Page 38 of Poppy Kisses (Return to Coal Haven #3)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Poppy

Auggie hadn’t shown at practice yet. Jensen was catching up on work at the shop since Aspen and I didn’t need him to fill in with coaching.

I passed a ball back and forth between my feet, shuffling a few steps to the left and right.

The boys I coached were spread around the field, doing their warm-ups.

In a crooked line, they jumped up and down, switching the foot on the ball, doing toe taps.

I checked my phone. Not only was Auggie gone, but three kids hadn’t returned. I glanced at Aspen’s group. How small had hers gotten? At least four of Hadley’s friends hadn’t returned either.

I stayed anxious through all of practice.

We would not survive our first season at this attrition rate.

My stomach twisted on itself. How embarrassing would it be to hang the sign for my school—Uplifting Minds?

No, not quite right. But how embarrassing to hang up my sign—whatever the title might be—only to have people wonder if I was the one who couldn’t recruit enough kids for one soccer team?

The hour went by both slowly and quickly. No Auggie and no Jensen. I’d text them as soon as I was done. Everything was probably okay. Maybe they got involved at the shop and lost track of time. Maybe Auggie didn’t want to play anymore.

“Bring it in,” I called to the kids.

They surrounded me, and we all took a seat on the grass.

I waved a few little flies out of my face.

The city had sprayed for mosquitoes, so at least we weren’t getting eaten alive, although it’d give me more to think about than my second failing soccer club attempt and how I had to lie about my fiancé to open a business.

I used to tell the kids that winning wasn’t a priority.

But winning in life was a little more important.

“Tell me what you liked and what you didn’t?” And tell me if you’re not coming back on Thursday.

They all talked at the same time until I held up a finger. “Left to right.” The two kids on the ends spoke together, and I chuckled. “My left. Sorry.” I gestured to Jaxon.

“I liked getting it in the goal.”

I smiled. “It’s a good feeling.”

“And I didn’t like that Matthew’s on vacation.”

A small wave of relief cooled me off. “He’s on vacation?”

Jaxon nodded solemnly. “With Davis. Their families go camping together.”

Okay, that explained two. After all the kids told me they liked making goals and they missed their friends, I cut them loose.

Aspen had let her kids go at the same time, and she jogged toward me. “You had lots of kids gone too?”

I nodded. “Didn’t look good, but a couple are on vacation.”

She squinted at the parking lot. “A few of mine were too. To be expected, I guess.” She waved at a swarm of tiny bugs.

“Oh well. We can always enroll a coed team in the tournaments that allow it. Registration is still open on a couple, but I wanted to wait to see if our numbers were stable.” She lifted her arms in a shrug and slapped her thighs.

“Oh well. First year, we don’t know what to expect. ”

“What if more kids drop?”

“Then no tournaments and we try again next year,” she said brightly.

I nodded. There weren’t thousands of other families’ dollars on the line, so she could be cavalier about it. And it wasn’t only my name attached to the Coal Haven Kickers.

I talked my blood pressure down. Crisis averted. I wouldn’t have to move in shame. I could hold my head up high when I hung that Brain Power sign.

No, still not quite right for a name.

I just had to pick one. But the house wouldn’t be ready until after the wedding, when I could actually open in my office. When I could actually order a sign. Jensen said he’d make it. And he’d make another.

I just needed a name.

After I helped Aspen load her bag of balls in her SUV, I jogged to my car. I checked my phone. Nothing from Jensen.

Worry gnawed at my stomach lining. I drove home, but his pickup was gone. Now what? I stayed in the car and stared at the house. Concern continued to eat at me, but so did envy. Hassie probably knew exactly where Jensen and Auggie were.

I could drive all over town looking for them and act like a jealous girlfriend. Or I could call Jensen. And talk. Which was what he’d asked me to do. I was tempted to text, but waiting for a reply would kill me.

He answered on the first ring. “Hey, how’d it go?”

I frowned. He sounded like nothing was wrong. “Uh, good. Auggie couldn’t make it?”

“What?”

“He wasn’t there. I thought maybe something happened.”

“Shit,” he hissed. “Hassie said she’d bring him, so I came to work. Let me call you back. I gotta make sure he’s okay.”

The line went dead. Dread filled me. I wanted everything to be fine, but if it was, that’d also mean that Hassie was using her son to drive a wedge between me and them.

I was still deciding if I should stay in the house or go when my phone vibrated. Jensen.

“Hey,” I answered. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah.” The word came out exasperated. “She said he was having too much fun on the farm to stop him for soccer.”

“Okay?” He had really been looking forward to it. Anger blazed a path across my cheeks. She had to have known how excited he was for practice.

