Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Glaring at her, I cross my arms over my chest. “It’s not funny. I wish you’d stop seeing the humor in it.”
“You do not,” she groans. “You keep me around for my humor. So, you want to know what else he said?”
Biting my lip, I lift my shoulders up and down like there’s a boulder sitting on them.
“You do. The answer is, ‘I do, Poppy.’ So, he asked if you would be up for having dinner with him if he called you.”
My lip pops free as my traitorous heart leaps like a greeting card commercial. “He did?”
“No, I’m making it up.”
“I’m gonna kill you.”
“Yes, he did. He asked me that. I told him maybe he should wait a few days, that you were a little preoccupied and needed a little space. But maybe this is a good sign?”
Staring at the wall, I wonder if he means it. I was certain he’d have moved on by now. No, I’m certain he has. But a dinner is one thing, and being told you’re going to be a father is much, much different.
He’s the father of my child.
I knew this before, but this is the moment that realization hits me. Hard. I must look worse for wear because Poppy grabs my elbow and bends down to eye-level.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
“Nope.”
“Want to sit down? Need water? My instinct is to offer you vodka, but that’s not on the menu anymore.”
“Branch is the father of my baby, Poppy.”
“Yes . . .” she says, dropping my elbow.
“How am I going to tell him? I mean, if I could not tell him it would be so much easier, but I can’t not tell him, right? I mean, I could not tell him but that’s not the right—”
“Breathe,” she giggles. “That was like one giant sentence. And, yes, you have to tell him. Not today. Not tomorrow. But you do have to tell him.”
My lashes close, blocking out her concerned face and the light that’s threatening to give me a headache. “How do you think he’ll take it?”
“I’ve never told a guy I’m having his kid, so I have no idea.”
“Do you think he’ll think I did it on purpose?”
“Oh, I think the look on your face proves you didn’t do this on purpose,” she shrugs. “He may not be happy about it, but I’m not sure you are either. And I think you have to stop cursing now,” she says, tapping her lips with the tip of her finger. “I think the baby can hear you.”
Rolling my eyes, I grab my purse and head to the door. “Well, as long as I’m friends with you, it’s going to hear profane language. I may as well keep it consistent.”
Poppy’s laughter follows me into the hallway. She starts jabbering on about the party and how excited Tiffany is that we’re coming. I tune her out.
This might be the last time I get to go out and do fun things for the rest of my life. Dramatic, maybe. But it’s also true.
“Pop?”
“Yeah?” she says as we await the elevator.
“Let’s have fun tonight, okay?”
She grins. “Yes. Let’s.”
CHAPTER 16
BRANCH
“Tiffany, this is Branch Best.” Finn makes the introduction, his arm around Poppy. “Branch, Tiffany Standen.”
Tiffany, the woman of the hour, makes no secret of checking me out. She scoops her eyes down my body, licking her lips on the return trip. Her own body is smashed into a skin-tight white dress and a little tiara with white and pink feathers sits atop her reddish locks.
“Branch Best, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Happy Birthday,” I say, looking over her shoulder as discreetly as I can. A group of women walk in and I scan them quickly and then return to Tiffany when none of them are Layla.
“You could make sure it’s a very happy one,” she breathes.
Finn cackles beside me while I feel Poppy’s gaze settling on my features, waiting on my response.
Smiling awkwardly, I take a deep breath. “I think that lady over there is trying to get your attention.”
Turning to see a thin woman in a red dress in the corner, she gives her a little wave. “I have to talk to my party planner really quick. I hope we can catch up later.”
There’s no promise offered of a hook up later from my end. She’s fine to look at and I halfway think I’ve fucked her before, but surely one of us would remember that.
“See ya,” she says, waving at me over her shoulder.
She teeters away on heels so tall I wonder how long it’ll take her to wind up on that very round ass before the night is over. My guess is broken up when Poppy speaks beside me.
“Finn,” she says. “Will you get me a drink? Please.”
“Anything in particular?”
“Nothing too hard. It’s too early for that.”
He smirks. “First time I’ve ever heard you say that.”