Page 42 of The Promise in Poppies
Rhett smiled to himself, and just when he didn’t think his heart could hold any more happiness, his son placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in slightly for a pseudo side hug.
In turn, Rhett slung his arm around Vick’s shoulders, and they sat together for an indiscernible amount of time that simultaneously felt like forever and far too short.
“Better hurry!” Ben called from the top of the slope. “Uncle Jack’s trying to eat your cheesecake!”
“Guess we’d better head back,” Vick chuckled. He stood and stuffed the envelope in his pocket before reaching down a hand to help him up. “Besides, it looks like some bad weather might be headed our way.” As if on cue, a clap of thunder rumbled in the distance.
Rhett grabbed hold, and as Vick lifted him to his feet, a cynical thought darted through his mind. Between his ever-growing relationships with Donna and Vick, was life flowing too smoothly? Was this state of bliss simply the peaceful lull before the storm?
CHAPTER25
CASSIE
Acrack of thunder rattled the windows, and the group of women gathered in Cassie’s living room echoed her startled gasp.
Eliza set down the gold ribbon she’d been fashioning into a large bow and raced to the window, searching the dark sky for signs of rain. “I hope this doesn’t ruin the boys’ campfire.”
“I love the rain.” Lucy joined her on the window seat, her gaze soft and dreamy.
“That’s because you and Vick shared your first kiss in the rain,” Sadie teased.
Lucy blushed but didn’t deny it. The conversation spun into tales of favorite first kisses, which involved a lot of flushed cheeks and laughter as Eliza, Penny, Kat, Olivia, Lucy, and Sadie all took turns regaling each other. Even Maggie joined the fun, sharing her more comical memory with her late husband that involved an accidental headbutt and bloody nose.
Cassie noticed that while her mother partook in the merriment, laughing along with the others, she didn’t share her own first-kiss story. A few days ago, Cassie would’ve been disappointed, hoping to glean a clue about her father. But since her talk with Frank and Beverly, she’d settled into a comfortable acceptance of the unknown, albeit not an entirely contented one. At least, not yet. She’d come to a patient understanding that her mother would share if and when she was ready. For now, Cassie was just happy that she’d come tonight. They’d all gathered on the eve of the festival to arrange miscellaneous donation items into themed gift baskets for the silent auction, and when she’d invited her mother to help, she’d expected her to decline. Cassie had been overjoyed when she’d accepted and even more thrilled to see her finally bonding with Maggie.
“Sadie, your first kiss with Landon couldn’t have been more romantic,” Penny cooed, pulling Cassie’s focus back to the discussion. “I still can’t believe he flew you to New York and kissed you on the top of the Empire State Building just like in the movies.”
“He’s your very own Tom Hanks,” Eliza teased. “When are you going to lock that man down already?”
“First,” Sadie said with feigned disapproval, “he’s a man, not low mortgage rates. I don’t need to lock anything down. And second, we just started dating.”
“True,” Eliza conceded. “But you two are perfect for each other. Plus, I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Trust me, the man’s ready to buy monogrammed bath towels.”
Sadie’s cheeks turned two shades redder, but her eyes glowed with happiness. Trying to deflect some of the attention, she asked, “What about Vick and Lucy? They’ve been dating longer than we have.”
“Only by a few months!” Lucy retorted, then grinned as if a pleasant memory flitted to the surface. “Remember when we were kids and we’d daydream about a double wedding?”
“And a double proposal,” Sadie added with a nostalgic smile. “Was there anything we didn’t want to do together?”
“Maybe our honeymoon,” Lucy laughed.
“Speaking of honeymoons,” Eliza interjected. “Have you seen Landon’s donation to the silent auction?” She waved a paper certificate embossed with gold lettering. “Ten days at his villa in Greece. It includes plane tickets and a sunset cruise on his private yacht. One of you should bid on it,” she told Kat and Olivia, who both had honeymoons on the horizon.
“Greece,” Penny sighed. “I would love to go back someday.”
“Isn’t that where Colt proposed?” Kat asked.
“In a secluded cove,” Maggie said, her eyes twinkling. “Colt put me in charge of arranging a romantic dinner for the two of them when they got back from the beach.”
“It was the most magical summer of my life,” Penny said dreamily.
“Then you should definitely bid on it,” Eliza told her, and Penny laughed.
“Colt barely has time for a cup of coffee in the morning, let alone a trip to Greece.” The amused glint in her eyes gave way to a glimmer of disappointment, one she quickly tried to hide. “Where are you two going on your honeymoon?” she asked Olivia, changing the subject.
“We haven’t decided yet. There are so many lovely options in the fall, it’s hard to choose. Although…” She trailed off, dropping her gaze to the basket of theater tickets, opera glasses, and a gift certificate for improv classes donated by Eliza’s mother, Sylvia.
“Although, what?” Lucy prodded.
