Chapter 16
Poppy was midway through laying out tile in the master bathroom, trying to find the perfect pattern, when she happened to look out the window and—five-alarm-fire hotness, oh my—her heart went into cardiac arrest.
The afternoon sun had peaked, leaving behind clear skies, blistering concrete, and temperatures hot enough to melt the clothes right off a man’s body.
Something that, if Poppy believed in the Wish Fairy, she’d spend her dying wish making happen.
Because there were enough heat-slicked biceps and a glistening tool belt on display that, even in an air-conditioned bathroom, Poppy could feel the scorch.
Her heart pumped with deadly force as everything else in her body went on standby. Poppy knew with certainty that she wasn’t over yesterday’s encounter with America’s Sexiest Goalie.
Or that kiss.
She hadn’t avoided him, even pulled on her big-girl panties and initiated their first conversation of the morning.
True to his words, he’d been giving her the space she needed to process, limiting conversation to surface level.
But all the work she’d done on coming to a hard-won conclusion just flew out the window.
No matter how many times she’d told herself it wouldn’t work, that it would be a mistake of epic proportions and to get back to work, she couldn’t help but stare. One look out that window and her mouth went dry—the exact opposite of what was going on down in Lady Land.
Because there, walking across the driveway carrying an impressive stack of two-by-fours while wearing worn jeans and a T-shirt that clung to his chest with the day’s humidity, was the sexy general contractor-for-hire and that work-honed body of his.
The one that had women straining for a better view.
Women like me, she thought. She raised up on her knees to watch as, in one fluid motion, Decker walked back to the pile, where he bent all the way over to pick up another stack—proving that he had the best ass in all of professional sports.
It was so firm she could bounce a nail off it.
It filled out his jeans to perfection and was practically begging her to look her fill.
And she did—until the window fogged up.
“See? Distraction,” she chastised herself.
She was pressing her nose and forehead to the glass when he straightened, causing his thighs to go to war with the seams of his jeans.
As he lifted the boards up over his head, it caused the most amazing chain reaction—pulling his shirt up to expose his delicious six-pack.
She was certain she’d hyperventilate from the amount of muscle on display.
She bit her lower lip when it began to tingle. Not a good sign when she was thinking about a man who was once named People’s Sexiest Man Alive.
“Don’t let one kiss go to your head. Not when you have a laundry list of things to get done.”
Such as finish laying out the tiles so that she could get her grout on.
If the tile didn’t go in today it would hold up the hanging of the wallpaper and vanity installation.
Not to mention, the kitchen cabinets were scheduled to be completed by week’s end.
That’s what should have been at the forefront of her mind, not the rating scale of a man’s ass.
She was about to hop off the counter when Decker chose that moment to look over his shoulder and—oh boy!
Even from beneath the bill of his ball cap—which was pulled low on his head and casting a shadow across his face—she could make out his blue eyes zeroing in on her. It was crystal clear when he winked because those double-barrel dimples exploded. And so did her heart.
“Ohmygawd!” she blurted out.
She considered dropping down on all fours and crawling out of the bathroom with her tail between her legs. But she’d played the chicken too much as of late. Plus, her plan had been to act unaffected.
“He’s just a man. A sexy one, but a human one. You’ve got this,” she said and held up her hand, giving a little wiggle of the fingers in response. He burst out laughing and she found herself doing the same.
It felt good to break the tension between them. See, they could overlook the mistaken kiss and go back to being friends. Easy peasy. With a final wave, Poppy hopped off the counter, turned around, and nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Auntie!” she yelped. “What are you doing?”
Aunt Opal stood in the doorway holding a pink box.
She was dressed in a teal and white muumuu with enough silver and turquoise bangles to cover her from wrist to elbow.
A giant rose quartz stone hung around her neck, which was called the love stone.
Passed down from Opal’s mom to her, it was a symbol of unconditional love—and what Opal swore gave her the sight of matchmaking.
“I should ask you the same,” Opal said, waggling a brow. “I didn’t know I raised a peeper.”
“I’m not a peeper.” She nearly choked on that lie. Clearing her throat, she went on. “I was merely checking on his progress.”
