“That’s fine,” Poppy says. She looks like the Poppy I met at The Gazette with her hair tied up in a bun, big glasses frame her face, but under it all she is a natural beauty. She’s wearing a blazer and a cropped white T-shirt that shows the milky skin on her stomach and baggy jeans. The outfit does nothing for her figure, which I know is smoking hot, but she still looks adorable.
Cole introduces her to his father and I find out the woman sitting beside him is a doctor. A pulmonologist or something.
Holland asks me and Poppy what we would like to drink. I ask for beer and then switch it up to a glass of water since I’m trying not to drink. Poppy asks for tea. While she is gone, CC bounces on her dad’s lap. It’s pretty cool to see how Cole stepped into the role of dad so naturally. Okay, maybe not so naturally. I mean, I remember him and Holland getting pretty anxious some nights when CC had gas or was crying too much at the beginning.
Cole then passes CC to his father. I realize I really need to catch up with Cole more often because I know this dude was not around when CC was first born.
“So how is the season going?” Cole asks me.
“Just started,” I laugh. I keep my answers short knowing Poppy is here for information. I feel bad for stringing her along. I’m just not story material.
“You guys have your second game Friday night. What do you think of Boston’s team this year?” Poppy asks. Then she looks to everyone and says, “Sorry for talking business, but I need a story from this guy and he hasn’t been very forthcoming.”
“I bet,” Cole snickers. “Declan is the most closed-down dude you’ll ever meet.”
I shoot daggers with my eyes at my friend.
“Will you be drafting as well?” Veronica asks me.
“That’s the plan. As long as I play strong this year, Coach thinks I’ll be entering the draft and getting multiple offers.”
“Cool,” Veronica says.
I watch CC bouncing on Mr. Davis’s leg. She giggles and then she reaches out her hands to me.
“Take her, McAvoy,” Cole says to me.
I lean over and pick up the little munchkin. “Look how big you are. You’ve grown so much.”
“See that,” Cole laughs to Poppy. “He changes his tone when he talks to CC.”
I roll my eyes. “I basically lived here for the first five months of her life. We have a connection. Right, CC?” I say to the adorable baby. “Besides, who got your mama to the hospital in one piece?”
Cole leans back on the couch and laughs, holding his stomach.
“So you like babies?” Poppy asks.
“No.” I shake my head. “I only like CC.”
Poppy nods and she writes some things on her notepad. Now I see what my friend did. He wants to show her that I’m a nice guy who talks baby talk. I guess that isn’t so bad.
“So what kind of doctor is a pulmonologist?” I ask Veronica.
“I deal with breathing disorders mostly,” she says.
I nod.
Holland returns with our drinks.
Holland takes CC and puts her in a playpen with her toys and I have downtime with my friends.
Mr. Davis whispers something to Veronica and they both stand and thank Cole and Holland for a lovely dinner.
Then Mr. Davis shakes my hand and Poppy’s and the doctor does the same.
CC grows cranky in the playpen and Holland can’t stop yawning.
“I better get her to the bath and to bed,” Holland says.
“I should get going anyway,” I say.
“No stay,” Cole says to me. “We should hang out for a bit.”
I want to stay and ask him when things changed between him and his dad. I mean, I’m happy for the dude because they had a rocky relationship and clearly, he must have divorced Amber.
“I should get going too,” Poppy adds. “I have a shift at the Coffee Bean.”
“They have great coffee,” Holland says. “It was really nice to meet you.”
“Thanks, you too,” Poppy replies to her.
Poppy picks up her purse.
“Did you drive here?” I ask her.
She giggles and adjusts her glasses. “I don’t have a car. I walked here.”
I frown. “How you getting back to campus?”
“Walking,” she says like it’s obvious.
I look at Cole and I swear I think the dude is going to give me another lesson on what Granny Mae would say, but he just looks at me with his brow cocked, and that action alone is enough to know what his grandmother—who is super sweet and has all the right answers in life—would say.
“Let me walk you back to campus,” I offer to Poppy.
“That really isn’t necessary, Declan. Although one of these days you’re going to need to sit with me and give me the answers I need. This story won’t write itself.”
“I know that. I’m just not good with this stuff,” I admit and that shows vulnerability I don’t like to show, but what choice do I have?
“He isn’t wrong,” Cole agrees.
“Okay, well, it was a pleasure to meet you both,” Poppy says to Cole and Holland. “I really need to be going. I’m here at Westfall on a scholarship and I’m filling in for someone at the Coffee Bean. I’m hoping they’ll eventually give me more hours, so I can’t be late.”
Her open and forthcoming attitude has me thrown a little. No one likes to advertise they are a scholarship student at Westfall. First, because most of the kids who go here are mega rich and second, because they won’t exactly look at you the same once they know. Even though my friends would never be like that. They know I don’t come from money; they just don’t know what a shitty environment I do come from. I was always scared to share who I really was because I didn’t want to see the pity on their faces or the wrath of their judgment. Yet, here is this simple beautiful girl who just lays it on the line, just like that.
“I get that,” Holland says.
“Declan, why don’t you take Cole’s car and drive Poppy to her job?” Holland suggests.
I look at Cole. “You’re going to let me drive your SUV?”
Cole laughs. “Dude, if I let you drive my SUV with the most precious things in my life in it, then yeah, you can drive it now too.”
I feel choked up but I clear my throat to hide it. “Thanks, bro.”
Cole stands and grabs his key fob and passes it to me.
I pat him on the back and leave out the door with Poppy.
SEVEN
Poppy
We enter some fancy SUV and Declan doesn’t say a word until he starts the car. “So where should I drop you?” he asks but he doesn’t make eye contact, it’s infuriating.
“The Coffee Bean,” I say. “It’s in. . .”
“I know where it is,” he mutters.
I sit back and roll my eyes, irritation flooding my veins. Is he freaking kidding me? He makes me walk all the way to his friends’ house and gives me nothing for my story. I knew Declan lived in the hockey house because that was where the Uber dropped him the other night but I couldn’t let on that I knew. Still I was very confused about the address when he messaged me.
I blow out a breath.