“Take your time. We don’t need to leave for another hour.”
“Do you guys want refills?” she asked Jimmy and Randall, getting two nods.
“I’ll get it.” I grabbed the coffee pot from behind me. “You head on back.”
“Thanks.” She smiled and disappeared into the kitchen.
I refilled Jimmy’s and Randall’s mugs before topping off my own. Then I made my way down the counter, chatting with customers as I offered refills. The restaurant was busy this morning. Both Molly and Helen were rushing around, clearing tables and delivering food. Poppy had been here since four a.m., making sure there was plenty of food for the weekend.
“It sure is crowded in here,” Randall grumbled as I came back to visit with them.
“Good old Cat/Griz weekend. It’s always a cluster.”
The Montana State University Bobcats were taking on the University of Montana Grizzlies in the annual Cat/Griz football game. The rivalry—one that had become famous over the years—drew a huge crowd to Bozeman when the Cats hosted the game every other year.
Since the game was always the third weekend in November, more often than not it was cold as fuck. These past few years, I’d skipped the chaos of the stadium and just watched the game at my parents’ house during their annual party, but this year, I was braving the cold with Poppy by my side so she could finish Jamie’s list.
Today, she was going crowd surfing.
“Damn, I wish I had a ticket,” Jimmy sighed. “I’d love to go up with her. Do you think she’ll get on TV?”
The glint in his eyes made me laugh. “I’m taping the game at my house just in case.”
Leaving Jimmy and Randall to bicker, I went to the register as a customer came up to pay. After ringing up the tab, I weaved around the tables, offering coffee refills.
I’d been pitching in at the restaurant lately. Whenever I was here, I did my best to help Poppy and Molly. I only tackled the little things, like filling coffee cups or waters. Cashing out tabs. Everything with the actual food I left for the actual employees. But helping with the minor tasks made me feel like a part of The Maysen Jar—something Poppy seemed to love just as much as I did.
When she came out of the kitchen and spotted me making a new pot of coffee, her smile made my heart skip.
Inside and out, Poppy was the most magnificent woman in the world. My life began the moment she’d walked into the dojo and captured my soul.
“Thanks.” She stood on her tiptoes, tray in hand, to kiss my cheek.
“No problem.”
She set down her tray and began unloading jars into the display case. “Would you do something for me?”
“In a heartbeat.” That always made her smile.
“Would you try the banana bread I just made? It’s in the kitchen. I added chocolate chips and I don’t know if I like it or not.”
“Why does he always get to try the new stuff?” Randall complained. “You should let some of us who will actually give you an honest opinion try it.”
Poppy stood and planted a hand on her hip. “He gives me his honest opinions.”
Randall rolled his eyes as Jimmy choked on his coffee.
Bastards. They were trying to get me in trouble.
Poppy’s mouth fell open as she looked to me. “You’ve been lying?”
“No way.” I held up my hands. “I always tell you the truth. I love your food.”
She gave Randall a smug grin. “See?”
“Can I just get the damn banana bread or what?”
“Make that two,” Jimmy ordered.
A young man next to Jimmy cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt.” The kid was probably only twenty and his eyes were trained on me. “Officer Goodman, um . . . I don’t suppose you remember me.”
I set down my coffee and stepped up to the counter, offering my hand. His face I recognized immediately, even though he’d grown up, but it took me a moment to recall his name. What the fuck was his name? Adam? Eric? “Isaac?”
“Yeah.” He grinned. “I didn’t mean to intrude, but I saw you and just wanted to say hello before I left. And to say thanks. What you did for me back then? Giving me a once?” He held up one finger like I’d done the night I’d given him his once. “I’ve never forgotten about you.”
I shrugged. “It was no big deal.”
“It was to me.” He held out his hand again. “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your conversation. Nice to see you again.”
“Same to you.”
He nodded once more, then turned and left. Poppy’s, Jimmy’s and Randall’s eyes were on me, waiting for an explanation, but I stayed quiet and watched as Isaac left the restaurant.
When the door closed behind him, I picked up my coffee. “So, banana bread with chocolate chips? I’ll go get them.”
Before Jimmy and Randall could ask about Isaac, I ducked into the kitchen with Poppy right on my heels.
“What was that about?”
“Oh, nothing much. Just a kid who needed a break way back when.”
“Is that what a ‘once’ is? A break?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I had someone give me a once, and ever since, I’ve tried to pay it forward.”
“Oh,” she hummed. “Can you tell me about it?”
I didn’t like talking about how I’d nearly fucked up my life, but Poppy deserved to know. So I pulled out a stool from the table in the kitchen and took a seat, confessing something only a handful of people even knew.
“I always knew I wanted to be a cop. Ever since I was a kid. After high school, I wanted to go straight to the academy, but my parents wanted me to go to college and get my degree. Dad said that if I had my bachelor’s, it would help me move up the ranks on the force, so I agreed and enrolled at MSU. But I didn’t take it seriously. At least, not at first. I skipped
