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It was hard to get all the Bridgertons and friends in the same room at the same time. It wasn’t Colin’s place to complain, as he was the one always abroad and therefore always absent. That’s precisely why, right after his trip, they all decided to book an enormous table for them at their favourite pub, The Red Lion. It was the only place to have room for everybody, hence it was an obvious choice.
Colin was excited, considering it was his first time seeing them all after the trip. He’d exchanged messages with them, mostly with Penelope, but it wasn’t the same. He needed a pint and hours of talking over each other to feel at home.
But it wasn’t the only reason why he wanted that evening to start so much. For the first time, he would bring someone new with him, his friend Michaela.
Well, technically she was Fran’s sister-in-law, but they got along so quickly, Colin was confident enough to call her a friend. Not his best friend, of course, that was Penelope, even though Colin had considered once or twice how they both had been his best friends, just… in different ways.
He wasn’t stressed about bringing Michaela with him. She knew Fran, John was her brother, and she’d attempted to ask Eloise out one time, with no luck. So it wasn’t like she’d be a stranger to them all.
They used the tube, knowing perfectly well they both were going to drink as much as possible. For the whole trip, Colin kept pouting about how Michaela had the audacity to wear the exact same outfit as he did. Even though she kept reminding him it was an accident. Besides, it wasn’t uncommon to wear a black button-up and a pair of black trousers, of all things. Oh, and a belt.
“Come on, look, I’ll tuck my shirt in, let my hair down, and undo some more buttons at the top, and it’ll be fine. Stop being a crybaby,” she’d said, and Colin had known it was the end of the conversation.
They took a short stroll, as the wind was mild, and the clouds didn’t seem threatening. By the time they arrived at the pub, they could’ve guessed everyone else had already been there, probably drinking their first pints.
They both entered through the heavy wooden door, Colin remembering not to let Michaela through first as he remembered her punching him every time he’d say after you to her. She was so like Eloise, it was a wonder they hadn’t ended up together.
Fran was the first one to notice them. She jumped from her seat and waved at them. Shortly after, she was followed by the whole group. Benedict already stoned — Colin could always tell, Anthony surprisingly happy, Pen… absent.
It would be weird to ask about her so quickly, so he greeted everyone and made time to introduce Michaela properly — remembering to add some jokes and barbs about her, just for fun.
As they found some place to sit, Colin was wondering what his friend would do this time. He adored Michaela; she was always fun and straightforward, but she was one hell of a flirt. Benedict was a nun compared to her.
It was never tasteless; she had a natural charm, tons of charisma, and she had her way with words. Besides, sometimes she’d just flirt for fun, as, quote, flirting is just a part of communication between people, not only lovers.
If Colin was one for wages, he’d bet on her flirting with Eloise, once again. She liked a challenge, after all.
It was Kate who interrupted his thoughts.
“Colin, how was it? Don’t keep us waiting!”
His siblings groaned in unison, tired of his constant travel stories.
As years had passed, Colin had become more and more cautious with his stories. Not only because they sometimes contained some not-safe-for-work… or not-safe-for-family stories, but also because he felt like their complaints about him talking so much started to feel serious and not like innocent mockery. Only Pen listened to him non-stop without rolling her eyes.
“I’ll tell you everything you want to know, Kate, but I need something to drink first. I missed keg ale!” he said charmingly, to get out of the situation and went straight to the bar. Michaela joined him a moment later.
They both ordered their beers, but it wouldn’t be a pub night without snacks, and Colin was a professional at picking the best ones. He was going through the small menu, considering if he should order everything at once or not, when Michaela elbowed him a bit too hard.
“Jesus, Mich!” He rubbed his arm.
“Shush,” she said conspiratorially, and Colin just felt she was onto something. Probably something mischievous. “Look.” Michaela pointed right in front of her with her chin.
It took him a moment to realize what to look at. As he scanned the people in the room, he noticed Penelope, exiting from the loo and heading straight to the bar, too far from them to notice.
He grinned and was ready to come and greet her, food be damned, but Michaela stopped him.
“Wow, she’s just… wow,” she said.
