Page 51 of A Winter's Wedding

Poppy’s boots made a thud as she threw them off in the foyer below, and her bare feet labored up the steps. A very hungover redhead stumbled into the office. “Morning ladies,” she said with a half-cocked grin. She pushed her disheveled fiery ringlets out of her face and reached for Vivian’s coffee. Stealing the mug, she gulped down whatever remained of the lukewarm elixir. “Great party last night.”

America and her mom covered their giggles the same way with the back of their hands. “I guess so,” America said. “What happened after I left?”

“I’ll go get some more coffee. Black,” Vivian said and took the empty mugs with her.

“Nothing happened, per se.” Poppy flopped into the egg chair that was seeing more action this morning than usual.

“Isper secode for Leo’s brother?”

Poppy’s hand covered her chest, and she huffed an insulted grunt. “I don’t take your meaning.”

“Yes, you do. And as the bride, I’m demanding you tell me the truth.” America put up her right hand over her heart, and Poppy mimicked. “Repeat after me: I, Poppy.”

“I, Poppy, swear to tell the truth the whole truth…”

“And nothing but the?—”

“Truth. Are you satisfied?” Poppy said and rested her head on the inner egg capsule. Her eyes closed and America clapped her hands together.

“I don’t care how hungover you are. You will spill the tea right now.” America feigned a serious tone.

“Fine. I told John that what he did to Leo and this town last year was despicable. Of course, he denied any wrongdoing. He explained that it wasn’t his fault. It’s not like he had it out for Leo, quite the opposite actually. And did you know that he fast-tracked all the permits Leo needed to get The Foundry up and running last year?”

America shook her head, though it made sense. The process had been remarkably smooth.

“He also used the city’s tourism funds to waive all the fees that Leo would have been responsible for. Technically, he didn’t waive them. He submitted the proposal to the council so it wouldn’t look like he was playing favorites, and they approved it. And then, do you remember… coffee.”

“Coffee?” America said as Vivian turned the corner into the room with two steaming cups. Poppy had smelled it coming before America had.

Poppy took one of the mugs and blew the steam away from the rim. With her eyes closed, she took a few sips. All the while America combed through things that she should be remembering. With the coffee kicking in, Poppy carried on. “Last year, when you came here to write your first story about the amazing Christmas Cove and thought Leo had been the one to request the feature, only to discover it had been John the whole time?”

“Of course I remember. Isn’t that why you were mad at him in the first place?”

“I dislike dishonesty.”

Guilt twisted America’s gut. “You do?”

“Unless there’s a good reason,” she smirked and sipped.

The twisting loosened ever so slightly. “And there was a good reason for John’s deception?”

“Yes.”

Vivian leaned against a bookshelf and prodded, “Well, are you gonna tell us?”

“After Elizabethtown incorporated Christmas Cove, he designated the whole area as a preservation site so that big hotels wouldn’t want to build here anymore. And they didn’t. The resort shredded all their preliminary permits and left town.” Poppy downed the rest of her coffee and smiled at them.

“Then what?” America said.

“John might not have been able to save Christmas Cove then, but he has been saving it ever since.” Poppy’s smile turned dreamy, and lights danced in her eyes as she gazed into nothingness. “He’s always been looking over Leo. Like a guardian angel or something.”

Could Poppy’s story of the events be true?Leo’s older brother, who America had only been around on a couple of occasions, wasn’t the bad guy she or Leo had thought him to be? Thinking back over the previous year, America couldn’t think of an instance that would prove Poppy’s claims to be false. But how could they all have missed the altruism?

“And why did he tell you all these things?” Vivian said and was clearly just as suspicious as America was.

“Would you believe me if I told you that we had a completely not-drunk, wholesome evening together and definitely weren’t partaking in any adult activities other than conversing about his job?”

“No.” America laughed so hard that tears wet her cheeks. “Have you seen yourself this morning? I don’t believe there was an ounce of anything wholesome happening between you two.”

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