I give him the finger.
“Okay, what does a successful relationship mean to you?”
“One where my girlfriend’s name is Poppy.”
“Perfect. You’re learning.”
I respond by chugging half my beer, wondering if I’m wasting my time or if this harebrained idea has a chance.
“How important is honesty and communication to you in a relationship? That’s a tough one, considering.” She cocks a brow.
“Thanks,” I say sarcastically, then hum in concentration. “How about, much more than a month ago?”
“We can just skip this one.”
“Wait. How about… Honesty is very important, and putting Bozeman in my profile is the last lie I’ll tell.”
“Yeah, let’s skip it. Next. How important is physical attraction to you? This is where you can put her specific traits that stand out.”
“My tastes are particular. I’m attracted to red-haired, freckled, slim girls about five-foot-four with perfect pouty lips and an ass to die for.”
“I’m leaving the ass part out.” She beams cynically. “How important is it to find someone who shares your hobbies?”
“It’s a must. I want someone to read romance novels with, have book discussions, and act out certain scenes with.”
“Okay, TMI. I’m cutting you off.”
I laugh and down the rest of my beer. I’m having fun for the first time since I left Bozeman. I never expected Cici to be the one to help me get Poppy back, but with her in my corner, I’m more hopeful than I’ve been in weeks.
“Three more. How do you feel about long-distance relationships?”
“Love them. Five states away is ideal, somewhere on the western side of the country.”
She laughs as she types.
“What are your dealbreakers regarding online communication when first contacting someone?”
“If they’re unwilling to FaceTime to verify they match their profile.”
“Oh boy, we’ll see how she takes that one. Ooh, ooh, the last one is perfect. What are your intentions for being on a dating site?”
“To win my girlfriend Poppy back by any means necessary. Groveling until she can’t resist me any longer.”
Cici squeals in delight as she finishes entering it.
“So, do you think this will work? Because if it backfires, this very well may be my last chance.” Until I think of something else, anyway.
“I know it will. We just need her to find your profile—the rest will take care of itself. You might want to fly to Bozeman for that date, though. Eli, do we have a plane he could borrow?” She smirks at her husband, who rolls his eyes.
21
FINAL MATCH
Poppy
Sleep didn’t come easily last night as I replayed Braden’s words. I’d memorized each inscription after staring at them for hours. It was overwhelming to say the least. It was so tempting to call and forgive him. But then I thought about what he had done and ended up right where I started—angry and hurt.
Yes, I’m being stubborn, but I’m allowed to be, dammit. He really messed up. He can’t just say a few sweet words and make everything better. He pulled the wool over my eyes. What if he’s doing it again?
