The Edge of Forever by Jenika Snow

didn’t want him losing his job or getting reprimanded because of their relationship and the fact neither of them seemed to keep their hands off each other.
    “It’s fine. Everything will be fine.” For some reason Poppy wasn’t sure she liked that answer. His voice sounded distant and held a strange note. He kept his gaze on the hallway, his brow furrowed severely.
    “Hey.” Poppy placed her hand on his forearm until he looked at her. “If something’s wrong you know you can talk to me. About anything, Blake.” He kept something from her, that much was clear, and she became sick at the thought that it had to do with Maggie. After everything they had been through, done together, she thought they were past keeping things form one another. His lips tightened, and he forced a smile.
    “Everything’s okay, sweetheart. Maggie didn’t care. She was just shocked.”
    The tone in Blake’s voice had Poppy thinking he buried the truth under a layer of sweetness.
    “Okay.” Poppy could still see the affection on Maggie’s face as she looked up at Blake. Was the woman in love with him? God, if that was the case how painful would it have been to see her and Blake embraced like that? “Blake, are you sure there aren’t any feelings that Maggie still harbors for you?” For a beat of silence he stared at her, then shook his head and glanced away.
    “We’ve just worked close together for a long time. You know how it is.”
      Poppy didn’t, but she wasn’t going to push him on anything. It was clear Blake really had blinders on to the other woman’s feelings toward him, or he chose to ignore them. Either way Poppy wasn’t going to push him. There had been plenty of times when she had kept her innermost thoughts to herself, afraid, ashamed, or just not willing to share.
    “Are you ready to go home?” she asked.
    He gave a sharp nod and grabbed his coat. He led the way, and Poppy didn’t like the silence that descended upon them. Poppy sighed heavily. She had known from the beginning that starting a relationship with Blake wouldn’t be easy, but she didn’t think she’d have to fight to prove she loved him, especially when another woman was involved.

Chapter Eleven
     
    “How’s Alaska, honey?” The concern in Poppy’s mother’s voice was clear as day. Poppy dried the last plate and put it in the cabinet. Her cell was held between her ear and shoulder.
    “Good, Mom.” She went over to the fire and threw more logs in before sitting on the couch. Blake was working late again, and she sat, alone, once again, wondering what was going to happen between them. Although she spoke to her mom a few days a week, Poppy hadn’t told her what had happened with her and Blake. In fact, Poppy didn’t know if there was anything to tell, given the fact Blake had withdrawn from her. It may not have been a lot, but there was certainly a difference in him that she noticed. The increased late nights at work and having to run errands several times a week, errands that he wouldn’t tell her about, weren’t helping her fears and worries that she would lose another person she loved.
    “I’m glad, honey. We miss you terribly, Poppy dear, but as long as you’re healing and finding what you need there that is all that matters.” A beat of silence filled the line, and Poppy sighed, knowing her mother meant well but wasn’t nearly done. “So, do you know when you plan on coming home?”
    “Mom…” Poppy rubbed her eyes then stared into the fire.
    “I know, I know. You haven’t even been there a month, but I miss you, honey.”
    She was thirty years old, but ever since Jon’s death Poppy’s mother treated her like a child. Poppy supposed she hadn’t helped the situation with her depression and need to be alone. Things were different now; she was different now. “I don’t know if I’m going back to Ohio. I kind of like it here.”
    “Poppy, honey.” There it was, the mom voice. “I’m not going to argue you on