Page 68 of Ocotillo Kisses
Britt wondered what was in those cups, but surely they wouldn’t be drinking on campus.
“Sorry, we’re just exhausted. Lots to do before we get off for summer vacation.” Poppy pushed to her feet. “Let’s go over to my room.”
She edged past Britt in the doorway and led the way to a room across the hall and two doors down. “I can’t imagine what you want to talk to me about.”
Yeah, Britt wasn’t sure what she’d been thinking coming here. She was a little worried that Poppy would hear about last night before Britt could tell her. While she didn’t want to be the one to tell her, she didn’t want to face Poppy after she found out another way, and she didn’t want to avoid her for the next week.
“I went to go help out with the grocery store last night,” she said when Poppy closed the door behind them. “We worked pretty late.”
“That was nice of you. I would have liked to help, but this last week of school is a killer. I was in bed before nine.”
“Wow. Yes, Sofia mentioned you were conserving your energy. I just wanted to let you know, I was there, and Con was there, and we were the last ones to leave, along with Sofia.”
Poppy’s expression closed off. “I think I know where this is going.”
“Sofia let us stay in the motel, and I just wanted you to know, to hear from me.”
Poppy’s nose pinched and she looked away. Britt wanted to cross the room and hug the other woman, who seemed on the verge of crying.
“I’m really sorry. I know you like him, and it was just old times, you know, just that attraction, and curiosity.” Even as she said the words, she knew she wasn’t being honest, not with Poppy or herself. But she pushed on. “Sofia knows, and I wanted you to hear it from me, or Con, you know, not hear it from a third party.”
Poppy drew in a deep breath, looking out the window at the playground. “I suppose I should appreciate that. It wouldn’t have been easy to hear from anyone, to be honest.”
“I get that,” Britt said.
“Why, though?” Poppy said, looking back at her now. “Why did you feel I needed to know? You’re leaving. You slept with him and now you’re leaving, but you also felt like you should tell me? Why? To prove I have no chance with him?”
Britt jerked back. “No, that’s not it. I really didn’t come here to hurt you. I just thought you deserved to hear it from me.”
“Because you knew I liked him.”
“I didn’t do it to hurt you.”
Poppy’s eyes were wet and her face was reddening. “I’m not stupid. I know that if he really liked me he would have made a move before now, would have resisted the impulse to—to be with you. But I just—I’ve liked him for a long time, and if you hadn’t come back to town, maybe he would have seen how great I am.”
“I’m really sorry,” Britt said. “But I think you’re right. Con knew you liked him, but he never made a move. I know he’s been hurt, but he doesn’t really know how to move on.”
“Maybe because he’s still in love with you.”
Now Britt gaped. “He’s not.”
“Look, if I ever thought he was over you, that was erased when I saw how he was looking at you, well, the way he’s been looking at you the past few weeks. Clearly he was lying to himself by thinking he was.”
“No, this was just a one-off thing.”
“Sure, because there’s no way of saying I’m completely over you like sleeping together.” Poppy’s tone was caustic enough to burn through the cement floor.
“We’re adults now. We both know this isn’t a step toward a happily ever after.”
“Then why would you do it? I just cannot understand why you say there’s nothing between you but you had sex, like that’s nothing. It’s not, Britt. Or maybe it is for you, but it’s not going to be with Con. Not with you.”
“No. We both said...” But had they? Once his mouth had landed on hers, had she been able to speak, much less made clear she was not interested in anything other than last night? She tried to remember his attitude this morning. Mostly he’d just been so tired, he hadn’t said much.
But she knew Con. He stuck.
“I guess I don’t understand why you had to come to my school to tell me this,” Poppy said. “You couldn’t wait until I got home?”
“I didn’t know when that would be, and like I said, I wanted to tell you before someone else could.”
