Chapter 12
Poppy
High Road by Zach Bryan
We’re sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by half-packed boxes.
Owen’s legs swing under his chair, his face carefully blank in the way that tells me he’s bracing for something.
Telling Owen is somehow scarier than telling the entire town, which makes sense because how he feels about this is really all that matters.
I clear my throat, nerves skittering everywhere, and Ollie’s hand tightens around mine under the table. Just a quiet squeeze. Steady. Reassuring. Like he’s saying I’m here without saying anything at all.
My other hand drifts to my face, fingers brushing my mouth. My lips still tingle, like they haven’t caught up to the rest of me yet.
Holy shit. That kiss.
It was way too good. Too consuming. The kind that leaves my chest tight and my thoughts scrambled, my body humming like it’s been woken up after a long sleep. I’m still a little breathless, still aware of how close he is, how easily he could reach for me again.
And that’s the problem.
Because ten minutes ago, Ollie was my best friend and my safe place. The person I trusted more than anyone in the world. Now I’ve agreed to marry him. To live with him. To share space and mornings and nights and everything in between.
That’s not nothing.
Excitement flares low in my belly, hot and undeniable, followed immediately by a spike of panic. How do you go from best friends to this without breaking something? How do you live that close to someone you want without wanting too much?
I swallow hard and force my brain back online.
Focus, Poppy.
I was worried about making this look real, about convincing other people, when my own body clearly didn’t get the memo that this was supposed to be pretending. My pulse is still racing, my skin is too aware, my thoughts drifting places I’m not ready to name.
This is going to change everything.
Living together. Sharing a bed eventually. Navigating a closeness that’s always been emotional and now feels dangerously physical too. I want it. That’s what scares me.
I lace my fingers tighter through his, grounding myself in the familiar feel of him. Best friends. Family. That’s what this is supposed to be.
Even if my body is already questioning every rule I’ve ever made for myself.
“Okay, so there’s something we need to talk to you about,” I say, carefully watching Owen’s reaction.
He sighs and lifts his shoulders like he’s bored. “Okay, what?”
I glance at Ollie. He gives me a slight nod like we’ve got this. We might not, but I appreciate the confidence.
“Owen,” I say gently, “Ollie and I are going to get married. It’ll be legal and all, but just...pretend.”
“And we’re all moving into the apartment above the shop together,” Ollie adds.
There’s a long pause. Then Owen mutters, “I don’t know why you two are acting like this isn’t real.”
“What?” I blurt, caught off guard. “I mean… I don’t know how to think about it all yet. It’s just… a lot. But we wanted to be straight with you. You deserve to know the truth.”
He shrugs. “Yeah, okay. The truth is you make eyes at each other all the time when you think the other one isn’t looking. It’s gross. Also, very obvious to everyone besides you two bozos that you’re obsessed with each other. Grown-ups are weird.”
I press my lips together, so I don’t laugh. Ollie snorts next to me and covers his mouth, leaning on his elbow as he watches me, waiting for me to respond.
“So, I just have to go along with this?” Owen asks.
“Yeah,” Ollie says.
Owen thinks about it, then nods. “Okay. But don’t lie to me. Tell me if you two are going to break up or whatever so I can prepare for it.”
And there it is. That’s why I’m scared shitless about doing this with Ollie for real. Because it’s not just my heart at stake here, it’s Owen’s, too. He doesn’t deserve heartbreak, and I can’t do that to him. Or to me.
I reach over giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’ll always be honest with you.”
Ollie nods. “Same.”
His eyes lift, serious now.
“No matter what happens with me and your sister,” Ollie says quietly, steady and sure, “nothing changes between you and me. Ever.”
He blinks. “Even if—”
“Even if,” Ollie cuts in gently. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m still here. Still showing up. Still on your team.”
Something in his shoulders loosens, like he’s been holding that question in for a while.
“You don’t lose me,” Ollie adds. “Not now. Not ever.”
He nods again, smaller this time, but it’s solid.
“Okay,” he says.
And I know he believes him.
“Good,” Owen says. “Because if you break up and make things weird, I’m moving in with Jack and Cami.”
“Hey,” Ollie says with a laugh. “Rude. You want to be closer to the horses.”
“Well, duh.” Owen grins. “I love the horses.”
That night, we walk into The Black Dog hand in hand, and my heart is beating way too fast for someone who’s supposedly pretending.
Owen’s with his friend at the movies. Hopefully, having a fun time like a normal kid, without thinking about where we’re going to live or his fake family, basically things he shouldn’t have to worry about.
