He holds my gaze as he nods. “Yes. I like you, Poppy. I’ve always had feelings for you.”
For a long moment, I just stare at Nick in disbelief. He likes me? He’salwaysliked me?
A million thoughts swirl through my brain until one finally snags. That day in high school when he asked me to prom as a joke.
“But what about prom?”
He stares at me. “What do you mean?”
“Why did you ask me to prom as a joke if you liked me?”
His brow lifts as recognition flashes in his big brown eyes.
And then he says something I never thought he’d say.
“That wasn’t a joke, Poppy. I wanted to go to prom with you. I was serious when I asked you out.”
Chapter 31
Nick
Istand there, my head spinning as I watch Poppy’s expression shift from confusion to shock.
I’m shocked as hell, too. This whole time, she thought I was joking when I asked her to the prom in high school?
What the hell? How could she think that?
“Are you serious, Nick? You weren’t joking when you asked me to go to the prom with you?”
Her hazel eyes are big, like she still can’t believe it.
Determination surges through me. I hate this. I hate that she thinks I asked her out as a joke. I hate that she doesn’t seem to believe that I like her and have feelings for her.
I need to tell her the truth. I need to tell her exactly how I feel about her.
My nerves go haywire. Years of hiding my feelings for Poppy bubble up inside of me, making my chest go tight.
This is going to change things between us forever. It might even freak her out and make her not want to be around me anymore.
But I can’t stand the thought of her thinking that what I feel for her is anything but real.
“I’m dead serious, Poppy. I’ve always had the biggest crush on you. Ever since I met you when we were in middle school, I’ve liked you.”
She blinks at me, still stunned.
“You were this beautiful, smart girl who knew everything. You didn’t care that I was good at hockey. It made me want you even more.”
She’s quiet for a moment. “Really?”
“Yeah. I tried all sorts of things to get your attention when we were kids. Don’t you remember?”
She fiddles with the hem of my shirt. I still can’t get over how fucking adorable she looks wearing my shirt and nothing else.
“I remember you being kind of obnoxious and loud. And doing reckless things like climbing the roof of your house while your sister and I studied outside on your porch,” she says. “And when we all went to the pool, and you kept doing backflips off the diving board.”
“Those were my attempts to get your attention as a dumbass teenager.”
“I didn’t realize you liked me. You were always teasing me and joking around, even when I’d roll my eyes at you and ignore you.”
