Found

THIRTEEN

THIRTEEN

Grammie said she’d play nice. As to the veracity of that, Poppy would just have to wait and see.

“Turner will be there, won’t he?” Grammie asked as she paused at the bedroom door.

“At the dinner?” Poppy asked, still seated on the couch at the end of Grammie’s bed. “I think so. Preston and I are going to talk to him about the setup later.” Grammie nodded, though Poppy discerned how the air around the older woman changed. “No games, Grammie.”

“Who’s playing games?”

“You said you were going for a walk, stay away from the house build.”

From Turner, that’s what she was really saying. If she didn’t have to make a call, Poppy would be going with the septuagenarian.

“I own everything around here,” Grammie said, waving a flippant hand in the air. “I can go anywhere I please.”

“Okay, but he’s working.”

“I like to visit Aitken. See how things are coming along.”

“The house was supposed to be Dad’s project. He manages to stay away, why do you find it so difficult?”

“Your father said that house was for you and your sisters, so you’d stay close even after you were married.” Grammie’s fingertips rested on her clavicle. “I don’t believe that. That’s where he plans to put me. It’s there or the nut house.”

“Let’s hope Mom doesn’t get a vote.”

Grammie’s wide grin was definitely sly. “I don’t mind, my grandson-in-law has already promised to convert a floor in his building for me.”

“A whole floor?” Poppy asked. “There are four units on each floor.”

“I don’t mind paying for the privilege.”

Her Grammie always had a way of putting a smile on her face. “I knew you two would’ve cooked up a scheme already.”

“Are you saying I am not welcome?”

Leaving the couch, Poppy went over to kiss her grandmother’s cheekbone. “You are very welcome. It would be an honor to have you in the Venture with us.”

“He didn’t seem sure that you’d stay there. He’s certain you’ll want to stay here.”

“We haven’t had a chance to talk that out,” Poppy said. “We need to deal with Holden and then we’ll think about the future.”

“Don’t take too long to think,” Grammie said, opening the bedroom door. “I won’t live forever.”

They shared another smile as Grammie went out and closed the door. Although it was sort of a running joke that Grammie wasn’t immortal, Poppy didn’t like to think about it. Even sending her out for her morning walk alone left Poppy uneasy. If something happened, it could take time for them to realize Grammie needed help and even longer to locate her on the vast estate.

Poppy didn’t want Turner to be bothered at work, she knew he liked to maintain momentum. But telling Grammie not to go there was sort of a guarantee that she would. Even at her age, Grammie liked to rebel. At least if Grammie went in that direction, she could be sure that Aitken and Turner would be around to look out for her.

It had taken Poppy longer to get ready than she’d intended. Even without her usual morning workout, the day was getting away from her. The delays possibly had something to do with Grammie moving everything of Poppy’s out of her closet to put it in Turner’s. Not herself, of course, she had the staff do it. The woman really did want great grandchildren.

As Poppy retrieved her phone and wandered back to the couch searching for her call log, she thought about children. Did she want them? Yes. Did Turner? Probably not. He’d said a baby would be a strain and she understood what he meant. Money might be less of a problem now she’d be able to access her trust for them. As for his time? He’d have to give up some of his jobs caretaking for other buildings if he wanted to free up some time. If he and Grammie had plans to expand the empire, even leaving his existing jobs wouldn’t guarantee he’d have the time needed to raise children.

That issue would have to wait for another time.

The only number in her call log without a name was the exact time and date that Zoey would’ve used the phone to call Casey. After saving the number, Poppy dialed, and waited for a response.

It didn’t take long for the teen to pick up the phone.

“Zo?”

There was such hope in Casey’s voice that Poppy was pained to disappoint her. “It’s Poppy, I’m sorry.”

“Oh,” Casey said with obvious disappointment. “That’s okay.”

“How are you doing?”

“Great,” Casey said. Her enthusiasm was obviously fake, she’d probably practiced upholding a façade with her parents since they’d learned the truth. “How are you?”

“Worried about you. Zoey told me what happened. You guys broke up?”

Casey sighed. “I should’ve known. I was stupid to tell my parents. I mean I’m seventeen, what do I know about love?”

Poppy smiled, not a joyful smile, she just felt such aching sorrow for the youngster who was trying to put a brave face on her misery.

“As much as the rest of us,” Poppy said. “Don’t doubt yourself because your parents are too narrow-minded to accept this straight away. I’m sorry they reacted in the way that they did and that it’s hurt you so much.” Casey didn’t say anything, neither confirming nor denying how she felt. “Did Zoey invite you here to stay with us?”

A scoff of a laugh clouded the line. “My parents wouldn’t even let me finish out the year at school. They’re talking about sending me to some camp.”

A chill of horror tickled Poppy’s spine. “What kind of camp?”

“I don’t know.”

The teen didn’t sound too concerned, just fed up. Poppy didn’t want to read too much into the suggestion. There were plenty of regular, wholesome camps in the country that would give Casey a chance to get some air and clear her head. There were also some terrifying camps designed to brainwash and punish teens simply for being who they were.

Poppy didn’t know enough about Casey’s parents to judge what kind of people they were: the kind who would take some time to come to terms with the news about their daughter or the type who were so averse to the truth that they’d damage their own daughter irrevocably just to avoid accepting it.

“We have clean sea air and enough space to lose yourself,” Poppy said. “You could really have fun here.”

And Zoey was there. While she wasn’t advocating for the teens to share a room—s*x was s*x and encouraging it under her parents’ roof wouldn’t go over well—they would have time alone on the estate. Time to figure out what they wanted from each other, time to figure out how far they were willing to go to fight for a future together.

“I’d love to come,” Casey said. “I think it’s terrible what’s happening with that guy and how you’re stuck in hiding.”