Colin took a second to take a proper look. Penelope looked cute as always, but as far as he could see, she was wearing some makeup and a vintage blue dress. She’d never worn anything like this before.
“Yeah, she is.”
“Do you think she likes girls? Shit, I may try anyway. Those hips are totally worth it.”
What? What? Colin looked at Michaela, shock and disgust painted all over his face. His friend had no right to speak that way about his other, best, friend! He felt like there was a hidden camera somewhere and a crowd waiting to shout It’s a prank. But no, it wasn’t a prank.
“Are you mental?!” He pulled on her arm. “It’s Penelope!! Remember? I told you about her. A childhood friend, writing a book, horrible mother?”
“Oh, right! The Penelope. Is she single? Come on, you have to tell me,” Michaela whispered and fixed the hair falling on her face. She was relentless.
“I know what you’re doing, and I’m telling you to stop.” Colin furrowed his brows.
“Why? Because you want to do exactly the same thing?”
“Watch it, Stirling. I just think it’s weird because she’s my best friend.”
And as Colin tried to end their discussion, the bartender passed them their drinks.
Michaela picked up her glass.
“You didn’t have a problem when it was about your sister, though,” she noticed and left him there, standing.
Colin just watched as Michaela walked over to Pen and then hugged her. He rushed to them as quickly as possible while pushing through the small crowd and holding his beer. It spilled on the floor anyway.
“Pen, hi!” he said shakily, hoping she wouldn’t notice his strange tone. “This is Michaela, my friend. John’s sister!”
Penelope beamed at him, and Colin just had to register the changes that had happened to her. He had always been the most attentive of the Bridgerton brothers. He’d always noticed Daphne’s new hairstyle and Mum’s new cushions, so it wasn’t a challenge to notice how different Pen looked.
Colin wasn’t wrong about the dress. It was blue, it reached her knees, and it reminded him of old films Benedict liked to watch. Same with the lipstick. It was Hollywood-red, the shade he was sure Pen hadn't had in her small collection just a few months ago.
“Colin!” She embraced him eagerly, as she had always done after his travels. At least her perfume stayed the same — vanilla and orange. Finally, aware of his other friend standing right there, he let her go.
“I introduced myself already,” Michaela said and winked at Penelope.
How dared she? Wink at his Penelope? Mich didn’t even know her, didn’t know how smart and funny she was. She had no right to—
“That’s right. I can see you two being friends,” Penelope gestured at them both.
Colin mustered a fake laugh and tried to murder Michaela with his eyes. He was scared. Not because he thought she was not good enough for Pen. She was great, she was his friend, she was bold and self-confident, and caring, when she wanted to be. Colin really, really wished Mich the best, just not with Penelope.
Pen was too… delicate. She’d surely not appreciate being so obviously hit on. She liked long conversations and friendly laughs, not… cheap winking at the bar.
“Let’s go take our seats,” Colin said as if it was his best idea ever. At that moment, it probably was.
____
After what seemed like ages, they all loosened up and naturally divided into groups, talking about everything from food in Tokyo to Antony and Kate’s newest business plan. Colin tried to stay calm and ask Pen about things every five minutes, but Michaela turned out to be more clever and unfortunately more interesting than him. Pen smiled at her often, and when Mich said something funny, she’d turn over to Colin to check if he heard that hilarious story too.
Finally, Penelope got up to ask for another drink. When Colin turned to his other friend to scold her for her blatant attempts to hit on Pen, he noticed her gaze still followed that blue dress.
“Why can’t you just find someone else? You have plenty of girls in here,” he spat out quietly, but it didn’t matter as everyone else at the table was busy with conversation.
Finally, Michaela’s gaze turned to him.
“Only if you give me a reason.” She tilted her head.
“She’s not good for you.”
“Let me check that myself, okay?” Michaela said cheerfully. “Trust me, I know she’s a gem.”
It only made Colin even more furious.
Two minutes later, Penelope came back with her drink. It wasn’t a beer this time but a glass of vodka cranberry. She sat down, definitely in an exceptionally good mood.
They both watched her take the first sip. Colin had always known what to say, especially to Pen, but this time he had to search rapidly through his head for something charming to say.
