Love Me Forever - Juliana Stone Page 0,2

look on your face.” He scratched at his stomach. “My nana gets that look sometimes, and then she cries.” He shook his head. “I don’t like crying. It makes me sad.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to cry.”

Aware that Boone had followed his son and stood a few paces behind him, she snuck a covert glance his way, relieved to see he was busy looking at a display of cards on the rack, his brow furrowed in concentration as he grabbed a few to read.

Poppy stepped back even more, glad she’d left the six-foot pampas grass in a vase at the edge of the counter. Maybe she’d be lucky and Boone would call his son over, and the two of them would leave and forget they’d ever set foot inside Bella & Hooch.

“Daddy, the lady who let me pee got punched in the face.”

Shit. Poppy inhaled sharply, her stomach in knots.

“What?” Boone frowned and yanked up his head, and his eyes found hers instantly. It didn’t take but a second, and she saw the moment he recognized her. His eyes widened, and their deep blue depths seemed to shimmer. A slow smile touched his mouth, there and gone just as quick.

A heartbeat passed…maybe two, and his eyes darkened to cobalt, a question hanging between them.

In that moment, Poppy figured out a few things.

One. Boone Avery was like fine wine—age only made him more attractive. And when a guy already had a leg up in that department? Totally unfair.

Two. She’d had good reason to avoid the man for the last few months, because all it took was one look, and she felt like that sixteen-year-old girl, the one whose heart he’d broken. And along with that heartbreak, there was something else. It was that something else she didn’t want to think about.

And three. He wasn’t walking out the door. Not this time. In fact, he was coming her way.

Boone took the last few steps that brought him into her orbit and shoved his hands into the front pockets of his shorts. Those big hands. Quarterback hands. He cleared his throat and took a moment to look her over, and by the time he reached her eyes again, she had a bit of control left.

“Hey,” he said, his voice deep and husky, washing over her like warm water. “I…” He blew out a breath and smiled. “It’s been a long time.”

“I heard you were back.” Her voice was cool and crisp, and inside, Poppy high-fived herself. It was a great time for her acting skills to kick in.

“Um, yeah.” He reached one hand back behind his head, enough of a stretch to lift his shirt and expose a good expanse of taut, tanned skin. “It’s been a few months. I thought I’d run into you at the Memorial Day shindig out at Cam Booker’s place.”

“I was busy, so…” Busy avoiding the hell out of Boone Avery. Poppy had come up with every excuse in the book not to go to her friend Blue’s place for her and Cam’s big barbecue to kick off the summer. In the end, the only way she could get out of it was to tell Blue everything. After that, Blue promised not to like Boone Avery, and so far, she’d held up her end of the bargain.

Benjamin poked his head between them and sniffled a bit, rubbing under his glasses. “You look weird, Daddy.”

Spell broken, Boone took a step back, though he frowned a bit. “Did someone hit you?”

“No.” Poppy didn’t elaborate, even though it would have been the polite thing to do. She wanted him gone. She wanted this day to end. She wanted—

The doorbell jangled yet again, and this time, it was her very late, oh-so-fired, part-time helper Christy. “Poppy, oh my God, there was an accident at the corner of Main and Whitmore, and I’m so sorry I’m late, because I know you have to go to your mom’s, and…” Christy nearly tripped over her feet. She stood a few feet away, staring at Boone like he was the Second Coming…or Brad Pitt.

“You’re Boone Avery.”

He nodded and smiled.

“Oh my God.” She turned to Poppy. “It’s Boone Avery.”

Poppy had had enough. She grabbed her purse from the counter and sailed past Boone and Christy, though she paused a second. “It was nice to meet you, Benji. Keep the gargoyle safe, okay? And Christy? Lock up by three this afternoon.”

Poppy pushed open the door and took the path that led behind her store, where her bike was