Chapter 3
TIME TO TURN THIS DAY AROUND.
Poppy
I look down at my watch and note I’m running eight minutes behind.
“Shoot,” I mutter, getting out of my car and hustling into my sister’s bakery.
“Whoa,” Lily says when she notices me rushing through the front door, hands in front of her, signaling me to slow down.
“Lily, I’m so late for work,” I spit out.
She looks up at the clock on the wall. “You don’t have to be there until eight thirty.”
“I know,” I groan.
“It takes thirty minutes to drive from one end of Bluestone Lakes and back again. Not to drive down the street to the school,” she says and I don’t miss her slight eye roll.
I swallow, straighten my spine, and take a calming breath. I don’t want her to think I’m crazy. Well, I’m not crazy. I just prefer a strict routine because I thrive on punctuality and staying organized.
My alarm went off this morning at five o’clock, as always. It may be early for others, but there’s something so peaceful about being awake before sunrise, and I’ve found that it’s also when I’m the most productive. I often accomplish some of my best work during these early hours.
I follow the same routine every morning, which helps me maintain my sanity. I wake up, make a small cup of coffee to get energized, review my detailed class plan, and finish with a thirty-minute yoga session on my back deck before getting ready for work.
However, this morning my coffee maker refused to work.
I spent too much time trying to fix it, which caused me to lose track of time.
When I realized how much time had passed, I had to abandon the coffee situation to focus on the day’s lesson plans, only to discover that I hadn’t prepared everything.
All of it threw me off balance—and I hate it.
It makes me feel anxious, and I don’t like feeling like I’m not in control.
“Just…had a rough morning,” I finally tell Lily, hoping she doesn’t ask more questions.
My family doesn’t know what I struggle with, and I’ve gotten really good at hiding it.
I prefer to keep it that way to avoid questions or having them walk on eggshells around me.
No one knows how many times I check the light switches in my house to make sure they’re all either up or down, or how I have to go back and reread texts five times to make sure I didn’t say anything wrong.
She shrugs and turns to arrange the baked goods on the display. “That’s on brand for me but not for you.” And then she stands up and looks at me again. “Wait. Are you okay?”
I nod quickly. “Yep. Do you have any of those chocolate chip muffins you made last week?”
She smiles widely. Baking is the way to Lily’s heart, and loving the things that she makes is the key to her happiness.
“I made a special batch this morning.”
“I will definitely take two of them.”
“You got it.” She bags my muffins for me. “Nothing for the kids today?”
Smiling, I shake my head. “No, we have a birthday today. I offered to bring treats, but her mom wanted to make cupcakes.”
Being a teacher has been a dream of mine since middle school. I’ve always been good with kids, and I had a few babysitting jobs in town throughout high school, which I loved every second of.
“They’re lucky to have you,” Lily says, passing me my bag of muffins. “I know I tell you that all the time. But it’s worth reminding you again since you said you’re having a rough morning.”
My heart warms while the smile on my face stretches.
Being with my students Monday through Friday for a good chunk of the day makes me feel like I’m a big part of their lives during their first-grade year.
I feel like it’s my duty to protect them, care for them, and help them grow so they’re ready for the coming grades.
They’re not just students to me, they’re like my own kids, and I want the best for them.
“Thank you, Lil,” I reply, looking around the bakery. “Where’s Blair today?”
“She’s off. Griffin took her for a ride around the lake on the horses.”
I smile thinking about the two of them.
Blair came into our lives when she moved into town after finding her politician husband cheating on her.
She needed to get far away from San Francisco and found her way here.
She moved next door to my brother, Griffin, into his old tiny home and got a job here at the bakery with Lily.
She’s the only one who’s ever been able to pull Griffin out of his constant grumpy state.
Now the two of them are in love, and I consider her one of my best friends.
“That sounds sweet,” I say before looking down at my watch. “Shit. I really have to go now. I’m already super late.”
“Take a deep breath, Poppy.” My sister laughs. “You’ve been in here for two minutes, and driving to the school will take another four and a half minutes. You have plenty of time.”
I blindly gesture to my side. “Except I have to head next door for a large coffee. My pot took a crap this morning, and I’m already going through caffeine withdrawal.”
Her hand flies to her chest with an exaggerated gasp. “Not caffeine withdrawal.”
“Shut up.” I laugh.
“Oh, hey,” she says in a normal tone. “Did you hear the news that Nan’s big ‘celebrity’”—she lifts two fingers on each hand, signaling air quotes—“is moving here today.”
“No?”
“That’s the morning buzz here at Batter Up Bakery.”
“Do we have any clue where they’re moving?”
My stomach somersaults, and my heart rate picks up.
There are many rental properties available, but the reason for the nerves is because there’s one right next door to me, too.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t mind a neighbor.
It’s just…I’m not ready for a “celebrity” of some sort to move there and bring a commotion with them.
What kind of public figure is this person?
Will the press follow them?
The uncertainty makes me feel uneasy despite having no clue if they’re actually getting the place next to me. I just don’t like change and the feelings that come with it.
Because I enjoy my quiet lot on Poplar Street.
No significant other.
No kids of my own.
No pets.
It’s me, my routine, and my quiet.
From the outside, it might look strange. A twenty-five-year-old who’s never really been in a relationship or doesn’t own a pet to keep her company. Even my family stopped asking questions a long time ago. They’ve accepted who I am and how I’ve prioritized my career.
“No clue,” Lily says. “But I’ll text you if I hear anything.”
