Disbelieving, I shifted my chair to the left to make room for her, and when she sat down, she turned her back to me, her elbow on the table, effectively blocking me out of any conversation with Roane.

He was too busy with Poppy to notice, considering her face was inches from his as she murmured to him in a low voice about . . . whatever!

Caro was frowning at the entire situation. Sensing my attention, she looked at me and made a face.

It was so unlike her, I couldn’t help but smile.

This was my cue to exit with Caro, and I should have. But the sick, masochistic part of me didn’t want to leave because I didn’t want to miss what would happen between Roane and Poppy. I needed to know if he was going to take her up on what she was clearly offering, because I knew if he did, as unfair as it was of me, whatever spell he had over me would be broken.

The confused, scared part of me that was determined to live the next few months without romantic entanglement almost hoped he would take Poppy up on her offer.

Yet a bigger part of me hated the idea so much, I wanted to cry.

God, I was such a mess.

Our table suddenly jerked upward as Roane let out a muffled curse. My eyes flew to him to see him pulling back from Poppy, and I realized he’d caused the table to move. My eyes narrowed at his flushed cheeks and the hard glint in his eyes.

“I think it’s time for you to go.” His voice carried down the tables, the hum of conversation drawing to a close as all eyes turned toward Roane and Poppy.

She was staring at Roane in disbelief.

Kylie tugged on her friend’s wrist. “Poppy, let’s go.”

With a huff of distaste, the brunette shot to her feet, her chair clattering toward the wall behind her. “No need to be so melodramatic.”

Roane glowered at her. “If the shoe was on the other foot, I doubt you’d say that.”

What had she done?

Had she touched him inappropriately, because I swear to God—

As if he sensed my growing indignation, Roane looked at me, his gaze softening, becoming reassuring at my obvious agitation.

Poppy huffed. “Come, Kylie, let’s go.”

Kylie’s cheeks were bright red as everyone watched the two of them march out of the pub.

“I hope they paid.” Dex broke the awkward silence.

Everyone tittered but kept side-eyeing Roane. He didn’t pay them any attention. Instead he got up and moved the now empty chairs back to other tables. When he sat back down, he moved his chair closer to mine.

I waited for conversation to pick up again before I leaned in to him to ask, “What happened?”