Page 5

CHAPTER FIVE

THE EXCEPTION

BOWIE

It’s been a fun-filled couple of days. Time with the guys is always like therapy, whether we talk about anything deep or not. I guess besides being out on the field, it’s one of the only outlets I have. I know with them I can speak freely and not be judged, and it helps to know that I’m not alone in doing this dad thing.

Right before the ceremony, I pulled out The Single Dad Playbook and set it on the table where we’d been getting ready, and wrote an entry.

The Single Dad Players are going down like

gummies at a Lana Del Rey concert,

and I am here for it.

I like that our kids will witness healthy

love and marriages…

from someone besides me.

So cheers to you, my brave brothers,

for carrying this mantle.

I salute you.

~Bowie

I’m not a cynic about love, despite my disastrous experience with it. I can appreciate that my friends are finding it and can be happy for them, while still not going within a ten-foot pole of it.

When I see that Poppy Keane is at Weston and Sadie's wedding, I think, Well, Sadie got her way after all. She knew I wouldn’t bring a date, so she found a way to deliver one to me.

What I end up saying to Sadie is simply, “Really, Sadie? Really? ”

She laughs her ass off and she can do that because it’s her day, and she gets whatever the fuck she wants. I don’t even begrudge her matchmaking busybodyness all that much, but it’s not going to work.

After our initial interaction, I don’t look Poppy’s way again until after Mrs. McGregor takes Becca to the three-bedroom suite we’re sharing and puts her to bed. Becca got to dance her heart out and was exhausted from all the wedding festivities.

Now, several drinks in, I’m watching Poppy out on the dance floor looking all kinds of sexy in the deep blue dress that matches her eyes perfectly, and I'm not so aggravated with Sadie.

There's just something about Poppy that I'm drawn to. I can’t explain it.

Yes, she's beautiful. She's charming and quirky and kind.

She’s incredibly sweet with my daughter, which softens me every time we see her.

But I’ve met beautiful, kind women before and I have not been moved.

What is it about her?

Tonight, for once, I don't feel like second-guessing it. So when we end up dancing in the same space on the dance floor and she grins up at me, I dance with her. Before I know it, the floor gets crowded and my hands are on her waist. Next thing I know…her arms are looped around my neck and we’re staring at each other as we move in time.

I’ve been burned before. Goddamn, have I ever been burned.

But having a woman as beautiful as Poppy in my arms tonight…it makes me want to set all of that aside for a few hours and just enjoy this.

Neither one of us talks. We just move from one dance to the next like we were made to do this together.

Until the end of the night when the music stops and the few of us that are left help see Weston and Sadie out the door. They’re staying at the lodge tonight, so there’s no big fanfare, but there are hugs all around.

“Love you, man,” Weston says.

“I love you too. It was a beautiful wedding. Let me know if you need anything before you take off for your honeymoon.”

“Thanks for everything. Sutton and Felicity are taking us to the airport tomorrow, so we should be set. You’ll see us again at brunch though.”

“Oh, that’s right. See you then.”

They walk out and the rest of us stand there blinking in the bright lights. The staff of the lodge are bustling to get things back in order now that it’s clearing out.

“Great night,” Rhodes says, putting his hand on my shoulder. “You guys looked flawless out there.” He smiles at me and Poppy.

Poppy looks at me over Elle’s shoulder as Elle hugs her goodbye.

Henley and Tru already left. Tru is pregnant and danced until she was too sleepy to keep going. Penn found a girl to make out with and probably took her upstairs.

And then it’s just Poppy and me.

We walk to the lobby and Poppy shivers. If we’d been dancing, my arms would’ve been around her, but it feels weird now to step in and do that.

“That was fun,” she says. “I don’t know why I’m so surprised that you can dance like that. You’re great out on the field, makes sense you’d be good at dancing too.”

“You’re good at it too,” I say and then feel silly. I’m the worst at small talk.

She laughs. “I’m actually not good at it. You made it easy out there.”

Now I really don’t know what to say. She stops and I realize I’ve walked her to the reception desk.

“Thanks for dancing with me,” she says softly. “I had thought earlier that you?— ”

When she doesn’t say anything for a long pause, I blink. “That I what?”

“That you don’t like me very much,” she blurts out.

Her cheeks bloom and she looks like she wants to take it back, but I’m still surprised by her candor…and that she would assume I don’t like her.

“I like you fine,” I say.

She snorts and my head tilts as I study her.

“Such high praise,” she says.

“It actually is coming from me,” I finally say.

“Why is that?”

It takes me a few moments to answer and when I do, I try to say it as simply as possible.

“I don’t do this,” I say, pointing between the two of us.

“Do what, exactly?”

I sigh and look up around the lobby. The lodge is beautiful every day, but they’ve gone all out for this wedding. The flowers and lights are everywhere. When I look at Poppy again, she’s still watching me tentatively. It was much easier to dance with her than it is to have this conversation.

She’s so pretty it fucking hurts.

She looks radiant in the glow of the lights. Her long blonde hair nearly reaches her waist and shimmers with every turn of her head. Her eyes hold mischief and warmth, drawing people in effortlessly.

If she can draw me in, she can draw in anyone.

Her dress clings to her curves in all the right ways, the color making her blue eyes even more vivid. Her smile actually makes me want to smile back. It’s natural, unforced, and lights up her whole face. She’s not just pretty; if that were it, she wouldn’t affect me like this. She’s captivating, every part of her .

I shouldn’t have gone near her.

