Page 11 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

“Ash,” Mom warned, and I fought a grin.

This was typical them. Dad got carried away and Mom had to rein him in.

I was definitely more like him than her.

“You want a ride to school?” I asked Sofia, and she shrugged. “We’ll have to stop and get Poppy.”

Her name rippled through me.

There had been a time when I’d have been the first person at her door, wanting to ride together.

But everything was different now.

We’d grown up and things that once had meant nothing, now meant everything.

“Aaron?” Sofia stared at me with a strange expression. “If you don’t want to—”

“No.” I forced a smile. “We can get her.”

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something?” Mom said. “Did something happen between you and Poppy?”

“Nope,” I said at the same time as Sofia said, “She’s dating Eli Hannigan.”

“Eli seems like a good guy.” Mom launched into a recital of all Eli’s good qualities. His gleaming GPA, successful swim career, his plans for the future. But I shut it all out.

If Eli was who Poppy wanted, I was happy for her.

I was.

Even if it meant I’d lost her.

---