Love Me Forever - Juliana Stone Page 0,28

winning you over if you don’t see this through either way.”

Link reached for the door. “You done hiding?”

“No. I’m going home. I can’t face him or Blue or Molly or any of them right now. The girls will have questions, and I don’t want to talk about it, because what could I say? I screwed him in the lake?”

“Well, that you did, sweetheart.”

“And I don’t want to discuss it with them when I’m still trying to process my actions. And Boone…” She winced. “I don’t know what to say or how to act.” She hung her head. “I’m so confused. Am I being a wuss?”

“No. You’re being human. Call me later?”

“Can you come up with some excuse if they ask where I am?”

“Oh, they’ll be asking, all right, and I can’t be held responsible for my reply.” He winked and disappeared.

Poppy smoothed her hair as best she could and snuck out the same way she’d come in, through the front entrance that led to the road and away from the party, grabbing her things from the foyer. She hiked her bag over her shoulders and, without looking back, slid inside her car.

Two minutes later, she was on the road headed back to town, more confused than she’d been in her entire life.

Happy fucking Fourth of July.

Chapter Ten

It was three days after the Fourth of July, and Boone was at the park along the river in town. He’d volunteered to help build a new gazebo. The old one had died in a fire the summer before, and the current project was funded by the Blackwell Foundation. They’d supplied the materials, and Cam Booker had offered his services for the build. When he’d asked Boone about helping out, it was a no-brainer. Not only did it feel good to give back, but the hard labor and work was a welcome relief from the thoughts that haunted his mind.

Shit, he was even dreaming about sex and Poppy and all that heat between them. He tossed his T-shirt on the ground and grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler, frowning at the thought. He’d gotten her number from one of the girls at the party and had left three messages. The fact that she’d not returned his calls bugged him more than he cared to admit, but he wasn’t giving up. No way was he letting this loose end slip away.

Not this time.

“It’s coming along,” Cam Booker said, grabbing a cold bottle for himself. The two of them, along with Cam’s brother Nash and Wyatt Blackwell, were winding down. It was late afternoon, and they’d framed the structure into somethings solid to work with.

“We should be able to finish up tomorrow,” he replied, finishing his bottle and reaching for another one. It was hotter than hell, and he wanted nothing more than to head back to the lake and dive into the water.

“We’re going to the Coach House for wings and beer,” Cam said, slapping his brother on the back. “Nash is feeding us. You coming? Blue’s got Benji covered for dinner. She just sent me a text to let me know she’s taking the kids to Molly’s for puppy play and a barbecue. Check your phone.”

Boone scooped his cell from the back pocket of his shorts. There was a voicemail from Blue. He called her back and talked to Benji, who could barely get his words out because he was losing his mind over the idea of playing with a litter of puppies at Molly’s place.

“Sounds like the kids are having a great time,” he said to Cam as he gathered up his T-shirt.

“Watch out Benji doesn’t come home with a puppy.”

“That’s all I need,” he replied with a chuckle. “You guys heading over now?” The thought of that big house with no one in it suddenly made the Coach House seem more interesting despite the heat. Besides, the AC would take care of that, along with a couple of cold ones.

“That’s the plan.”

“I’ll meet you there. I’ve got something I gotta do first.”

The guys packed up their tools, and when they headed for the parking lot on the other side of the park, Boone turned toward the boardwalk and the row of boutiques across the way. His T-shirt hung from the back pocket of his jean shorts, and his feet were stuck in an old pair of work boots as he walked past a group of teenage girls. He gave a wave and smiled to himself at the fresh batch of