Page 14 of Home Field Advantage
A deep laugh that fires down my spine, right to my gut. It’s hot. It’s intoxicating. It’s…
I need to stop.
I straighten my spine. “It’s the best coffee shop in Bluestone Lakes.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Noted. And your name is…Poppy?”
I nod.
“Poppy,” he repeats, andmy god, hearing it out of his mouth is like an out-of-body experience. I shake my head, knowing he picked up on it, but I brush it off.
“I can see it,” he says.
“See what?”
“Poppy. If I recall correctly, it’s a flower associated with beauty.” He winks.
Oh. My. God.
Is he…flirting with me?
“I’m Dallas, by the way,” he continues.
My cheeks turn bright red, and I know that without having to look in the mirror, because they feel hot. I spin around, and simultaneously Autumn slides my iced coffee across the counter. I tap my card on the chip reader and sidestep the man without glancing at his face again or saying another word to my friend.
“Hey,” he calls after me. Reluctantly, I spin around but still refuse to look him in the eyes. “Maybe I’ll see you around?”
Meeting his stare, my breath catches as he winks again.
“Yeah, maybe,” I reply, pushing the door open to head to my car.
Once settled inside, I use my breathing techniques to settle myself. Inhaling for four seconds, holding it for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and holding it again for four seconds.
Then I repeat my mantra, which reminds me thateverything is fine, I’m fine,before looking at the clock on my dashboard: Ten minutes. I have ten minutes to hustle to school and get this day started.
I don’t feel any better than when I left my house in a rush.
And nothing this morning helped that feeling.
CHAPTER 4
YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ME.
Dallas
“Ready to go, Sage?” I shout down the hallway that leads to her room on the opposite side of the house as mine.
“I’m putting my shoes on now.”
“Need any help?”
“Nope. Gots it!”
I laugh to myself as I finish cleaning up the pan I used to make scrambled eggs this morning. We haven’t taken a trip to the grocery store in town yet since we got in two days ago, and today will be the day we stock up on all our favorites.
Nan filled the kitchen with the basics for us, which shocked me. I knew the place would be furnished as it’s a rental, but I hadn’t expected the generosity of having eggs, milk, bread, and other basic essentials we might need to get started with.
I still think it’s weird calling her Nan. I wish like hell I knew her real name. I had to save her number in my contacts as Nan, and it’s just…odd. Maybe it’s just that I never met my grandparents or had anyone to call that. Then again, this town feels a bit off. It’s nothing like I expected it to be.
