Page 29 of Poppy Kisses (Return to Coal Haven #3)

Chapter Sixteen

Jensen

The last week had been one of the best of my life. I got another job, and the clients didn’t want me to start until July. That would be after the wedding and when I would be done with the house. The couple was older and didn’t like email, so I wasn’t bugging Poppy with proofreading.

She had combed through my website and made a few changes.

She also polished up the look. Each page was shinier and more refined.

She also set me up with an email signature so I wouldn’t fuck up my name again.

I didn’t struggle with technology, but it was all shit I never thought of and would’ve never thought of.

The write-and-wipe board had saved my sanity more than once. Auggie didn’t love it, but he liked referring back to it and crossing off what he’d already done.

I entered the house. It was Auggie’s last day of school, and while Poppy and I had been finding a nonbed spot to have sex in before school pickup, she had a session today. Clover was coming to town Friday, so she readjusted her schedule to get the afternoon off.

I was getting a drink of water when she came down the stairs laughing. Auggie and I did fine on our own, but the sound of a happy woman under the same roof as me was a nice treat. The running leggings and fitted athletic shirts were a welcome bonus.

I lifted a brow at her and took a long pull.

She grinned. “My student said she hates crossword puzzles sometimes because, with her dyslexia, ‘I dunno, it could be Vermont or Virginia.’”

I chuckled. “She gets them mixed up?”

“I really don’t know what she meant, but she’s a funny girl.

Tiny package, big attitude. Crosswords don’t scare her off that much because she made one of her own for slang.

She said she got the descriptions for each slang word.

” Poppy bit her lip, fighting back a smile.

“She goes, ‘Something about BDE made me think I shouldn’t include it.’”

“Did you have to tell her what it meant?”

“Nope, and I’m not going to. The ‘big dick energy’ privilege goes to her parents.” She glanced at the clock on the oven. “Can I ride with you to the school? Aspen wants to talk about the club. I can drive if you don’t want to wait around.”

“We’ll wait. Auggie likes to play for a while.” There wasn’t a lot that would get me to quit waiting for Poppy. Except my first marriage. Every time I thought of how that went, my urge to linger was cured.

“Oh, about our date night tomorrow night—”

“Don’t worry about it. Clover’s in town, and you’ll want to be with your sisters.”

“I thought maybe we could do it Sunday, but with Auggie?”

Surprise flitted through me. I’d been ready to write off the date altogether. I looked forward to them, but not if they were an obligation. “You want him to crash our date?”

She shrugged. “Why not? I mean, it would help fit the narrative that we’re marrying for real. But I’m sure he’d like to go out with us.”

“He’d love to, I just thought… I know you like him, but you don’t have to entertain him for show.” I held my hope back. For my son’s sake, I had to make sure her offer was genuine.

She frowned and crossed to me. “Do you think what I’m doing is performative?”

“No, not at all. Just that you’re not obliged to spend time with him.”

She recoiled. “I never feel obliged with him. He’s a great kid, and he’s not just a student. None of the kids I work with are.” Hurt crossed her features. “I’m sorry if you thought that. I really didn’t mean to—”

“His mom never wanted him around.” It sounded so much worse when I said it out loud. Damn, I hated talking to Poppy about this. I hated to have her see what I’d been willing to put up with. “I was always asking Hassie to spend time with him, but he was scared of horses.”

“She didn’t want to hang out with her own kid?” Genuine confusion mingled with the disbelief in her eyes.

What did I tell her? I couldn’t just brush her off, and surprisingly, I wanted to share. “Once I realized Hassie’s priority would always be her horses and competition, it was easier to understand.”

“But it’s not right.”

“No. It’s not.”

Her puffy lower lip stuck out. “Poor Auggie.”

Her concern was genuine, so had her offer to have a date Sunday with him. Affection swelled so big in my chest it turned into something different, something deeper, richer. An emotion I wasn’t ready to face just yet. “It’d mean a lot to him to go out with us.”

“Let’s make it a date day.”

As much as I wanted to frolic with them, I had promised her to get the house ready. “I was going to sand the cabinets.”

She shook her head. “We have a whole year after we say our vows. Let’s go to Twelve Mile Bay, grill some hot dogs, throw a frisbee, skip some rocks. It’s supposed to be beautiful.”

“What about Clover?”

“She’s going to leave Saturday, and besides, there are three other sisters in town. It’s you, me, and Auggie. To be honest, she’d probably love to hang out with him for a while too, but I’m kind of looking forward to a day out with just us now.”

Auggie didn’t have aunts or uncles. He still talked about the gathering we had to meet her parents. “Change grilling to going out to eat after and it’s a date.”

The corner of her mouth lifted. “A family date.”

* * *

Poppy

My hands were getting sweaty. I could not touch this dress. I’d leave stains. A faint tremble traveled through me as I gazed in the mirror. I’d never worn something so fancy. “What do you think?”

Clover rolled her eyes and snapped some pictures with her phone. “What do you think?”

I stared back at myself. Sleek, silky fabric hugged my body all the way to the floor. The dress had a deep V-neck and it gave me va-va-voom curves. “It’s glamorous.”

“Glamorous isn’t what you wanted?” Lily gave me an intent look. She had Cali perched on her lap.

“You look like a Barbie,” Cali said.

