I sigh and nod. She’s not wrong about that. Party in the Park has been kicking my butt. I’ve been touching base with the kids’ rides operators to coordinate their arrival, putting the finishing touches on my teen scavenger hunt idea, and trying to relay all the appropriate information to the food truck rally participants. Not to mention going over all the Promenade details with Willow, who, bless her heart, has requested three in-person meetings in the last week.
I do need a night to relax.
“Fine,” I say, making the word more than one syllable.
“Good. I can’t wait to hear about it!” She gives me a finger wave and blows kisses at the screen.
She hangs up before I can say anything else.
I stand, staring out at the water for a second.
Fun. I can do fun.
But fun makes me think of Mack. And his garden bed. Andhim.
My feet are leading me back to his side before I can think twice. Because it’s right where I want to be.
26
We're Not Friends
Mack
WoolBeachisallours tonight, and that’s the way I like it. We’re a smaller group than usual since Piper and Ed left on their belated honeymoon earlier in the week.
Patrick and Mia are swimming together in the dusky waters. Lou is napping on the beach. Rose strolled off with her journal about a half hour ago. I can see her up on one of the rocky hill crests. Collin walked back to his car to get his Bluetooth speaker so we can listen to music, but I’m guessing he got a work call or something, because he hasn’t returned.
Poppy wandered away from me a second ago—I’m assuming to finish up her conversation with Noli in private. I’m trying not to focus on how much cooler the night got after she left my general vicinity.
But I am a pathetic man, who is cold-blooded unless Poppy is around. Then, my veins run with fire.
I replay the last thing Noli said before Poppy walked away:And then there’s Mack.
And then there’s Mack, what?
I would very much like to know how I’m factoring into whatever equation is in question. What has Poppy told her sisters about me?
I settle back onto my log, poking a large stick at the coals of the fire and trying not to read too much into the moment. Instead, I glance up at the full moon suspended over the water. It’s glowing pure white and sending shadows dancing around the stone walls of the cove.
Poppy steps out from one of those shadows and sits down next to me again. A thrill scuttles through my body at the closeness, and my body temperature rises.
Like a freaking reptile.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do with her.” She sighs.
Poppy has confided in me about Noli and Nelson a lot over the past month, so the backstory is familiar to me, and it’s not good. Nelson is a classic freeloader, and it sounds like he’s manipulating and gaslighting Noli, who works a steady job as a 911 dispatcher, into funding his lifestyle.
I stir up some of the coals, sending fluttering sparks into the air, as I think about my response. “Sometimes people have to make their own mistakes.”
“She could get seriously hurt or in major trouble, though.”
“I know.”
Poppy looks anguished.
I rest my hand on her knee. Her skin is soft under my calloused palm until goosebumps spring up. I stare at them for a beat…relishing the fact that I did that. Her body physically reacts tome.But then I mentally scold myself. She’s worried about her sister. Now is not the time to be flirty. I give her leg a friendly squeeze and move my hand back to my own lap. She’s leaving. I shouldn’t make this any harder on myself by flirting.
Patrick and Mia walk out of the cove and head toward us. Patrick stops and stands over the top of Lou, shaking water droplets on him. Lou startles and swears, grabbing Patrick’s ankle and dropping him onto the sand.
