I have to pick up Ash, I guess I won’t chicken out.”
“You’ll have to go over there.”
Technically, Faye could still send Turner for them, or call and ask Poppy to bring Ashlee back; she wouldn’t abandon the little one over there.
“I don’t know.”
“Think about how much better you’ll feel when you know… When your mom knows. I think they’ll support you a hundred percent, but even if I’m wrong, at least you’ll know…” She smiled. “If it comes to it, I’ll help support you and the kids. We’ll do it alone, just you and me.”
That at least put a smile on Faye’s lips, though it was an exhausted one. “Why would you do this for me? I was horrible to you when we met.”
Poppy put an arm around her shoulders. “You had every right to be. You were upset about your marriage and defending your brother. I like people who stand up for what they believe in… And you’re a good person. I know that you are.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because all of the Maddoxes are,” Poppy said, humbled to see Faye’s gratitude. “You can’t do anything about his betrayal, you can’t change it. You can do something about the support of your family… They can’t give it unless you ask for it.”
“She’s right, Kiddo,” Turner said, stealing the attention of both women. Poppy hadn’t even heard the bedroom door open. “You have to tell Mom.”
Faye didn’t seem sure, but both Poppy and Turner were when she looked from one to the other. It was a big deal; the woman was going to drop a bomb on her family and she had a right to be nervous. She seemed to forget that a bomb had been dropped on her too and it was her right to have the family’s support.
“If Mom disowns me, will you find an apartment for Poppy and me, so we can grow into old spinsters together?”
Poppy laughed, while Turner didn’t get it. She accepted Faye’s hug, happy to offer any support that she could. The Maddoxes would pull together and Poppy would stand by them. Eventually, she’d have to let all of them go, but in that minute, she embraced being near to them, knowing their effect on her would last the rest of her lifetime.
TWENTY-SIX
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Turner asked after stopping outside his mom’s house.
“No, we’ll be fine,” Poppy said, taking off her seatbelt. “You didn’t have to bring us all the way out here… And don’t worry, if she asks, I’ll tell your mom we got a cab.” She was about to get out of the truck when she remembered something, so paused to turn back. “Uh…”
“What’s up?” Glancing into the back, she found that Ashlee was snoozing. “Babe?”
Sneaking her hand over the center console, Poppy flashed him a quick nervous smile when his fingers curled around hers. “Charley and I might go to Naughtie’s later.”
“You want me to steer clear?”
That wasn’t close to what she’d been getting at. “No…” She leaned closer. “I want you to come over and take advantage of me later.”
“We’ll put Charley in a cab and I’ll walk you home.”
“Perfect,” she said, sinking closer.
It wasn’t until Turner’s mouth touched hers that she realized how normal and how unacceptable their kiss was. They weren’t supposed to kiss goodbye like a couple. They couldn’t screw like fuck buddies either. Not with the little one in the back… and Turner’s family home twenty feet away.
Yet, when she pulled back, he caught her face. The insistence of his grip was a surprise. When their eyes met, it loosened and drifted away from her skin, toying with a tendril of her hair as it ebbed.
“You’re doing it to me again,” he murmured.
Though that wasn’t the happiest sentence, she laughed and slid her fingers down his cheek. “Welcome to my world.” Before she could turn, Poppy remembered something, and began to search in her purse. “I have something for you.”
“Save it for bed later,” he said.
Hearing his teasing, she lifted her eyes to his only to draw them away again as she smiled. Locating the money in a pocket of her purse, Poppy tugged it out, then held it up before handing it over.
“Rent,” she said. “Two days early.”
Sometimes it was difficult to believe she’d only known him a month. In other ways, it felt like just yesterday she’d strolled into his renovation and drooled over his ass.
Just from looking at the bills, Turner could count how much was