Chapter 22

The screen door creaked softly as it swung shut behind Poppi, the sound barely louder than the pounding in her chest.

The air outside was cooler now, the kind that wrapped around your skin and forced you to feel something, whether you wanted to or not. The sky had deepened into that in-between shade, not quite night, not quite day, and everything felt suspended in it.

Unsettled.

Just like her.

She walked a few steps off the porch, arms wrapped tightly around herself, pacing once, then again, like if she just kept moving she wouldn’t have to think about what she’d just seen.

About the way he leaned into Anchor. How he touched her.

The way he smiled.

The way he looked… okay.

“Don’t,” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. “You chose this.”

She stopped near the edge of the yard, staring out at nothing in particular, blinking hard.

It shouldn’t hurt like this.

They agreed.

This was the plan.

So why did it feel like something had been taken from her?

The door creaked again behind her.

Poppi closed her eyes.

“Go back inside, Madden,” she said without turning around.

Silence.

Then the soft thud of the door closing.

Footsteps on wood.

Then gravel.

Closer.

“You didn’t even look to see if it was me,” he said.

Her jaw tightened. “I didn’t need to.”

“Yeah,” he murmured. “Guess not.”

She finally turned.

And there he was.

Closer than he should be.

Closer than he was supposed to be.

“You shouldn’t be out here,” she said, her voice quieter now, but no less firm.

“Neither should you.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Because I’m not the one who just—” She cut herself off, exhaling sharply. “You’re in there with her.”

“And you’re out here alone! Anchor left. Her mom called and she needed to help Viva with something,” he shot back.

“Oh…well even so, you should not be out here. We agreed,” she said.

His expression shifted—something frustrated, something raw.

“Yeah,” he said. “That seems to be the theme today.”

Her chest rose and fell quickly. “Then go back inside and stick to it.”

He didn’t move.

Didn’t even pretend to.

“I was,” he said. “I was doing exactly what we said. Sitting there. Talking to her. Being normal. Trying to let her be my…” he paused.

Her eyes shifted to his, “Your what?”

“Just trying to get to know her and let her happen to me, I suppose,” he said, clearly dodging whatever he was going to say.

“Good,” she said quickly. “That’s what you’re supposed to do.”

“Yeah?” His voice dropped. “But it didn’t feel right.”

Her breath hitched.

“Then that’s something you need to figure out,” she said, forcing the words out. “Not me.”

He took another step closer.

“Don’t,” she warned, immediately stepping back.

“Why?” he asked.

“You know why.”

“Say it,” he said.

Her eyes flashed. “Because we can’t do this.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Madden—”