Chapter Text
“I am not doing it Gen.”
Penelope pulled her arm away from her,
“Yes, you bloody well are! You have been moping about in this flat for three weeks solid after your breakup with James, and you didn’t even blooming love the guy!”
Genevieve once again dragged her friend up from the sofa by the arm,
“Now, you are walking yourself to that room, putting on the FABULOUS dress that I bought you, and THEN you are walking that sweet hot ass to the door, so I can bring you on this HOT double date.”
She then pushed Penelope in the room and pointed at the dress and shoes laid out on the bed,
“… The date in question, which you are going to sit and enjoy while having a smile on that pretty face… or SO HELP ME GOD PENELOPE FEATHERINGTON.”
Genevieve was losing it. Penelope watched her as her dear friend slammed the door to her bedroom. Penelope could feel the vibration reverberate through her bones. It was obvious that she was mad, but Gen was right. She had to get over herself. It had been three weeks. Penelope had been in relationship with James for just over two years, and they had just broken up due to Penelope’s refusal to marry him.
It was quite the disaster.
She didn’t love him, Gen was right.
Penelope had convinced herself that she must be a broken woman, after all, James was a perfect match. Even her own mother said so. He was wealthy, came from a lovely family, he not only handsome, but he even had his own place… his pros well outweighed the con’s. Not that he had many cons. Nevertheless, Penelope still didn’t love him. She did try. God, did she try. But she couldn’t just say ‘yes’ when he got down on one knee, she didn’t want to settle, not just for the sake of it.
No, Penelope Featherington knew exactly what her problem was.
You see, Penelope Featherington was a romantic. A besotted, idiotic woman who still believed that one love, the right love, would come and sweep her off both feet.
But at 28, she was running out of time for that idyllic fairy-tale.
Penelope Featherington had accepted her fate of Friday night’s alone with her several cat’s and lonely karaoke shows of ‘all by myself’ with a pint of ice cream. She would become the next Bridget Jones, but the lonelier version without a Mr Darcy.
Maybe that was the issue. Penelope was so set in following the correct way to fall in love, she was ignoring all the other possibilities.
So with her new mindset, she grabbed the dress and heels.
“Give me fifteen.”
She shouted through the door to Gen, who then clapped and whistled in joy like a madwoman.
“THANK FUCK, I’ll text Will and let them know it’s a go.”
Gen walked back down the hallway of their apartment while dialling her boyfriend. She could her the giggling excitement coming through her door. Gen meant well, even if she was a little ‘pushy’.
Genevieve was one of Penelope’s best friends, confidante, and well, current roommate. They had met on a random night four years ago through one of Penelope’s other friends Edwina Sharma. Genevieve was an up-and-coming designer in London who styled London socialites, and she had styled Edwina on more than one occasion, and they had all become fast friends.
Penelope’s group of friends consisted of Gen, Edwina, and the Bridgerton women. They were quite diverse group, Penelope was currently a professor at University of London teaching English Renaissance, she loved it. She loved being able to work, write, learn, and teach all at the same time. Plus, she was really happy she was able to teach in London. It was sort of dream never to leave, she loved London, it was home. She couldn’t imagine herself anywhere else.
The Bridgerton women were here closest friends for a long time, and she had a front row seat of watching every single one of them bar the youngest Hyacinth, get married or fall in love. Hyacinth wasn’t that far behind with her childhood sweetheart Gareth. The hardest watch was Eloise, her soul sister, it was like she lost her, she knew that she didn’t really, but their relationship changed when she met and fell in love with Philip. He was a single dad who lived outside London, near Kent, and she left London to be with him, and well even though they kept in contact digitally, they barely saw each other anymore. It was hard. Hell, Penelope even had to watch Anthony and Benedict get married. Benedict was a similar romantic, but it was Anthony that shocked her, he completely changed after marrying Kate. It was quite the love story. Colin and Gregory on the other hand were still somewhat of a mystery. But then one thing she did know is that Colin could never settle down, he quite enjoyed finding himself in lots of women. Colin Bridgerton was nothing but consistent in his efforts of women.
This was the same Colin; she had fancied herself in love with throughout her teen years. However, that love soon evaporated when she walked in on him going down on her cousin Marina on her 21st birthday, at her actual party. Yes, the image of her perfect Colin was well and truly smashed that night.
