Chapter 2

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POPPY

"Be biggerthan the world expects you to be," Poppy whispered to herself, trying not to let the biggest scar on her heart show. Just because she was still trying to decide what she wanted to do with her life, her career, that shouldn't have been the deciding factor that put a halt to her relationship with Michael. They did have one, or she thought they once did.

It had been three months since he left for the Air Force Academy, since he broke her heart, and she was trying to fill the emptiness with anything at all. The last thing she wanted to do was be trapped in her memories, and that was where she was floundering secretly.

Michael had been her first kiss and my last, she thought sagely, staring off in the distance distractedly. They had been circling each other at one of the Flyboys Christmas parties they held at the hangar – and she always just considered him ‘Madison's dorky brother,' but something changed last year.

He had taken her hand and walked her out into the evening air, without a word – just the two of them. She remembered the cool breeze, both of them holding hot cocoa and taking a seat beside each other at the end of the runway, underneath the moon.

"What are we doing?" she'd smiled shyly, and his very presence seemed larger than life as he gave her this cocky, self-assured smile that made her heart turn over in her chest.

"Kindling a spark, maybe?"

She would never forget those words, nor the feel of his lips ten minutes later when he leaned toward her, kissing her. He'd been so sweet, so engaging and tender, that she couldn't help but want more, and that spark turned into a secret wildfire. If they went to church, she always caught his eyes watching her. At softball games in town, bonfires, and the Flyboys picnic… Michael was always in the distance. He would be gazing at her like the sun rose and set simply because she was there. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine it would all fall apart because she wasn't ready to commit – and he was already committed to the Academy.

"Whatcha doing?"

Poppy looked up from where she'd been staring off into space at Dixie's café, her slice of cheesecake completely untouched, only to see Michael's mother, Glory, standing there with her mom, who looked concerned.

"Are you done pouting?" her mother asked simply, smiling.

"No," she replied, not holding back – and heard Glory laugh as the woman pulled out a chair, taking a seat like it was nothing.

"That looks good."

"Sure does," her mom added, also taking a seat, before turning and waving over Dixie – who arrived with three more slices of cheesecake… and sat down too.

"What is this?"

"An intervention," Dixie said gently, smiling and passing out the slices of cheesecake. "I've had one for me…"

"And me," her mother admitted, shocking her.

"And me," Glory admitted. "Life sucks sometimes, and you have to dig down and use your resources. Someone breaks your heart, then you have options – you get mad about it, or you find a way to steer it."

"Or break his face?"

"Not when it's your kid."

"Fair enough," her mom chuckled, taking a bite and winking at Poppy. "Just thought I would toss that out there."

"You could always drag him to my daddy's re-enactment and pretend to shoot the Yank in the field. Lee's done it a few times over the years to my brother-in-law. Virginia's husband can be a real turd during the holidays, which is why we always try to just escape and go see Lee's side of the family. Oh, and by the way, if you see Boiler – Lexi is looking for word from him."

All four women, Poppy included, rolled their eyes and said in unison, ‘Ughhh…' – and then laughed at the irony of it. At that moment, she was really grateful that she wasn't Lexi Tarrant. The woman was sweet but so incredibly far from everyone else. She saw them once a year – sometimes – and usually was busy quite a bit. The girl lived vicariously via text messages, but with the time differences, it was tough.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't see it."

"Can you imagine Caboose as your father-in-law?"

"I'm telling you, Ivy should be up for sainthood. Between her parents, him, and her son's recklessness the woman should have gray hair by now… and yet? Not a single one. It's disgusting, and I love the woman, but can she start to age just a bit? Please?"

"She's got a secret weapon."

"What's that?"

"Mia Keyes…"

"Dang it, that hairdresser is always booked…"

"I schedule every three months for a keratin treatment and a rinse because, let me tell you – the curls get a little wild," Dixie chuckled easily, patting her hair. "Thank goodness India takes after her father."

"Where is she?"

"Lee took her to the zoo before school starts back. She's growing so fast."

"Oh, I know," Dixie smiled happily. "That man is obsessed with her and she looks just like him, but with dark curly hair."

"She's gonna break hearts someday," Glory teased, pointing her fork at Poppy. "Just like this one. I think guys love the dark hair, big eyes, and the mystery that comes along with it. I used to irritate Hunter to pieces, but you get a beauty like either of those two… and it's magic."

