Page 28 of The Disasters of Dating (Love Connections #6)

Finally, we pull up to the stadium entrance, and the whole busload of people file off. I reach over and grab Poppy’s hand. If she asks, I’ll say it’s so we don’t get separated in this crowd.

She doesn’t pull it away or look at me funny, so I guess she’s okay with it.

The stadium employees scan our tickets and give us directions to our seats.

Poppy grins up at me. “Should we stop by the concessions first? Or go to our seats?”

I moan and pat my stomach. “No more food!”

“Then let’s go find our seats.” She tugs me in the direction we are supposed to go. I obediently follow along behind.

We settle in our seats, and a man in the row in front of us turns around. “Hey, Poppy. Where’s Brody?” He looks like he’s about the same age as my dad. Maybe a little older. He has a head of hair that used to be light brown but is mostly gray now.

She smiles. “Hey, Jim. He’s home with Daphne. They are expecting their baby any day now.” She gives him wide eyes. “Who knows why, but Daphne refused to come. Something about going into labor and the Jumbotron…”

Jim laughs. “That’s right. I thought she might have already had it. But that sounds like Daphne.” He looks over at me and sticks out his hand. “Hey, my name’s Jim Telford.” He openly appraises me. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was her dad.

I shake his hand. “Keaton Barrington. Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” He glances over at Poppy. “Poppy, here, is a keeper. You make sure you treat her right.”

Poppy’s face goes crimson. I’m about to give the whole ‘we’re just friends’ speech, before Poppy has to do it, when she surprises me. “ Don’t worry, Jim. He’s a keeper, too.” She flicks her eyes over to me, and her face goes a deeper crimson.

I can’t help my smile. She thinks I’m a keeper. Does that mean she’s thinking of me as more than a friend? I squeeze her hand. “Don’t worry, Jim. I realized that almost from the first moment I saw her.”

Poppy’s eyes widen slightly. But she doesn’t have time to say anything as someone comes to get to the seats on the other side of us.

We both stand up and suck in our breath, trying to make ourselves tall and thin while they scoot past. They take the seats right next to us.

The woman leans over me. “Hey, Poppy. It’s good to see you.

” She glances at me. “It looks like your brother got more handsome over the summer.” She winks at me.

Poppy laughs. “I’ll tell Brody you said that, Gina.”

She laughs. “I talked to Daphne yesterday, and she seems more than ready to have this baby out.”

Poppy nods. “Yeah, she’s pretty ready. I think Brody was hoping coming to the game would put her into labor.”

Gina shakes her head. “Just like a man to want to drag his pregnant wife to a football game.”

I don’t know Brody, but I’m feeling the need to defend him. “Better a football game than castor oil, right?” I’d heard my mom say that she had nearly resorted to drinking castor oil to induce labor with my brother, Lowell.

Both women’s eyes turn to me, and Gina’s brows perch high on her head. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. I mean, for all I know, Brody is a complete tool.

“I’m pretty sure no one does that anymore,” Gina says.

“But thanks for sticking up for Brody, Keaton. I’ll tell him you defended him.” Poppy smiles at me and wraps her arms around my arm in a hug. If this is a reprimand, I’ll take two.

I shrug. “I mean, he’s not here to defend himself.”

Poppy points to Gina. “This is Daphne’s sister, Gina.” Poppy looks at me, and my heart skips a beat. That’s not how friends look at each other, right? “Gina, this is my friend, Keaton.”

I pushed down the frown at the ‘f’ word.

Gina tips her head to the side, looking between us. “Friend, huh?”

Poppy squeezes my arm even tighter. “Yeah.” There is a question in her tone.

The whole stadium erupts, and Gina looks ahead as the Utah football team runs onto the field. What looks to be the student section goes crazy! I’ve never heard so much noise. I look over at Poppy. “They are so loud.” It’s more mouthing because I’m certain I can’t be heard over the screaming.

She grins and leans in right next to my ear. “Yeah, they’re called The Muss.” A full-body shiver starts at my neck and ends at my toes.

I try to ignore it and give her a side look. “They have a name?”

“Yep. And you have to be a member to sit in that section. They even have a code of ethics.” She glances over at the sea of red several sections over.

The noise has died down slightly, so she doesn’t have to be so close to my ear.

I’m both grateful and sad. “The U is kind of well-known for how loud their crowd is. They are one of the loudest in the country.”