That’s when Michaela decided to strike again.
“It’s adorable.” She chuckled and shook her head at Penelope.
“Oh? What is?” Pen asked, and Colin knew it was his downfall. How they seemed to get along with each other.
“Your lips have exactly the same color as your drink,” Mich said, and Colin wanted to roll his eyes so badly. It was cheesy, too cheesy, and even more than that, it was bad. He really had thought his friend would be a better flirt. But when he cheered to himself inside, it happened.
“Look,” Michaela said and dragged her index and middle finger over Penelope’s bottom lip, gathering some lipstick from it. Then she raised her hand like a magician doing his trick. “See? The same exact color.”
Pen looked up, and it was apparent how it hit her. How she just understood Michaela didn’t try to be her friend, but something else entirely. She blushed and gave her a small smile.
Colin couldn’t believe he was the only one who didn’t like what was happening. He looked at Eloise sitting on the other side of the table as if he was saying are you going to do something about that?! But his sister was clearly amused because, yes, it was the first time Pen was flirting with a girl. Actually flirting, period.
A touch brought him back to his side of the table. It was Penelope’s hand touching his forearm, trying to grab his attention.
“What do you think, Colin?” She asked, and he had no idea what it was about. “My lipstick, is it the same shade as my drink?”
As if to prove her point, she took a long sip. Oh, that was great. Amazing, really. She was now asking about what he thought about the way his friend was hitting on her. He begged for a break. But it drew his attention to her lips. They were definitely not the same shade as her vodka cranberry, even if the drink stained her mouth a little. The redness made her lips look bigger, and hours of talking made it a bit faded just where they met. And her lips were certainly sweeter. Just theoretically thinking.
“I guess,” he brushed her off, partially because he didn’t want to play a part in Michaela’s plan and partially because he couldn’t stare at her lips any longer, or he’d say something stupid.
Penelope just sighed and turned her attention back to his friend.
“Someone’s a sourpuss.” Michaela stood up and pulled on Pen’s hand. “Come on, I think we should dance.”
Pen looked at her and laughed joyfully. Michaela was fun, Michaela was spontaneous, Michaela was not good for her.
“Mic, let’s go for a smoke,” Colin said before Penelope had time to stand up.
“Yeah, sure, you don’t smoke,” she dismissed him.
“But you do,” he answered firmly. “Sorry Pen, we’ll just go breathe some strawberry, peppermint, grape, or god-knows-what flavored air, and we’ll be back in a tick.” He smiled sweetly and almost dragged his friend outside.
The air outside was getting cold, and the sky was turning dark. They stood on the concrete stairs.
“You have to stop right now. I’m serious.” He started rapidly, trying to be quiet and not cause a scene.
“Have you found a reason yet?” She was getting cocky, and Colin’s blood started to boil.
“Can’t you just do that because I ask you?”
“Would it bother you if I kissed her?” Michaela looked at him with her challenging look.
“Shut up.”
“Or if she kissed me?”
It was too much. Too much to imagine his Penelope wanting someone else. Someone else? As if Colin was someone to want too? It didn’t make any sense, but for the love of god, if Mich tried to put her fingers on Pen’s lips…
Colin’s jaw tightened, and his eyes went blurry. He pulled on his hair to pull himself together. He had no right to be mad at either of them, and yet, he was.
Michaela sighed and put her hand on his shoulder.
“Look, even if she doesn’t kiss me, she’ll kiss someone else eventually.” She rubbed his shoulder. “Open your fucking eyes, Bridgerton.”
He looked at her quizzically, but at the same time, he clearly started to relax.
“You’re my ride or die, but you’re also an idiot,” she added, “just go there and look at her, properly look at her.”
Colin took a deep breath and shook his head. Maybe Mich was right, and maybe not, but the most important thing was, she left Pen alone.
“Thanks,” he said and opened the door for her. “After you.” She kicked him in his left shin, and he knew it was their way to say I care.
When they came back to the table, Benedict was gobbling up the whole basket of chips, Daphne was showing everyone her baby pictures, and Pen sat there giggling with Eloise.
