Poppy tilts her face up. “See. Everything’s fine.”
“Yeah,” I say.
And for once, I actually believe it.
I glance around, and Maggie is laughing with someone at the bar with Violet. Walker is lining up another shot. Jack is leaning in to my sister and grinning like the lovesick idiots they are.
Real family right here.
Poppy squeezes my hand. “You happy?”
I don’t hesitate. “Yeah.” I really am. “Are you happy, baby?”
She leans her head onto my shoulder. “Very happy. But very tired.”
I spot him the second he walks up to the bar, and my stomach tightens. Poppy stiffens beside me, her shoulder brushing mine like she’s grounding herself without even thinking about it. I set my beer down slowly and keep my eyes on him. Toddy has lain low since he got charges and trouble. I have kept an eye out for him, but Weston told us that he got fired and has been looking at out-of-town jobs. I pity the town that hires him, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him gone.
Violet’s behind the bar. She’s calm and professional and not in the mood for bullshit. None of us are. The night has been going so well, no one wants him here to ruin it. Because there’s no way he’s here to do anything but stir up shit.
Toddy plants himself on a barstool and leans forward. “What? Can’t even smile?”
Violet doesn’t blink, just looks at him like he’s a bug she’d like to squish. “What can I get you?”
He chuckles like he thinks that’s charming. “Wow. That bad of a day, huh. You can’t even be friendly.”
Her voice stays cool. “Nope.”
He turns his head and locks eyes with Poppy. “Can’t even say hello?”
Before I can move, Cami straightens from her stool like she’s been activated by divine rage.
“Oh my God,” she says brightly. “Forgive us, Captain Shit Muffin. None of us realized we were in the presence of such royalty.”
The bar goes quiet in that slow, delicious way. Oh, this is going to be good.
“The balls on you,” Cami continues. “She doesn’t owe you shit. No woman does. Why do you assume everyone owes you anything? No one owes you shit, and you don’t deserve shit.”
Toddy scoffs. “Excuse me?”
“You know what person responding to you would be good for you?” Cami says, tilting her head. “A therapist. Book an appointment. Learn how to treat people. Stop abusing children.”
Toddy’s face turns red. “It’s COACH Toddy. And I don’t abuse anyone.”
Violet finally looks up, eyes sharp. “Coach Toddler, let me tell you a little something about our bar.” She sets the glass down with care. “It’s ours, which means we can do whatever we want. And we don’t serve child abusers or people who enjoy humiliating kids. Or people who push others around. And that’s what you do.”
“I don’t do that,” Toddy snaps. “And you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cami gasps dramatically and drops her voice into the most exaggerated baby tone I’ve ever heard. “Look how consistent you are, Coach Tooty,” she coos. “Always condescending, always in denial.”
Violet doesn’t miss a beat. She smiles sweetly, voicedropping to a baby voice, too. “Coach Tooty, you’re so passionate. So loud. It must be so exhausting.”
I bite my lip. Hard. My chest shakes with laughter.
Walker has both hands over his mouth, shoulders shaking. Jack’s bent over the pool table like he might pass out from holding in laughter. I’m not doing much better.
Toddy looks like he’s about to explode with rage.
“Stop talking to me like that,” he snaps as he looks back and forth between them in shock.