It’s early, and Cami, Jack, and Maggie are sitting at the bar, waiting.
Walker and Violet are behind the bar, standing next to each other.
I sent out a group text asking everyone to meet us at the bar for an announcement.
They all took it seriously because they all showed up.
My stomach is a mess with nerves about what we’re about to tell them.
Walker looks at our hands and says something first. “What’d I miss?”
All eyes in the bar swivel and stare at us and down at our hands. I take a deep breath.
“This is going to be fun,” I murmur.
“Tell me about it.” Ollie grins and mutters, “They’re going to give us so much shit. Get ready.”
I squeeze Ollie’s hand. “We’ve got something to tell everyone.”
The Black Dog goes so quiet it’s unsettling. No music. No talking. Even the neon sign seems to hum more softly, as if it’s an omen. This place is never silent, and now I’m so nervous I feel like my heart is trying to beat right out of my chest.
“We’re getting married,” I announce. “And we’re moving in together above the shop.”
The silence stretches like it’s being dramatic on purpose.
Walker stops mid-polish of the bar top, the rag frozen in his hand. Someone drops a fork. Another person whispers, “Holy shit.”
Violet tilts her head, squinting at us hard. “Okay,” she says slowly, “but when do you tell us you’re kidding, because I need to prepare emotionally either way.”
Jack frowns. “Did I black out? Did she say what I think she said?”
Cami’s mouth falls open. “Since when? I don’t believe it.”
Maggie looks smug. “Prove it.”
Before I can answer, Ollie pulls me in and kisses me. His mouth is firm and claiming, the kind of kiss that steals your breath and leaves no room for doubt. I melt into him, heart pounding, because holy shit. This is pure magic.
When we pull back, I’m breathless, eyes wide.
“Since now,” Ollie says, looking around the room as if he’s challenging anyone to have objections.
Walker stares. “Well hot damn.”
Maggie grins and claps. “It’s about time.”
I give her a playful look with narrowed eyes because she knows this is partly her fault. She doesn’t look like she’s bothered about any of it at all.
“This is...weird,” Cami says as she eyes both of us suspiciously.
I nod to her, and we head to the side of the bar, Violet coming over, too. I whisper to both of them, “Okay, here’s the deal. This is pretend to get through all the CPS and legal stuff with Owen. I need you to please go along with this, okay?”
Violet searches my eyes. “Are you sure this is fake? Looks pretty real to me.”
“It’s pretend,” I assure her.
Cami narrows her eyes. “Didn’t seem pretend to me either. You both are weirdos. Why can’t you call it what it is?”
“Yeah,” Violet adds, looking equally confused.
“Well, Maggie told the caseworker we were engaged,” I add.
Violet laughs. “Of course she did.”
“So, we’re going with it. Just until we can get everything solid with Owen, and then we’ll figure out what to do after that,” I tell them.
“I think we should plan a wedding,” Cami says with a smile. “It’s not every day our best friend and my brother get married.”
“No, we’re just going to the courthouse,” I say quickly. “It’s not a big to-do.”
But even as I say it, my chest tightens.
Not a big wedding. No engagement ring. Nothing fancy.
Just… us. And for some reason, that feels both freeing and terrifying all at once.
I’ve wanted him for so long, buried it under jokes and friendship, pretending like my heart wasn’t quietly twisting every time he smiled at someone else.
And now, it’s all right there, in front of me, undeniable.
Marrying him. My best friend. The person I’ve always compared everyone else to.
Did I ever imagine this? No. I thought marriage was other people’s thing.
And here I am, about to make it official with him, and part of me is thrilled, part of me is scared out of my mind, and part of me wants to just run and hide.
Violet scoffs. “No. We can have a reception out at the house. It’ll be great!”
“I already know just the cake I can make for you guys.” Cami smiles dreamily. “Can I surprise you?”
I shrug. “Sure. I’ll never turn down an excuse for cake.”
“How does Owen feel about all of this?” Violet asks, looking concerned.
“He’s okay with it. Glad that we’re moving in with Ollie.”
Cami smiles. “Owen loves both of you. Pretend or not, he needs both of you.”
Yeah, he does.
Later, I elbow Ollie in the booth. “What the hell was that kiss in front of all of them?”
He grins. “Get used to it. We gotta make it look real. You’re gonna be my wife. Besides, you liked it.”
My thighs practically squeeze together when he says that because I like the sound of it more than I should, and I loved that kiss even more.
I give him a look. “Well, husband, maybe let me in on the plan next time.”