“And that includes his glutes?”
Poppy felt herself flush. “We’re just friends.”
Opal smiled her trademark “Cupid has struck” smile the world knew her for. “Friendship is a great foundation for love.”
“Not in the way you’re implying, Auntie.”
“Too bad, because the universe is trying to fill your cup, honey, but you have to hold the cup out.”
“Between this show and my channel, my cup overrunneth.”
“Are you sure? Because Pluto is in retrograde, and if you’d been opening that app I sent you, you’d know.”
“No phones on the set, remember? That was your little addition to the show.”
Opal sighed. “That’s what’s wrong with your generation. All this swiping and thumbs-upping. Technology is irrelevant when it comes to finding love.”
“Please tell me that isn’t why you made that rule?”
A little tingling of uncertainty beaded in her belly.
She wasn’t sure what it meant but she knew her aunt was up to shenanigans, and something in Poppy was telling her to read the fine print of what her aunt was selling.
Not that Poppy was in the market for someone of the male persuasion; she had enough on her plate without the uncertainty of wondering where he stood, if he liked her as more than just a convenient hookup.
Sure, he’d kissed her, but he flirted with everyone.
He wasn’t just fluent in flirt, he was a master and Poppy was a novice.
She’d been so busy building her career, she’d only casually dated a few men.
Someone like Decker wasn’t just out of her league, he was out of her stratosphere.
The way he walked, talked, charmed…he exuded more confidence in his little finger than she had in her entire body.
It was frustrating and sexy.
She narrowed her eyes and leveled her aunt with a stern look. “We are not a match. We are coworkers. So keep your nose, and your third eye, out of our business.”
Opal clutched her necklace. “At least you acknowledge there is an ‘our’. Plus, the eye sees what it sees. I can’t control it, I just listen.”
“Yeah, well unless it’s telling you that I’m one hundred percent focused on getting your house ready to go on the market in less than four weeks, then it’s lying like all the other times you set me up on those blind dates from hell.”
Opal waved an unfazed hand. “That’s in the past. We’re focused on the future. Now, let’s get back to the hunk outside the window.”
“Why don’t we talk about how you got on the set and why you’re here.”
She cleared her throat in reprimand. “I am a listed producer on this show. So I can come on the set whenever I wish.”
“You are?” That was news to Poppy. Why would her aunt be listed as producer? Sure, they were using her house, but she wasn’t a part of production.
Another mystery for another day.
“And I came because I couldn’t stomach to miss today.” Opal opened the pink box and inside was a single red velvet cupcake.
Guilt hit hard and Poppy’s eyes immediately welled up. She covered her mouth to keep the agony from forming a sound and escaping into the atmosphere.
How could she have overlooked her adoption day? She’d been so busy contemplating if a boy liked her or not that she’d nearly missed one of the most precious days of her entire year.
“How could I have forgotten?” Her voice was hoarse.
“You’re busy living your life, like I wanted you to,” Opal said. “I considered not coming and letting you live in the moment. Maybe I made the wrong decision.”
Poppy took her aunt’s hands, which felt frailer than they had a few months ago. “No, Auntie, I’m so glad you came. We’ve never missed celebrating the day we became a family, and I don’t want to start now. I just can’t believe I forgot.”
This was another big sign that she couldn’t afford a distraction. First, she forgets her A-Day—the day her childhood actually began. Next, she’d lose her head. And if she were going to make the deadline and do this house justice, she’d need every brain cell she owned to make it a reality.
Plus, there was a potential show on the line when this was all said and done.
A shot at her dream! There wasn’t anything worth risking either of those.
Especially not a man. Men leave. That’s what they do.
And a man who had over a million followers—most of whom were women with model-like bodies—had more than enough options.
Poppy was just a convenient right-now. He’d get over her the second she was no longer a challenge and what would she be left with?
A broken heart for all of America to watch shatter. No thank you!
Opal patted Poppy’s hand. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It means that maybe you’re so busy with your life you’re finally chasing your happy.”
Emotions, like guilt and disappointment, welled up in her eyes. “It feels so selfish.”
“It’s okay to be selfish sometimes.”