Regardless of his actions, she nearly succumbed to the very same fate. One night, nearly one year ago to the day, he had come home from Italy, no wait, Spain, or was it Portugal? Oh who fucking cares. But anyway, her inhibitions were severely lowered at a bar they had met at, and well one thing led to another, and she had nearly slept with Colin in the public bathroom. It was quite revelatory to be the one to stop things before they got too hot and heavy. His face was a picture when she said stop and ‘not tonight’, it was something she held close to her heart, I mean… what woman could deny the charms of Colin Bridgerton?
Penelope Featherington could, that’s who.
Gathering her thoughts, she quickly ran the fingers through her recent break-up hair transformation. You know when sometimes you just need a drastic change? Well becoming blonde was it for Penelope. She just lost it and paid £280 at her local hairdressers for a complete transformation, and she couldn’t lie... it looked hot. It made her crystal blue eyes ‘pop’ as the stylist stated when she twirled her around in the chair.
She suited it.
She pulled on the long-sleeved black velvet dress, that had a dangerously low neckline, while attaching the shiny belt around her waist to pull her in. She quickly brushed out her curls into soft natural waves, then placed the matte black heels on her feet, she grabbed her trusty red lip, and then placed her Vivienne Westwood diamond orbed studs in her ears. For a ten-minute job, she looked pretty presentable.
Genevieve quickly made her way in after screaming ‘times up!’ and made her finishing touches in forms of a bolder blush, some powdered highlighter across her chest and a thicker mascara.
“There… you look absolutely bangable.”
Penelope laughed as Genevieve passed her a glass of fizz,
“Down it, we leave in five.”
Penelope stood up and saluted Genevieve.
“Yes Mam.”
Genevieve laughed,
“Save that for the army boys.”
She winked at Penelope on her way out.
Will was Gen’s army boyfriend. They had subsequently met in Germany a few years back during a trip where Gen had to accompany some up and coming name for an event, and that’s when she came back a changed woman. A woman in love. Penelope had been so envious, it was a love straight from the ages, instant, lasting, and immovable. She had to listen to her drone on about it all for quite some time. He was stationed over there for the first year they had been together, and then with his promotion he had to do a few tours over in Asia and beyond.
However, this time, he was coming back, and he wasn’t alone. He was bringing his best mate that he had served with for the past two years, and this was the same man that essentially ‘saved his life’. Will couldn’t go into too much information, but the boys were returning to London as heroes after an ‘undisclosed’ mission where Will was saved by Ledger in life threatening circumstances. It all sounded a little James Bond esq to Penelope, also a little farfetched…
But Gen was that relived to have him home, he was promised at along with ‘Ledger’ two years of UK based work where they would be essential in training new recruits. But then, nothing in the army was ever promised. Penelope knew that.
…I mean what a name, Ledger? Penelope rolled her eyes at the prospect of meeting him.
“Oh and by the way... he’s 23.”
Penelope’s jaw dropped outside the bar, trust Gen to drop sensitive information just as they arrived at the destination, and just when she was about to walk in to see the said gentleman.
“And you are only telling me now! 23!? I’m not a fucking cradle snatcher Gen.”
Penelope stomped her feet, and Gen furrowed her eyebrows towards her,
God she was quite scary when she wanted to be.
“Fuck sake Pen! Its five years, he is a man who’s been to war! I mean is there any law in which you can’t shag a 23-year-old? NO there isn’t. Now get your cute butt in there and flirt with the sexy army man.”
Penelope couldn’t argue as Gen pulled her further into the pub towards the back where Will and this young boy was situated. Was she right? Yes. There was no law that prevented it, she wasn’t stupid. It’s just that Penelope had never been with a younger man, like ever. I mean at 28, you’d think she would have considered someone a little younger, I mean they do have more stamina that most men over 30 nowadays, but she hadn’t. 23 wasn’t too bad in age difference… right? Gen was right, again, this was a man who supposedly had spent the best part of five years in the army. He probably had more maturity and life experience than her at 28 now. Actually, come to think of it, she knew someone similar that sounded just like that,
“Penelope?”
Fuck.
“Gregory?”
Gen’s eyebrows arched.
