Page 76 of Choosing Forever
“So, I should try and find a donut with more or less yellow sprinkles on it next time?”
Poppy smirks, glancing at Bryce. “Next time?”
“What’s with you and your brother repeating that to me? Yes, next time.”
“Touchy, touchy,” Bryce teases.
“You know what? Forget I said that at all.”
“Oh, no can do. Now, tell me when my brother said that. Was it the other night?” Poppy demands.
Bryce lifts her turnover. “I feel like I missed a discussion that I’m going to want the details on.”
“Why are you here, anyway? Get tired of babysitting by yourself?” I ask the self-proclaimed Ice Queen.
Her eyes flare with excitement at my borderline frustrated tone. “Why? Does it bother you?”
“No. I just wasn’t expecting you two to be here.”
“Bryce is watching Abbie every Saturday afternoon while Darren’s at the station this month. The crew is working on one ofthose fundraisers, and he couldn’t get out of it,” Poppy explains with an eye roll in Bryce’s direction.
I swallow, a weird pang appearing in my side. “He didn’t mention that to me.”
“Did you two not discuss weekend schedules on your date? Actually, whatdidyou discuss? Anything worth sharing?” Bryce asks.
I choke on an exhale and look at Abbie, ensuring she didn’t hear the mention of a date. Once I’m satisfied that she’s only interested in finishing the last bite of her donut, I turn back to Bryce.
“You know about it too?”
“Of course I did. Did you think he chose a decent outfit on his own?”
“I assumed Poppy did that.”
Bryce twists the engagement ring on her finger and winks. “Wrong.”
“Well, once my brother’s done with the designs for mine and Garrison’s new house, I’ll be around more often to help with all of his outfits. If he doesn’t have someone else to do that by then, of course,” Poppy says, her smile sly.
I scoot my chair closer to the table and ask, “Darren’s designing your house?”
“Oof, did you even speak on your date?”
“Stop calling it a date, Bryce. You’re as bad as he is,” I huff.
She tucks her lips together in reply. There’s something like smug satisfaction in the blinding blue of her eyes, though. It’s impossible to miss.
“Yes, he’s designing our place. It’s going really good so far too. Have you seen his house at all? It’s incredible, and he designed it himself,” Poppy says.
Abbie pops her head up. “My house?”
“Yes, your house. It’s pretty nice, right?”
“Dad says it’s getting too small.”
Poppy’s brows pinch together. “He did? When?”
“Don’t remember. I told him I want a room for all of my dresses if we move, though.”
“I’m sure he’d get you a hundred rooms for your dresses, Abs,” Poppy murmurs.
