Page 73 of Ocotillo Kisses
He shook his head. “This time it just wasn’t possible, you know? We just aren’t meant to be.” He hoped that saying that aloud didn’t give Poppy any ideas about a future with him, but he needed to say it, needed to hear it. Needed to believe it.
He should have known Poppy would want buffers on their trip to Del Rio. Javi sat in front seat of the truck with him, Sofia and Poppy sat in the back. Con didn’t feel one hundred percent comfortable with Poppy yet, because while she’d been nice enough when she’d put him to work on the windows, he didn’t feel like she was as friendly as usual. And clearly she felt the same.
The trip to Del Rio was long, and Poppy had packed snacks, Javi had picked up tacos, Sofia had a cooler of water bottles and sodas.
“What is Sophie doing on her first week of summer?” Poppy asked Sofia.
“Caleb is actually taking her to Colorado this weekend to spend time with her mom. It’s going to be weird not having her around, but at least she’ll be home by the big celebration on the Fourth.”
“Are you going to Colorado with them?”
Con glanced in the rearview mirror to see Sofia’s shoulders tense.
“I’ve never been, but I don’t want them to think I’m inserting myself into their lives.”
“Who? Caleb?” Con asked.
“And Judith. I don’t think I’m ready to meet the ex.”
“Why not? You and Caleb are serious, right?”
“Yes, but Judith lives in another state. There’s no reason for us to ever have to meet.”
“Except you’ll be raising her daughter. I think you should go. When are they leaving?”
“Tomorrow. And I have all this stuff to do for the Fourth.”
“Right, but you’ll only be gone a week or so, right? I think you should take a week and go, see the state. If there’s some things that need to be done this week, I can take over,” Poppy said.
“You just started your vacation,” Sofia protested.
“Sure, but I have eight more weeks after this. What even needs to be done?”
Sofia hesitated, then started a list of tasks, most of which, to Con’s ears, sounded like low-priority items.
“I don’t even know if he wants me to go with them,” she finished quietly.
“He didn’t ask you?” Javi asked.
“No, we didn’t even talk about it.”
“Maybe he thinks you don’t want to go because you’re busy with the festival,” Con said. “Just let him know and I’m sure he’d want you along. And you don’t have to meet her, you know. You could just stay at the hotel or whatever while he drops Sophie off. You could have a nice romantic vacation after that.”
“Maybe,” Sofia said, dragging the word out. “Seems a little late to be planning that, since he’s leaving tomorrow.”
“Be spontaneous,” Javi urged. “Go on, have fun. We’ll help out where we need to, the motel or the festival or whatever.”
“I’m very lucky to have good friends,” she said.
“Yes you are,” Poppy said brightly. “Who wants a cookie?”
Since it was on the edge of the desert, Del Rio was hot, even though they arrived before noon. They pulled up to the pottery shop, which was all outdoors, and Poppy barely waited until Con parked the truck before she hopped out, eager to look around.
Sofia had the money from the town council, not all that much, but Poppy was determined to make the most of it.
“I think we’re just here for the heavy lifting,” Con said to Javi as they followed the women through the gates to see the colorful pottery and the metal yard art.
Poppy made a beeline for the large planters, grimaced at the price of the painted ones before moving to solid ones.
