Page 7 of Poppy Kisses (Return to Coal Haven #3)

Chapter Three

Poppy

“Can you believe it? Marry him as if I didn’t grow up seeing him lust after another girl?” I reached the far wall of the living room, pivoted, and stomped in the other direction. My angry pacing resonated through Alder and Daisy’s house.

I’d told Alder what Jensen had proposed and he’d only cocked a brow, said it might be worth thinking about, and went outside to play with Laila. Daisy was tucked into the corner of the couch, already in her pajamas at seven at night. Her head oscillated as I went from wall to wall.

“It’s been a long time,” she said gently. “And he’s divorced.”

I scoffed. “He’s hung up on her. I know it.”

“To be fair, you’ve never known him to not be hung up on her. But a lot of time has passed. He’s raising their kid, and I haven’t seen her around.” She tipped her head. “If it makes you feel better, he never mentioned Hassie once when he was putting in the cabinets.”

The sound of an engine came from outside. I continued my back and forth, my hands on my hips. I could have the house. It could be mine. I’d just have to marry a guy who might still be obsessed with his ex.

It wouldn’t be a love arrangement. Just because it’d worked out for Lily, Violet, and Alder didn’t mean it would be the same for me. I wasn’t interested in Jensen anyway. Or his abs. Those broad shoulders. That ass I could bounce a quarter off of.

I shook my head just as a knock resounded at the door.

Violet poked her head in. “Alder said we could just come in. I want to make sure.”

I stopped with a stomp. “He told you?”

“I’m the guilty one,” Daisy said with a timid raise of her hand. “I thought all the experts could weigh in on this one.”

I couldn’t be mad. The only reason I hadn’t texted all of them was because Alder had arrived home right after Jensen had left. Then I’d ranted to Daisy. She must’ve sent an SOS text to my sisters when she’d changed clothes. Had I been that unhinged?

Violet entered, and Lily was right behind her.

I waved a hand toward the couch and recliner. “Might as well sit.”

When they were settled, I dropped to a cross-legged position on the floor. “I can’t marry him.”

“I thought you two used to be tight,” Violet said.

“Not tight.” We’d been each other’s biggest competition as kids. Who could kick farther, run faster, throw harder. Who did the best on a test. Who told the funniest story. “I was never a girl to him.”

“I bet you are now.” Lily chortled. “You were wearing those pants today?”

I frowned at my leggings. They were comfortable. I never did go for my run today, but I’d kept them on. “Yeah?”

The smile still played along Lily’s lips. “And that shirt?”

“If his eyes could leave prints,” Violet said, “I bet we’d find evidence on your T and A.”

I pulled my shirt out. When I let go, it clung to my torso. “Why would he?”

“Your ass is fire in those,” Lily said. “You might as well not be wearing anything.” She waved her hand like she was clearing a cloud of smoke. “Regardless, he offered a deal. What was it exactly?”

I took a steadying breath. “If he married me, he could renovate the house and use it for marketing material and brochures.” The Perez house was a piece of local history.

If he did good work, and if Alder and Daisy’s cabinets were an indicator, he was excellent, it’d go farther than a few typos.

“I’d get the house, but in turn, I proof the pamphlets and brochures. Get him set up with some software.”

“That’s it?” Violet asked.

I nodded, unable to tell them specifics. Jensen could tell them, but not me. I couldn’t reveal that I tutored Auggie without risking my reputation and my job. My sisters wouldn’t tell anyone, but I had enough on my mind.

My oldest sister inspected me.

I wrung my hands together, trying not to wither under her scrutiny. “We ran into each other. He was more excited to see me than I was him.” They all nodded like they had bought my story. “I can’t do it. It’d be crazy.”

A little giggle left Daisy. Her eyes flared. “Sorry. You sound like I did after Alder proposed his bargain. I thought he’d lost his marbles. It was crazy,” she agreed. “It was also the right decision. Even if we didn’t fall back in love, it would’ve still been my best option.”

She’d had to move and had nowhere to go with Laila. Alder had wanted the house. The difference was that he had really wanted Daisy back. There’d been no falling back in love. They’d never been out of it. This house was a nice bonus.

“I can’t,” I said weakly. Jensen wasn’t a stranger, but this was marriage. Living with him. Hearing about Hassie.

Concern crinkled Violet’s brow. “Why not? What bothers you so bad about it? Don’t you feel safe with him?”

“I’d probably be the safest,” I said bitterly. “I’d probably be one of the guys to him. He was all about Hassie. Always comparing us. I never measured up.”

