing on the other girls one by one "This is LilP, Darcy, Gracey, Ai and Snails..." taking his irritated face in, she adds "…their screennames of course."
"Geeky girls cookie party, you remember Newbie?" tried Penelope to refresh his memory.
"Right, Chica." He winked at her.
"No, Penny today." She said firmly.
"Wow that smells good, what kind of mulled wine is it?" wanted Darcy to know getting closer to the cups.
"A family recipe I got from an army buddy. His mom was German and that is her traditional way of making it."
"Well then girls and Luke dig in we have cookies to get back to." Rushed Gracey making sure everyone picked up their cup for a small toast.
After that everyone attended back their tasks of rolling out dough, cutting out cookies, placing them on the next tray and when it was full, handing it to Luke who supervised the oven.
Penelope did not want to admit it out loud but he actually helped and on top they got a funny conversation going.
"So Luke, what is the last episode of Star Trek you watched?" quizzed LilP while cutting out some stars.
"Oh that has been a while ago, I am afraid I can’t remember, but it was Next Generation, I think." Luke admit while putting down another freshly baked tray and going for another to put it in the oven.
Penelope noticed how Ai froze in her task watching Luke’s back muscles flexing with his movement, sighing and later shaking herself out of her thought when she noticed she’s been watched by Penelope.
"You don’t really watch much sci-fi, do you?" Snails asked Luke while taking ready baked cookies of the tray and sort them in a box.
"Unfortunately I do not have that much free time, and Roxy and Lou enjoy more fantasy shows." Luke explained with a smile while nicking one cookie.
"Your kids?" asked Ai with a slight worried tone.
Luke chuckled "Basically, but there are more of the furry kind."
Snails looked puzzled "Hm?"
"Puppies, they are cute puppies." shined Penelope some light in while finishing of the mulled wine.
"Oh, how cute. Can you show us pictures?" pushed Darcy for it.
Luke showed them some adorable pictures and the women couldn’t stop underlining how cute both dogs were.
"So this is the last tray?" Luke asked while sliding it in the oven and Darcy nodded a little sad.
"I guess this means the party is soon over." sighted Gracey not wanting the party to end yet.
"Bummer, I had so much fun..." moaned Snails “…but I guess you have ´things´ to do, Penny.” looking over to Luke.
"Yes, Penny we have to do this very soon again. For starters the cookies won’t last long in my place.” Said LilP considering all the hungry mouths at home.
Everyone laughed and packed a good amount of cookies to take with.
"It was really entertaining, Penny, thank you for hosting. Bye girls, oh and Luke." said Pari with Gracey at her side.
"Yes I agree, thank you and have a nice day." Gracey agreed and then left with Pari to get there cookies home.
"Our Uber should be here soon too. Let’s go Snails." with that Darcy and Snails left after hugging Penelope goodbye.
"Well then, Ai, we wanted to finish watching lost in space. Are you coming?" asked LilP the younger woman that could barely take her eyes of Luke during the whole baking party.
Hesitating at first but then with a bright but very stupid smile, Ai handed Luke a small folded up paper and said "Just in case..."
"Are you for real?" Rebuked LilP pushing Ai out through the door which Penelope closed shaking her head laughing out loud.
"Ok, that happened..." she looked amused to Luke "What did you do to them?" Another laugh escaped Penelope’s mouth.
"Me? I just tried to be friendly." wondered a confused Luke and stored the paper without looking at it in his back pocket.
“But seriously, you should give her a call. She is a sweet and nice girl.” pushed Penelope a little while putting the last dishes in the dishwasher.
“Is that so?” mumbled Luke, sitting down by the kitchen not really considering it.
“Yes, she is a dog person, so that fits and she understand if someone has odd working hours.” Penelope handed Luke a glass of water without asking.
“And is she funny?” Luke asked trying to sound curious and took a sip.