“Ohmigoodness.” I almost smoothed my hand down the bodice, but I held my arms out like I needed the air circulation. There could be no pitting out on the expensive dresses. Soccer Barbies didn’t get armpit stains on dresses. “You’re my favorite niece.”

“Not fair,” Violet said in a scandalous tone. “Your others can’t talk yet.”

I grinned and turned to the side. “I’ll try another,” I said to the young attendant, Hadley.

She’d grabbed at least ten gowns when she’d first led me to the dressing room.

She’d asked my style and then seemed to pick her favorite dresses.

She was so excited about them, I hadn’t had the heart to ask for different ones. I’d wait for the next round.

Clover lowered her phone. “Can you get her a looser, less formal one?”

“Of course.” When she turned her back, Clover pointed toward a row of dresses and mouthed, I got you.

Relieved, I picked up the hem of my skirt and scurried after the attendant. By the time Hadley helped me out of my dress, someone was knocking on the door.

“I found some I like,” Clover called. “Indulge me and try them on next.”

I smiled. Clover was trying to keep the process going smoothly by taking the blame. Hadley blinked at me like a little doe in front of a semi.

“It’s fine,” I said.

“Oh. Okay.” She inched open the door of the changing room and accepted three dresses. As she shut the door and hung up the dresses, she frowned at the choices. “These are…cute.”

I bit the inside of my cheek and gestured to one that didn’t look like I’d have to be poured into it. “Let’s try that one.”

“Sure.” She took the clear plastic sleeve off and helped slip it over my head.

The flurry of changing gave my hands time to dry. I ran them over my hips and swung from side to side. The skirt was loose, with the empire waist tucked under my boobs. The skirt swished. I liked it better already.

“Want to try another?” Hadley asked.

“Um, let me see it in the mirrors. This is more of what I’m looking for.” When her lips formed a troubled line, I nodded so she knew I meant it. If I had to mold myself into another formfitting dress, I’d opt for a pantsuit.

“It’s a backyard, outdoor wedding. And it fits over my butt and thighs better.” I patted my ass. “Too many years of soccer. All my muscle is here.”

Her brown eyes lit up. “You played soccer?”

“For a long time.” I stepped out of the dressing room. My sisters watched me approach. I didn’t have to hold the skirt up and there was no train. The hem brushed the tops of my feet. Violet’s mouth twisted. Lily was the same. Clover was shaking her head.

“You look like a princess,” Cali said, beaming.

“Thank you.” I stood on the little platform. I agreed with my sisters’ dubious expressions. It was too Pride and Prejudice. “It’s gorgeous but not as chill summer as I was hoping. Let me try another of your other choices, Clover.”

“I used to play,” Hadley said on our way back to the changing room.

“Yeah? What position?”

“Goalkeeper.” We entered the room, and she helped me change. “We drove to Mandan for a long time, and then a few years ago, I just quit. It was a lot with everything else.” She hung up the dress and pulled out a plain cream one that was more the style I was looking for but too plain.

Still, I let her help me into it. My head popped out, and I blew a chunk of hair out of my face. “What if there was a team in town?”

“A team to play on? Or to coach?”

Ooh—a coach. “Both.”

She thought for a moment. “I think coaching would be fun. In sixth grade, I would get so mad at my coach because she would tell me to go against what I learned in my goalkeeper practices.”

“What about playing?” I didn’t have to look at the dress to know I wouldn’t pick it, but I’d take the same style with less sleeve and more decoration. “This is a little too mother of the bride. I’ll just try the other one right away.”

Relief crossed her face. “Of course.” Her nose scrunched the tiniest bit when she took in the modest bodice of my last choice.

At least it was easy to slip off. She hung it up and slipped the next one free.

A little gasp left me. “I love it.”

She held it up and cocked her head. “Yeah, I guess it has a simple beauty.”

“It’s a simple ceremony.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” She bunched it up so I could duck into it.

Soft fabric whispered over my skin. The skirt twirled when it fell to its full length and brushed the tips of my toes.

The beading along the A-line bodice framed my cleavage and stopped at a line that rimmed around the torso.

From there, the chiffon skirt draped in light layers that didn’t puff out.

I squealed. “This is it.”

She smiled and opened the door. “I wasn’t sure at first, but I really like it.”

I rushed out to the mirrors. Cali’s gasp was the loudest, but the sounds came from more than one sister.

“Is that it, Aunt Poppy?” Cali jumped up and down, clapping.

Clover grinned like she knew exactly what I’d pick.

“Stunning,” Violet said. She dabbed at the corner of an eye. “Oh my god, why do I cry so easily now?”

“Well, it’s not—” I caught myself before I said real. I liked Hadley—not her taste in wedding dresses—but I couldn’t let just anyone know.

“Doesn’t matter,” Violet declared as if she guessed what I’d been about to say. “You’re my sister and you’re in a wedding dress and now I want to cry.”

“You’re going to make me cry,” Lily said, “and I know my hormones can’t take it.”

I stepped on the platform and analyzed my reflection in the three-way mirror.

I could see the elegant taper in the back, but my eyes captivated me.

Happiness shone in them. The wispy sleeves made my biceps look cut, and the lift the layers gave the skirt made my hourglass figure pop.

I could wear my hair however I wanted and it’d work.

My excitement grew until I was nearly vibrating. I had the dress. My family all planned to be there. The wedding I hadn’t dared to dream of was happening. And the groom was phenomenal at sex. I was getting it all. For one year.