Page 36 of Poppy Kisses (Return to Coal Haven #3)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Poppy

Clover: OMG!!! Is she there now?

Clover: Did she sleep in his room?

Clover: Did you sleep in his room?

Clover. YOU CAN’T LEAVE ME HANGING!

I dropped my sleeping mask back over my eyes and rolled to my back. The incessant buzzing of my phone had woken me. I texted Clover last night when I was tossing and turning. She’d slept through it, but now she was clearly awake.

Seeing Hassie last night had me disconcerted in so many ways.

The flirty way she stood around Jensen and the sultry smiles she aimed in his direction.

Her legs were amazing. She was gorgeous from head to toe.

If she wanted to get Jensen back, it’d probably work.

Then she’d take him for granted again. But it’d be too late.

What was I going to do? I was supposed to marry the man, but his sexy ex-wife would be living in town.

I sighed and picked up my phone.

Poppy: She’s staying with Erin, but she’s bringing lunch and wants to catch up.

Seconds after I hit send, my phone vibrated. I fumbled and nearly dropped it on my face. Clover was calling.

“Hello?” I whispered.

“Are you being so quiet because you’re sleeping next to Jensen? You’re in his bed and that hussy is out in the rain, right?”

“No—and she’s not a hussy. She’s his ex.” And it sounded like she had cheated on him. Perhaps not, but Jensen couldn’t trust that she hadn’t. “She’s Auggie’s mom.”

“She’s his mom when it works for her,” Clover grumbled.

“She’s hot.” I blew out a gusty breath. “You should see her. She could do a decade of calendars and be all the months every year.”

“Jensen thinks you’re hot.”

He’d never thought I was better looking than Hassie.

We weren’t kids anymore, but it didn’t matter.

“What if he goes back to her?” My concern should be losing my chance at the house.

Having to come up with extra money for an office rental.

Telling my family, just kidding, the wedding is off. The groom’s back with his real wife.

“Does she want him back?”

I pressed my lips together. She wasn’t reassuring me that he didn’t want to rekindle what he and Hassie had.

“Obviously, he’s into you,” Clover said as if she was reading my mind.

He could be attracted to me and still want to try again at everything he had with her. “We were just talking about…being more than pretend.”

Her squeal filled the other end of the line. “Seriously? Poppy, I’m so happy. He’s a really good guy.”

“He’s not my guy.” I hadn’t gotten a chance to try and make him mine.

“Make him yours.”

“Sure.” Wasn’t one of my first lessons in love about how Jensen wasn’t mine?

“Poppy, you’re a competitive person. Make him yours.”

I was competitive in sports. I liked competing with Jensen, but not for him. “I’m not demeaning myself by putting on a show for a guy. Either he wants me, or he doesn’t.”

“No, I totally get it. Sorry. You shouldn’t have to make a guy notice you or love you. I’m just saying don’t give up on him. He’s into you, so don’t convince yourself he’s not just because you think Hassie’s hot.”

Hassie was the one I compared myself to. I never got self-conscious around women otherwise. I admired them. I also hadn’t grown up getting compared to them by the guy I was falling hard for.

“Yoo-hoo!” someone called from outside the house and the doorbell rang. “Anyone home?”

“Oh shit.” I hissed into the phone. “She’s here, and I’m not even out of bed.” I took the phone away from my face. “Oh my god. How did I sleep past ten?”

“Did Jensen wear you out on your date?” she teased.

Warm tingles spread over my body. I’d gone to bed smelling like him. I needed a shower and a beauty routine that included more than moisturizer with sunscreen.

The doorbell rang again.

I sat up and tugged my bonnet off. Where were Jensen and Auggie? “I’ve gotta go. Maybe I can sneak into the bathroom before she comes inside.”

I hung up without waiting for her goodbye. After flying out of bed, I ran around the room, grabbing clothing that was at least clean. I didn’t have anything that would rival Hassie’s shorts and clinging tee.

Another ding-dong resonated through the house. Where was everyone? And why did I sleep so late?

I swung the door open. The house was quiet. I snuck out to the living room. Hassie was peering through the window. She waved, a big grin on her face.

My hair wasn’t frizzed, thanks to the bonnet, but I hadn’t even combed my fingers through it. Shit. I couldn’t just leave her. But, oh, I wanted to.

I scurried to the door, opened it, and dashed backward as fast as I could go, aiming for the bathroom while hunching my shoulders because I didn’t have a bra on. “Sorry, I don’t know where the guys are.”

“Jensen’s pickup is outside.” Grocery bags hung in her hands. “I thought y’all would be awake by now.”

