Page 19 of This Time I'm Keeping You
“Honey’s is gold standard, I’ll have you know.Their spareribs covered in sauce are so hot, you need to cool your mouth down in between bites.”
“My tummy’s rumbling.”
Nick heard the yawn she tried to stifle, so he kept talking.
“Not sure if you remember much about my family, but I’m the oldest Atherton, and then comes Sam.We’re in business together.”
“What kind of business?”
“Architecture and construction.”
“I thought you studied finance in college?”She sounded sleepy and looked cute lying there in that hospital gown with her hair messy.So cute, he wanted to lie down and pull her into his arms.
“Yeah, I guess it just wasn’t my thing.”Nick picked up the curl closest and ran it through his fingers.
“But you were such a scholar,” she said in a mocking tone.Nick had hated studying; she’d loved it.
“If you’re going to keep interrupting, my family history will take longer to tell.”
“Sorry.”
“Next comes Gracie.Tall and blonde, she’s the numbers girl in the family.After her is Thomas.He’s the facts man as the family lawyer, and then lastly is the baby, Emma.She’s a teacher.”
“It’s amazing you were so arrogant, considering you had all those siblings,” she said, sounding drunk on tiredness.
“You weren’t a total picnic in college either, Poppy.Always pissed off with life and shut up tight.”As it turned out, she had good reason to be.
“You are not putting me in the same category of assholery as you, surely?”
He ran his hand over her head in soft, slow movements.This used to put Em to sleep when she was a child.
“I’m sorry if I was mean to you, Poppy, or if you felt like I took advantage of you.”
She turned her head toward him, their faces now inches apart.
“You need to stop this, Nick.I’ve hated you for so long.I’m not sure I can change my opinion this late in life.”
All he needed to do was lean in, and he could kiss her.Nick fought the urge.Now was not the time, but he vowed it would be soon.
“It can’t all have been bad.I’m sure we had some good times.”
“I used to like it when you talked about Brook and how much you missed your home and family.”She smiled softly.
“Is that why you moved here?”He’d filled out her hospital forms, so he knew her address.
Nick thought she wouldn’t answer, and then she whispered, “Yes.”It made his eyes itch to think she’d come here because of him….Well, what he’d told her about Brook, anyway.
“Do you remember punching that skateboard boy who knocked me over, Nick?”
“Morrison Kemble.I hated him.”He remembered that day and the rush of anger he felt at seeing Poppy fall.“Do me a favor, Poppy, and don’t tell my sisters that story.They already think I have a hero complex.”
“’Kay,” she whispered.He watched as she struggled to keep her eyes open.
“I’ll be here in the morning to take you home, Poppy.”
“Don’t have to.”
He didn’t speak again, just sat there stroking her hair until she stopped fighting and fell asleep.
