Page 20 of Last Boy

She pulls her legs to her chest as her face grows somber. “So, what are you going to do?”

“About what?” I shrug.

“Poppy. Why aren’t you fighting for her if you love her?” She looks sad. “You know, for your happily ever after?”

I inhale, looking up at the ceiling for a moment to form an answer. Finally, I look at her. “I’m not sure happily ever after exists for people like her and me.” I drop my gaze to the floor. “Especially not now.”

“Happily ever after exists for everyone who truly wants it,” she says softly. “I’ve been Poppy’s roommate and friend for a while now, and I barely know anything about her. She’s so…hard. But I know that she’s a good person. And even though she’s never opened up to me about her life, I know she’s been through a lot.” She sighs. “I guess I’m trying to say that Poppy deserves someone to fight for her. So do you, Walker. So, I hope you both figure that out before it’s too late.”

To an outsider, it must seem too easy. Like a light switch Poppy and I can turn off and back on, resetting everything that’s happened. But that’s not how life works. I’ve done things. She’s done things. I’m not sure we could ever get past that. Besides, we’ve both been through so much fucking trauma in our lives that it can’t be healthy for two people like us to get together.

So, I don’t say anything back to Lana. Because when it comes to Poppy or finding our way back, I wouldn’t even know where to fucking start.

7

Walker

I try my best, but can’t take my eyes off Poppy in her gold sequins dress. She and Cade performed, and I was so fucking glad that it was an upbeat, fun song. And not some romantic, sexy shit. That would have put me over the edge to sit and watch. Not to mention that if it had been slow and seductive, I likely would have had to punch Huff right in the fucking face.

She chugs a bottle of water, laughing with Cade as they celebrate their performance, which annoys the fuck out of me, and I wish I could yank her away from him and lock her in a fucking room forever. That way, no other man would ever hit on her. After all, she was supposed to be mine.

Even though I think our performance went well, I’m just happy as hell it’s over with, and I can move on with my life.

And Cade and Poppy can stop fucking hanging out too.

When we were kids, even though I hated dancing, I’d dance with Poppy when she needed help practicing for her performances. It didn’t seem that bad as long as I was with her. So, while Lana is great, dancing with anyone who isn’t Poppy doesn’t feel right. At all.

“You’re staring,” Nixon mutters, coming next to me. “Don’t go pickin’ fights with Huff. You know how tight he and Cap are.”

It’s true. Sterns and Huff are close and all. And I would never jeopardize my spot on the team by picking a fight with Cade. But I’m sure as hell going to keep an eye out to make sure he doesn’t cross the line. So far, since that night at Club 83, he and Poppy seem pretty platonic. And it needs to stay that way.

“I am not.”

I quickly look away, my eyes finding my dance partner and Elias in the corner of the room. She might have said she wasn’t ready for another relationship, but they look pretty cozy to me.

He sits in a chair, her wedged between his legs. I can’t help but smile because I like both of them. And I’m happy as hell it worked out for them. Besides, now, she can stop trying to fuck me every five seconds.

“Man, he’s giving her the look.” Nixon chuckles.

“What look?” I frown.

“The wife look,” he says thoughtfully. “He’s looking at that girl like he’s about to wife her up.” He looks her over. “And to be honest, she’s looking at him like she’s naming their unborn children in her head.”

I tilt my head to the side, zeroing in on whatever fucking shit Nixon is talking about. Finally, I shrug. “I don’t get it.”

“That’s because you’re like the opposite of Romeo.” He laughs, hitting my arm. “I’m not afraid to admit I love me some love. You? You’re a loveless grump.”

I’ve never been someone to show how I feel. I guess that’s because when Poppy was around, I didn’t want Van to catch on to the fact that I loved his sister. Even though he made it clear a few times that he knew all along. And once I left Sunset Drive, I just didn’t give a fuck anymore. Not about anyone.

“Whatever,” I groan just before Hunter Thompson and his dance partner, Sutton’s, dance comes to an end.

Within seconds, Hunter yells for someone to help.

It all happens so quickly. I watch as he attempts to give her a dose of what looks like a rescue inhaler. Like a horror movie, I see her slowly start to lose consciousness as someone yells that the ambulance is almost here. The entire room breaks into chaos, yet everything seems silent as Hunter carries her outside to meet the paramedics.

That’s when I see Poppy. Her face is pale, and her shoulders are sagging as she walks into a private room and closes the door behind her.

I’ve heard some of the guys on the team talking, saying that Poppy was bullying Sutton. I hated to hear it, but I also wasn’t really surprised. The saying, Hurt people hurt people…well, it applies here. Sutton has everything Poppy could never get, and I’m sure that made her act a certain way.

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