Chapter 39
POPPY
“You sure you’re okay?”
I look up from my sketch book, meeting Brookes’ eyes, his hand touching my arm where he’s reached out across the aisle of the private jet. Smiling, I nod, which is only when I realize I’ve been staring at the same blank page for, God, I don’t even know how long we’ve been in the air.
“I’m just tired,” I say with a shrug of one shoulder.
“You shouldn’t be tired. You were fast asleep by, like, eight o’clock last night,” Brookes says with a chuckle, his eyebrows bunching together. “I hope you’re not coming down with something.”
I shake my head. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
What I don’t tell him is that I absolutely was not fast asleep by eight o’clock last night. In fact, I was wide awake.
When I heard Brookes knock on my bedroom door last night, I closed my eyes and waited with bated breath, hoping he’d give up, turn around, and not slide in behind me like he has been almost every night since Texas.
When I heard the door click and his footsteps finally fade off down the corridor, I released the breath I’d been holding.
But then I just laid there in my bed, staring up at the ceiling.
The last time I checked the clock, it was after two.
I’m not just tired. I am exhausted, mentally and emotionally.
Last night, when Brookes left me by the front door, needy and wanting him more than I wanted air, I went into my bedroom to shower.
But I remembered I had clothes I needed to get out of the dryer.
So, I went back. But as I was walking out of the laundry room, I ran into a very irritated and flustered Blake.
I apologized and moved out of his way because I could tell he was in a hurry, but as I was walking back toward my room, he stopped me.
And, cornering me in the darkened, empty hallway, his voice low and laced with warning, he told me that I needed to be careful, and then he threatened me.
But the worst part is I can’t tell Brookes any of this.
God, I can’t tell anyone. And that’s the problem with living a lie; there’s no one to talk to when it comes to the truth.
When we land in Puerto Rico, the drive from the airport to the hotel takes no time at all, and the second we make it inside the lobby of the gorgeous five-star resort, we are immediately accosted by Brookes’ friends, Hannah and Happy, which thankfully takes Brookes’ focus off me, allowing me finally to breathe.
“Oh. My. God!” Hannah exclaims, mid-hug with Brookes, her bright blue gaze landing on me and lighting up as it does. She abruptly shoves Brookes away, causing him to huff an offended laugh, and makes a beeline for me, her beautiful smile growing with every step.
“Poppy?” she practically squeals, yanking me into a bone crushing hug. “I am so glad to finally meet you!”
Smiling probably a little awkwardly, I glance at Brookes, who is smirking at me from over her shoulder as I return her embrace. “It’s so nice to meet you. And… congratulations.”
“Poppy, this is my husband-to-be, Happy.” Hannah reaches over, grabbing Happy’s hand and tugging him closer, and as I look up at him, at the two of them side by side, I can’t help but wonder how two people can be so goddamn attractive.
“Hey, Poppy,” Happy says with a lazy, dimpled grin, wrapping me in a quick hug.
“Okay, so,” Hannah begins, “we have you guys in one of the beachside villas. You’re right next door to our friends, Robbie and Fran.
Robbie doesn’t drink, and Fran is…” Hannah trails off, glancing at Happy.
“Expecting. So they’ll be nice and quiet.
Compared to Dallas who you’d probably hear from the other side of the entire island.
Apologies in advance for him, by the way, he’s…
kind of a lot,” she mutters with an indulgent eye roll.
I can’t help but laugh.
“We’re having a girls’ afternoon.” Hannah grabs my hand and smiles big. “And you guys are… I don’t know… doing boring boys’ things,” she mutters, waving a hand toward Brookes and Happy.
“Golf.” Happy nods, holding his fist up for Brookes.
Brookes bumps his knuckles with Happy’s. “What’s your handicap nowadays?”
“Twenty-three.” Happy smiles smugly.
Brookes scoffs, shaking his head. “How someone who doesn’t know a single thing about golf gets his handicap to a twenty-three in less than a year, I will never fucking understand.”
