Chapter 32
POPPY BARLOW, ARE YOU IN LOVE?
Poppy
The smell of freshly baked muffins fills my senses the moment I step foot into Batter Up. Lily had texted me that she was going to have my favorite chocolate chip muffins ready for me today, and to stop by when I left the school.
“It smells so good in here,” I say, and Lily snaps her head toward me and smiles widely.
“Between the new batch of muffins today, and Blair trying some random recipe she found online for glazed donut cookies, it really does smell sweeter than usual.”
“Did you say glazed donut cookies?”
Blair emerges from the kitchen as if she’s heard me. “Yep! You have to try them, Poppy. One of my sister’s new clients told her about it and she immediately sent it right over to me.”
“You know I’ll try anything you two bake.”
Blair reaches into the display case, pulling out the cookie that’s almost the size of my hand, and puts it on a plate for me, along with the chocolate chip muffin.
“You’re going to put me in a sugar coma.” I laugh.
“The best kind.” Lily winks. “How was school today? It was a half day, right?”
I nod. “It went by quickly. A fun Friday paired with a half day? The kids had a blast.” I laugh.
Both Lily and Blair look at each other, and back at me, grinning from ear to ear. I cock my head to the side in confusion because they seem off.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Lily says, shaking her head. “Something’s different.”
I look to Blair, who has one arm wrapped around her waist and the other resting on top of it with her hand by her mouth, deep in thought as if she’s assessing the situation and trying to figure out what’s different herself.
And then her eyes widen, lips part, and hands fall to her side.
She looks around to see if anyone else but me is in here before facing me again.
“You had sex,” she blurts out.
Lily nearly chokes as her face goes white, staring at me, waiting for a reaction.
The only reaction I have is to look anywhere but at either of them, and I feel my cheeks turn hot. I know they are as red as a tomato right now, too.
“Poppy fucking Barlow,” Lily practically shouts. “Is she right?”
I still say nothing, giving them the answer without giving them one.
“Oh my god.” Blair gapes.
Lily hops up to the counter. “Ready when you are.”
How do I even begin to explain the most perfect night to my sister?
There are no words that can even come close to sharing how Dallas took care of me, making me feel comfortable and sexy at the same time.
I spent days with an ache between my legs, the best kind of sore.
The best part of it wasn’t just the sex or losing my virginity to Dallas, it was that I didn’t spiral after it.
I didn’t second-guess his intentions or stay up all night wondering if I’d hear from him the next day.
It was the opposite, I woke up to a good morning, honey text from him at five a.m. As if he knew that was the time I would wake up.
Dallas has seemed to pick up on my day-to-day routine without me even having to tell him what it is.
I woke up with the biggest smile on my face, again bringing the comfort to my mind that I’ve been so desperate for.
“Yeah, Blair is right,” I settle on, letting a smile creep up slowly.
“This is the greatest news of my life.” Lily beams, sitting up taller. “Did this just happen last night?”
I shake my head, biting the inside of my cheek. “It was last week.”
“And it’s taken you that long to tell us about this?”
“I don’t know how this works,” I admit defensively. “I didn’t think to pick up the phone and tell my sister, hey, I just lost my virginity.”
“Valid,” Lily agrees. “How do you feel about it all?”
I shrug. “I don’t feel any different. I guess I’m just…happy. But I was feeling that before this, too.”
“I know I don’t need to ask, but we’re assuming it was Dallas, correct?” Blair asks.
I nod, smiling wider now.
“And he took care of you?”
I nod again. “I don’t know how it is with anyone else, obviously, but he made me feel alive, and at the same time made sure I was okay.
He made sure to tell me what he was doing, and never stopped asking if I was okay.
” I blush saying it out loud, because some of the things he said, oh my god…
Things I can never repeat out loud because it would just turn me on. “It was really hot.”
“I love this so much for you.” Lily beams.
The front door opens, and we all turn our heads to see Nan walking in.
“Ahh, all my favorite girls in one place,” she says, clapping her hands together in excitement. “And it smells great.”
Lily looks at Blair and me in confusion. Nan is always nice, but she’s got this look about her that says she’s up to something.
When none of us respond, Nan laughs. “Let me take a gander, you think I’m here for something.”