He looked at Michaela, thanking her quietly.
“Hey, guys,” she winked at Colin and then turned to the entire group. “Colin told me El is the best volleyball player of all the Bridgertons, but like, is it even true?”
The chaos that blew up just then was probably worse than if Millwall and West Ham hooligans had tea together. Anthony was shouting, Benedict was giggling, Francesca was trying to zone out, and Eloise was grinning.
That was when Colin had the occasion to look just as Michaela said. It didn’t make any sense at first, but then he felt like he was pulled to her while she was giggling at his whole family fighting over volleyball. She was beautiful, but that was hardly new information. Everyone knew Penelope was breathtaking, right? It wasn’t just him. She was adorable, right? Again, something purely objective. She had delicate features, small hands, a nice laugh; of course, she was adorable. Intelligent, passionate, funny too. But if she was all those things, why had no one, well, almost no one, seen it in her?
Colin really didn’t want to see anyone else kissing Pen, but he couldn’t just do that to prove to Michaela he would win. It wasn’t fair. Penelope was not a prize. She was a wonderful girl who deserved everything and more.
He approached her slowly and bent over to make her hear him in the noise.
“Will you come with me for a sec?” He almost had to shout for her to understand, but finally, she nodded and got up, taking her purse with her.
They were out in the cold air. It was quiet, much better than inside the pub, and the street was empty. It felt like a deep breath after a long day.
Penelope was standing there, fiddling with her purse and looking at him expectantly.
It was just the two of them again, so it was good.
“Do you want to go? I’ve had enough of them already,” Colin offered, with a cheeky grin on his face.
“Is that okay? We should tell them…”
“I’ll text them, it’s fine.”
They started walking arm in arm in the direction of the nearest tube station. Their steps were slow and careful, as if they were strolling around a museum, taking their time.
“I’m sorry I was an asshole today,” Colin said bashfully, looking at the pavement. “I didn’t mean that.”
She playfully pushed him to the side with her arm.
“You were not an asshole… but you seemed a bit uneasy.”
He smiled. Pen would never tell him, not in those words, if he ever was an asshole. She was nice, she was sunshine, she was understanding.
“I was jealous, that’s the truth.” He shrugged. “Because I didn’t like the way Michaela was talking to you.”
For three buildings, one crossroad, and a pub, there was silence. Colin didn’t know if he should say anything more, if he ruined everything. Penelope looked as if she was thinking deeply about something.
“I’m not going to steal your friend, Colin,” she said cautiously. It was clear she was trying to check if there was ground under her feet, if she understood him properly. It was a clever way to do that, because he could always back off.
“It’s not that,” he answered boldly, and he caught her eye as he looked at her. He stopped and turned to face her. He took a deep breath.
“I was jealous because she was flirting with you,” Colin continued, “and I realized it is something I wanted to do, but I didn’t even realize” he started rambling with a speed only Eloise could usually achieve, “and I feel bad, because you are not a prize to win and you deserve someone who’d woo you but I didn’t know you’d even like that and I thought it was natural for everyone to see you as the greatest, most beautiful creature on earth, but when I saw Michaela notice that in you, I understood it was not common. I’m just wired that way.”
He was out of breath. She was looking at him quizzically, trying to understand.
“Colin,” she looked straight into his eyes, “you are saying a lot of things. Let’s try again, okay?”
They both smiled reassuringly because neither of them ran away even though they had a perfect excuse. They were still there, talking.
Colin grasped her hand in his gently. She was giving him a chance. His Pen.
“Would you let me flirt with you openly and shamelessly? Because I can already think of thousands of ways to do that.”
She looked at him hopefully with her doe eyes, and Colin understood just then, she’d known, she’d felt it way before he did. She wanted it. Pen squeezed his hand with more strength than he expected from her.
“Yes. I’d love that.”
He came closer to her, so close he could count her lashes and feel her warmth.
“Great. I can’t wait to start, gorgeous.”
He winked, and Penelope giggled at him as she blushed. It was contagious, and just then he was laughing too, as if they had just thrown a water balloon on Antony’s head or hid in a pillow fort trying to stay quiet. It was breathtaking.