a hair. “But I need it back. It’s got something on it she needs.”
I’ll give this to him. Hunter doesn’t ask what or question what I’m thinking further. He just focuses on the important matter at hand. “Where is it?”
“I gave it to JP. He said he was gonna give it to his kid.”
Hunter laughs darkly.
“I need a meeting with JP. Tomorrow. Anywhere, anytime. I need to talk to him, and you’re the only person I know who might be able to make that happen.”
Hunter scoffs. “That’s not how this works and you fucking know it. JP calls you. It doesn’t work the other way around.”
“Make it work,” I warn Hunter evenly, draining the rest of my coffee. “Or I’ll track him down myself.”
Hunter stares at me, taking my measure. “You’ve been doing shit for JP for months, working your way up. And you’re willing to throw away a shot at the big leagues for some piece of ass.”
I stand, my boots thumping loudly on the floor. For reasons I don’t understand, and really don’t want to understand, my hand is around Hunter’s neck in an instant to stop him from saying anything else about Poppy. Deep in my gut, I know one thing for sure—if Hunter says one more insulting word about her, I’ll kill him right fucking here. He can draw his last breath among the spilled remains of his coffee, for all I care.
“Set it up, Hunter.”
His eyes bulge as he nods, his chin digging into my hand. At his agreement, I let him go. Turning to walk out, I realize that everyone in the entire coffee shop is staring at us, and I can see at least two people already reaching for their phones.
Quickly, I switch into a character and laugh, throwing my hands out. “My bad, folks. He said Backstreet Boys were better than N’Sync. Can you believe that shit? N’Sync forever, man.”
A few people titter uncomfortably, but someone quietly sings, “It’s gonna be may.”
Hunter clears his throat uncomfortably but covers for us with a horridly off-key attempt. “Backstreet’s back, all right. Forever and ever.”
I force a smile to my face, hoping it looks natural and congenial. I’m not known for faking nice and harmless anymore, but I can still pull it out when I need to. Thankfully, it works, and hands fall away from phones, but eyes from all over the room follow me as I walk out the door.
I’m only a few stores down when my phone buzzes in my pocket.
H: Consider it done. I’ll text with time and place. Hope she’s worth it.
Me fucking too, man.
Me too.
Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something, but after a week of stellar weather and flawless skies, the clouds decide to open up. It’s not a drizzle, either. It’s raining cats and dogs and soaks everything in town.
But I made a promise, and I have an appointment. Hunter texted me the meet info, and I know I’m putting everything in jeopardy by calling JP like this. I no-show this, it’s not just Poppy that I’m hurting. I’m hurting myself because you don’t make a man like JP stand around for a no-show. It’s not a good investment in your retirement plans.
Turning up the collar on my jacket, I adjust my baseball cap to shield my eyes and speed-walk out to my truck, hopping in only to find Poppy sitting in the passenger seat already. “Where are we going?”
“Son of a bitch!” I yell, shocked and surprised . . . and a little scared. How’d I miss her? And does she know how close she came to getting unintentionally punched between the eyes? “How’d you get in here? And nowhere. Get out.”
“A lady never tells her secrets. And yes, you are. And no. I’m sticking on you like Gorilla Glue.” She presses her palms together with an evil smile. “So, where are we going?”
“You’re not going. Don’t you have to walk Nut and Juice?”
“Already did it,” she says, “and they hate the rain.” She tilts her head, reconsidering. “But they love their doggie rain boots. Nut’s are yellow, and Juice’s are red. I considered blue for both because ‘blue boots’ is kinda close to ‘blue balls’, and that’s funny considering their names, but then they’d fight over them. So I got two colors because they fight enough as it is.”
I blink, not sure what the hell she’s talking about. I got lost somewhere around rain boots for dogs.