The door opens to the last person I expected. Matt. What the fuck? I’m out of the picture, and he decides to swoop in to pick up the pieces?
“What are you doing here?” he asks, venom pouring from his mouth.
Anger clouds my vision as I respond. “I could ask you the same thing?”
“I was invited—unlike you. So you can turn right around and leave. Poppy wants nothing to do with you.”
“If that’s the case, she can tell me herself. I’m not leaving until I see her.”
“I don’t think you’re in any position to make demands. You’re old news as far as I’m concerned.”
He starts to shut the door in my face, but I stick my foot out to stop it.
“Poppy! It’s Braden. Please, just give me five minutes.” I’m yelling as Matt shoots daggers.
I open my mouth to shout again when Poppy’s voice sounds.
“What is going on?” she hisses, on her way to the door. “How did you know where to find me?”
“Eli gave me the address. Look, just hear me out. I’m begging,” I plead.
“You don’t have to, Poppy. I’ll get rid of him if you want.” Matt tells her, making me want to punch him in the face.
“How about you stay out of it. Poppy can handle this herself.”
“It’s okay, Matt, I’ll take it from here. Thanks, though,” she says, pulling the door open.
“Okay.” He steps back and turns into the house. “Come get me if you need my help,” he adds, walking away.
She smiles at him, walks outside, and shuts the door behind her, barely looking me in the eye. “Nothing you can say will change my mind at this point, and I certainly have nothing to say to you.”
I back up to give her space. Her body language clearly states she doesn’t want me here.
“I have so much to tell you, but I’ll start with, I’m sorry. I fucked up, I know that. It was a dick move.” I shake my head in frustration. “When I heard you went on a dating app, I went crazy. I wanted more time with you, but your opinion of me was less than stellar, and I thought that was a good way to do it. Obviously, it wasn’t. I know that now.”
“Yeah.” She scoffs. “You mean, now that I’m on to you?”
“No. I knew it needed to stop, but I couldn’t figure out how.”
“Telling me the truth didn’t occur to you?” Her arms cross over her chest while cocking her hip.
My head drops, and I blow the air from my lungs. This isn’t going well. “It did. It’s just…. Fuck. I’m not doing a good job at explaining.”
“It doesn’t matter because it’s too late for that.”
“Can I do anything?”
“You can leave.”
She’s right, nothing will change her mind at the moment, and the last thing I want to do is make it worse. “Okay, I’ll go. For now.”
“How about for good. And don’t bother texting or calling. We’re done. What’s interesting is that you’re so against cheating and lying, yet you just spent weeks lying your ass off.” Her parting words hit their mark before she goes inside and slams the door in my face.
19
MOVING ON
Poppy
