Page 19 of Poppy Kisses
“Oh, I’m not giving up.”
“Good to hear. Tomorrow. Tell me the time, and I’ll get the food ready. Auggie will love it if any other kids show up. Oh, and, four-ten, bring your ball.”
“I have a whole bag of them in Alder’s garage. Thanks, Jensen.”
“Anytime.” I meant it. Poppy had always given as much as she took. Another thought occurred to me, one that shadowed my growing excitement for tomorrow. “I’m not, uh, going to talk to Hassie until she calls next.” Which could be tomorrow or next year. “We need to deal with people who are actually here.”
“Sure. No problem. I’ll take your lead with that. Oh, and tell your mom hi. She should come tomorrow, too, if it’s not too awkward for her.”
She was thinking about Mom? Appreciation warmed me from the inside out. “I’ll let her know.
“Hey,” I rushed out before she disconnected. “I’ll grab some rings.”
“Oh.” Seconds of silence ticked by. Did that thought sit heavy with her too? We needed a symbol, but the rings wouldn’t mean a thing. Did she like diamonds? “O-okay. I’ll get yours.”
“Don’t worry about it. I did some work for a jeweler, and he can set me up. Just let me know your size.”
“Yeah. Sure. Don’t spend too much—but don’t get one that turns my hand green.”
“Deal.”
We disconnected. I was grinning at the sheer absurdness of buying wedding rings again. Then I caught myself staring at my phone. I stuffed it into my back pocket. Not once had my ex given my mom that much consideration. But then Poppy had always been different from Hassie. A fact I hadn’t appreciated so much until now.
* * *
Poppy
I knocked on the front door. Jensen’s house looked the same as I remembered—a two-story, white farmhouse with green shutters. Pounding resounded from the other side of the door and it whipped open.
A 3D Auggie grinned at me. “Hi!”
“Hi, Auggie. Nice to officially meet you.” I held out a hand. He stared at it for a moment before putting his small fingers in mine and giving me a sturdy shake before letting go. Now, I could see both of his parents in him, but he definitely reminded me of the boy I used to race on the playground. He was probably as fast as his dad had been. “We got you a ring!”
“Sorry.” Jensen appeared behind him, crossing the living room, and nerves exploded through my belly. This whole day had me twisted inside out. “Auggie beat me to the greeting.”
“Can I give her the ring, Dad?” Auggie jumped up and down.
The air thickened between me and Jensen, but Auggie’s energy defused some of it. Jensen dug in his pocket. I had offered to buy them, but he said he’d done some cabinetry work at a small clothing store in Crocus Valley that had a jewelry counter. The place was close enough to Coal Haven that if someone saw him, the rumor mill would work in our favor.
He held his hand out to Auggie. A simple diamond ring was nestled in his palm. I’d told Jensen just to go with simple. People could have their opinions, but there was no need to waste money on something that would be worn for only a year.
“That’s not real, is it?” I sounded as alarmed as I felt. It was gorgeous. Just my style. A legit diamond was just too much.
“The lab-grown ones are reasonable,” Jensen said, and it matched the band I could get for myself. “I couldn’t let your parents think that I skimped on your ring.”
My heart was pounding. Auggie was holding the ring out like he wanted to put it on. “They wouldn’t care as long as I didn’t care.”
Jensen only shrugged. His reputation was on the line, so I wouldn’t argue. Besides, I could return the ring when we ended things.
But it was so pretty, sparkling in Auggie’s grip.
I held my hand out. There was a slight tremble. The diamond might be real, but this marriage wasn’t. Auggie was excited, Jensen was satisfied, and I would get to enjoy the shine of a gem.
The warm metal slid on. Satisfaction spread across Auggie’s face. Jensen’s brow furrowed when the ring was fully seated. This had to mess with his mind.
Guilt ate away at the earlier nerves. I brandished my newly bedazzled hand. “Guess it’s official.”
Auggie’s eyes lit up. “Dad said you have lots of nieces and nephews.”