“You two... know each other?”
Penelope graciously accepted the younger Bridgerton’s embrace. She couldn’t help but notice a few things different from the last time she had laid eyes on said Gregory Bridgerton. His height for one, the boy must be well over 6ft, and well his muscles, had certainly developed, nicely. His chest was firm, his biceps bulged through the tight sweater he had decided to wear. She couldn’t help but spy the chest hair peeking out from the neckline of his tight sweater. His eyes were devastatingly beautiful, she could really appreciate them now as he bore them into her. The beard? We’d need to revisit that another time as she was sure that her knees would buckle at the indecent ideas she had for his face. He had grown up very handsome, not to mention his whole body was strong, firm and damn right sexy.
Is this how 23-year-olds present themselves nowadays?
Penelope swallowed loudly as she felt him tighten his grip around her.
“Fuck it’s good to see you.”
He said quietly in her hair, as he slightly raised her from the floor.
Another kink unlocked.
“It’s good to see you too.”
She blushed, fuck, she actually blushed.
And he noticed too, by the smug look that had appeared on his face was anything to go by.
Genevieve kissed Will in greeting and then turned her head towards them,
“So, are you going to enlighten us how you both know one another?”
Penelope drew in a sharp breath,
“Oh right, well Gregory is a Bridgerton.”
Genevieve nearly dropped the wine glass she had been holding trying to fill it with the bottle of wine that Will had bought for the table,
“He’s a what?”
Gen’s mouth dropped…
“Wait, I thought your name was Ledger?”
Gen asked in a state of shock. She knew all about Penelope’s relationship with the Bridgerton’s, not to mention the recent situation with the elder brother, Colin. Gen had to shake her head several times to actually accept the information.
Will looked at Gregory who laughed a little nervously,
“Ahh well you see, my brother Anthony is quite high up in the well ‘family’ business we call it, after all our dad was a General, so I choose to go under Greg Ledger. It made more sense, you know, so I can make it of my own accord. I saw the struggles Anthony had to go through with the constant judgment and expectations. I joined for me, not for anyone else”.
Will raised his glass towards him in a congratulatory manner.
He was right. The military was the family business. Anthony was a currently a Lieutenant General, a grade below from where his father was before his tragic death. It was a proud achievement for the Bridgerton’s. Eloise even served for a few years with the technological warfare teams, Benedict on the other hand worked with the navy for ten years before calling it quits soon after he met his darling wife, Sophie. Instead of sending out missiles, Benedict traded it in for sending out homework as a local high school art teacher. It was cute.
Gregory just decided to follow his family into battle, quite literally. He left at eighteen and well apart from a few visits here and there over the years that Penelope had heard about, he hadn’t been back, not properly. Penelope hadn’t personally seen him in the flesh since his first departure all those years ago...
“Well I’m so proud of you, everyone is. I can’t believe you are home.”
Gregory smiled as he pulled out the seat next to him for Penelope before he sat down,
“You Bridgerton men, forever the charmers.”
Gregory winked and took the seat beside her.
“Only for the pretty ones Pen.”
She felt a rush of heat run up her spine, as his hand had somehow made its way to the small of her back and it remained there. While his other arm placed itself around his beer.
Stop fetishizing ideas with Gregory, Jesus, you knew him when he was in primary school.
Stop it right now Penelope.
“Well this must be strange for you Penelope.”
Will said behind a fist trying to contain his smile. It was Obvious that Will had been told some privy information, so she quickly scowled at Will and Gen before turning her head to smile at an innocent Gregory Bridgerton,
“Not at all, catching up with old friends is always welcomed.”
Gregory drank his beer and squeezed her waist a little tighter,
“I like the blonde, it suits you.”
Penelope tilted her head to turn her gaze towards him,
“I like the change…”
She gestured to his overall physique,
“…it suits you.”
She finished with a teasing smirk.
God, was she flirting with Gregory Bridgerton?
He picked up his beer and shook his head before licking the rim of the glass and taking a sip.
Fuck.
She definitely was flirting with Gregory, and what made things worse, was that he was fucking doing it right back. She picked up her wine glass and he came a little closer to her ear as the music has picked up due to the arrival of the DJ,
“Tonight is definitely going to be interesting, gorgeous.”