Meant to Be (Sweetbriar Cove #1)(52)

"Debra?"

"Actually, I heard it from Larry at the hardware store." Riley replied. "Who heard it from Franny, who heard it from-"

"I get the picture." Poppy resigned herself to living with a permanent blush.

"Remember, small towns are charming," Mackenzie reminded her. "Romantic."

"It could be worse," Riley agreed. "Mac here got caught in a state of undress, right there in the gazebo in the middle of the square."

Poppy turned, surprised. "Really?"

"I was seventeen!" Mackenzie protested. "And how do you even know?"

"I know everything." Riley winked. He passed them two pints of beer. "I'm the friendly barkeep."

"Too friendly," Mackenzie grumbled, but she said it with a smile.

Poppy looked back and forth between them. "Have you two ever . . . ?"

Mackenzie snorted into her drink. "Um, nope."

"Mackenzie here is still waiting for Prince Charming to come swooping in," Riley teased.

"Better than having you creep out my bedroom in the middle of the night," Mackenzie shot back.

"I don't creep," Riley protested. "I make a hasty retreat."

"Same thing." Mackenzie grinned. "How is Alexa?"

"Adrienne," Riley corrected her. "And she went back to Australia."

"College starting up again?" Mackenzie teased, but Riley just winked at Poppy.

"High school, actually. Senior year."

"Pig!" Mackenzie leaned over and smacked his arm. He ducked back, laughing.



       
         
       
        

"I'm kidding! She was all grown up. Too mature for me, in the end. She said I was immature and needed to find direction in life."

"I stand corrected," Mackenzie said. "She sounds like she has you all figured out."

"Just for that, your drinks aren't on the house tonight," Riley replied. Poppy reached for her wallet, but he waved it away. "You're fine. I still like you. You don't come into a man's place of business and judge his choices."

"Give her time and she will," Mackenzie said sweetly.

"Will what?" Cooper's voice came from behind them, and then Poppy felt his hand on her back. She turned, her heart lifting just to see him again: too handsome in a navy sweater, with his hair falling in his eyes, still damp from the shower.

"Hi," she said, smiling, and he grinned back.

"Hey, you."

She felt the pull to touch him but paused, not wanting to engage in any public displays of affection if he wasn't comfortable with it. But Cooper didn't hesitate before leaning in and kissing her softly on the lips. The rush swept through her in an instant, and she felt light-headed when he pulled back.

"These ladies were just giving me grief about my carefree bachelor lifestyle," Riley said, sliding a pint over to Cooper. "Back me up here, buddy."

"I'm staying out of this one," Cooper laughed. He took a gulp of beer. "You can't expect a leopard to change his spots."

"That's ridiculous!" Mackenzie exclaimed. "What about you? Yesterday you were saying there was no way anything was going to happen with you and Poppy, and now look at you."

Poppy arched an eyebrow at Cooper. He looked uncomfortable. "That was when I thought . . . you know, Owen . . ."

Poppy smiled. "It's OK, I get it." She'd had her own doubts too, until Mackenzie had spurred her in the right direction. Clearly her new friend was a secret matchmaker-and she wasn't stopping at Cooper.

"If he can change, so can you," Mackenzie said determinedly, looking back at Riley.

"How about you stop sticking your nose into other people's love lives, and start focusing on your own?" Riley countered. Mackenzie rolled her eyes.

"Please. I've known everyone in this town for years. I'm looking forward to my spinster lifestyle. I'm going to get five cats," she told Poppy, "and wear kaftans and have scandalous affairs with the summer lifeguards."

"Sounds like a plan." Poppy smiled.

"She lies," Cooper's voice rumbled softly in Poppy's ear. "She's always been a romantic. She'll be settled down with someone, having five kids soon enough." 

"Before or after Riley gets taught a lesson in love?" Poppy whispered back.

He grinned. "I'll take that bet."

"Deal."

They shook on it. "See, they're already whispering sweet nothings," Riley said, with an exaggerated sigh. "There's no hope for him now."