Page 99 of Small Town, Big Storm

“Last summer,” Poppy says on a grin, tugging her shirt down —

And thus ending my quest for the motherland.

I glance at my watch, don’t miss that Gertie lifts her phone and snaps a picture of us.

“Christ,” I mutter.

Poppy sits up, shakes her head. “Unfortunately, I think unless Gerald chases Rain into the river again, we’re going to be front page news.”

“Gerald chased Rain into the river?”

“I’m sworn to secrecy.” A grin. “If you want the details, you’ll have to pry the story out of him.”

I snort, like that will happen.

The man’s as stubborn as me.

“Or…” She leans in and her voice drops to a whisper, her eyes dancing, those kissable lips tipping up into a smile, “Or you can just check out the archives of the Cedar Hollow Gazette.”

I blink.

Then I smile.

And then…

I kiss her again.

Because it’s been seven years.

And I finally can.

Twenty-Six

Poppy

“I can walk, you know,” I say as Storm carries me—and the cooler and the blanket—up the narrow, overgrown trail.

“I like you pressed to my back, Poppyseed,” is all he says in return.

How can I argue with that?

Or the fact that he isn’t even breathing heavy while carrying…

Well, everything.

So I just tighten my arms around his shoulders, my legs around his middle, and I…go for a ride.

Plastered to a sexy hockey player’s back, bouncing lightly against his muscles, all that he told me still whispering through my mind.

He didn’t leave.

Or he didn’t leave like I thought he had.

Didn’t leave me…just this town.

His father.

His past.