Daisy’s mouth formed an O. Lily did a slow nod.

“I see.” Understanding filled Violet’s voice. “You think it’ll be a year of ‘Hassie did it this way’?”

“I couldn’t compete with her at seven or eleven.

Or fourteen,” I said. After looking her up, it still held true.

“Now she’s a professional barrel racer, sponsored by some boot company—and hat brand, and she’s on posters.

” I held a hand up. “I don’t want to compete with her. I’m not interested in Jensen.”

The three of them exchanged knowing looks.

“What?” I snapped.

“Not interested?” Violet asked. “Or afraid you’ll be too interested?”

The image of him in nothing but running shorts that revealed impressive quads shimmered in my brain, crystal clear. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need to hear that Hassie looks better in a dress than I do.”

Daisy’s scandalized gasp echoed in the room. “He told you that?”

“We were twelve, but yeah.” I rubbed my temples.

“Damn,” Lily said. “He must’ve been afraid he’d lose his crush if he looked too hard anywhere else. It’s still wrong—and he was wrong.”

I shrugged, but my confusion lingered. That didn’t make sense. Jensen had been devoted. He’d been a devoted classmate; he’d just kept me in my place. “It’s insane. I can’t get married to a stranger.”

“I married a stranger.” Lily’s smile was indulgent. “It was pretty nice, honestly.”

I scowled at her. “You’re not helping. None of you are.”

“We can see the big picture better,” Daisy said.

“Personal feelings about him and Hassie aside, we can see that you’re disappointed that you might not get the Perez house.

You’re frustrated that you can’t find a decent place to set up your tutoring center.

And trust me, I’ve seen the places to rent around Coal Haven and Crocus Valley. It’s rough out there.”

“Alder doesn’t have any open units?” He’d invested in a ton of property. Technically, none of his purchases had turned into investments yet. He’d put a fair amount of money into renovating them. Daisy said they got snatched up as soon as the paint dried.

Had he used Jensen for any of his rental improvements? Had Jensen asked, or had his flubs made him hesitant to put himself out there?

I flicked away the thought of Jensen. I was not worried about his business. I needed to concentrate on mine. I had no job, and I couldn’t rely on Debbie to send me her scraps forever.

“And we see the bonus,” Violet said gently. “You’re not marrying a total stranger. You just don’t know the adult him.” She set her phone on the armrest. “Did you get all that, Clover?”

“Oh my god. Jensen actually married Hassie and then they got divorced?” Clover’s scandalized tone rang through the living room. “And now you’re marrying him?”

Shocked but pleased I wouldn’t have to catch Clover up and repeat all of this, I shook my head. “I’m not marry—”

“You have a chance to own the Perez house,” Clover cut in. “The Perez house. Remember when we trick-or-treated there after Aunt Linda moved out and you were so upset with her? You wanted it to stay in the family.”

Our grandparents might’ve owned it, but the house had been as good as gone. It wasn’t like the new renters would let the owner’s grandkids wander through whenever they wanted.

“Is he hot?” Clover asked.

I huffed. “That’s not the point.”

“He is.” She squealed. No wonder Violet called her. If they wanted me to consider the opportunity, Clover was the one who’d cut through the haze and get me out of my head. “He must’ve turned into a snacky snack if Hassie married him.”

“He’s okay.” I ignored the way the three women exchanged another round of looks and bit back smiles. “He makes cabinets for a living.” It showed in his biceps.

“So, dad-bod hot or could he have a calendar of his own?” she pressed.

“You mean is he one month in a calendar or all of them?” My question was a cover for an instant answer I refused to say.

A whistle came over the line. “He’s that good-looking.”

“I think he has a lot of muscles,” Lily said, loud enough that Clover would hear perfectly.

Daisy crossed her legs under her. “Would he be the one I heard one of the playground monitors say could strip her down like he stripped her grandma’s cupboards?”

Violet snickered. “That’s gotta be him. Look, I’m all in with Evander, but I think we can all agree that if Jensen made a Cabinet of the Month calendar, he’d raise some money.”

“Maybe he can do that for your center,” Clover suggested.

“You guys are not helping!” I said indignantly.

“I think we’re helping, just not the way you hoped.

” Clover was suddenly serious. “I think you knew the decision that would work the best, and you wanted us to agree. But, Poppy, you hated being so far away from family. You love Coal Haven as much as the rest of us, and you light up when you talk about forming your own center here. Even Debbie’s willing to throw you clients. ”