When in December (Home Haven #1)

Chapter 20

twenty

. . .

Aaron

“Oh, look, it’s the lovebirds!” Barrett swung open the front door toward us.

I was about to throw a swing at my best friend. If not for the comment, then for the ridiculous oversize Christmas sweater he had on with a huge reindeer with light-up antlers.

Poppy stepped inside the house without a word, slipping her coat off to hang off the edge of an armchair that had a pile of others.

“What the hell, man?” I nudged Barrett in the shoulder.

He chuckled, already red in the face, likely from too many cups of holiday punch. “I thought it was funny.”

Maybe it would’ve been a few weeks ago. But this past week … everything felt … different.

I couldn’t even pinpoint what kind of different. Just different. And it was no wonder.

I’d kissed Poppy Owens.

I kissed the homemaker. I kissed the interior designer. I kissed Snow Angel, who still made the corner of my mouth twitch like I wanted to smile for some stupid reason.

I kissed Poppy Owens, and the moment I did, I felt like I’d been transported back to ten years ago, when everything was okay and right and felt good.

No, that wasn’t right.

It felt fucking amazing.

I’d kissed her.

Now, after days of forcing myself to maintain my distance —knowing if we got too close, I would be ready to bend her over the counter and kiss the hell out of her again— my heart hammered in my chest in a way it hadn’t since I had been overseas.

Hours ago, I’d almost considered backing out on this whole thing. What was I thinking, inviting her along to Barrett’s party? She wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d canceled. No one would’ve been. Not even her parents, who had looked at me like they couldn’t quite figure out my problem.

Consider that a universal problem.

But now, I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t take my eyes off Poppy to look at the over-the-top holiday lights or decorations Barrett’s mother must’ve helped him put up at his new house, which looked a little on the run-down side.

I watched as Poppy wrapped her arms around Barrett in a hug. He nearly took her feet right off the floor.

“Thanks for inviting us. Or Aaron. Thanks for letting me invite myself, basically.” She smiled good-naturedly.

“Don’t even start with that.” Barrett pulled back to look between us again. “I figure it was all you that got this guy here tonight.”

“He invited me,” she said honestly.

“You’re kidding.”

She shook her head.

Barrett beamed at me, flashing his one chipped tooth that he never got fixed after whacking his face off the rappel section of our training course either the second or third year. “You big softy, coming to my party.”

I stuck my hands in my pockets. “Just wanted to make sure I saw your ugly mug before I got out of this place once and for all.”

“I’ll take it.” He waved a hand around his new old house. “Food is in the kitchen. Everyone’s hanging out. I think we have some games around here somewhere. You like the place?”

“It looks great.”

“Thanks. Figured it was time to set down some roots.”

“I thought you always said you’d go west,” I said, partially joking.

He shrugged. “Things change. I need to tell you all about my plans.”

“You have plans now?”

“Tons.” Barrett paused before he hit me on the back. He walked backward, away from us and toward the kitchen. “We’ll talk in a minute. I need to go check on a few things. Be right back. Get some food!”

For some reason, it still astounded me how well Barrett exuded the kind of charismatic energy I could never seem to understand, let alone emulate. Joyful. Happy.

Someone you want to be around.

Somehow, he always managed to pull himself together. He was the one of us to put on the brave face when times got tough in our trio, even when he looked insane doing so. All because, as he’d told us, “I refuse to go out any other way.”

It seems he’d meant it. Even back in the small town he had grown up in.

He still laughed loud enough that you could probably hear him a town over and threw parties like he had done back on base. With the minimum supplies we’d had, he’d stock up on snack crackers and booze whenever he could, saving them for a night when we looked like we could use a pick-me-up.

Even when we were back home, Barrett was always there, so we didn’t lose touch. He was always the happy one. For some reason, I’d forgotten about that.

Barrett was constant. He was consistent. He was the one who had taken care of us all and never let any of us down.

I looked around the small yet already-homey house that Barrett’s mother must’ve decorated, if I had to guess.

Barrett was an only child and close to the woman who’d raised him. His mom had always invited me over for dinner during high school and it was there that I got a mom again too, for a short time. That woman acted like I was a genius for passing my classes and being a decent friend. Even if she wasn’t too pleased with me when her son enlisted with me.

Poppy nudged me. “You all right?”

“Thanks for coming with me tonight,” I mumbled quietly.

She smiled softly. “Of course. I wanted to be here with you. Here , I mean. I can never pass up a good holiday party. But you made me worry when you told me to prepare myself to meet Barrett. He’s nice.”

“Because he’s too nice,” I said. “All the time.”

