Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
He interrupts me. “She’s not. I don’t want her, Poppy. I love you.”
I gasp, and my eyes meet his. “You did not just tell me that you love me for the first time after I found your naked wife in your home?”
His hands fist, and he grabs the front of his shirt. It’s like he needs to do something with his hands, and since I won’t let him hold me, he’s holding on to himself. “She’s my ex-wife, Poppy. I’m going to make this right.”
I nod. “Yeah, maybe you should tell your ex that because I don’t think she knows.”
I walk around him, and this time he lets me, but he still follows me out to the parking lot to my car. I get in, and he’s holding the door open. “I don’t want you driving like this.”
I put my sunglasses on my face. “I can drive.”
He blows out a frustrated breath. “I’m going to fix this, Poppy, and then I’m coming to you.”
I should tell him to leave me alone or that I need time, but I know the hold he has on me, and already I’m weakening toward him. Is she really his ex-wife? Is it really over between them or are they reconciling? Like there’s a crack in my chest, I rub my hand over my heart. “I need to go. Please just let me go.”
He doesn’t want to, but he raises up. I’m not looking at him, but I hear the emotion in his voice. “This isn’t over, Poppy. I’m going to fix this. I’m not letting you go.”
He shuts my door, and I put my car into reverse and then start driving away. I know I shouldn’t, but I look in my rearview mirror, and Colter is standing there with his hands on his hips, watching me drive away. I can’t help but wonder if this will be the last time I’ll ever see him and if I’ll ever recover from it.
CHAPTER 16
COLTER
As soon as Poppy is out of sight, I stride down the path toward my cabin. I have so much anger inside of me right now, and I'm trying to rein it in so I don’t lose it. I want to settle this fast so I can get back to Poppy and make things right. I just pray she will forgive me.
I push open the door, and my ex-wife is sitting on the couch. The only good thing is that she’s fully clothed. I don’t want to even be in the same room with her, but if I have to be, I don’t want her to be without clothes. Hell, even being alone with her makes me feel like I’m betraying Poppy.
I leave the front door open. Carrie’s suitcase is by the front door, and I roll it to the porch. “Get out,” I tell her.
She doesn’t move from her spot on the couch.
I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m not sure what the hell you think you’re doing, but you know we’re not married, and you have no right to be here and disrupt my life.”
She waves her finger at me. “The stutter is better. You look good, Colter.”
I grit my teeth. “I want you the fuck out of my house.”
She shrugs. “I was just passing through. I thought we could catch up for old times’ sake.”
“We can’t.”
She points at the door behind me. “Because of your girlfriend?”
My nostrils flare. “We can’t catch up because I don’t want anything to do with you, and she’s not just my girlfriend. She’s my future wife if I can convince her to forgive me for this little trick of yours.”
She points at her chest, and her nose snarls. “You were my husband first.”
I laugh out loud. “Yeah, and you didn’t want me anymore. It’s over between us, and as far as I’m concerned, we have no reason to see each other. I’ll be back in an hour, and I want you gone.”
I don’t want for a response. I turn on my heel and walk down the path toward the parking lot. It’s not until I’m sitting in my truck that it all starts to catch up with me. If Poppy won’t listen to me, I’ll have lost everything. Somehow, some way, I need to fix this.
I drive faster than I should across town. The parking lot is full, and I pull my truck up in the grass before sprinting toward Poppy’s condo. I knock and yell at the same time. “Poppy, open the door.”
She’s on the other side, but she doesn’t open it. “Go away, Colter.”
I lean against the door. “I’m not leaving until you hear me out.”
“Go. Away,” she yells again.
I take a deep breath. “I can’t, Poppy. Please just open the door. I can’t lose you.”
There’s silence on the other side of the door, and when I think I’m going to be standing out here for hours, I hear the locks turning, and I back up when she opens the door. “Poppy.” I say her name worriedly. Her eyes are red-rimmed, her lips are swollen, and there’s so much sadness in her eyes it guts me. “I’m so sorry.”