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Poppy’s phone beeped on the table. She picked it up, and for the first time this morning, actually smiled.
“Did the Underworld call your mom back for duty?” I asked.
She snorted. “No. My best friend is finally here. She was supposed to come last night but had to work late. She drove halfway last night and woke up early. She’s checking in now.” Her fingers flew across the touchscreen as she replied. “I told her to come down here and meet us.”
“Is she anything like you?”
“Total opposite, actually. I don’t know how we live together.”
“You live together?”
Poppy looked up with her brown eyes wide. “I didn’t mention that?”
“Not once,” I said.
“Crap. Okay, yeah, I live with Avery. Ever since we went to college. And the thing you should know is that it’s a good thing that she’s here, because my mom adores Aves. Literally wishes she could swap us and have her be her daughter instead.”
“Why is that a good thing?”
“Because she distracts her. She’s like a buffer between us.” She shrugged a shoulder. “It’ll make today way more bearable, that’s for sure.”
“Something has to.”
“What happened to the nice guy from last night?”
“I can go around telling everyone how much I love you, if you want.” I grinned.
She wrinkled her nose. “Stop swearing at me. I’ll never get out of this alive if you tell people you’re in love with me. I’m too prickly to fall in love with.”
“You know, I do sometimes mistake you for a cactus.”
“Ha, ha, funny man.” She stuck her tongue out at me again and sipped from her mimosa.
“Hiiiiiii!”
I turned to see a tired-looking brunette rushing toward our table.
“Aves!” Poppy jumped up and hugged her tight. “I thought you were checking in.”
“I was. The porter is taking my things up because apparently I look like I need coffee.” She shrugged.
“You do.” Poppy sat down. “Avery, this is Adam. Adam, Avery.”
“Hi!” Avery pulled out a chair and sat down, smiling brightly. “So. You’re the boyfriend.”
I glanced at Poppy.
“She’s being a dick,” she said. “She knows what’s going on.”
Avery rolled her eyes. “I am being a dick. She’s always right. What does a girl have to get a coffee around here?”
Poppy pointed at me. “People pay attention to him.”
“I don’t alienate the bartenders by whistling,” I reminded her.
“I did it once.” She held up a finger. “And if people act like dogs, I’ll treat them like ones.”
“Sure. I need a coffee, too, so…” I picked up my empty mug and looked around for the waiter.
Avery tilted her head to the side as I did it, narrowing her eyes. I pretended like I hadn’t noticed as I flagged a waiter down and motioned for two cups.
“How long are you here?” Poppy asked Avery.
“I have to leave early tomorrow,” she replied. “Work starts at two. Amy quit, so we’re all scrambling to cover her shifts.”
“Where do you work?” I asked her.
Poppy raised an eyebrow at me.
“What? Since you live together, don’t you think it’ll be weird if I don’t know anything about her?”
“Shit. I forgot that.” She clicked her tongue.
Avery snorted. “Your master plan wasn’t so smart after all, eh, Pops?”
Poppy rolled her eyes, picking up her coffee, but I caught the tiny smile she sent my way.
So did Avery.
“I work in a bar close to our apartment,” she answered. “It’s basically a restaurant during the day and a bar from dinner onward. We had someone quit last week, then another two days ago, so it’s hectic.” She paused. “I’m sorry, this is really bugging me, but I swear I know you from somewhere.”
Of course. If Poppy hadn’t known who I was, there was no reason Avery would.
Poppy was delayed from replying thanks to the arrival of our coffees. No sooner had I told the guy we were good for anything else right now than Avery gave a tiny gasp.
“You play for the Storms,” she said in a hushed voice.
“What?” Poppy’s jaw dropped. “You know who he is? Am I the only one who didn’t?”
“You didn’t know who he was?” Avery asked, then turned to me. “She didn’t know who you were?”
I grinned. “And that’s my cue to let you two catch up and go up to the gym.” I wiped my mouth with a napkin and slid my coffee over to Poppy. “Here,” I said, getting up. I walked around the table and grabbed the back of her chair. “You’re gonna need that.”
I straightened and caught sight of her dad, Mark, Celia, and Rory coming in the door.
Poppy caught my gaze and looked over. “Oh no.”
I tapped her shoulder, then when she turned, bent down to kiss her. I cupped the side of her face and kissed her firmly, going back for one last one before I pulled away. She blushed, and Avery raised her eyebrows, lips tugging up.
“Morning,” I said to her family. “You doing all right, Mark?”
