Page 168 of Small Town, Big Storm

Meanwhile, Damon asks as we all turn back for the bar, “What’s in a Cedar Hollow Kiss, anyway?”

I glance at Poppy.

She looks up at me.

Then we exchange grins.

But all I say as we walk inside is, “Hey, so what are you all doing on August tenth?”

Forty-Four

Poppy

“I didn’t even drinkthat much,” Joey slurs, leaning heavily against Blossom and Clover as they help her out the door.

“I’ll pay for their room,” Storm says as he watches Shep and Rain haul Damon out of the bar.

“Nah, I’m good,” Riley says.“Damon gave me his credit card two Cedar Hollow Kisses ago.”

I snort.

She winks.

Then follows the group out.

Shaking my head, I move over to where Storm is clearing off tables, wrapping my arms around him from behind.“How are you holding up?”

Worry sat heavy on my lungs for several hours after the interaction in the parking lot, but though things were a little stilted and awkward for a bit, it was nothing a few Cedar Hollow Kisses couldn’t fix.

“I’m good, baby.”

He sounds it.

But….

“That was a lot,” I whisper.“A lot of emotions and a lot of the past and?—”

“I meant what I said, Poppyseed.It was a gift coming back here, finding you and Holly.”

I shift around to his front, hop up onto the table so that his big, strong body is pinning me in place.“It was still a lot.”

“Ah, Pop,” he murmurs, “don’t you know that I could handle just about anything with you at my side?”

“Even this?”I tug my phone out of my pocket and?—

“Jesus, Gertie,” he snaps, snatching it from me and glaring at the screen.

CEDAR HOLLOW HOCKEY HERO TAKEN DOWN BY GOOSE

I bite back a giggle.

He senses my amusement anyway.

“You think this is funny?”

“I mean, the picture is,” I say.“Especially since no one got hurt,” I add, smoothing my fingers over the lines of his frown.“To think my big, strong boyfriend was felled by a bird.”

He glares at me.“Gerald is a goose.And a big one at that.”