door. “Just me. Zoey Maddox has a friend who we’d like to visit while she’s here. I sent her your number in case her mom wants to call for reassurances about her safety. Can you make sure it happens?”
“Consider it done.”
“As always, you’re a lifesaver, thank you. Her name is Casey. The friend’s name.”
Tiller returned to whatever he’d been working on. “If you need me to make a call…”
“I’ll let you know. Thanks.”
Backing out, she closed the door, pleased to have achieved something. Just as Poppy stepped into the gallery, Stephanie appeared with the picnic basket she’d requested.
“Would you like me to serve for you?”
“No!” Poppy said, hurrying over to take the basket. “We can handle that ourselves. Do you know where Mr. Whitlock is?”
“Right here.” Spinning around, Poppy found him sauntering across the gallery, smiling at the picnic basket. “You go to all that trouble for Turner?”
“I didn’t go to any trouble for him,” she said. Stephanie scurried off. “I called the kitchen and requested a picnic lunch. It’s probably easier than setting the table.”
“Ready?” he asked, offering her his arm.
She took it and they started to head out the rear terrace. “Did you tell him we were coming?”
“I spoke to Aitken,” Preston said. “No idea if he told Turner the plan… might be a surprise.”
“I think he probably got enough of a surprise when Grammie showed up to plot with him.”
“Plot?” Preston asked.
Although his head turned her way, she just shook hers. “Never mind. I’m learning it’s best not to get involved with their capers.”
He laughed. “Been a long time since Turner was the caper type.”
“It’s less him and more Grammie. Growing up, I was always on the inside with her. I think she has a new favorite.”
“Jealous?” he asked with obvious teasing.
Poppy just showed him a smile. “Are you kidding? Turner is my favorite too. How can I blame her for feeling the same?”
“Not exactly the same, I hope. I guess he’s got it going on.”
“I guess he does,” she said then peeked at him. “Jealous?”
All of their lives were going through something of a transition. Preston was doing her a favor, but he’d be a part of her life as long as Turner was a part of hers. Forever. That’s what that meant. Turner was destined to be the center of her world, whoever was in his orbit was going to be in hers too.
FOURTEEN
After giving Preston instructions on how to find her, Poppy sent him to retrieve his friend, and went to the sunny spot overlooking the beach that she loved. It was just near the shade of the tree line, but the view always excited her.
She laid out the red and white gingham blanket and all the treats prepared by the kitchen for their meal. As she was folding the napkins on the plates, she heard their voices in the trees.
“You walk someone away to give them bad news,” Turner was saying. “What did Ritchie do?”
“Aren’t you always saying people are what matters? They’re what can’t be replaced? Everyone you care about is here, except Naught, but you know, everything’s a tradeoff.”
“So if we’ve gotta lose someone?” Turner asked, humor in his voice.
Preston laughed. “Exactly.”
“If Ritchie screwed with the Venture, you’re telling Pop. Venture’s all I’m bringing to this relationship. I’ve disappointed her enough. It’s already worth squat compared to what she has here. So if Ritch has screwed us, you’re telling my lady.”
From their footsteps, Poppy could tell when they broke through the trees, but she didn’t turn around. A lady never appeared too eager. Really she was just teasing. Though playing it coy with him had never worked out the way it was supposed to in the past.
The footsteps stopped, suggesting Turner had noticed her. “Setting me up with my own girl?”
“Got a problem with that?” Preston asked.
They started walking again, though they couldn’t be more than ten feet away.
“No problem.”
As he approached her side, Poppy tipped her head back to watch him arrive and sit down. “First,” she murmured, leaning against him as he gifted her his kiss.
The short peck wasn’t what she was looking for though. As his mouth retreated, she hooked a finger into the neck of his shirt and pulled him down on her as she lay back on the grass. Their next kiss was much longer, much wetter, and much closer to the gift she’d been daydreaming about.
The heavy hand he had on her waist squeezed to pull her closer. “Corner shouldn’t come with a chaperone, baby.”