“Oh, so funny. Bluntly hilarious.” Penelope laughed out remembering some of the unwanted funny moments with her.
“I think you two could really fit well together. Don’t you think?” Penelope wondered looking away from Luke thinking of both together.
“Well, it is important to me that my partner understands me well and is kind.” Luke summarized looking thoughtful at Penelope “But I guess it wouldn’t be a good idea anyway.”
Penelope turned surprised to him “Why is that?”
“Because my heart already belongs to another girl.” Luke breathed out nearly unnoticeable.
“Oh?! Well then, you should tell that girl how you feel then. Or did you already and she turn you down?” asked Penelope slightly worried for her friend.
Luke felt caught and was searching for any way to respond that wouldn’t get him deeper in to trouble. “Well I am not so sure anymore. It is complicated, I guess.”
“I don’t know, Luke. Nothing complicated about it, either she loves you or she doesn’t. There isn’t really space for grey in that kinda subject.”
An awkward silent broke between both until Luke suddenly jumped up and said “I am sorry I am keeping you from decorating your cookies, you said you were looking forward to that alone because that is how you always do it. I should leave. Have a nice Saturday evening, Chica.” With that he made his quick exit and left a slightly confused Penelope back in her apartment.
~~~
Penelope’s head was spinning after the slightly awkward conversation she had with Luke after her friends left the baking party, so she gave herself a push and made her way over to Luke´s apartment on Sunday morning.
“Hey, why do I have the honor in seeing you so soon again?” Luke honestly wanted to know after inviting her in his place.
“Oh, I just thought you deserve some cookies too, so I brought you some. And of course some small little treats for the puppies.” seeing how Luke already raised his brow she added “Relax it is the brand you approved.”
“Yes, but I said every once in a while.” He explained with a smile.
“Well sue me, I like to spoil them.” said Penelope cheeky while she fed some treats to Roxy and Lou already.
“So what did I get?” asked Luke, trying to take a peek into the package of homemade and decorated cookies.
“Oh, I forgot I have a thing I need to take care of… right now. Enjoy the cookies.” Said a slightly flushed Penelope and hurried out of his apartment before Luke could even say goodbye.
Puzzled he went back to the nicely wrapped cookies and opened them carefully. Between some with lots of unicorns and bright colored sugar sprinkles one on the bottom mainly covered with some writing caught his eye. Carefully he dug it out and read: “Just tell her!”
Like in a time bubble caught he stared down on the neatly written cookie and just one thought crossed his mind: Could she imagen that he meant her? Does she change her mind maybe?
Slowly a smirk crawled on his face and he had just the right idea how to respond to that request.
~~~
Next Monday he drove early to work and waited in the parking garage until Penelope drove in with Esther. Acting like he just got there himself, he got out of the car and made his way casually to the elevator knowing he would bump into her there.
“Oh, hello, Luke. You are early in today.” She notices a little surprised after storing her car keys in her handbag.
“Well, I had something for you and wanted that you get it as soon as possible.” With these words he hands her a small gingerbread heart with white and pink sugar icing while the doors from the elevator open for them.
After receiving it and thanking Luke, Penelope took a good look at the sweet gift while she walked with him into the elevator.
It reads "my heart"
Penelope’s eyes shot up to Luke and she said shocked “You shouldn’t give this away so lightly!" with all the questions in the world she stares deep into his eyes daring him to disagree.
He just grinned at her and said: "I just handed it to the one who has held it for years already." Then presses the number of there floor they need to go to.
Slowly Penelope’s shocked face turns into a big smile while the elevator climbs up its way with them. She whispers hopeful "Still?"
Luke beams at her and sais with all the sensirity he can put into one word: "Always."
Penelope needed not more to hear. She lifts herself up slowly reaching for him and getting in to one very slow and gentle but oh so meaningful deep kiss that lasts until the elevator opens at their floor, but they just stay in theire own little world - nothing can pull them out of that final moment they waited for so long.