Page 94 of Poppy Kisses
She gave me an understanding but inquisitive look. “How do you mean?”
I propped my elbows on my knees. I’d never shared this moment with anyone. It’d been mine and mine alone, but it hadn’t just been me. She’d been there. “Remember the day of my dad’s funeral?”
The middle of my chest warmed when she nodded right away. She didn’t have to think.
“When we sat on the hill and talked?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I’d needed to get away from the crowd. The laughter. It’d been a sad day, and after days of seeing my mom’s pale face force a smile, I’d needed to process our new normal away from everyone trying to make me feel better. “You just sat with me, and we talked about nothing and everything. It was the first time I thought that maybe I’d be okay. Life would be different than what I planned. My future might be a little different, but with the right person, it wouldn’t be so scary. It wouldn’t be so lonely.” Her eyes were luminous when she looked at me, lit by the glow of the yard lamp. “Then you moved.”
Her pink lips parted, and I had to look away. Back then, I hadn’t been able to admit these thoughts to myself.
“But you never liked me like that,” she said, barely above a whisper.
I studied a spot on the porch in front of me. “I didn’t think there was another option until then. Before Dad’s death, I coasted through life doing what I always did. Then I had to stop and rethink everything, and when I did, you were there. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else.”
She turned in her seat. “And then I moved.”
“Then you were gone, and it was easier to go back to what was familiar and continue my infatuation withher.” I tilted my head toward the door. “I think if you had stayed, I might’ve chased you.”
“Until she noticed and beckoned for your attention.”
“You would’ve had it. Just like you do now.” Without a doubt. I’d have been in Poppy’s orbit. “I’ve always liked you, Poppy. You were one of my favorite people. Still are.”
“And Hassie wasn’t?”
The front door opened. Hassie stepped out, adding an extra swing to her hips. “He’s asleep. I really am sorry about tonight.”
I didn’t trust her doe eyes.
Poppy picked up her can of mineral water. “I’ll let you two talk.”
Was she running, or was she sick of the weirdness when all three of us were together? Perhaps she wanted me to tell Hassie there was no chance we were reconnecting. Regardless, I let her go.
“I’ll apologize a million times if you’ll quit being mad at me.” Hassie smiled, sticking a hand in her back pocket. She’d been on her friend’s ranch, so she was in jeans, but that didn’t stop her from kicking a hip out. I used to live for those moments. It had meant she noticed me. It had meant she wanted my attention. It had meant that maybe I hadn’t made a horrible decision marrying Hassie Heart.
Now, I craved conversation. I craved someone checking in because they wanted to. Like when Poppy called tonight, worried that something had happened to me and Auggie. When she would come into the shop to hang out. When she’d talked about me with her sisters and came up with guidelines for us to mess around because she couldn’t help herself.
“I really didn’t want to ruin the moment,” she continued when I didn’t give in to her flirtation, “but I had no idea that he’d take it that hard.”
“You had some idea.”
She blinked. Her frown was instant. “Jensen, it’s not a big deal. It’s just soccer.”
“When you were his age, what would you have done if someone said the same thing about horse shows?”
She scoffed. “Where is this coming from? Was Poppy that upset? She’s not his?—”
“She has nothing to do with this,” I said hotly, “but don’t minimize her role in Auggie’s life.”
She drew back, giving me an aghast look. “And what is that? Hisfakestepmother?”
“A person who’s been around him for the last six weeks, who hasn’t broken her word to him, and who will continue to play a role in his life as his tutor and coach, and yes, as his fake stepmom.”
“She can be all that, but she won’t be Auggie’s mom.”
“What does being his mom mean to you?”
Hassie’s mouth dropped open. “Jensen, I have been building a life for myself for the last five years. I’ve worked and competed and managed to build a reputation that’ll let me move closer to my son. Yet you stand here and act like I’m a deadbeat mom? You know how many times I wanted to call, but I was in a different time zone? I didn’t want to wake him up or promise that I’d call at a certain time only for an event to run long.” She crossed her arms. No hips were cocked out. “I did the best I could until I could get here.”
