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I gotta say, the kid’s got balls for coming out here. Thus far, he didn’t come off like the type who’d confront a bee, let alone a grown ass man. That said, I can’t let him get away with it.
“You ever think maybe you’re the reason Poppy was hanging off me tonight?”
He laughs. “She wasn’t hanging off you, bro.You were hanging off her.”
“Is that right?” I play it cool, but inside I can’t help but wonder if he’s simply stating the obvious. If he is, does Wayne see it to? Does Poppy see it?
Fuck!
Adam grins. “I’m going to take off, but if it’s any help, I see the way she looks at you. I don’t think she’d turn you down.”
I bite the inside of my cheek and watch as he crunches through the snow toward the little Corolla he’s parked on the opposite side of the driveway.
Whatever I feel or don’t feel for Poppy can’t be this obvious and pursuing it has never been, and will never be, an option. The one and only choice I have is to care for her, which is what I was doing tonight. Wayne sees that, and he appreciates it. He’s mentioned that a few times. To him, it’s nice to have another set of eyes on his sister’s well-being. There's trust in that. Trust that I can’t under any circumstance break. The man is like a brother to me, and that’s all someone like me should ask for.
Regardless of whatever I’m doing tonight, Wayne is my best friend. I can’t date his little sister.
I draw in a deep breath and step back inside the house. Wayne is in the back corner by the fireplace talking to folks and laughing. A couple of other people have gathered by the tree holding eggnog. And Poppy, who I thought was upstairs, is sitting in the corner of the room with her head buried in her phone.
This is the part where I should find someone else to talk to. I should make use of myself in the kitchen and find snacks that aren’t vegetable based. Instead, I wander toward the girl in the corner.
“I saw your date left.”
She nods slowly. “He stopped me before he went out the back door.”
“He tell you why he was leaving?” My heart walls thicken as I wait for her response. The last thing I need is to explain away his observations.
“Nope. He said he was tired. This is a mess. You know that, right? Mae set me up with him because I needed help getting over—” She huffs. “Whatever.”
“He wasn’t your type, anyway.”
“My type?You know my type?” There’s sarcasm in her tone.
I grin. “You like… big guys, right? Big guys with beards, tattoos, and—”
“I likeniceguys. Guys who treat menice.Guys who saynicethings and want to benice.”
“No, you don’t! You like guys who tell you the truth. Guys who say it like it is.”
She stands from the chair. “Are you like bullying me or…”
“No. This is me making you feel better for ditching a guy who wouldn’t be a good fit.”
“Right. Well,no oneseems to be a good fit. So…” She turns away and walks back into the kitchen.
I shouldn’t follow, but I do.
She reaches for the bottle of tequila on the counter. “What is it about the holidays that makes people think about love?”
“Seeing everyone together and happy I guess.” I take the bottle from her. This time, she’s handing it toward me.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
“No.Fuck no!” I take a drink and pass the liquor back. “Not in the cards for me.”
“Really? You don’t want a family or a wife or anything?”
“Certainly, but I’m holding out for perfection. I need to be with that one person who will fit into my chaotic life.”
