Page 21 of Half Baked

My hand lowers at the softness of her tone. Her eyes look a little sad, and genuine. That’s the thing about Poppy, I can read her expressions better than anyone.

Softening my own tone, I suggest, “Let’s just say I get an IOU.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Poppy chews on her lip, studying me with those piercing eyes. And I happily gaze back into them, holding her stare. Her brain is working through this, something like a war probably happening in there. Finally, she says, “But you can’t just cash it in on anything, I get veto power.”

“Of course,” I agree. I would be worried if she didn’t veto something. Turning towards the fridge, I offer, “Are you sure you don’t want anything? I’m starving after spending the morning in the surf, I can make us something.”

“Make us something?” she cocks her head in surprise. “But no, I’ll leave you to it.” Standing, she starts towards the back door.

With two steps, I beat her to it, my fingers closing around the handle. I watch her eyes widen. From this close, I can see the various shades of blue in her eyes. Grinning back at her, I ask, “When do we start?”

“I’ll let you know when I know.”

There’s a breathiness to her voice that only serves to spur me on. “Yes, chef,” I murmur.

She scowls.

My smile deepens.

This is going to be fun.

Chapter 10

Hayden

“Want a beer?”

I lift my chin towards the patio doors, as if seeing Tripp in his kitchen will help me hear him over the roar of the ocean waves.

“Beer?” he calls louder, holding up an amber bottle for good measure.

“Yeah,” I shout back with a nod and thumbs up.

He gets the message, ambling back out with two bottles dangling from the fingers of his left hand and a tray of raw steak balancing in the right.

“Where’s Ivy tonight?” I ask as he crosses back outside.

“Dinner with her dad. He’s still feeling guilty about the guy he brought into the law firm last year. They go out monthly now, just the two of them.”

He tilts his wrist to angle a bottle towards me. I accept it as I ask, “You still keep tabs on that guy, right?”

A snort escapes him. “Absolutely.”

“Good.”

The guy in question had made an inappropriate pass at Ivy around the time Tripp was still sulking around like a lovesickpuppy, his own feelings locked up tight. Needless to say, he had responded swiftly to the sleaze.

Satisfied and not at all surprised that he’s got an eye out for the young lawyer’s return, I kick back and look out at the ocean while he drops the steaks on the grill.

It would be nice to have what they have—that partnership. Connection. It’s also nice that things haven’t changed since Tripp and Ivy got together.

I wasn’t sure what to expect initially. Would he drop out of our summer lacrosse league? Stop coming over for football games? Would our friendship change considering that one of Ivy’s closest friends loathes me?

No—to all the questions that snagged in my brain. In fact, Tripp was the one that reminded me when it was time to sign up for summer league. And I appreciate it, but after getting whomped at the game tonight, I’m wondering if maybe it isn’t time for us both to hang up our sticks. One of the college kids on our team even called me sir. I’m twenty-eight going on fifty-eight apparently.

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