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Poppy sighed. “They don’t. I just want to look nice. It’s a big weekend, having everyone in town for the first time in”—she stopped, doing some mental calculations—“years. Probably since Erik brought Lydia home for my parents’ anniversary party. He was sick then too.”
“How long ago was that?”
She sighed. “Maybe four years? I can’t even remember anymore. It kinda blurs together. It’s hard with all their schedules. Parker is insanely busy during the regular season, Erik and Lydia live up in Seattle, so do Adaline and her fiancé Emmett—who also plays football, but for a different team. And the team he plays for is the team Lydia’s family owns.”
My eyebrows shot up. “The Washington Wolves?”
She nodded.
“I’ve met Lydia, I think,” I said. “At a charity event for her mom’s foundation. She probably doesn’t even remember me.”
“I’m sure she will,” Poppy said. Then she brightened. “You guys can trade Ian stories. He was a total dick when she came home with Erik the first time.”
“Something to look forward to,” I said dryly.
We wandered the shop. Poppy forced the awful dress into my hands and said she deserved to see it after gaining knowledge of my sex life with her brother. Honestly, there was no arguing that, so I caved, and with a horrified twist of my lips, ripped the curtain back so she could see the sunflower monstrosity for herself.
She grimaced.
I nodded wordlessly, yanking the curtains closed and slipping back into my own clothes.
A few girls walked past the front of the shop while Poppy made her purchases, waving at Poppy and then giving me curious smiles.
I blew out a slow breath. “How likely is it that the incident at the bar was told around town?”
“A hundred percent,” Poppy answered easily. “You’ll get used to it.”
“Will I, though?”
She ignored my question since it was rhetorical.
“Everyone knows everything,” she said with a sigh. “Even if you don’t want them to.” Then Poppy leaned back, eyeing someone else walking outside the shop. “Speaking of which…”
I turned, noticing a woman with dark hair standing on the sidewalk, a phone pressed up to her ear.
“Who’s that?” I asked.
Poppy narrowed her eyes. “I can’t tell if it’s Harlow or not.”
The woman was stunning, with big dark eyes, heavily lined around thick dark lashes.
“She was Ian’s … best friend, I guess. They were inseparable for, man, fifteen years? We always thought they’d get married, but he insists nothing happened. I haven’t seen her since she moved away after high school.”
“You think he knows she’s back?” I asked. “If that’s her, at least.”
She shrugged. “If he does, he hasn’t said a word. And no one else in town has mentioned she was back.” Her eyes widened. “They would too.”
“Because everyone knows everything,” I said.
“Exactly.”
“Like your dating life?” I asked, a shamelessly digging question.
She snorted. “My nonexistent dating life. I was the youngest of a massive family who wreaked havoc over those schools. Only a few very brave souls ever attempted to ask me out. Four older brothers, and two sisters who are honestly just as terrifying as the boys.” Poppy paused. “Well, Adaline isn’t scary. She’s the nice one. Greer, though? She will mess someone up if they screw with her family.”
I smiled. “Who’s the nice brother?”
I hadn’t met Erik or Parker, but I had a feeling I knew the answer to that question.
