That’s gone. All of that is over.
Zayn’s messages still taunt me on my cell. I know I need to reply, that he’s worried about me. But right now, I don’t have it in me to reach out. I just need to focus on my family, on our future.
“Evan and I have tried for almost fifteen years to have kids, Poppy,” she says from out of nowhere. “We’ve done IVF, even a couple of adoption attempts, but it just doesn’t seem to happen for us. This is why. If we’d had our own kids, then we wouldn’t have been able to help like we can now.”
“You really believe that?” I ask with a heavy heart. They’d have been the most incredible parents, and I hate that’s been taken away from them.
“I believe that everything happens for a reason, yes. Poppy, I will do everything and anything I can for you and those three. I’d have done it for any child I was lucky enough to care for, but you’re my family. There’s no way I, or Evan, could turn any of you away.”
Tears sting my eyes and my vision blurs.
“But your life, your job. We can’t expect you to give everything up to suddenly become parents overnight because our own are useless.”
“Poppy, it would be my honor to do all those things. I only work part-time at the college, they’ll be flexible, I’ve no doubt. The schools around here are incredible. The neighborhood is fantastic. You could all be very happy here.”
I look around the room we’re sitting in. It’s so homely, cozy. I know that what she’s saying is true. But could I just up and leave Rosewood that easily?
“What about school?”
“I’ve got some contacts at Royal Maddison Prep. We could see about getting you in there.”
“No, no. That’s too much.”
“Okay, well there are other options too. I just want you all to be happy, Poppy.”
“I know. And I appreciate it more than you could know.”
“Let’s put the movie back on and forget about reality for a few hours. It’ll still be there in the morning.”
I nod, because sadly she’s right.
26
Zayn
“Harley, Zayn,” Mom bellows up the stairs. “You’ve got guests.”
I’m up off the bed and flying down the stairs in record time. But when I get to the bottom, I don’t find who I was hoping for.
“Hey,” I say, looking between Jake and Amalie.
“Have you seen her?” Harley asks the second she rounds the corner and finds them waiting.
“Yeah.”
“Come on,” I say, directing everyone down to my den.
Everyone drops down onto the couches, but unable to sit still, I pace back and forth. Jake’s eyes follow my every move. I know he’s suspicious. Hell, I would be too if someone came to me about Harley or Letty and said the things I did. He suspects there’s more to this than I admitted to. But where there may have been at the time, now I have no idea.
Poppy has been gone a day, I’ve sent her numerous messages and called almost every hour, but despite some of my messages being read, she’s not responded.
“Her parents have been arrested for possession of drugs.”
“What?” Harley shrieks, making me wonder just how well Poppy had covered all this up.
“Fucking hell. Where are they all?”
“With their aunt. She’s good, they’re safe,” he says, pinning me with a look.
“That’s good.”
“What’s going to happen? They’ll get off, right?” Harley asks.
“No, I don’t think so.”
“But… shit. They’re druggies? No wonder she stopped inviting me over. Jesus, it’s like we’ve just fallen back into Harrow Creek,” Harley mutters, making Amalie’s brows pull together. I’m not surprised she’s never heard of the place. I wish I hadn’t.
“They’re coming back though, right?”
“Honestly, I don’t think so. Trish said they can stay as long as they need to. They’ve got no reason to come back without their parents.”
“Uh uh, no way. This isn’t happening.” The three of us watch as Harley marches from the room like a woman on a mission.
“Where’s she going?” Jake asks.
“No idea. I gave up trying to predict her years ago.”
I fall down onto the couch and tip my head back, trying to process everything Jake’s just said.
“What about…”
“Preston?”
“I’ve got guys watching him.”
I raise a brow and Amalie laughs. “He thinks he’s suddenly some gangster boss or something.”
“Ignore her. If I start sniffing around, he’s going to get suspicious. Ethan is going to try to talk to him, Mason too. See if they can sweeten him up. If he’s doing what you think he is then I’m going to fucking end him.”
“Be sensible. We don’t need you in prison too,” I mutter, leaning forward and dropping my head between my shoulders.
“You got anything else you want to tell me, Hunter?”
I look up at him and swallow nervously. His eyes drill into mine.
“No.” I could tell him that Poppy and I had a thing. What’s the point if she’s not coming back here?
“Are you coming to Justin’s party?” Amalie asks, trying to break the tension.
My lips part. My first reaction is to say no, to go upstairs and wallow like a pussy. But what good is that going to do?
“Yep, let me go get changed and we can go and get fucked up.”
I walk out to the sound of them talking behind me, but I don’t pay any attention to the words. Now the idea has been planted, all I want to do is go and get trashed and forget all this shit.
Justin’s house is smaller than mine or Ethan’s where we usually party, but it’s plenty big enough for the team and the squad, and the few others that decide to gate-crash.
The second we arrive, Jake and Amalie head off to the left, I guess in search of their other couples while I march straight down to the kitchen.
There are bottles and Solo cups covering every surface. Ignoring the cups, I go straight for a bottle and then in search of the guys.
I find most of them in Justin’s study where the speakers are with the majority of the squad grinding up against them. I look around, thankfully not finding my sister. Although I do lock eyes with Ruby.
Her chin drops before she stumbles her way over to me, clearly having already had one too many drinks.
“Where is she? Is she okay?” she slurs as she crashes into me with her need for answers.
Placing my hands on her waist, I steady her, looking down into her blown eyes.
I lean into her so no one else can hear me. “She’s okay. Her parents have been arrested. She’s with her aunt.”
“Arrested?” she shouts, causing a few people to look over.
“Keep your voice down, Rubes. I’m sure she doesn’t want everyone knowing.”
“Shit. She’s coming back though, right. You’re going to go and get her.”
My fists clench with my need to do just that.
“I can’t do that.”