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He rolls his eyes as he grabs a box.

“It seems to have been triggered by a guy asking her out last week,” I say, trying to make sense of the instructions. “She turned him down, and that threw her into this panic mode.”

That’s true on the surface, but I don’t think it’s the root of the problem.

“That’s what they all say. Once you had to put up with me for real, you’d hate me.”

The more I replay what she said, the more convinced I am that she thinks that she’s the problem. That she believes something is wrong with her, and she’s saving me the trouble of figuring it out.

The thought makes me physically ill.

It would explain so much. Why it bothers her when I do nice things because I like her. Why she thinks we’d fight over money. Why she doesn’t think I have “the capacity” to give her more time during the season when I see her as much as she’ll let me.

And that look in her eyes when she talked about relationships? It’s haunted me for hours. I can’t figure it out.

Poppy has always been emotionally closed off in a lot of ways, and I’ve never pushed her for more for fear that she’d bolt. I won’t push her now. She’ll open up to me when she’s ready. All I can do is be patient and show her that I’m safe. That sex is the bonus, and she’s the catch.

That she’s my person.

“What’s Layla doing at Poppy’s? Just hanging out?” I ask as Branch comes around the corner, tossing a box of trash bags on the floor.

“Yeah. Poppy called this morning and said she was too busy to come by, but she missed the girls. Then this shit got delivered.” He hits a box with his toe. “So, Layla took Sunny and went over there. I think they’re getting lunch or something. But I didn’t ask too many questions because I was just happy that Layla was getting out of the house and getting some fresh air.”

I hum, checking the instructions again. I’m definitely missing two hardware packets.

“Have you heard from Poppy today?” Branch asks.

“Once. Around three this morning.” I shift as my body reacts to the memory of her text. “She sent me a picture of the tops of her tits and the word oops.”

“Why oops?”

I chuckle, finding the last two hardware kits under the couch. “Because when I told her we weren’t fucking so I could show her that we’re more than that, she took it upon herself to tell me that she’s going to prove that we’re not by, essentially, making me beg.”

That’s not exactly how she said it, but that’s what she meant. I could see it in her cheeky little smile.

“That’s a hell of a tactic. One I personally wouldn’t have used, but if you think this is the way, then more power to you.”

The hell if I know if this is the way.

Is this what I wanted to do? Fuck no. But there’s no way that she truly believes that sex is the only reason what we have feels like more than a friendship. I just don’t believe that she thinks that.

But I don’t know why she won’t admit it.

“Have you given any thought to what will happen if your brilliant plan doesn’t work?” Branch asks, sliding a knife down the fold of another box. “I’m not saying it won’t. I’m just saying that I know Poppy Quinn, and if she wants something, she’s gonna get it.”

His insinuation isn’t veiled, and it’s a legitimate concern. What if she fucks someone else because I won’t?

But that isn’t going to happen. That’s my whole damn point. And the fact that she won’t find another guy will only strengthen my argument.

“It’ll work.” I go back to the bookshelves, gathering the pieces for step one. “Hey, did you ever hear from Chauncey?” I ask, ready to change the subject. “I saw him in the Legends facility last week when I was meeting with Coach Gold, and he said he was going to hit you up.”

Branch laughs. “Yeah, I talked to him a couple of days ago. He just wanted to pick my brain about a few things and to see if I’d be interested in studying some film with him before the season starts.”

“What did you say?”

“I told him I would. I’m kind of getting itchy about not getting ready for training camp, so maybe it’ll help scratch the itch.”

I squint at the instructions as if my eyesight is the reason I can’t concentrate on attaching piece B to piece C with screw 2.