“He didn’t say anything because we’ve beensecretlydating,” Poppy answered for me, speaking behind her hand as if her voice wasn’t loud enough to share the secret she was attempting to hide.“He’s best friends with my cousin, Gage, who doesn’t know we’re dating.”
“What?!”Terry exclaimed, drawing the attention of several people at nearby tables.She grinned and scrunched her shoulders, waiting for them to lose interest before speaking again.“I can’t believe this!Why haven’t I seen you around before?”
“Oh, I live in Coyote Creek, which is about six hours away.We’ve been doing the whole long-distance thing for a few months now.I decided I was tired of being away from him, so I came into town to spend the holidays with him,” Poppy answered as she reached across the table and took my hand, lacing our fingers together.“I just can’t get enough of him.”
Terry leaned in and spoke behind her hand to Poppy.
“Lock him down while you can.I can’t lie and say he hasn’t been voted the hottest, most eligible bachelor in Silver Falls.Several women here have had their eye on him and have just been waiting for their chance.”
“Well, they’ll just have to get in line for the next bachelor because this one is taken.”
Poppy grinned at me as we continued to hold hands while I processed what had just happened.
“You better treat her good,” Terry warned.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I replied, speaking only the truth.
Terry took our order and then ran off to the kitchen, no doubt to spread the rumor that Silver Falls’ most eligible bachelor was now taken.
Five
Poppy
“Are you sure this isreally necessary?”I asked as I followed Patrick through Silver Falls Express as he pushed a shopping cart down one aisle and stopped abruptly in the women’s clothing section.
“Yes.It’s really necessary given that you didn’t bring anything with you besides the clothes on your back, Poppy.”
“I wasn’tplanning on staying,” I said tightly, forcing a smile when two women looked at us.
Their eyes lit up when they saw Patrick, and then that light diminished when they looked at me.Apparently, good news traveled fast in small towns.I only wish I had taken the time to clean up so I didn’t look like Patrick’s raggedy girlfriend.
“Well, you were the one who volunteered yourself to be my girlfriend who is staying through the holidays, so you’re going to have to live up to that.Your cousin is going to kill me as it is; I don’t want to add to it by having you running around wearing my clothes and smelling like me.”
“You act like that would be such a bad thing,” I muttered, picking at my cuticles to keep from giving dirty looks to the women who were still staring at us.
Patrick looked at me and frowned before looking over to see the two women.