The players head to the center of the field for the coin toss, and the crowd quiets for a moment. But as soon as the coin comes up in the U’s favor, the crowd erupts again. I rub my temple. It’s going to be a loud night.

Utah chooses to receive first, and the players all line up for the kickoff.

Poppy bounces in her seat next to me. As the ball flies through the air, she squeals, “Football season is officially underway.”

It’s a good first quarter. Utah’s players look strong and ready for the season.

But Stanford isn’t about to roll over and let Utah have the win.

If things continue this way, it will be a good game.

The U has the ball, and the receiver catches it running for a 20-yard gain.

But yellow flags fly all over the field.

“Aw, no way!” Poppy yells at the ref. “Boo, get yourself a pair of glasses, Ref!”

I grin as I stare at her. I’ve never seen the sports fan side of Poppy.

I have to say, I’m surprised. I thought she would be a mellow observer.

Although, as I consider it, I’m not sure why I thought that.

Poppy seems to be passionate about most things in her life. Why would football be any different?

She settles back in her seat with her arms folded and a glare. I nudge her with my shoulder. “Anything I can do?”

One side of her lips quirk up. “No.” She looks sheepish. Yes, I now know what that expression looks like. “Sorry, I probably should have warned you. I can get a little heated when I watch football.”

“No worries. I’m good watching the off-field entertainment as well as the on-field.” I wink and settle into my seat, a little at an angle so my shoulder touches hers. Just then the Jumbotron at the end of the stadium puts us up on the screen with a frame around us and a ‘kiss her’ banner .

Gina leans over, a devilish look on her face. “Well, Jumbo has spoken. I’m afraid you have to do what he says.”

I look at Poppy, my mouth suddenly parched. The people around are chanting, “Kiss her, kiss her,”

Poppy smiles. “I mean, can you ignore Jumbo?”

Even Gina has joined in on the ‘kiss her’ chant.

I shrug and lean forward. Poppy meets me halfway, which is more than a little surprising.

And I take it as my cue. She’s okay with this.

Or does she want to get it over with? The crowd goes crazy, but as soon as my lips touch hers, the sounds in the stadium fade away, and I’m only aware of Poppy.

Her lips are soft and seem to fit perfectly on mine.

I knew she had kissable lips. But this is more than kissable.

It’s like they are a sculptor and my lips are the clay.

I lift my hand to her cheek and pull her closer to me, deepening the kiss.

Whatever I thought our accidental kiss was at the restaurant that first dinner, I now realize it was nothing.

It was just lips coming into contact sloppily…

accidentally. But this? It’s like the sun has shone on me after months of cloud cover. And I don’t want it to end.

I twist my head, hoping to get a better angle. But then someone puts a hand on my bicep, and I pull back. Poppy comes with me for a few inches before she’s forced to release my lips.

I look at Poppy. Her face is nearly the same color as the Utah shirts in The Muss section.

Glancing over, I see Jim standing there, glowering at me with folded arms. Definitely a dad look.

“I think you’ve fulfilled the request from Jumbo just fine.

” He has an I’m-going-to-keep-my-eyes-on-you look about him.

I lean back in my seat and look out at the field. I wish I could lean over and continue kissing Poppy. But I think Jim might have me removed from the stadium if I try it.

I watch Poppy from the corner of my eye.

She’s smiling as she looks out at the field.

Slowly and discreetly, she lifts her finger to her lips, touching them lightly.

What does that mean? Did she like the kiss?

Or is she regretting it? Maybe she’s touching her lips because I hurt her?

I pressed harder against them after the initial contact.

Was it too much? My stomach sinks at the thought that I might have caused her pain.

I’m paying no attention to the game as my mind swirls.

Elation and defeat warring with each other.

But then, warmth envelops my hand, and I look down to see Poppy’s hand over mine.

I flip it over and intertwine our fingers.

She lays her head on my shoulder, and I lean to the side, trying to make it more comfortable for her .

I glance to my other side and notice Gina is watching us. I meet her eyes, and she nods. I’m going to take it as approval.

At that moment, I realize whatever hopes I’d had of remaining ‘just friends’ with Poppy have completely shot out of the stadium. I want to date her, not just be her friend.

I guess that means it’s time to look for an apartment. Keaton Barrington can’t be a visitor any longer.