Page 3 of Blurred Love

As soon as Poppy starts walking toward me, the smile that was on her face disappears.

She stops in front of me and puts a hand on her hip. “I would ask you if you want anything before we close up, but you haven’t even bought anything the whole two and half hours you’ve been sitting here.”

I swallow hard. Shit, is she mad I didn’t buy anything? I was too busy watching her, and hell, let’s face it, I would never get through ordering something from her without stuttering all through it.

The sun comes through the clouds, and it’s like an instant headache. I pull the sunglasses off my head and put them on my face, hoping it helps. All I can do is stare up at the woman that I’ve dreamt about since I first saw her last week.

She waves her hand around and then crosses her arms over her chest. “Listen, you’ve been scowling at me for the last two, almost three hours. Whatever you want to say, say it. Let’s just get this over with.”

I open my mouth to say something, but as soon as a stuttered word comes out, I slam my mouth shut.

She shakes her head, and I’m not sure what I did, but it had to be something because she is pissed off. She sits down in the chair across from me, and I suck in a breath and lean back. I’m not sure where my reaction comes from, but I do know that I don’t have any faith that I won’t make a fool of myself when it comes to her. I can see me doing something crazy like trying to hold her hand, and that will really freak her out.

She notices the way I backed up, and anger fills her face. “What? Being fat is not contagious.”

I shake my head, trying to make sense of what she’s talking about. “Wha–” I stutter and stop.

She points at me. “I’ve seen you sitting here with your six-pack abs and big arms. I’m sure you spend all your time in the gym, but that doesn’t give you any right to look down on me.”

I shake my head vigorously, but that seems to piss her off even more. “I know men like you. Men that think they’re too good to even share the same air as me.” She pokes her finger into her chest. “And I’ll tell you what: There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m happy with who I am, and I don’t need you to just sit there and judge me because I’m overweight and work a dessert food truck.”

“I’m not?—”

She doesn’t let me finish. Instead she leans forward and blows out a breath. Her voice is filled with sadness as she shakes her head. Her blue eyes are not as bright, and it makes me sick to know that I’m the reason for it. She folds her hands together on the table. “Look, I’m not trying to cause trouble or anything, but think about this on my end. You’ve glowered at me for three hours, and this whole time, instead of being able to happily do my job, I’ve been trying to figure out why you hate me as much as you obviously do.”

My hands clench. “I do…don’t.”

She laughs bitterly. “Just forget it. Just stop, okay? I’m done.”

She stands up, and with no emotion, she points at the Glaze truck. “We’re closing up soon if you want to get anything.”

And then she’s gone, turning on her heel and walking away from me.

I want to follow her. I want to plead with her to listen to me and let me explain that I don’t hate her. In my head, I’m thinking of all the things I wish I could say to her.

I’m sorry, to begin with.

And then I’d tell her that I think she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.

I’d tell her that she makes me want to smile and that looking at her almost makes me forget my past and who I am.

But I can’t say any of that. Not without looking like a fool.

I close my laptop and stuff it into the bag at my feet. Without looking up, I grab my stuff and start walking away from the picnic area.

I hear someone calling my name, but I keep moving.

Abby, my friend Davis’ wife, catches up to me and is huffing and puffing.

“Colter, stop!”

I stand, feet planted, thankful I still have my sunglasses on because it’s like a shield.

“What happened back there?”

I tilt my head to the side. I know Abby, and I trust her. She’s married to one of my very best friends. Davis and I, along with Kanan, Jason, and Elias served together, and we’re brothers bonded together by loss, injury, and survival. I take a deep breath and speak slowly. “It was a misunderstanding.”

Abby grips my arm. “Are you okay?”

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