“You need me to protect you from the fish, princess?”
I scowl but don’t respond because…yeah.
“Come on, then.” He starts the slow walk to the beach.
Maybe I should let go and redeem myself as a strong, independent woman, but that feeling of fish slipping across my feet is giving me the creepy-crawlies, and being carried in Mack’s strong arms isn’t a bad way to get around. I’m going to let Mack have this one. “You know I’m doing you a favor here.”
“Is that right?” Mack grunts, shifting me again.
“Like I said, you like taking care of people. This is a perfect opportunity, huh?”
“Yeah, just perfect.”
“You’re welcome.” I pat him on the cheek.
The chuckle that rumbles in his chest vibrates against my arm. “You having fun yet?”
I pause. Being in the water, talking with Mack…it’s been a lot of fun. More fun than I can remember having in a long time. “Yeah, but that reminds me of what I was going to tell you before.”
I slide down his back when we make it to the shore, and he turns to me, waiting.
“Gardening. That’s what I do for fun. I mean, it’s what I usedtodo—what I would do if I had a place to do it.”
“Gardening?” He stares at me, and the moonlight reflects off the water that’s still shiny on his cheeks. He doesn’t look anything like Holland right now. In fact, I don’t know if Holland has ever studied me the way Mack is—like he’s trying to read a barcode that’s etched across my bones.
“Gardening,” he says again, nodding.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Email 3
Hey Holland,
I feel bad that I haven’t emailed lately. Life here has been crazy. Good crazy, but crazy nonetheless. I know you’ve been busy too. I can’t wait to see you next weekend for the wedding. I hung out with Ed and Piper tonight, and they’re great. You’ve got a wonderful family. Mack has been helping Rose and me get acclimated to town, and he’s been stopping by to fix up our side of the duplex as his time allows.
He asked me what I liked to do for fun, and it got me thinking about it. I used to love to plant flowers. Have I ever told you that? I love flowers. This is not some ploy to get you to send me them. I’m merely telling you something new about me…I promise! When we lived with my Gram, she had a beautiful vegetable garden and these lush flower beds all around her house. I would tend them with her. There was something about it that was so relaxing—the dirt under my nails and watching everything grow and change. I talked to all the plants too…like a goon. Anyway, that was almost a decade ago, but when I really, truly think about it, that’s the last time I can remember doing something that was for fun. For me.
Is golf something fun for you? Or is it work and what you’re good at?
Mack reminded me that there’s a difference between what I do for a living and for others and what I do for me. I hope you take time to do one thing for yourself today…outside of golf. I’m trying to make a habit of it. Because I can’t give off light from my lamp if I don’t fill it up with oil every once in a while, right?
Xoxo,
Poppy
14
Lousy Love
Mack
“Iknowit!Iknow it!” Poppy's in the passenger seat of my truck with her feet up on the dash. Her toenails are painted a deep red. Her hair is pulled back into her trademark ponytail. She’s wearing aviator sunglasses, and right now, her lips are pressed together, humming along to the song on the radio.
“Hey, kids, shake-a loose-a feather,” she sings.
“Those are not the words,” I say at the same time as she screams, “‘Bennie and the Jets’ by Elton John!”
