2

Our parents had grown up together, and now their kids were walking in their footsteps. My dad coached football at Rixon High, and Ezra’s mom Mya was the guidance counselor. It was a lot sometimes, but I loved our extended family.

Pulling on my Rixon High hoodie, I slipped out of the building into the balmy afternoon air. I didn’t expect to find Eli waiting for me.

“This is a surprise,” I said around a smile.

He gave me a playful grin in return. “I had some homework to finish so thought I’d stick around and see if you wanted to head to Cindy’s Grill and get milkshakes.” “I can’t, sorry, I have a thing.”

“Thing?”

“It’s Ashleigh’s birthday.”

“Oh crap, yeah. I remember now.”

A soft chuckle left my lips. “It was sweet of you to wait for me though.”

He ran a hand through his hair and down the back of his neck. “Any excuse to steal a minute alone with you.” He inched closer, his eyes dropping to my mouth, sending my heart careening against my chest.

“Eli….”

His expression faltered. “Sorry, I wasn’t—”

“It’s okay. But I need to take things slow.”

What we had was new. Uncharted territory. I turned eighteen in a couple of months and I’d never really dated before.

The dejection in his eyes turned to determination. “How about tomorrow night? We could hang out? Catch a movie? Whatever you want.”

His enthusiasm was flattering and I couldn’t deny it sent a small thrill through me.

He was the first guy to show real interest in me. Most boys were intimidated by the fact my father was Jason Ford. NFL legend and local football hero. But to me, he was and always would be Dad.

“Maybe.” My lips curved.

“Maybe.” He nodded. “Okay, I can work with that.”

This time when Eli leaned in, I didn’t recoil. His lips brushed my cheek but didn’t linger, and the chaste kiss made me feel all warm and tingly inside.

“Enjoy your thing, Poppy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye.” I lifted my hand in a small wave and waited for him to leave, releasing a heavy sigh the second he disappeared into his car.

Eli Hannigan was a senior like me. We’d hung out a few times since the semester started, and I liked him, I did.

There was just one glaring problem.

He wasn’t the boy who owned my heart.

“Happy Birthday, Leigh Leigh,” I hugged my cousin tightly before letting the rest of our family get their time with her.

Ashleigh’s birthday was a celebration, but it was bittersweet. Sweet because she was here: happy and healthy and head over heels in love. But bitter because she’d lost so much after the car accident she and Ezra had been involved in before the summer. It was why she was retaking senior year instead of being off at college like the rest of her friends.

“Pops?” My sister Lily wrapped her arm around me as we watched Ashleigh start opening her pile of gifts. “Everything okay?” “Yeah.” I smiled.

It was senior year.

I’d made the gymnastics team for the fourth year in a row. I had my sights set on West Chester University, my grades were good, I had a small circle of amazing friends, and I was finally dating… what more could a girl want?

My gaze darted around the room, a sinking feeling going through me.

“She looks happy.” Lily let out a soft sigh, hugging me tighter and demanding my attention.

“She is.” My hand drifted to my clavicle as I watched Ezra kiss her, uncaring that they had an audience. An audience that included both of their parents. But too much had happened for anyone to protest.

“Okay, okay.” My uncle Cameron finally cleared his throat. “I just want to say a few words before you kids go and do whatever it is kids get up to these days.”

“I think we know what they get up to, Cam.” Ezra’s dad chuckled, and the rest of the adults shot him unimpressed glances. “What? They’re nineteen. At nineteen we were—”

“Okay, Ash.” His wife Mya wrestled the bottle of beer out of his hands. “No more for you.”

“Oh, come on, babe. It’s only sex—”

She clapped her hand over his mouth and mouthed, ‘Sorry,’ at Uncle Cam.

He rolled his eyes but we all saw the amusement dancing there. “As I was saying, Ashleigh, sweetheart, we’re all so very proud of you.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Life might not have worked out the way you planned, but I just know you’re going to achieve great things. Happy Birthday, Leigh Leigh.”

She left Ezra’s arms to hug her dad and mom, the three of them holding on tight.

Another wave of emotion crashed over me and I glanced away, swallowing down the rush of tears. Jesus, I was a mess, and it wasn’t even that time of the month.

“Poppy?”

Steeling myself, I met Lily’s concerned gaze, and smiled. “I’m fine.”

Her brows furrowed. “Are you—”

“Oh my God, Dad,” Ashleigh shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck again. “For real?”

“You’ve earned it, sweetheart.”

“E, did you see this? New York City.”

He gave her a secretive smile. “Yeah, buttercup, I knew. Asher is letting us stay at the family penthouse.”

She gawked at them both. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Ah, I’m so excited.”

“Excuse me,” I said, shrugging out of Lily’s hold. She stared after me as I slipped into the Bennets’ house and down the hall toward the bathroom.

I was being ridiculous. It was a celebration. A party. I had no reason to feel anything but happy.

Ashleigh deserved nothing but good things.

Inside the Bennets’ luxurious bathroom, I splashed some water on my face and inhaled a deep, calming breath.