"It's not ‘magic,'" Poppy said glumly, finally taking a bite of her cheesecake.

The trio of women shared a look – and Glory shrugged, licked her spoon, and then literally bopped Poppy on the head gently with it.

"What the…"

"You are a negative Nelly," Glory said simply and her mother tried to look innocent regarding it. "Combine that with your daddy's temper, your mama's candor, and what you are dealing with getting dumped…"

"Ouch?"

"You cannot let this bother you," Glory said succinctly. "You have your entire life and world before you – and we are here to drag you out of the doldrums. Anyone else want to pop her on the head with a spoon? It's kinda satisfying."

"My child, remember that next time I see Madison and chase her down with a spoon."

"The girl deserves it sometimes," Glory muttered, shaking her head… and Poppy couldn't help herself – she laughed. It was so funny to see Madison's mom, who thought her children could do no wrong, saying that her friend deserved it. Madison could be prickly and feisty, but the girl's heart was as big as the state of Texas.

Dixie laid a hand on Poppy's, smiling.

"We're not the enemy," Dixie began. "We just aren't treating you like a child because you aren't one. So let's talk about options and plans, and see what we can do to put a little more laughter in your life, sweetie."

"What do you mean?" Poppy asked, confused.

"Well, I know you don't want to go into optometry," her mother said simply, and she nodded. This was a conversation they'd had a few times over the years. She enjoyed flying occasionally, but with her dad's glaucoma and retinal separation, every time she flew, it stressed her parents out. Her mother checked her eyes faithfully for fear of something being missed - and her father never flew except in rare instances. She could remember him flying twice since she was a child - and each time ended with a discussion behind closed doors with her mother. "Do you want to be a pilot? Is that why you wanted to take lessons and solo?"

"I wanted to try it, and it's interesting… but it's not something I could imagine doing every single day."

"You haven"t enrolled for college either…"

"Do you want to go?"

"I don't know."

"What would you like to do? If you could do anything, what is at the forefront of Miss Poppy's mind?"

"I'd like to travel and help people," she admitted. "I want to see the world, talk to people, and experience everything."

"Then do it."

"How?"

"Well, you could see about getting your license to become a travel agent and help people make their plans. We could help you with charter flight discounts at Flyboys, and then you could also take some of the information to decide where you want to go. What do they call those people? Travel blobbers?"

"Oh my gosh, Glory…"

"Travel bloggers… with a ‘G,'" Poppy giggled, looking at the woman, who simply winked at her. "I suppose I could – and that might be interesting. I could start doing a few places locally and…"

"You could fly to Alaska with Uncle Lee next time he goes and do a piece on Juneau, see Lexi, and see the world."

"The next time Madison and her daddy go up – you could go with them," Glory volunteered easily, smiling. "Get some flyers made, some business cards, get with your Aunt Harley to help build you a website… and start the process to create, shape, and mold who Poppy Walters is."

She stared at all of them, realizing they were right.

"What do I call it if I do something like this?"

"How about ‘Adventures in Love' – or is that too cheesy? I mean, this is starting out as your chance to heal from your first big crush. Now you can learn to love other things, places, and people…"

"And maybe you'll meet someone, sharing those adventures with him," Dixie said gently, smiling at each of them. "Some of us are lucky to find true love twice, so don't belittle what you felt if it bothered you – but use it. Why do you think I have my café?"

"Really?"

"Oh yes," she smiled tenderly. "I needed an outlet – and suggested this for a reason. You have so much potential, Poppy. It's time to let yourself shine and grow, sweetheart."

"You really think I can do this?" she asked tearfully, feeling the stirrings of excitement and hope within her for the first time since that fateful day. She saw all three women look at each other in surprise before the looked at her.

"I'm surprised you haven't already tried something like this, sweetie," her mother said proudly. "You are so special, so wonderful, and so much like your father."

They shared a look across the table as her mother continued.

"Live your life, enjoy it, and seeing these places will let him see it through your eyes. I bet your daddy will love to hear your stories and take on these trips – and you should ask him about Afghanistan. He loved the people there and probably wouldn't have met me if there hadn't been an issue. So yes, open the doorway and step out into the world on your first adventure."