Chapter 28

Before he could say anything else, she turned and rushed back inside, disappearing into the noise and light of the party.

Leaving him standing there—

Still feeling her.

Still wanting more.

And knowing that one kiss had just made everything infinitely harder to pretend.

The music hit her first.

Too loud. Too bright. Too normal.

Poppi pushed through the screen door like she hadn’t just had the ground ripped out from under her, forcing her expression into something neutral—something safe—as laughter and conversation swallowed her whole again.

Her chest still rose too fast. Her lips still tingled.

Don’t think about it.

Don’t look back.

“Poppi!”

She froze.

Anchor.

Of course.

Poppi turned slowly, already bracing herself—but Anchor was smiling, drink in hand, like nothing in the world was wrong.

Like she hadn’t just been outside.

Like she hadn’t just—

“There you are,” Anchor said lightly, stepping closer. “I was wondering where you disappeared to.”

Poppi forced a small smile. “Just needed some air.”

“Yeah?” Anchor tilted her head slightly, studying her for just a second too long. “You look… flushed.”

“It’s hot,” Poppi said quickly.

Anchor hummed, unconvinced—but she didn’t push.

And that almost made it worse.

Because for a split second, Poppi had the strangest feeling—

That Anchor already knew.

That she’d seen something.

Out of instinct, Poppi’s eyes flicked past her, toward the terrace door.

And that’s when she noticed it.

The angle of Anchor’s body.

The way she was positioned just slightly off from the main room.

Like she had been near the door already.

Like she could have stepped outside.

Or at the very least—

Seen in.

Poppi’s stomach dropped. Did Anchor see them kissing?

“You okay?” Anchor asked, her voice still easy, still casual, but her eyes were sharp now. Observant.

Too observant.

“I’m fine,” Poppi said, a little too quickly.

Anchor held her gaze for a beat longer.

Then—

She smiled again.

“Good,” she said simply, taking a sip of her drink. “Because Fred’s about to start some ridiculous sparkler thing outside, and I need you there with me so I’m not the only one pretending to enjoy it.”

Poppi blinked.

That was it?

No questions. No suspicion. No confrontation.

Nothing. Maybe she hadn’t seen them after all.

“Yeah,” Poppi said slowly. “Okay.”

Anchor looped her arm casually through Poppi’s, already steering her back toward the crowd gathering near the yard.

And just before they reached the door…

Madden walked in.

The timing was brutal.

His eyes found Poppi immediately.

Of course they did. Look anywhere else Madden.

Everything that had just happened was still there, written all over his face, in the way he stopped just slightly when he saw her, in the way his jaw tightened like he was holding himself together by a thread. The way his hair appeared as if someone had tousled the back or tangled their fingers in it. The way he looked out of breath and desperate.

Anchor didn’t say anything, but she looked between the two several times.