A Soldier for Poppy Read Free

yes they are. So you can imagine just how often they’d be in and out of the water.” At his nod she continued. “It’ll be a full-time job applying sunscreen.”
    His rich, baritone laughter escaped, the corners of his eyes crinkling in mirth and a devilish little dimple appearing in his right cheek.
    “I promise to buy the longest acting sunscreen on the market and a huge beach umbrella. How about it? I really could use the company.”
    “Hmmm, you paint a convincing picture. Maybe I could afford a week or two.”
    “Uh, uh! It won’t cost you a cent. I have to pay the rent anyway and a few extra groceries won’t break me. You can travel down with me on June first and I’ll return you home, safe and sound, maybe even a little saner,” he grinned, “at the end of August.”
    “Three months? You actually want to be stuck with us all summer?”
    “We’ll have a great time.”
    “All right, but I don’t want to impose or outstay our welcome. We’ll leave the vacation open-ended and if we get in your way or things become too much for you, we’ll go home.”
    “Deal!” He took his right hand off the wheel long enough to shake on it. “We’ll have a great time. Just you wait and see.”
    Thankful she’d had the foresight to leave the outdoor lights on; Poppy roused a sleepy Nathan and herded him inside to bed while Carl followed with a sleeping Becky in his arms. She decided to forego their baths this once, struggled to get them into their pajamas, and then tucked them in for the night. As she closed Becky’s door and backed into the hallway, she turned and bumped into Carl, which threw her off balance.
    “Whoa, there,” he said as he gathered her close to steady her.
    Her off balance momentum resulted in her body coming to rest against his. She breathed in the unique masculine scent that was Carl and liked it very much. His compassion, strength and manly scent were things she could count on, depend on, and she did. Carl and her children provided the only light in her life, the comfort she’d needed to keep going since losing Peter.
    “Sorry,” she mumbled as she pulled away from him, her mind awash with guilt. This was Peter’s best friend! She couldn’t betray his memory this way.
    “No problem. Are you okay?” he asked, concern and something more etched into his features.
    “I’m fine, just clumsy.” She tried to laugh it off but the sound came out strangled.
    “My fault entirely. I should have paid more attention when leaving Nathan’s room.”
    “And I should have remembered there was someone else in the house. This has become such a nightly ritual that I do it by rote. Come on. I’ll show you to your room so you can bring your things in and get settled.”
    She hadn’t used the master bedroom with its ensuite bath since she’d lost Peter. The memories were unbearable. She opened the door and allowed Carl to precede her into the room.
    “If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve aired it out, but you can open a window if you like. No one has used this room in a long time but I keep it clean and dusted. I’ll make up the bed and fetch some clean towels while you bring in your luggage.” She was babbling and she knew it but couldn’t seem to help herself.
    “Hey, don’t go to any trouble on my account. Just point me to the linen closet and I can fend for myself. A soldier’s life and all that.”
    ***
    He’d been a guest in this house enough times when Peter was alive to recognize the master bedroom. Now, he’d put his foot in his mouth and berated himself for the career reference as soon as he saw the stricken look on Poppy’s face. “I’m sorry, Poppy. If it’s too hard having me around, I can stay at a hotel.”
    She straightened her shoulders, a determined light in her eyes as she met his.
    “You’re not getting out of your vacation offer that easy, Mister! We’ll cope. I’ll cope. Maybe it’s time I quit grieving and started living again.”
    He reached out to