She was about to hop off the counter when Decker chose that moment to look over his shoulder and—oh boy!
Even from beneath the bill of his ball cap—which was pulled low on his head and casting a shadow across his face—she could make out his blue eyes zeroing in on her. It was crystal clear when he winked because those double-barrel dimples exploded. And so did her heart.
“Ohmygawd!” she blurted out.
She considered dropping down on all fours and crawling out of the bathroom with her tail between her legs. But she’d played the chicken too much as of late. Plus, her plan had been to act unaffected.
“He’s just a man. A sexy one, but a human one. You’ve got this,” she said and held up her hand, giving a little wiggle of the fingers in response. He burst out laughing and she found herself doing the same.
It felt good to break the tension between them. See, they could overlook the mistaken kiss and go back to being friends. Easy peasy. With a final wave, Poppy hopped off the counter, turned around, and nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Auntie!” she yelped. “What are you doing?”
Aunt Opal stood in the doorway holding a pink box. She was dressed in a teal and white muumuu with enough silver and turquoise bangles to cover her from wrist to elbow. A giant rose quartz stone hung around her neck, which was called the love stone. Passed down from Opal’s mom to her, it was a symbol of unconditional love—and what Opal swore gave her the sight of matchmaking.
“I should ask you the same,” Opal said, waggling a brow. “I didn’t know I raised a peeper.”
“I’m not a peeper.” She nearly choked on that lie. Clearingher throat, she went on. “I was merely checking on his progress.”
“And that includes his glutes?”
Poppy felt herself flush. “We’re just friends.”
Opal smiled her trademark “Cupid has struck” smile the world knew her for. “Friendship is a great foundation for love.”
“Not in the way you’re implying, Auntie.”
“Too bad, because the universe is trying to fill your cup, honey, but you have to hold the cup out.”
“Between this show and my channel, my cup overrunneth.”
“Are you sure? Because Pluto is in retrograde, and if you’d been opening that app I sent you, you’d know.”
“No phones on the set, remember? That was your little addition to the show.”
Opal sighed. “That’s what’s wrong with your generation. All this swiping and thumbs-upping. Technology is irrelevant when it comes to finding love.”
“Please tell me that isn’t why you made that rule?”
A little tingling of uncertainty beaded in her belly. She wasn’t sure what it meant but she knew her aunt was up to shenanigans, and something in Poppy was telling her to read the fine print of what her aunt was selling. Not that Poppy was in the market for someone of the male persuasion; she had enough on her plate without the uncertainty of wondering where he stood, if he liked her as more than just a convenient hookup.
Sure, he’d kissed her, but he flirted witheveryone. He wasn’t just fluent in flirt, he was a master and Poppy was a novice. She’d been so busy building her career, she’d only casually dated a few men. Someone like Decker wasn’t just out of her league, he was out of her stratosphere. The way he walked, talked, charmed…he exuded more confidence in his little finger than she had in her entire body.
It was frustrating and sexy.
She narrowed her eyes and leveled her aunt with a stern look. “We are not a match. We are coworkers. So keep your nose, and your third eye, out of our business.”
Opal clutched her necklace. “At least you acknowledge there is an ‘our’. Plus, the eye sees what it sees. I can’t control it, I just listen.”
“Yeah, well unless it’s telling you that I’m one hundred percent focused on getting your house ready to go on the market in less than four weeks, then it’s lying like all the other times you set me up on those blind dates from hell.”
Opal waved an unfazed hand. “That’s in the past. We’re focused on the future. Now, let’s get back to the hunk outside the window.”
“Why don’t we talk about how you got on the set and why you’re here.”
She cleared her throat in reprimand. “I am a listed producer on this show. So I can come on the set whenever I wish.”
“You are?” That was news to Poppy. Why would her aunt be listed as producer? Sure, they were using her house, but she wasn’t a part of production.
