Page 59 of A Lesson for Laurel

She’d had more sex this weekend than she had in weeks when she was with Philip.

Pretty sad now that she thought of it.

And she didn’t want to compare, but it was as if Philip didn’t need it as much.

She found out why. He didn’t need or want it from her.

And for all the insecurities she was feeling about herself, she realized that maybe Easton had some of his own.

She wasn’t even sure where the words came from asking if he still loved his ex. The minute he said she ended things with Philip, but he hadn’t with Rachelle, it made her think and worry.

But she believed him when he said he didn’t love Rachelle anymore and that he most likely didn’t love her enough to begin with.

In her eyes, though she wouldn’t think she’d move as fast as she had with Philip again, dating someone for four years without that next step didn’t seem right either.

Could just be her because she knew not everyone believed in marriage.

She did. She wanted that in her life. At some point.

She wanted kids too.

“If it’s done right, everything hurts the next day. Even your heart.”

“Now you’re pushing it,” Laurel said, smirking.

Poppy tried to twerk her hips in the chair, but all it did was shift the wooden legs on the floor. “It’s not fun to do my moves when you’re big and fat like this.”

“You’re hardly fat,” she argued.

“But I’m big, I know. Reese loves it. He says the hormones are a major turn-on.”

“Are you one of those women who wants it all the time? I’ve heard about that.”

“I was with Holly. The same with this little guy in the beginning. But for the past month, I’ve been feeling like a beached whale and just want him out. Everything hurts. They already said he’s going to be bigger than his sister.”

“Tatum, right?” she asked. She thought she’d heard that name from someone else.

Laurel knew everyone was close and talked in the business, but she was in a different location from the rest of them. She saw the sisters when they stopped in, which was a few times a week, the same with Heather and Ivy, but she wasn’t one to stop her work and gossip either.

“That’s right. Tatum,” Poppy said. “Reese picked the name out and I loved it. Let’s get back to you. Who is the lucky man? Anyone I know? I know a lot of people in this area.”

Which reminded her that Poppy would know Easton. They hadn’t talked about if they were going to tell people or not they were dating, but if she had to keep it a secret, it wasn’t for her. And he did tell Abe.

“I think you do know him. At least from what Lily said.”

“Lily knows you’re dating someone?” Poppy said and put a cute pout on her face.

“She knows I went on two dates. She gave me some good advice over a misunderstanding.”

“Those are the worst, but Lily is good at advice. Who is it? If Lily knows, I should know too. It’s only fair.”

“It’s not a secret. Easton Cooke.”

Poppy frowned. “I know Abe Cooke. He does our landscaping. Oh my God, Easton is his cousin. I remember now. They were both a year older than me.”

“Yes,” she said. “Lily said that too.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard anything about Easton in years. Is he still around here?”

---