“Yep,” all three of us say in unison.
Nan bends at the waist, gripping her thighs in laughter. “Y’all are funny. It’s cute how well you know me.”
“And there it is,” Lily murmurs under her breath.
“But it’s not for all of you. My question here is for Blair.” Blair looks at her, confused. “Are you doin’ anything with that tiny home of yours now that you’re moved in with Griffin?”
“I don’t know what I want to do with it yet. I’m not ready to give it up.”
“Noted. If you change your mind, you know where to find me. I’ll find someone just right for that place,” she says with a wink, turning to face me. She does a double-take, and I look down to see if there are crumbs or chocolate on my shirt. “You look different.”
“Same me,” I choke out, forcing a smile so she doesn’t pick up on anything. The last person I need to know I had sex is Nan.
“Nah. There’s something about you,” she says, stepping closer and lifting the ends of my hair as if to assess me before eyeing me head to toe. “Poppy Barlow, are you in love?”
My head rears back, eyes wide at how bold that question is.
I blink a few times and immediately feel everyone’s eyes on me.
I don’t know how to answer that question.
I don’t even know what love is outside of loving my brother and sister fiercely—the love I have for my family and Tucker. That’s foreign to me.
There’s no way I’m in love with Dallas.
There’s a chemistry between us, but that’s all it is.
Right?
Oh my god, is this what loving someone feels like?
No, there’s no way.
I shake my head quickly. “No, definitely not in love here.”
“Okay.” She shrugs, brushing it off. Thank god. Then she turns to Lily, pulling out her wallet. “Well, I’ll take a muffin to go, please.”
Lily looks from me to Nan, cautiously, because it’s not like Nan to brush off the thoughts she has. It’s not like her not to speak up and say what’s on her mind. Lily bags a muffin for her, and after she pays, she’s out the door without another word.
“That was so weird,” Blair says.
“Do you think she can sense that you had sex with Dallas?” Lily laughs. “Maybe that’s why she thinks you’re in love.”
I scoff. “No way.”
Just as I open my mouth to say more, my phone buzzes in my pocket. Pulling it out, I find it’s a text from Dallas.
Dallas
Hey, honey.
I smile down at my phone, reading his text.
Jesus, what’s wrong with me?
“Looks like she got a text from Dallas,” Lily tells Blair. “I’m starting to wonder if that’s what Nan just saw.”
“Me too,” Blair agrees, and I roll my eyes, ignoring them as I type a text back.
Hey. How was your day?
Dallas
It would be a hell of a lot better if I got to wake up next to you, but even still, it’s not a bad day so far.
That’s sweet.
Dallas
That’s sort of why I’m texting you. I don’t want to ruin any plans you have, but I’d like to take you out next weekend. Just the two of us, if you’re up for it.
My smile falls, because this is most definitely a date.
Another thing I don’t know how to do.
“Everything okay?” Lily asks, and for a second, I forgot Lily and Blair were still in the room, watching me text Dallas.
“Yeah. Dallas texted me that he wants to do something next weekend, like a date. But I’ve never done that either. I guess we can just go out to eat?”
“First of all, I love that he’s so attentive to your routine, and scheduling something for next week so you aren’t doing something at the last minute. That’s so sweet. And, no. Absolutely not,” Lily says, jumping down from the counter. “You have to do something different. Something fun.”
“I agree,” Blair adds. “Going out to eat for a first date is standard across the board. Besides, it would be at Seven Stools. You two have already had drinks there before. This first date needs to be epic.”
“Do you think I should just let him plan it?”
They both shake their heads.
“Oh!” Lily says, hands in the air as if telling us to stop everything we’re doing. “The weather is getting warmer now that it’s almost spring here. Why don’t you guys do a sunset picnic by the lake?”
“Yeah. I guess we can do that,” I say, looking down at my phone to text Dallas back.
I feel a hand on my shoulder, and look up to see Lily there with a comforting smile on her face. “I’m really proud of you, Pop. You’re stepping outside of your comfort zone with grace. No matter what happens, we’re here.”
I nod, emotions thick in my throat as I start texting Dallas back.
How would you feel about a picnic at the lake?
Dallas
You should already know by now, I’d do whatever you want to do.
Picnic by the lake it is.