“Must be so foreign and frightening to you.”

“You have no idea.”

“I feel like he and my friend Hannah would get along,” she said.

“I’ll have to meet her sometime.”

Poppy barked a laugh, which frightened me more than anything.

“What?” I asked.

Pressing her poppy-red lips together, which I kept staring at, she shook her head. “Nothing. Just envisioning it. I’m going to go and get something to drink,” she said. “I think I see some kind of fruity punch. Would you like anything?”

“I’m good.”

“I’ll be back in a minute.”

After she walked off, I couldn’t help but wander off after her.

I watched as she scooped a cupful of whatever everyone was drinking, which looked like cranberries. Everyone continued their conversations around us. Some people were draped over the couch or sitting at the table, surrounded by snacks, grazing.

“Aaron.” Barrett’s mom turned the corner, immediately waving a hand at me. She greeted me with a wide smile, similar to her son’s, though that was where the resemblance ended. “It’s wonderful to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too, Ms. Barrett.” I accepted the hug she wrapped me in. I didn’t remember her being so short.

“Barrett mentioned that you might be coming.” She let go to take a better look at me.

I ran a hand through my hair, glad I’d shaved.

“I hoped so, but I wasn’t sure. I heard that you were in an accident?”

I almost wanted to deny it for some reason. Though it wouldn’t have mattered. It was clear from the dip of her head to the side that Ms. Barrett saw right through me.

“Yeah, I was. Better now though. Slowly getting myself back in working order.”

“I was so worried for you. And you have no idea how sorry I am about your friend,” she said softly. “Barrett might put on a brave face, but … he hasn’t been the same since he came back with all of you boys.”

Barrett was leaning back on his heels across the room, laughing with someone as he downed another cup of punch.

“Seems to be doing well.”

“He keeps himself busy. Always has. I know I shouldn’t worry so much anymore, but like I said, you all will always be boys in my mind, running off into life, guns blazing, literally.” Her voice drifted off. “I’m sure he’s told you he’s leaving the military?”

“He mentioned it,” I confirmed. “He said nothing was set in stone.”

“He apparently put in his leave quite some time ago, not long after he came to visit you in the hospital. I mean, he says he has a plan with this house and land he purchased out here. See if you can squeeze out any more details for me. He hasn’t been telling his mother much of anything these days, though I want to pry, I won’t lie. I’m happy he’s safe.”

“Absolutely, Ms. Barrett.”

“I want to see you all happy,” she said, squeezing my wrist. “And please, you know better, call me Sheryl. And feel free to come by to the old house anytime you need. Don’t let me get lonely now that you boys are back and so close. Stop in for whatever. If you need a warm meal or just some company. I’m still a mom. I’ve always thought of you as one of my own since you started spending time with my Barrett in school.”

“I appreciate it.”

Catching me before I moved away, Ms. Barrett cleared her throat. “Also, I wanted to say, your grandmother would’ve been proud of all you’ve accomplished.”

I blinked.

“She would’ve,” she said once more. “Look at you—turning into a kind, strong man. It’s all a mother could ever want.”

And yet I still didn’t know if it was what my mother and father would’ve wanted for me, let alone my grandmother, who I was pretty sure hadn’t even recognized me by the time she left us.

“Thank you, Ms. Barrett.”

“Sheryl.”

“Sheryl,” I said before she turned and headed off to another person she’d caught coming in the front door that I didn’t recognize.

I didn’t recognize most of the people here, save for Barrett, Poppy, and?—

My head swung back to face the guy coming toward me with his arms wide, looking as shocked as I was, recognition flaring across his face before it did my own.

“Aaron Hayes?”

“Isaac?”

“Yeah.” The man in front of me smiled, wearing a tight maroon sweater. Still, he looked just like the guy I’d played football with since I had been in elementary school until I left. He was holding two cans of soda from the bucket in the kitchen. “You want one? My wife didn’t want what I’d grabbed.”

“Oh, sure.” I took one, popping the tab. “How are you?”

“Good. Real good. I just got married to Fiona a year ago. She’s Barrett’s cousin. We live a few hours west but drove in for the weekend. Fiona has also been looking at some houses this way for a better school system—so she says. We both miss family. Glad I did come in for the party now too. Small world.”

It really was.

“Been a long time.”

“It has been,” I agreed.

“You know Barrett?” he asked before shaking his head. “Of course you do. Army brothers. That’s right. I hadn’t put the details together until now, when he mentioned you. Man, I never thought you’d go into the Army though. Weren’t you up for some kind of award or something in English? You put my essays to shame. I’m pretty sure that’s why the teacher graded the rest of us so harshly.”