“Ah, late night.” I winced at the way it sounded. “Um, I’ll go clean up.”

“I figured I’d bring the ingredients and make something.” She set the bags on the island and sifted through them. “That’s why I’m early. I know how Jensen appreciates a homemade meal.”

Irritation prickled over my skin. “Sure.”

Jensen and I had taken turns cooking and sometimes we prepared a meal together. With the nicer weather, we did a lot of grilling. He liked the sounds I made when I ate, but he didn’t get that way when I cooked. Was that because no meal compared to a Hassie meal?

God, I was being ridiculous. I ducked into the bathroom and ran through the quickest shower of my life.

I didn’t bother with more than towel-drying my hair.

It already looked better than it had when I answered the door.

The rush was taking my mind off Jensen’s ex-wife making him a homemade meal in the next room.

Hassie was humming in the kitchen when I flashed from the bathroom to the bedroom. While I was pulling my shorts on, I heard the front door open.

“Mom!” Auggie yelled.

I hopped on one leg and nearly fell over, grateful the door was closed all the way.

“There are my boys!” Hassie called.

This time, I flopped on the bed, my body heavy, like I had retained each drop of water from the shower.

There are my boys.

She sounded so…natural. Like she was meant to be here and I was the intruder.

But I wanted Jensen for myself.

I decided to marry him less than a week after reconnecting with him. Fake or not, that was a big commitment. Being with him since our deal only made it feel more right.

I fell for him. His smile. His unwavering support. The way he made me feel mentally and physically—I’d experienced nothing like it. I liked how he challenged me, but he also knew I just needed him to be there.

Tears poked hot into the backs of my eyes. A deep voice joined in the conversation in the kitchen. I pushed my hair out of my face and finished getting dressed before I found a hair tie and twisted my damp curls into a loose bun.

I was about to open the bedroom door when I stopped. I could do this. Whatever happened, it would be fine. It might take some time, but I’d land on my feet.

I breezed out, leaving all my insecurities behind. Hassie had packs of chicken open and she was making a flour mixture to dredge them through. For fuck’s sake, was she making homemade fried chicken? It wasn’t even eleven.

Show-off.

Jensen was standing at the edge of the living room, his arms folded. He glanced at me and his expression lightened, but concern filled his eyes. “Morning.”

“Morning. Sorry I slept in.”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he said.

The tension was leaking out of me when Hassie popped her head up. “Early bird gets the worm, sleepyhead. I was at the store before it even opened. Since when do they keep the doors locked until nine?”

Any hunger I had vanished. I wasn’t participating in this level of competition.

Jensen’s lips were thinned when he faced me. “Auggie was in the shop helping me with the crown molding for the house.” His voice was softer than his tone. “We’ll get it measured and cut to install it tomorrow.”

“I can help with that. Or I can do it even if you have stuff going on here.” My gaze drifted to where Hassie was having Auggie beat a couple of eggs.

“You can give me a hand. Hassie said she’d come hang with Auggie tomorrow.”

I almost said it’s a date, but I held back. Awareness tickled down my spine. We were being watched. “I’ll be there.”

“I have to get back out to the shop so we have something to mount.”

“You’re all about the mounting,” I muttered only loud enough for him, forgetting all the awkwardness of the last twelve hours. We snickered, and Hassie’s focus burned into me. “Thanks for doing that.”

He winked like he was oblivious to his ex. “Holding up my end of the deal. Do you want to come out and help?”

He was offering me an out. An escape from being stuck in the house with Hassie. I was a big girl. I could hang with her and save some pride. We’d been friends once.

“Dad—wait!” Auggie held his hands in the air. “Can I help again?”

“Of course, bud. Come on out after you wash your hands.” Jensen disappeared outside. Auggie washed his hands and dashed out with him.

Now I was alone with Hassie. My stomach churned. We used to be friends. Maybe we still could be. It had to be better than this weirdness. “Can I help with anything?”

“I’ve got it.” She smiled, but her eyes didn’t sparkle at me like they did around Jensen. “So? How’ve you been?”

“Good. The normal. College, then work. Now I’m opening my own business.”

She checked the pan of what I assumed must be oil on the stove. “I heard. Auggie has lots to say about his lessons.”

“He’s a wonderful pupil. I really enjoy working with him.”

Her smile seemed genuine. “He’s a good kid. Just wish we could work the same magic with horses that you can with reading.”

Was she afraid the only thing that could link her and her son was a love for the equine world? “I’m sure he’ll come around. It’s gotta be in his blood.” I let out a nervous laugh.