I clear my throat and take a deep breath.

“I’m close to my friends and their girlfriends and kids, but otherwise…I don’t…I’m not looking for...” My teeth clench and I shake my head. “Friends,” I finish.

“Why is that?”

“Long story.”

She stares at me for a long time and then nods.

“Okay,” she says finally. “I’m glad that for at least one night, I was the exception.”

She turns and moves toward the reception desk. She gives me one last look over her shoulder and lifts her hand, smiling before she turns and talks to the clerk.

I can’t help but feel like I’ve blown it.

For at least one night, I was the exception…

Something in Poppy’s tone makes me tune in and I take a step closer.

“But when I left my bag here before the wedding, you assured me I had a room,” she says.

“I’m so sorry,” the girl says, looking mortified. “We had a shift change and our usual staff wasn’t here because they were attending the wedding. I’m afraid your room has been given to someone else when you didn’t check in before ten o’clock this evening.”

“I didn’t know there was a time limit on checking in,” Poppy says. She sounds near tears, but then her shoulders straighten. “It’s okay. I’ll drink some caffeine and head home.” She lets out a long exhale and nods.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am.”

“It’s okay. I should’ve checked in earlier. Would you mind grabbing my bag, please?”

“I’d be happy to,” the clerk says .

She walks back and when I step next to Poppy, she jumps.

“I didn’t know you were still here,” she says, wincing.

“I overheard what happened. I have a large suite. You’re welcome to stay with us.”

“I couldn’t,” she says, shaking her head.

“Why not?”

She presses her lips together and they shift to the side. “That’s something friends would do.”

“Well, then consider us friends for the night,” I say, only half teasing.

She rolls her eyes before closing them, but she smiles, and when she opens her eyes, I see how exhausted she really is.

“Okay. I’m saying yes, but only because I’m sleepy. It’s been a long week and an even longer day.”

I nod. “Good. You shouldn’t have to drive all the way back to Silver Hills tonight.” I glance at my watch and wince. More like one thirty in the morning.

The clerk rolls Poppy’s bag out and Poppy thanks her. I reach out and take the bag. Our walk to the elevator is quiet and when we step inside, she goes to the opposite wall and leans against it. The elevator dings and we step out, our footsteps quietly padding across the carpet. When I open the door to my suite, I hear Poppy’s gasp and look down at her stunned face.

“This place has always been nice, but it was recently remodeled and it’s next level.”

“Gorgeous,” she whispers.

I point to the couch. “I’ll take the couch and you can go into that room there.”

She frowns. “I’ll take the couch.”

“Absolutely not. ”

She makes a face. “You really want to try to fit on that couch? Good luck with that.”

“If Becca wakes up and sees you sleeping out here, she’s going to have questions for the rest of my lifetime.”

“And if she wakes up and sees you sleeping out here, she won’t?”

I pause. “Good point.”

“Come on. We’re adults and I’m so sleepy, I couldn’t be naughty tonight even if I wanted to.”

“Naughty?” I echo.

She smirks.

Part of me is disappointed that she wouldn’t want to be naughty with me, but the rest of me relaxes.

“You’re right. The bed is big. Stay on your side,” I tell her.

She makes a derisive sound. “Get over yourself. You stay on your side.”

I nod. This is better. I can tolerate her irritation with me far easier than the slightly swoony eyes she was giving me all night. Although that was a helluva lot of fun while it was happening.

I shut off my thoughts and stalk to the bedroom.

“What time does Becca get up?”

“Around seven usually, but she might sleep longer after the night she had.”

“Okay, I’ll be out of here before then. I can go to the gym or walk around town until I meet everyone for breakfast.”

“Oh, you’re going to that too?” Damn, she’s getting tight with my friends in a short amount of time. Is there a fucking conspiracy to set me up with this woman?

She nods.

“You could also take your time and leave after we do. Becca will get up and watch TV for a little bit and Mrs. McGregor will be up with her. She won’t come in here and if she’s asking for me, I’ll go out there. No need to not sleep in.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

I hold out my hand, pointing out the bathroom and she goes in there with her bag and shuts the door. I put on the T-shirt and pajama pants I brought and wait for her to come out so I can use the restroom and brush my teeth. When almost ten minutes pass, I wonder if she’s okay in there.

“Uh, Bowie?” she says.

“Yeah?”

“Can you turn out the light? I thought I was staying in a room by myself and didn’t bring the right things.”

“Uh, sure,” I say.

I turn out the lights and yet I still catch a glimpse of her fitted, thin-strapped tank top, erect nipples, and pretty underwear when she walks out. Her legs are long and shapely, and my eyes wander back to her tits. She’s fucking beautiful .

Nope. Can’t do this. I hurry past her into the bathroom, as fast as I can with how hard I am, and brush my teeth as I try to think of everything but that woman getting in my bed right now.

But then I think of the last couple of women I’ve slept with. It’s been so long that I’m not even positive about the timeframe. There was a friend from college who came through Silver Hills a couple of years ago. She’d been friends with Adriane and me and was sympathetic about how I’d been mercilessly dumped. We talked and commiserated over her recent breakup and ended up spending a night together.

This is why I don’t do friends. Too many lines get crossed.

And then last year, I had too much to drink after we won the Super Bowl and ended up in bed with that actress from the heist movie I really liked.

This is why I rarely drink. Too many lines, yada yada.

Tonight, I’ve gotten a little too close to the friend line and I’ve had alcohol.

Fucking hell.