“Nope. Military ended up being the best choice I made.”

“That’s awesome,” Isaac said. “How have you been? I didn’t even ask.”

“Just great,” I said.

“It’s crazy, too, that you’re here with Poppy Owens,” Isaac said.

I twisted to look over my shoulder, noticing Poppy was still in the same spot, though now, she was talking strictly with Barrett by the fireplace. Her hair was tucked behind one ear, showing off one of her obnoxious jingle bell earrings that trilled with every movement she made.

“You know Poppy?”

Isaac cocked his head to the side. “Of course I do. We went to school together,” he said. “Don’t you remember?”

“I …”

“You were only there for a few years though, I know. Yeah, Poppy was in school with us all through middle school and those first two years of high school before you transferred out,” said Isaac, still watching as I fought to figure out what he was talking about. “I can’t believe you don’t remember that.”

“I think I do. Maybe.”

“She had this huge crush on you sophomore year. Honestly, I feel kind of shitty about it all, looking back to when word got out. Kinda tortured her a bit.” Isaac sighed as he started to remember more. “We sucked.”

Poppy had a crush. On me?

I cycled back through my memories, trying to place her. Poppy never told me anything about that.

She never said?—

“Right,” I said. “Sorry, took me a second.”

“No problem, man. It’s good to see you. Maybe if you stick around the area, we can catch up sometime?”

“Sounds … good.”

I turned back and stared at Poppy again. This time, it didn’t take long before she glanced back toward me, eyes narrowing while Barrett was still talking. She was too polite to turn her attention fully away from him. She went back to the conversation while I continued to stare.

Poppy. Poppy Owens.

I’d kissed Poppy Owens.

I kissed Poppy Owens.

And it wasn’t the first time.

Something seized in my chest as everything came back to me. I remembered our kiss—comfortable and soft. Like when I was breathing. How easily we’d come together when nothing else had felt as good in my entire life. And how I hadn’t felt that for the first time the other night.

It all made sense now. How it’d felt like that last piece of home that I’d thought I lost long ago.

Because Poppy was the last piece of home I’d had before I moved out of the city. That night at the party, I barely remembered anything. But I remembered that kiss. I remembered her and the kindness she showed me. I thought maybe, I dreamed it all, because it felt a little too good.

And … she hadn’t said anything.

Why had she not said anything?

I started to walk toward Poppy, unable to take my eyes off her. Until a much broader, less appealing form stood in my way. I stopped before I ran face-first into a knitted reindeer.

“Barrett”—I leaned around his shoulder—“I need you to move.”

“Hold up a second.” He put up a hand.

I attempted to get around his hand, though I didn’t know exactly why. What did I plan to do when I got to Poppy? Confront her? Ask her why the hell she didn’t tell me that she knew me?

“I plan on opening a kennel.”

My eyes snapped back to Barrett.

He raised a golden brow. Just one. “You didn’t hear a word I said to you, did you?”

I sighed, and my shoulders slumped. “No. I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“I wanted to let you know that I put in my final letter to the Army. I’m out. Officially this time,” he said.

“Wow.”

“I’d been turning things around in my head for a while now, but after everything that happened and seeing maybe that you’ll be around, I’m moving forward with those plans.”

“And what are they?”

“I bought the farmhouse here to fix up. And once the weather warms up, a kennel is going to be built on the property,” he said.

“For dogs?”

“Yeah, of sorts,” he explained. “Retired K9s specifically, but we’ll see how long that lasts. I didn’t get this land out here for no reason. It’ll be a rescue.”

“That’s—” I usually joked at his expense whenever I got the chance, but now, I watched the calmness settle over my friend’s otherwise tired expression. “I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks. Like I said, I don’t know what your plans are?—”

“I’m”—I didn’t know either—“sticking to the plan.”

“Well, if that plan doesn’t work out, know that I’ll still be here. How’s Oz doing, by the way? I figured when I hadn’t heard anything …”

“Good. We’re doing good.”

Barrett glanced over his shoulder toward the living room, where Poppy was talking to another woman with curly hair pinned back on either side of her face. “It looks like you are. I’m happy for you too, Hayes. You deserve this.”

“What?”

“Peace.”

I shook my head.

“You do,” he said. “Hope you see that someday.”

“Now, I know you drank too much punch.”

“Eh. Think whatever want. She seems like she likes you, though.” Barrett shrugged. “Who knows why? But I wouldn’t mess around if you want to do anything about it.”

I watched her across the room, sipping her drink and making small talk. The picture of ease. So perfectly put together.

Oh, I was going to do something all right.