Pucked Off (Pucked 5)

CHAPTER 24THE PAST IS

THE FUTURE

LANCE

Some spans of time seem endless. The time between me fucking things up with Poppy and seeing her tonight, sitting on the other side of the Plexiglas barrier, felt more like years than days.

The span of time between hitting the locker room and arriving at the bar seems like it took more than an eon. Based on the messages between Randy and Lily, Poppy is here. I hope this is a want, not let situation. Between Lily’s sweetness and Violet’s pushiness, I’m not sure Poppy stood a chance against them.

At first I wasn’t sure what to think about her being at the game. Part of me was annoyed that they’d pulled her into the whole scene. But then I realized they did it to help me. And that if this is going to work out at all, Poppy has to meet all my friends, and their girlfriends and wives. More than that, I want her to, because they’re my surrogate family, the ones I chose to have in my life.

I can see Poppy as soon as I enter the bar. She’s sitting in the middle of my friends’ girlfriends. Sunny’s beside her. That’s good. Sunny is exactly as her name implies, and she’ll make Poppy feel comfortable.

“You need to chill out, man,” Randy says over his shoulder. “You’re more hyped up than me.”

I realize I’m pushing him. I clap him on the shoulder. “Sorry. I just don’t want her to disappear.”

“She’s not going anywhere.” He strokes his beard as he scans the crowd for Lily.

It takes an entire millennium to get across the room, and when I finally make it to the table, there’s absolutely nowhere for me to sit. I close in on Poppy and see that she’s holding something. No, wait. Not something, someone. Logan. Miller’s son.

I’m glad Miller and I are finally back to normal these days. After seeing me act like a mopey bitch for the past two weeks, it’s clear that what’s going on with me and Poppy is serious, and I really am done with Tash.

A warm feeling that overrides everything else settles in my chest as Poppy smiles up at me. She’s holding one of my best friend’s kids. This is the thing I’ve been missing—her, not the kid! There’s no way in the world I’m anywhere close to ready for that kind of lifelong commitment. But I’m so grateful for this family I have, and Poppy being part of it—at least in this moment.

Big picture, I need to find out what she wants, and if she’s willing to handle all the challenges that come with my life: the media circus, the long spans of time we’ll have to go without seeing each other. There’s more beyond that, but for now that’s as far as I’m willing to let the future unfold. The next five minutes are already uncertain. I can’t start planning in months until I know what she’s feeling.

She’s here, though. That has to mean something.

Logan’s little fist is wrapped around her pinkie, and he seems entranced by her swinging ponytail. He flails, and his chubby fingers get tangled in the thick locks.

Poppy makes a surprised sound, and she looks away from me to him as he tries to shove her hair into his mouth.

“Someone’s learning early how to get a girl’s attention,” I say.

“You’ve been coaching him, then?” Poppy asks.

“Oh! Logan! Ta-ta! Don’t eat Poppy’s pretty hair!” Sunny says, but I doubt he hears her over the noise.

I lean over Poppy as she tries to free Logan’s fingers. He’s got a solid grip, and he’s working hard to get his fist in his mouth. I take the end of her ponytail in one hand so he’s not yanking so hard on it, then wiggle my pinkie in until he’s gripping that instead of Poppy’s hair.

“Thanks,” she says.

It’s a million words all rolled into one. The weight of silence and time apart eases with that one softly uttered word.

I can feel myself smiling. “That’s my thing. Can’t have someone smoother taking my move.”

She turns and looks up at me, our faces only inches apart. It wouldn’t take much to erase the distance, but I don’t. We’re not alone, and I’m not yet invited into her space like that.

“He’s a little too aggressive about it to be smooth,” she tells me.

“So it’s still my thing?”

She nods solemnly. “Still your thing.”

“I’m glad you came to the game.”

She raises a brow. “I’m glad you were in the penalty box for less than three minutes.”

“I had a reason to behave.” I finger the end of her ponytail. It’s damp where Logan had it in his mouth, which should be sort of gross, but I don’t care.

“Hey! There’s my boy! Gimme my baby, Poppy from the garden!” Miller leans down and kisses Sunny, then holds out his arms with a big, silly grin on his face.