Bennett and Poppy sprung apart as if they had been scalded. It took a moment for each to realize what was happening. Then Bennett rolled off the bed and whispered, "It's Tatum. Get yourself together." He gestured to her clothes and hair, either missing or in great disarray. Her ponytail holder had been lost a while back. Her red hair was curling all over her head in wild abandon.
"Come on, buddy. I know you are in there. I can hear the movie," said Tatum, getting annoyed.
Frowning at the door, Bennett got himself sorted and then, after a minute, looked back to make sure Poppy was as presentable as possible. All her clothes were back on and in the right place, but she looked like a woman doing exactly what she had been doing. Tatum was not stupid. Bennett knew his friend would take one look, and the dirty little secret he had been hiding since Christmas would be out. Bennett Carrington had fallen for a high school girl.
"You ready?" Bennett asked just before he opened the door. Poppy nodded. Pulling back the curtain and sliding open the door just enough for his head to slip out, Bennett said, "Hey, what's up?"
"I want to come in. That is what. Dude, do you have company? I am so sorry. I will come back later."
"No, it is just me. I just need a minute. Go around to the front. I will let you in there."
Tatum gave him a strange look. He always snuck into Bennett's room this way. If Bennett asked him to go to the front, he was hiding something. Not surprising. He had been acting weird since Christmas. As far as Tatum knew, he had not hooked up with a single girl since then. Tatum watched Bennett turn down super hot girls, saying he was not feeling it, and had outright rejected several sure-thing setups. Tatum had worried his buddy had lost his mojo. Now, he thought, maybe he just left it at home. Nodding, Tatum said, "Sure thing, bro. See you in a minute."
Bennett waited until he saw Tatum head around the side of the house to say, "I am so sorry about that."
"That’s okay; you didn't know your friend would show up."
"Yeah, well, I better go. I don't want him ringing the doorbell and waking up Dad. He is a bear when his sleep is disturbed.”
"Okay," said Poppy as she moved toward the door. "I am going." At the last second, she paused next to him and asked him, "When will I see you again?"
Running a hand through his hair, Bennett said, "I don't know. I am not sure this is a good idea. You and me. In fact, I know it is a really bad idea."
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Poppy said, "Sometimes bad ideas become good if they have enough time to grow." With that, she gave him a goodnight kiss he would not soon forget.
Breaking the kiss, Poppy headed to the door. Grabbing her hand, Bennett stopped her and said, "Okay, bad idea. I will think of something. Maybe we can go out on the lake tomorrow on the boat or something? Maybe grab some food at Jassen's?"
Smiling at him, Poppy said, "I would like that."
"Great, I am here all week. I have no plans. Be ready around 9:00. Does that sound like something you would like?”
"It sounds wonderful." Reaching over to give her a final peck, he added, "Now, go before all hell breaks loose."
Poppy quickly and quietly made her way back to her room. She did not know that Tatum had been watching from around the corner the entire time.
Interestingthought Tatum.His boy was in deeper trouble than he had ever imagined.
The Next Morning…
On Saturdays, Gran liked to hit all the local garage sales. She usually left the house around 6:00 and returned at noon. Poppy knew she would have a large window to get ready and to write her a note explaining her absence.
She got up at 7:00, took a shower, and spent a ridiculous amount of time doing her hair, given she would be out in the wind all day on a boat. She dressed in her cutest jeans, a T-shirt, and a sweatshirt tied around her waist. She added the barest makeup and lip gloss and called it good.
She was up half the night coming up with an excuse for Gran strong enough to cover her being gone all day. Lying to Gran was getting easier by the day.
In the note, she said she was going to the library to get a jump on her research for her upcoming term paper. She hoped Gran would buy it. Gran knew she was stressing about doing two college classes and writing a term paper. Hopefully Gran would buy it.
With the note written and placed on the kitchen table where Gran could easily find it, Poppy threw some sunscreen and a hat into an oversized tote and headed down the backstairs.
Her excitement died a quiet death when she got to Bennett's door and saw a note addressed to her. In it, he explained that his plans had changed. He had to leave town for a few days. He was going to the Bahamas for spring break with Tatum, his sister, and her friend. Poppy burned with anger and hurt when she read the note. She had no idea what happened in the last twelve hours to cause Bennett to make a 180. Poppy stood there holding the note, feeling like her world was crumbling. A giant, gaping hole was now where her heart used to be.
Chapter 7
Carrington House
Searcy, Arkansas
November 27, 2023
