Page 71 of Half Baked

I lean into her touch, letting it ground me. “Early the next morning, the FBI woke me up with the news. Then they bombarded me with how close they actually were with busting him. I’m the one who made up the dinner story in the moment. Beckett was standing right there, I couldn’t?—”

“I understand,” she says softly, placing a series of kisses on my shoulder.

The gentle act carries staggering comfort, and I close my eyes to savor the feel of her lips brushing across me. Without fully pulling away between kisses, Poppy adds, “I’m sorry you were put in that situation.”

“Everything that followed was pure chaos and speculation,” I continue, spurred on by her support. “Eventually the case against the company fell apart with my dad gone. I didn’t trust any of his advisors though. So, with the help of Mrs. Silberman, I hired all new people to run it. When that died down, news reports pivoted to talking about the crash being planned.”

“Wait. They thought your dad purposely crashed?”

“In a manner of speaking,” I croak.

“What manner?”

“There are some that believe he staged the crash.”

Poppy jolts up, awareness washing over her. “Are you saying that people actually think your parents faked their deaths to get away? Without you guys? That they’re just living carefree on an island somewhere, letting you grieve for them?”

“It is one of the more popular theories out there.”

Her eyes shine with anger in the light from the fire. Anger on my behalf. “That is disgusting.”

“Some of the true crime podcasts really spun interesting stories. Impressively elaborate details are why I know they’rewrong though. They are giving my dad too much credit in those theories. But I also know Mom couldn’t have ever agreed to that. I just… I know she’s gone. I can’t explain it.”

“You don’t have to. I understand.”

“Anyway, that’s what we need to find out before deciding. Tara’s angle. What she wants to speculate about, if it’s about what I think really happened to them.”

“I’m not letting her anywhere near this angle,” she says firmly.

With a kiss to her temple, I reply with the same certainty. “And I’m not letting you lose your bakery.”

I’m also not going to let her go, but I don’t share that thought yet. My heart beats for this stubborn woman; it has for longer than she would believe.

“This is different, I pulled you into the show. You didn’t make me open a bakery.”

“What’s your point?”

“What happens if I don’t let you swoop in and save me?” Poppy whispers the question like she’s worried she could scare me away.

“I look forward to every heated conversation,” I promise.

“I look forward to it too.” She’s moved from my shoulder to plant a kiss on my jaw.

Like every other force of nature I come up against, I’ll continue to battle Poppy with a fervent respect for how powerful her magnificently fierce drive is. There’s a reason they used to name hurricanes solely after women, and I’m all too happy to be swept away in her wake.

Chapter 32

Poppy

Ididn’t ask Hayden to take me home last night. Instead, as I open my eyes, I’m greeted by dark blue walls. The color of the sea at dusk. I roll over in the luxuriously soft sheets and take in the sleeping man beside me.

He looks utterly serene, stretched out on his back with the sheets lazily crumpled down across his waist. He’s so handsome it actually sends a pang to my heart. And after the night we had in this bed, it’s clear my heart has claimed him. There’s no doubt what that pang means anymore.

“Come here,” he mumbles, his voice scratchy from sleep. An arm shoots out, wrapping around me and tugging me against him. With my head on his chest and leg hooked over his, I fit. I never imagined fitting with Hayden Thompson, yet it’s undeniably perfect.

I’m busy kissing along his collarbone when he speaks again. “Stay with me.”

“What?” I hesitate, various meanings for those words rattling around in my head.

---