“I’m a natural,” Happy says with an exaggerated shrug and a cocky a grin. “What can I say?”
“Anyway,” Hannah huffs, flicking her hair and turning back to me. “We’ll all meet up for dinner tonight down on the beach.” She smiles, hugging me again. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
My cheeks flush from the attention. “Thanks for having me.”
Hannah beams, glancing back at Brookes who is now in a serious golf-toned conversation with Happy. Turning back to me, she’s almost giddy, lowering her voice to a whisper as she says, “I am so happy for you guys. I knew Brookes would find his perfect one.”
She waggles her eyebrows, and takes my hand in hers, and as we walk deeper into the lobby, toward the check-in desk, I can’t help notice the way my heart sinks into the very pit of my ass.
“This place is insane,” I say on a gasp, standing in the middle of the villa and taking it in.
It’s all white with dark wood floors and a huge bed in the center of the room, sheer netting draped down from the ceiling all around it, looking out over the view of the sapphire water glittering beneath the sun, right there through the palm trees.
Brookes walks out of the bathroom, freshly showered and in just his shorts, his glorious upper body snagging my attention because my God, the man is pure perfection come to life.
Stopping in front of me, less than a few inches away, his warmth radiates off him like a furnace, and I look up, meeting his eyes, finding something intense deep in his gaze.
He lifts a hand and cups my cheek, ducking down and pressing a soft, slow kiss to my forehead that causes my eyes to flutter closed and my heart to skip a beat.
“Promise me you’re okay?” he whispers, his voice all low and gravely and delicious.
I nod, peering up at him through my lashes.
A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he drags the pad of his thumb over the curve of my cheek before tucking my hair behind my ear, the small act doing things to me that it shouldn’t.
Brookes takes my breath away without even trying; it’s terrifying the things this man is capable of.
He’s going to make one lucky woman very happy, and I hate that it won’t be me.
Brookes’ gaze flits between mine, and I can tell he wants to kiss me. And I want him to. More than anything and consequences be damned. When in paradise and all that. But, before I can wrap my hand around the back of his head and pull his mouth to mine, the moment is interrupted.
“Knock, knock!”
I turn my head to find a beautiful blonde woman standing at our wide-open terrace doors, a heavily tattooed man with dark hair lingering behind her like her own personal bodyguard.
“Oh, hey, you guys.” Brookes squeezes my shoulder before walking out to greet our unexpected guests with hugs and handshakes, and I join them, smiling politely.
“Pops, this is Fran Keller and Robbie Mason.” Brookes places his hand on the small of my back. “Guys, this is Poppy. My… girlfriend.”
“Oh my God, Hannah told me you were adorable,” Fran gushes, practically launching herself at me with a hug. She’s about my height, curvy like me, but she has a very rounded belly that protrudes through her sundress.
“We’re neighbors!” she chimes, pulling away and pointing to the wall we apparently share. “Sorry in advance,” she says out the corner of her mouth, placing a hand on her belly. “Pregnancy hormones,” she adds in a stage whisper with a wink and a click of her tongue.
Picking up what she’s putting down, my face heats, but I just smile and wave a nonchalant hand like it’s no big deal.
“You’re looking good, my guy.” The man, Robbie, another hulking hockey player I presume, slaps Brookes’ shoulder. “Fit and healthy.”
Brookes nods, his gaze sliding to mine as he says, “Yeah, healthiest I’ve ever been.” And my stomach roils after what Blake said to me last night, but I maintain my most carefree smile.
“Good to hear.” Robbie smiles. “You ready to go? Tee time in twenty minutes”
“Yeah, just let me grab a shirt and my clubs.” Brookes turns and hurries back inside.
“I bought a new driver. I’m so excited to try it out!” Robbie calls out after Brookes.
Fran looks at me, making a face. “Let’s go before they start jerking off over golf stats.”
I can’t help but laugh as she snags my hand, pulling me with her, and we hurry off without even saying goodbye to the guys.
“So, how far along are you?” I ask Fran as we follow a path that leads through a tropical garden oasis.
