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“Something like that. Momma will bake you a big ole cake, and everyone that works here will hang around for the party. We can do it after the event.”
“You will all be exhausted. That’s silly to spend all that energy on me.”
“Try tellin’ Momma that.”
She huffs out a quiet laugh, and then the conversation just kind of dissolves. I rack my brain for anything to talk about because I don’t want this little bubble we have right now to go away. I’m desperate to keep her talking about anything, but those pain meds hit her hard, and she’s passed out on top of me.
I’ve gotta say, it’s not the most comfortable position we could be lyin’ in. And I’d love nothing more than to adjust and get more comfortable. But I don’t want to wake her up. Her breath fans across my chest, and her arm is thrown across my stomach, with her hand tucked under my back.
I’m not sure how we got here, sleeping together in my bed. We didn’t eventryher sleeping in the spare. The kids didn’t ask any questions today when they saw the spare bedroom still pristine. Granted, they’re kids, so they probably didn’t even notice. But the longer this goes and the more I fall for this girl wrapped in my arms, the more likely it is they’ll see something they aren’t used to seeing.
Kids may be oblivious to a lot of things, but they’re also incredibly perceptive of the bigger things. And whatever is happening between me and Poppy is bigger than anything they’ve experienced since the split. They’re bound to see a change in me soon, and I’m gonna have to figure out what exactly I’m going to say.
And what Poppywantsme to say.
It’s beenan entire week of sitting on my ass, watching movies with the kids while Rhett supervises and hovers. He’s barely let me walk around the yard, let alone go back to work. But we had my checkup today, and the doctor has given me the green light to finally go back. Rhett stood there and grunted the entire time, but he’s not going to keep me captive anymore.
I’m ready to get back to Betty.
I’ve been begging Wells for updates on her every day, and every day, he tells me the same thing. She’s scared, cowering in the corner when he comes over to feed her or sit with her. She’s not even gone outside to potty anymore. My poor girl needs me to come back and break her back out of her shell. And I need to let her know that I’m okay.
Don’t get me wrong, living with Rhett for the past week has been…oddly fun. I mean, I knew the sex would be fun. We clicked on thatright away. But if anyone had asked me a few weeks ago if I would be living with the man, I would’ve laughed in their faces. The last thing I would have wanted to do was live with him. Fuck him, maybe. The attraction was fast and strong. But I couldn’t stand the guy.
Barely can now. But still, there’s something different about him — now that I’ve gotten to know him.
“Not much of a limp anymore,” Wells says, all smiles when I walk through the front door of Katherine and Clyde’s. It’s Saturday dinner, and I’m stoked to be out of the house. The kids run past me with their overnight bags hanging from their shoulders. They drop them in the hallway and run off to find their grandparents.
“Hey! Can we maybe not just leave our bags in the hallway?” I shout after them, smiling when they run back and pick them up, saying sorry as they put them on the bench instead. Wells gives me a look, and I know what he’s thinking. Since when did I become…this?
“Doctor says I can come back this week,” I tell him, ignoring the look.
“That means you can come dancing!” Hayes sings out, poking his head around the corner.
“No, that means she’s still resting for two more nights before she goes back to work.” Rhett’s gruff voice sends a shiver down my spine, and I know what he’s thinking. If they’re going out and the kids are with his parents, that leaves us alone in the house.
Finally.
“You’re such a party pooper,” Hayes says, following us into the kitchen.
“You’ve been hiding her all week,” Wells adds.
“Poppy!” Katherine walks over and wraps me in her arms, her familiar flour-and-vanilla scent wrapping me up. “You look so much better. How’s that bite?”
“Much better, thank you.”
I walk over to the table, and Rhett is right there, pulling out a chair for me to sit down.
“Quit hovering.” I slap him on the arm. “I’m fine. I can barely even feel it anymore.”
He grunts. Shocker.
“Just because you’re not goin’ out tonight doesn’t mean we can’t stay here…right?” Wade’s little voice floats in from the living room.
“You are always welcome here!” Clyde tells him. “You know that. It’ll give your daddy a break.”
He winks at both of us, and I’m ready for the world to swallow me whole.
“Bro…” Hayes is eyeing Wade from where he leans against the countertop. “Is your hair purple?”
