Page 16 of More Than Falling in Love

“Those are nice.”My limited vocabulary is starting to make me sound like a caveman.

Boots scuff the floor behind me, and Dag grins.“Hey there.Thought y’all looked lonely over here.”He takes a seat, and his long-time friend sits beside him.

Poppy sticks out her hand.“Hello, I’m Poppy, Mad Dog’s daughter.”

“Goldie.So nice to meet you.I’m a friend of Dag’s, and I know Ava and Mad Dog from church.”

“I’m glad you came.”

Dag nudges Goldie.“Some people are surprised when they find out we’re friends, right?”

She rolls her eyes.“Dag, they don’t want to hear—”

“Because she’s an angel, and I’m a bit of a devil.”He taps his chest, making it clear that he wears that badge with pride.

Poppy exchanges a look with Goldie, but I’m not skilled in interpreting the slightly raised eyebrow and the hint of a smile.I shouldn’t care, but I do.Dag is a ladies’ man.I’m not sure he’s ever dated the same woman twice.And, as a person, I like him, but for lots of reasons, I’d prefer him to be sitting across the room, far away from Poppy.

Music begins wafting through the room, and Mason sits up straight.“It’s starting.”

The pastor walks in from a side door with Mad Dog and his friend Jeffrey, and they take their places at the front.

When Mad Dog glances at Poppy, she presses a hand to her mouth.One tear slips down the side of her face.I should’ve grabbed more tissues.

Mason jerks on my sleeve.“Dad, why is Poppy crying?Isn’t she happy about the wedding?”

His question isn’t very quiet and draws chuckles from around the room.

Poppy squeezes his hand.“I’m really happy, but sometimes, that makes me cry.”

His brow furrows, and he glances at me for an explanation.

I’ve yet to figure that one out, so I shrug and hand him a tissue.“She might need this.”

Mason holds it out.“Here.And if you want, you can hold my hand while they get married.”

While dabbing her eyes with the tissue, her shoulders bounce as she nods, leaving me to assume she’s happy about Mason’s offer.

By the time Ava makes it to the altar, mascara is streaked down Poppy’s cheeks, and all the tissues from my pocket are soaked with tears.If this is Poppy’s version of happy, I hope to heaven that I never see her really upset.

Mason dragshis sleeve across his forehead as he walks off the dance floor.“That Chicken Dance is fun, but I need water.Then I’m going to dance with Poppy.”He barely slows his pace on the way to get a drink.

After chugging water, he walks over to Poppy, and I watch, trying not to be obvious.

Parker nudges me.“She seems great.Mason likes her.”

“He does.”I turn my focus to my cup, hoping Parker doesn’t mention that I’ve been staring.

He leans closer.“Are you—”

“Dad!”Mason darts toward me.

“What’s up?”I’m thankful for the distraction from Parker’s question.

Mason sighs.“I want to dance with Poppy, but she doesn’t know how to two-step.You need to teach her.Then after she knows, she can dance with me.”

The kid has put me on the spot, and I’m struggling to find a graceful way out of the situation.“Well, maybe you can—”

Parker bumps my arm.“I don’t think you have to worry.Looks like Dag is headed her way.”

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