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)
Tomorrow night is Fright Fest, this lame fucking thing the school puts on for the students. Parker has been helping plan it so I have to go this year, but usually I skip it and hit up Arden’s party afterward.
After the bullshit he pulled today, I don’t know if I even want to go this year. Parker’s not much for parties, anyway. Maybe I’ll entice her to stay in by suggesting she invite Hannah over to our place after Fright Fest. We can watch scary movies in the media room instead. That way, I can also make sure Hannah doesn’t wind up there without really getting involved.
I don’t think Hannah would go for Arden, honestly, but I know the guy, and I know once he has his sights set on something, he finds a way to get it.
“Hayden, I can’t find my purse.”
Gemma’s tone is anxious as she glides through the living room with the grace of a dancer, her long off-white gown fanning out a bit as she turns on a dime.
I think Gemma’s always a little anxious, but I haven’t seen her this tightly wound in a few weeks.
When she first discovered I was sleeping with her daughter, she was anxious and uncomfortable every time I was near her.
I get it. I’ve been a problem in Parker’s life for a long time, and even as a romantic interest, I’m hardly known as a guy who sticks around. I understood her skepticism, and I understood from what Parker told me that Gemma probably had a sensitivity about it, anyway, because of Parker’s dad blowing up their family and making Gemma a single mom. If I had to guess, it lurks at the back of her mind that I’m exactly the kind of guy who would do the same thing to her daughter.
She’s wrong, but I would have let her be wrong about me. Doesn’t matter much what people think as long as Parker knows.
It was upsetting Parker, though, so one day I caught Gemma out by the pool alone when she was waiting for my dad to get off work and sat down with her.
I told her I understood why she didn’t like me, and I knew I hadn’t done myself any favors in that department, but she’d never have to worry about me hurting her daughter. I told her I may be an asshole, but I’m the asshole who adores her daughter, and I’d sooner cut off my own arm than break Parker’s heart. I told her if Parker ever gets married, it’s going to be to me. If she ever gives her grandbabies, I’ll be their father. I told her I was completely serious about her daughter, that it’s not a game to me, and there is virtually no chance we will ever break up. Then I told her since what we both wanted was to see Parker happy, it might be a good idea if we tried a little harder to get along.
My speech seemed to ease some of her anxiety while probably contributing to a few new sources.
But since then, I think she’s gotten used to the idea that I’m not going anywhere. More than that, seeing me with Parker every day, I think she finally believes me. While she was tentative about me being her daughter’s boyfriend, since I announced my intention to be her husband, she realized it would be best to embrace me.
Personally, I don’t care about Gemma’s motivations or if she likes me. But it’s important to Parker, so I had to take care of it.
I watch Gemma being a neurotic mess, and my father’s steadying grip on her arms as he pulls her in and demands to know what’s wrong. I expect her to say she can’t find her purse since that’s what she was just bitching about, but she looks up at him and says, “Maybe this isn’t right. Parker has panda makeup on.”
He blinks at her. “What?”
“I know it’s just us, but I do want a nice photo of us all together to remember it by. And what if…?”
He stops her before she can continue. “I’ll make sure Parker is ready. You just go upstairs and find your purse. Grab a different one if you need to. We have to get going.”
“I’m not even sure about these shoes,” Gemma murmurs, but she turns and heads upstairs anyway.
My dad watches her until she’s out of sight, then he comes over and approaches me. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
I nod, and he takes a seat on the couch beside me.
“I need to ask a favor.”
“Need a Xanax for the wife?”
He appears unamused. “No. Parker’s costume, why is that happening?”
“School thing. She was fundraising to save pandas. Dressed up for the occasion.”
“All right. Well, when we leave, can you get her in the shower?”