AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He knew I was asking about the Rosses, and his jaw tightened. “Things have settled. Whatever you want, it's on the house. No arguments.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to argue with his generous offer. “Thanks.”
We settled on a pizza with everything on it, for Poppy and me, and one with every kind of meat for the guys. We hadn't been there for more than ten minutes when Poppy and Caden started bickering.
“Could you stop kicking the table?” I had never heard that tone from Poppy. She sounded so much like Dr. Wright when she struggled for patience.
Caden's reaction to her was just as bizarre; he mocked her like a kid would do. Intentionally goading her to get a rise out of her. What the hell?
“You're such a child,” she said.
“And you’rean old woman.”
“I'm younger than you, so that's a stupid comeback.” The look Poppy threw Caden should have smote him where he sat, but he held her stare with one of his own.
“You're stupid.”
Their exchange was comical in its childishness, but I could see it was heading for disaster and fast. “Are you still working on that sweet Corvette, Caden?”
It took him a minute to stop glaring at Poppy and answer me. I only half-listened, because I was curious as hell as to what was going on with these two.
***
The following day Bastian went off in search of a trailer that we could hitch to the back of Baby, yes, I named my car after Dean Winchester's car, so we could bring his bike up North. Though it was Saturday, everybody was working but Poppy, so the two of us sat out back on the patio.
I had gotten my tattoo earlier and though it had hurt, it hadn't been as painful as I had feared. The look on Bastian's face when he saw it, his name on me, well, it was a look I'd remember forever.
I turned my thoughts to Poppy and Caden and their behavior at dinner the night before, hell, their behavior since Caden moved into the Wrights’house. I worried because they both meant so much to me and I hated that they didn't get along. I had thought perhaps it was just flirting, but after last night, I wasn't so sure.
“Why are you and Caden going at each other all the time?”
When she looked over at me, I was surprised to see guilt in her expression. “I like him.”
“Well, I'm relieved to hear that, because the thought of you two not getting along really upsets me.”
“No, I mean I really like him.”
“Huh?”
“I know probably not a great idea, but I can't help it. An electric shock burned right through me the first time we shook hands. I haven't been able to get my reaction to him out of my head. It's what had me questioning my relationship with Shawn. How could I be so deeply in love with Shawn and have such a strong reaction to someone else?”
“We can't help who we like, Poppy.”
“I know.”She reached over and touched my ring.“I like seeing you wearing his ring. So much for no happily-ever-after for you.”
“I don't want a happily-ever-after. That implies smooth sailing and princes rescuing damsels. Me, I want the bumps in the road and the challenges.”
She fell silent for a moment as she worked her lower lip and when she did speak, her voice sounded very soft.“Lark, what would you think about Caden and me giving it a shot?”
“The idea of you and Caden finding what Bastian and I have makes me deliriously happy, because we'll all be together, always, one big happy family. I want that for you and Caden. I want him in our family. I want us all to be close always. With that being said, if it doesn't work between you, it's going to be awkward. You're my best friend and Caden is Bastian's which will make things rather uncomfortable.”
I could tell she was mulling it over. I knew her so well that I knew she'd back off with Caden rather than risk screwing anything up, but then if Caden was her Bastian, I didn't want her to miss out on that.
“Go for it, Poppy.”
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah, you owe it to yourself and Caden to see where it could lead. He could be your Bastian.”