“Eighteen weeks,” she says with a smile.
“So, thankfully I seem to be over all the morning sickness and most of the gross stuff, and now it’s all sex, sex, and more sex.
I swear, I’ve never been hornier. And that’s saying a lot because…
I’m kind of a wild cat.” She nudges me with her shoulder, winking salaciously.
I can’t help but laugh. And normally I’d be thinking that’s a lot of private information to give for the first few minutes of knowing someone, but I get the feeling that’s just Fran. I really like her.
“What about you?” Fran asks. “How long have you and Brookes been… you and Brookes?”
“Oh.” I duck my chin, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Only a few weeks actually…”
“Stop it right now!” Fran guffaws, and I snap my head to the side, looking at her with wide eyes, worried I’ve done something wrong.
“The way he was looking at you back there when we rudely interrupted?” She snorts. “I thought I was at your destination wedding.”
My cheeks flush, but I brush off her words with a light laugh, trying not to think too much into it. I know things between Brookes and I have changed. But I also know that it’s temporary. Because it has to be.
“How long have you and Robbie been together?” I ask, deflecting as best as I can.
“Almost two years,” she says. “But we knew each other back in high school.” She laughs then. “Actually, it’s a funny story. We hated each other in high school. Like, actually. I made him shit himself in the middle of a hockey game, and not figuratively.” She winces.
My eyes widen, curiosity sufficiently piqued, but that sounds like a whole other story for another time.
“Then, we randomly crossed paths again when he was transferred from Saint Paul to New York. He needed to tidy up his image and—” She laughs again. “I… became his fake girlfriend.”
I stop, narrowly avoiding tripping over nothing at all on the path. Collecting myself at the last minute, I square my shoulders and try so hard to play it cool, clearing my throat with a casual, “Oh… really?”
She giggles. “Yeah. But you know how it goes. Starts out fake. One thing leads to another, and then you’re fake dating slash fucking. And then… bam! Feelings.”
Feelings, alright. I feel the blood start to drain my face.
Fran laughs again, looking down at herself and placing her hand on her bump. “And then suddenly it’s a year later and you’re pregnant, despite kids being the absolute last thing on your bucket list.”
“It wasn’t planned?”
“Hell no!” She throws her head back on another laugh. “A total accident. I had no idea. I was still partying like it was Spring Break up until I was eight weeks,” she whispers, as if someone might jump out from behind the ferns and accuse her of being an unfit mother.
“At first, Robbie and I weren’t sure we were going to…” She trails off, flashing me a look, and I nod in understanding.
“No judgement.” I hold my hands up in surrender. “Totally pro-choice.”
She smiles and looks down at her belly again. “But then, I don’t know… something happened, and I realized this is actually what I want. Which is so weird because…” She grips my arm and offers me a wide-eyed look, again lowering her voice as she says, “I don’t even like kids.”
I can’t contain my own laughter, covering my mouth with my hand.
“It’s true. I don’t like kids. But I already love this one more than I thought I could ever love anything in the world.”
“Aw, that’s actually beautiful,” I say, feeling tears prick my eyes.
“And Robbie’s mom is… well, she’s really sick. She’s dying of cancer and… she won’t be around too much longer. so this way she gets to meet her little grandson.” Fran sucks in a gasp then, slapping a hand over her gaping mouth, eyes like saucers as they gawk at me.
“What?” I ask, carefully touching her arm, suddenly worried something’s wrong.
“Oh my God…” Fran mutters from behind her palm. “Forget you heard that.”
I blink, completely confused.
She rolls her eyes. “Robbie and I agreed to keep the sex a secret…” An impish smile curls her lips. “But he couldn’t come to the last scan, and when the sonographer asked me if I wanted to know…” Her gaze flits side to side as looks around again before leaning in and whispering, “I said yes.”
“Oh my God, Fran.”
“Yeah, so… pretend like you don’t know.” Fran nudges me again.
I laugh under my breath. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“I think we just became best friends.” She grins, wrapping her arm around my shoulders as we continue along the path.