“Thank you. I hope we’ll figure a way out of it soon.”

“Guess I wasn’t so wrong about you and Turner, huh?”

Despite the subject matter, it was nice to hear the lightness of teasing in Casey’s voice. “No, you were not.”

“So you’re together now? Are you going to get married?”

“All of that is up in the air. The first thing we have to do is get you here so you can be with the family.” Her family, if she wanted it to be. That’s what Turner had said to her and now she was thinking it about another. “We can have a car pick you up and you can come on the jet. Another car will pick you up and bring you straight here.”

“That’s what Zoey said happened with her, but I just don’t think my parents will go for it. They’re hardly talking to me at all.”

“There’s a man here who runs all of the family’s private business. I can have him call your parents, talk to them, reassure them that you’ll be safe.”

There was a pause.

“Zoey’s family don’t know about us. My parents don’t even know that she’s the one I…”

Love? Poppy liked to think that was the way Casey was going to end the sentence. Not so long ago, Poppy had been the one scared to admit the truth aloud. It was a difficult burden to bear and not one she’d wish on anyone let alone on someone so young and sweet.

“I’d say this is a pretty good setup for telling the Maddoxes the truth. But that’s something for you to decide, I won’t make decisions about your relationship for you. No one should make those decisions except you and Zoey.” Her heart only broke more when she heard a whisper of anguish in the way the teen sniffed. “You know Turner came all the way out here determined that he’d fight for us. It didn’t even occur to me that he’d come here. That he’d go to the trouble of tracking me down and traveling so far… He got here and he told me how he felt, it was all so much, just so much shock and emotion, I didn’t know what to do. But he stayed and gave me time. Even being in the same house, I still had the space to get perspective.”

“I love Zoey,” Casey whispered. “I know that for sure.”

“I told you when we met that you weren’t alone. Neither of you are. If you don’t want to be together, if that’s your decision, I’ll respect that and I won’t bother you again… But if you’re not sure or you want time to figure it out, this is an ideal place. I’ll make sure that you have your privacy.”

“Won’t they think it’s weird? Why should I be there? They don’t even know about Zoey.”

“They know you’re her friend.” Poppy inhaled. “Look, if you want to tell them the truth, tell them. If you don’t, all they have to know is you’re here to spend time with your friend in a difficult spell. That’s it.”

“Zoey said you didn’t tell Turner.”

“I didn’t. I will if you want me to, but I still think it would be better to hear it from his sister.” She smiled, making sure the gesture flavored her voice. “Casey, Turner won’t care. I mean he won’t be mad or oust his sister. If any of them tried to act that way, I’d kick all of them out. Now you know Turner and I are together, that should give you more faith that I know what I’m talking about. I wouldn’t love a man who’d be malicious or vicious to his family or the people they care about. You will be safe here.”

“I trust you.”

“Good,” she said. “Do you want to talk to your parents? I can give you Tiller’s number or have him call them?”

“I’ll talk to my mom while my dad isn’t here,” Casey said. “Can you text his number to me?”

“Absolutely. Trust me, he’s amazing at this kind of thing. Whenever we were kids, he could talk us into or out of anything. He’s been making things happen for us since we were babies.”

“Sounds like a great guy.”

“He has his moments. I’ll make sure he’s looped in. If you need him to make the call, just text me.”

“Thank you, Poppy.”

“You’re family, Casey. We look out for each other.”

They hung up and Poppy sent the text. Although there would probably be a time delay between sending it and Tiller getting a call, she went downstairs to his office and knocked on the door straight away.

“Yes!”

Opening the door, she didn’t go all the way in, just popped her head around the door. “Just me. Zoey Maddox has a friend who we’d like to visit while she’s here. I sent her your number in case her mom wants to call for reassurances about her safety. Can you make sure it happens?”

“Consider it done.”

“As always, you’re a lifesaver, thank you. Her name is Casey. The friend’s name.”

Tiller returned to whatever he’d been working on. “If you need me to make a call…”

“I’ll let you know. Thanks.”

Backing out, she closed the door, pleased to have achieved something. Just as Poppy stepped into the gallery, Stephanie appeared with the picnic basket she’d requested.

“Would you like me to serve for you?”

“No!” Poppy said, hurrying over to take the basket. “We can handle that ourselves. Do you know where Mr. Whitlock is?”

“Right here.” Spinning around, Poppy found him sauntering across the gallery, smiling at the picnic basket. “You go to all that trouble for Turner?”

“I didn’t go to any trouble for him,” she said. Stephanie scurried off. “I called the kitchen and requested a picnic lunch. It’s probably easier than setting the table.”

“Ready?” he asked, offering her his arm.

She took it and they started to head out the rear terrace. “Did you tell him we were coming?”

“I spoke to Aitken,” Preston said. “No idea if he told Turner the plan… might be a surprise.”

“I think he probably got enough of a surprise when Grammie showed up to plot with him.”

“Plot?” Preston asked.

Although his head turned her way, she just shook hers. “Never mind. I’m learning it’s best not to get involved with their capers.”

He laughed. “Been a long time since Turner was the caper type.”

“It’s less him and more Grammie. Growing up, I was always on the inside with her. I think she has a new favorite.”

“Jealous?” he asked with obvious teasing.

Poppy just showed him a smile. “Are you kidding? Turner is my favorite too. How can I blame her for feeling the same?”

“Not exactly the same, I hope. I guess he’s got it going on.”

“I guess he does,” she said then peeked at him. “Jealous?”

All of their lives were going through something of a transition. Preston was doing her a favor, but he’d be a part of her life as long as Turner was a part of hers. Forever. That’s what that meant. Turner was destined to be the center of her world, whoever was in his orbit was going to be in hers too.