Chapter 15 Poppy
O h god, even at the best of times, I hate doing presentations like this. I know that I’m close with everyone here. They’re supportive of me and all that, but I just despise feeling all their attention on me. Questions, I’m sure, milling about in their heads: What did she do wrong? Why didn’t Steven want her? Poppy can’t seem to get a guy to put a ring on it.
Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I breathe in the familiar smells of the library. The books, the stale coffee, newly sharpened pencils, the slight smell of peppermint gum that Noah always chews. When I open my eyes again, he is standing next to me, moving towards the computer to click through my PowerPoint for me. He gives me a warm smile before whispering in my ear, “You’ve got this.”
We became close quickly when we were both newbies four years back. There haven’t been too many hires since then, but it was nice to have a buddy to go through my first few years with. We were both learning so much and have become each other’s go-to person for help talking through issues or about the latest staff gossip. It also helps that he has a kind heart and finds animal gifs as hilarious as I do, not to mention our coffee addiction.
Besides Andi, he’s my closest friend here and with her gone on her honeymoon, it is nice to have a positive connection to keep me grounded through everything that has come with returning to work and town. He even offered to stand in for her and help me burn all my Steven items if I wanted. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll take him up on that, but appreciated the thought.
“I almost forgot to give this to you. It’s from Bobbi’s.” Noah is at my side again, this time with a large coffee. Bobbi’s coffee is another one of the things I missed most while away.
“Thank you.” My voice shakes as I respond and he takes notice, quickly giving my shoulders a squeeze.
“Hey girl, you can do this. It’s just us.” Noah waves out over the group of teachers. “Hell, if you mess it up, maybe it will give Ms. Neemeyer something to finally talk with Mr. Grube about. I think this is the year they hook up.”
I can’t help but laugh at our ongoing inside joke. Those two have been in love with each other for years, but it seems only those on the outside can see it. Sometimes you don’t always see things clearly when you’re so close to them, I suppose. I can attest to that.
My principal, Erin, nods at me as she starts her welcome speech that she gives at the start of every year. Sitting down to listen, I know I come after the new hires are introduced and look around to see the big deal English hire that apparently has years of experience when my gaze catches on him . How is Owen here?
She introduces him and I think I have a mental lapse as images of us together only a week before flash through my mind. Dancing under the stars, him on top of me, and the most amazing sex. I can’t believe this. As soon as the vague hallucinations end, I feel my anger start to rise to the surface. How could he do this?
All that talk of being “ just Owen and Poppy” was bullshit and he was using me. He knew who I was all along and my feeling of freedom was only a facade. Well, I will have a lot to say to him when I get the chance. Then his eyes meet mine and they’re just as warm and rich as they were that night and I can’t seem to remember what I was thinking.
“Poppy?” Erin’s voice breaks through the haze and I realize everyone is looking at me. Shaking my head, I stand up suddenly.
“Sorry. Hi, everyone. It’s great to be back and to see all your familiar faces again. As Erin likely shared, I was gone on personal leave for part of last year and took some of that time to work on my own photography.”
I launch into my presentation, but my mind is perseverating on him. How did I let this happen? I was so stuck on feeling free and being just Poppy that I let myself get blindsided by a gorgeous man and his amazing smell. Somehow I push through the emotions rising to the surface and finish my presentation.
Hearing the claps of the staff clue me in that I’m done and I go to take my place next to Noah once more. “Um, what is it?” he asks. “You okay?”
“Yeah, can we talk after this is done?” I steal another peek at Owen unwillingly and find him staring back. He nods to me like that’s supposed to mean something. Ripping my attention away, I look back down at the coffee I’ve hardly touched.
My mind is a blur of emotions and I can’t seem to land on how I feel. Did I make a huge mistake? That night was supposed to be for me. For returning to Honey Cove undamaged and ready to strike out on my own without being tethered to anyone. But now, it feels like I’ve unwittingly done just that. When Erin lets us know we have a fifteen minute break, I grab Noah’s hand and whip him out of the room with me.
“I need to talk to you, now.”