“Thank you.” I nod. “I’m going to head out before I’m late. Need to stop next door.”
“Yes. You said that.” She laughs. “Get out of here. Love you.”
“Love you most.” I smile at her and turn to leave.
When the cold air hits my lungs, I attempt another calming breath. This is too much for one morning, and I feel entirely out of control.
I need to get it together.
The light chime of the bell dings as I enter the Cozy Cup coffee shop next door to the bakery.
I internally groan at how busy it is before looking at my watch. I don’t have time, but Lily is right. The school is around the corner, and I need this coffee to make it through the morning.
Everything is fine. I’m fine.
My friend and coffee shop owner, Autumn, works fast. She always has because this place gets packed in the morning. It’s the only good coffee in town. If someone’s in a pinch, they can stop at the gas station to grab a cup, but it will never be as good as this.
Tapping my foot lightly, I feel my patience running thin.
It’s no one’s fault but my own, I remind myself.
“Yeah, I made it,” a deep voice says directly behind me.
The sound travels down my spine, and I feel a shiver run through me. It’s most definitely not a voice I’ve heard before. Not that I’ve listened to everyone in town speak before, but after Lily dropped that news on me, it has my brain going right to the voice of said celebrity.
“I’m exhausted. It was a long drive.” A pause. “Uh huh.” Another pause. “Yeah, I met with that woman named Nan? She gave me the keys to the place, so I’m all set.”
This time, the hairs on my arm stand tall. The voice coming from behind me—and I’m talking right behind me—is so close that if I stepped back, I would probably bump into him. It’s the person moving to town.
I let my eyes fall closed. I fight the urge to turn around and see who this person is and if I recognize him from somewhere on TV.
“Excuse me,” he says with a tap on my shoulder.
My eyes fly open, and the contact has me stepping forward and swinging around to face him. His eyes widen only for a moment at my abrupt turn, but then quickly soften as he stares at me.
“I have to go,” he says to the person on the phone and hangs up without waiting for a response.
He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he clicks end on the call and shoves it into the back pocket of his jeans. It’s hard to distinguish the color of his eyes with the baseball cap sitting low on his head. Almost as if he’s trying to remain incognito.
Seconds pass. Or minutes? Hell, maybe hours, that we both stand here facing each other. I can’t understand why my feet won’t move. Why won’t my head turn to look away? Why is breathing hard all of a sudden?
Who the hell is this man?
“Are you okay?” he asks, bending down slightly and leveling with me.
I didn’t realize until he had to bend down how tall he was. He’s gotta be six feet tall. Clean face, no hair peeking out from under his hat, and now, he’s wearing a wicked smile that could melt me right here on the spot.
And that’s the thought that snaps me out of whatever this is.
I don’t think about men like this.
Ever.
“Yes,” I answer the question I vaguely remember him asking, and I turn around to see that Autumn is waiting at the register for me to order with a sinister grin across her face.
“Shut up,” I whisper to her through gritted teeth and school my features. “Good morning.” I smile widely as if that didn’t all just happen.
“Morning, Poppy,” she says, my name a decibel higher.
I roll my eyes.
“What can I get you this morning?” she asks.
“I’ll have…” I pause, forgetting what I always order. I want to scream at the way this morning is going for me. I have never felt more out of control than I do at this moment.
Autumn cuts through my thoughts. “A large iced cold brew with one pump of vanilla, two pumps of pecan flavor, and milk?”
I nod once, release a breath, and watch as she moves behind the counter to make my drink.
“Excuse me,” the man says again.
I’m not startled this time, but I turn slowly to face him. That same smile stretches wide across his face, and it’s doing things to me I can’t control. It’s making my heart race, and words are strangely hard to find.
“I’m new in town,” he says, answering my thoughts. “Is this the only coffee shop?”
“Yes,” Autumn answers defensively, and I feel her moving around behind me to keep the line going.
“Well, okay then.” He laughs.
A deep laugh that fires down my spine, right to my gut. It’s hot. It’s intoxicating. It’s…
I need to stop.
I straighten my spine. “It’s the best coffee shop in Bluestone Lakes.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Noted. And your name is…Poppy?”
I nod.
“Poppy,” he repeats, and my god, hearing it out of his mouth is like an out-of-body experience. I shake my head, knowing he picked up on it, but I brush it off.
“I can see it,” he says.
“See what?”
“Poppy. If I recall correctly, it’s a flower associated with beauty.” He winks.
Oh. My. God.
Is he…flirting with me?
“I’m Dallas, by the way,” he continues.
My cheeks turn bright red, and I know that without having to look in the mirror, because they feel hot.
I spin around, and simultaneously Autumn slides my iced coffee across the counter.
I tap my card on the chip reader and sidestep the man without glancing at his face again or saying another word to my friend.
“Hey,” he calls after me. Reluctantly, I spin around but still refuse to look him in the eyes. “Maybe I’ll see you around?”
Meeting his stare, my breath catches as he winks again.
“Yeah, maybe,” I reply, pushing the door open to head to my car.
Once settled inside, I use my breathing techniques to settle myself. Inhaling for four seconds, holding it for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds, and holding it again for four seconds.
Then I repeat my mantra, which reminds me that everything is fine, I’m fine, before looking at the clock on my dashboard: Ten minutes. I have ten minutes to hustle to school and get this day started.
I don’t feel any better than when I left my house in a rush.
And nothing this morning helped that feeling.