A Soldier for Poppy Read Free Page A

cup her cheek in his palm. “Peter wouldn’t have wanted your spirit to die with him. He loved you too much for that.”
    “Thank you,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes.
    “Hey! Got anything to drink in this joint?”
    She laughed. “Follow me.”
    Gladly, he thought as her well-rounded yet tight tush swayed enticingly as she walked ahead of him. She turned to show him the linen closet and caught him staring at her behind. Her blush added rosy color to a pale as porcelain complexion, her skin appearing to glow with the unstated compliment to her person.
    The library cum den was at the back of the house, the patio doors opening onto a deck overlooking a formal garden that owed its existence to Poppy’s care and attention. She was an avid gardener who possessed a true ‘green thumb’. He’d often appeared on her doorstep with seedlings of some kind to add to her assortment. Anything to make her happy, if only for the moment.
    He followed as she crossed to the huge oak bar in the corner, and perched on a stool when she slipped behind the counter.
    “What’ll it be? The usual lager or something stronger?”
    “Something on ice would be nice. A scotch?”
    “Scotch on the rocks coming right up.”
    She poured two and handed him one.
    “I thought your preference was white wine. When did you develop a taste for the stronger stuff?”
    “Well, I have this fully stocked bar and I’ve been sampling the goods on offer. Scotch and gin I can handle. The rest, ugh! Not for me,” she said, scrunching up her nose in distaste.
    He laughed, picturing the look on her face as she sampled the lot. “Wish I had been here to sample them with you. That would’ve been quite a treat.”
    “Are you poking fun at me?”
    “Never, but the burn of brandy would’ve had you doubling over, I’m sure.”
    “Nah, but it did have me running for the soda spritzer. Emptied it in record time.”
    She laughed with him, the easy camaraderie putting him at ease after his faux pas in the bedroom. He’d have to watch his step and his words, so as not to bring back memories. He wanted her to see him as a man, not just as Peter’s friend or a soldier.
    “Care to take me on a tour of the garden?” he asked.
    “Now?”
    “Why not? You have solar lighting scattered throughout.”
    “Okay.”
    He took her arm as they exited through the patio doors, immediately immersed in a wonderland of color and scent as they stepped out into the moonlight.
    “You’ve created a virtual paradise out here,” he said as they strolled the paths winding through the garden.
    “Thank you. I enjoy working with my hands. Gives me a welcome breather from all the number crunching.”
    “Speaking of which, how will your clients feel about you taking the summer off?”
    “I can’t really take the summer off. There are still reports and payroll that need doing. Most of which I can do anywhere with the laptop. If anything important comes up, they can reach me by email or on my cell. Work shouldn’t be a problem.”
    “Good! Hey, that fountain is new, isn’t it?”
    “Yes, one of my clients owns a hardware store. When he found out about my garden, he sent it over and had it installed. ‘A bonus for excellent work,’ he called it. ‘No formal garden is complete without a fountain.’ I couldn’t refuse.”
    “Nor should you. Offerings like this one only happen when you’ve worked hard to get it.”
    The fountain sported exquisite little cherubs with water gushing out of the pots they held. Fairy lights around the edge showed the expert craftsmanship.
    “He has staff that does the actual bookkeeping and sends me reports via email at day’s end. Sometimes it can be a challenge to balance everything at month end, but it’s one of my main accounts so it’s steady work.”
    They’d come full circle, back to the deck area where a shady spot to the left held play equipment. One swing was hanging haphazardly but the rest seemed in good repair. He’d have