“I know,” he said grimly.

“I’ve worked with a lot of kids, and he’s got so much passion. I’d hate to think she’s…” It wasn’t my place to say.

“Manipulating him? That’s what I’m upset about. I don’t give a fuck if he wants to watercolor or learn to cross-stitch, but I won’t tell him he gets to do something and then withhold it because I don’t think he loves what I like enough. That’s fucked up.”

“Maybe he really was having a good time, and he suddenly can’t get enough of horses or family friends.” Call me surprised. I wasn’t defending Hassie, but the fury would get too hot.

“Family friends who haven’t reached out once since I’ve moved home.”

Auggie didn’t fit their lifestyle. My heart went out to him. If Hassie was trying to control his interests and then flitted from his life, he’d know. If he didn’t realize it now, then he would in five years, ten years. Even twenty.

Jensen had to be seething. I was buffered during my time in the school system, but I’d seen enough antics that happened between divorced parents. It could get ugly, and while that wasn’t Jensen, I didn’t know it wasn’t Hassie. “Let’s assume he had fun until we learn differently.”

His exhale gusted over the line. “You’re right. Are you at home?”

The way he said home curled like a whisper through my insides.

Home. I looked around the yard, from the proud farmhouse to the sprawling land behind it.

The shop Jensen worked in where we’d made some steamy memories.

The spot where he usually parked and we had our first time together.

I’d never had a house before, and even if the Perez house became mine, if our wild plan worked, then I would, but that wouldn’t change how I felt about this place.

“Yeah. I’m home.”

* * *

Jensen

It was nearly dark before Hassie rolled up with Auggie. I was on the porch with Poppy, having a mineral water and enjoying the beautiful night. I’d stayed away from the beer so I could have a clear head to deal with any soccer fallout.

My heart dropped like a stone when I saw Auggie’s tear-streaked face. He spotted Poppy and cried even harder. I was out of my chair and crossing the lawn in seconds.

“What’s wrong, buddy?”

“I-I’m sorry. I-I forgot.” He hiccuped.

Hassie rounded the back of her pickup with a sheepish look on her face. “The evenin’ got away from us.”

She was putting the charm on. It’d always saved her in the past. I felt Poppy’s calming presence behind me.

Auggie slammed into my stomach, sobbing. “I’m sorry.”

I hugged him and patted his back. “It’s not your fault, bud.”

Defensiveness flashed in Hassie's eyes, but I didn’t care.

“I let Poppy down,” he cried.

“It’s not a problem, Auggie. There’s always Thursday.” Poppy looked at me, eyes wide. Right? she mouthed.

“Yes,” I said firmly. “Thursday.”

Hassie held her hands up. “Absolutely. Thursday. I won’t swoop in to take Auggie to see Honey’s new goats. But they were really cute, weren’t they?”

Auggie sniffled and nodded. He stepped back. “I liked the goats.”

Hassie shrugged. “We’re getting closer to horses, aren’t we, hon?”

He stuffed the toe of his boot into the grass. When the hell did he get boots that fit him? He hated wearing anything but his athletic shoes.

“I petted Calvin.” Pride shone from Auggie’s face.

“That’s cool.” I rubbed his shoulder. Hassie was determined to get Auggie on horseback, and if she was willing to put the work in, fine. But she couldn’t manipulate him. “Calvin’s a good horse.”

“He’s my old horse,” Hassie explained to Poppy. “Honey’s been boarding him for me. Remember when I got him?” she asked me in a familiar, sultry tone.

I ground my molars together. She’d gotten Calvin after graduation. I’d hung out while she bonded with a two-year-old Calvin. That night was our first time together. Was that why she was bringing it up? “I think I remember. Maybe.”

Her mouth dropped open. She snapped it shut. “So. Tomorrow? More goats, Auggie?”

“Yeah.” Auggie whipped his head toward me. “Can I, Dad?”

“That’ll be fine,” I said, “but right now, it’s bedtime. Go get cleaned up, and I’ll be right in.”

She glanced back and forth between me and Poppy, then at the house. “I’d like to tuck him in.”

Auggie’s evening had been dramatic enough. I wouldn’t make it worse by confronting Hassie where he might hear. I lifted my chin toward the door. “Go ahead.”

She gave me a sweet smile, but I didn’t return it. My anger from the evening hadn’t faded yet.

When my ex and Auggie were inside, I spun toward Poppy. “She’s playing games.”

“Which part?” She pretended to think. “With Auggie, or when she pointed out that I don’t have a history with you?”

“She brought it up because it was our first time together that night, if you want to call two teens fumbling around memorable.”