Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
I press the record button to stop the video, then I slide the phone back into my pocket. “Thank you.”
She nods, looking down at the driveway.
I start to turn and leave, but I think better of it and turn back. “Can I give you a last bit of advice before I go?”
“Landon Atwater, giving me advice?” she asks, a bit playfully despite how she’s feeling.
“Yeah, I know.” I roll my eyes at the gesture myself. “But for real. You and I hardly know each other. We never talked about shit. Stop giving so much to guys who don’t give enough fucks to give anything back to you.”
“After you, right?” she says dryly.
“Of course, after me,” I say, smirking at her as I back away. “Thanks for the video.”
“Asshole,” she says, chuckling a little to herself as I walk back to my car. But then, because she can’t help herself, she calls, “You’re welcome.”
___
When I finally pull in the driveway, the sun is about to go down.
I’m more or less empty-handed. I don’t bother taking the empty muffin container in with me, but I have the video in my phone.
I’ve managed to lock my temper back up in its cage, but as soon as I walk through the front door, there’s a slight resurgence. Parker’s message echoes in my head.
I hope you don’t mind sneaking around.
I haven’t minded sneaking around, but that’s because I was drunk on these first few sips of her. It all felt easy enough, I didn’t think much about the hole we were digging right beneath our feet.
But I can see how our situation may have made Parker feel that, regardless of what she wants, nothing serious can ever really happen between us. Parker is fiercely protective of her mother’s happiness, and there’s not a shot in hell she’d put her own before it.
I am not so selfless.
They’re all gathered on the couch in the living room. Gemma’s next to my dad, and his arm is around her shoulders, propped against the back of the couch. Parker is facing them with one leg curled up beneath her and her hands going. Whatever she’s telling them, she’s animated about it. Under different circumstances, the sight would make me smile.
Her enthusiasm ebbs when I walk into the room.
The conversation goes quiet.
I’m used to it at this point. I don’t really care.
“There you are,” Dad says, as if they’ve been waiting for me.
“Here I am,” I confirm, making my way over to the couch.
Parker scoots over to make room for me. “We were just about to watch—”
Her words are cut off when I get to her, grab her by the neck, and bend down to kiss her full on the mouth.
Gemma gasps as if someone just ran a fucking sword through her, and Parker gasps too, her shock caught between my lips as I taste her.
I don’t linger too long.
I pull back, gently releasing her neck, and Parker stares at me, her eyes as wide as saucers and her jaw hanging open.
Then I drop onto the couch, prop my feet up on the coffee table, and slide my arm around her, the same way my dad has his around Gemma.
“Now, what are we watching?”
Chapter Forty-Six
Parker
I sit on the couch with my head in my hands, the sound of the clock ticking the loudest noise in the room.
The television has been forgotten, of course.
Hayden grabbed my mom and took her into his office as soon as she regained the ability to talk.
We were all shocked when Landon kissed me, but Mom was the most shocked. Hayden knew something, I knew everything, and poor Mom just sat there, stunned and confused, as she watched her daughter’s attempted attacker mark her on the goddamn couch.
I feel immense guilt and no small amount of fear the longer they’re in there.
I don’t know what’s going to happen.
In my mind, the most likely outcome seems to be Mom coming out, sad and teary, and making me go pack a suitcase so we can go back to our house.
Landon sits on the couch next to me, not nearly as stressed as I am.
“I cannot believe you did that.”
He shrugs his broad shoulders with his arms crossed over his chest. “Had to be done.”
“No, it most certainly did not have to be done,” I state, glaring at him.
“Yeah, it did. You were only worried about your mom’s relationship. I’m worried about being able to legitimize ours. It’s impossible until they know. Maybe they’ll struggle and be uncomfortable for a time, but they’ll just have to get the fuck over it and then we can all move on with our lives.”
Eyes wide, I turn to face him. “You think so, Landon? Because I think it’s more likely they’re going to break up, and it will be all our fault.”
He shakes his head dismissively. “My dad won’t let that happen. The guy’s a lawyer, he makes arguments for a fucking living. He’s been training his whole life for this. He’ll find a way.”