Chapter Fifty Nine

"Of course you are. Don't ever think you're not. I'm just scared, Joey" Penny replied, she dropped the brush she was holding and began to wipe her hands on a towel, suddenly needing to do something... To keep busy, but his intense eyes remained on her, watched her like a hawk. 

She felt terrible. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him, but she had to tell him so he wouldn't keep hoping. "I don't think I'm ready for another relationship just yet. I don't know if I will ever be. What happened with Jeremy.... It was a lot to take. And asking you to wait for me or leading you on would be the wrong thing to do. Friends don't do that to each other, and that what we should be... Friends. We have something amazing going on. We might ruin it if we try to make it something more. And I can't stand the thought of losing you... Or Audrey. I really hope you understand"

"It's fine" Joey said softly, but in his head he wondered if that was all sh