Parker Read online

  “I’m sorry there won’t be any turkey,” Susan confessed contritely.

  Hazel, seated at the table, smiled and shook her head. “I don’t mind one bit. I’m just so glad to be home with all of you.” She looked pale, but otherwise seemed to be recovering so well that Jen couldn’t help feeling happy.

  Susan leaned over to hug Hazel around the shoulders and kiss the top of her head. “We’re so excited you’re here as well, my dear.”

  “Never mind about turkey,” added Jen as she set the glasses at each place setting. “We’ve got pork ribs, chicken kebabs and steak. Dalton’s got the grill fired up and it smells good out there.”

  Hazel closed her eyes a moment. “Ah…ow!”

  “Does it hurt?” whispered Jen, resting a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

  Hazel covered Jen’s hand with hers and nodded. “Just a little. Not too bad, considering.”

  Jen smiled, then hurried to the kitchen for the rest of the glasses. Dalton, Eamon and Parker had insisted on making most of the food. Susan made her promised sweet potato soufflé, plus potato salad, squash casserole and honeyed carrots. That left Jen with the sweet tea and pumpkin pie for dessert – no oven, so she paid a visit to a local bakery. Emily had promised to bring a box of chocolates after her shift at Tift General – she was due to arrive any moment – but Jen doubted any of them would have room for even the smallest treat after the meal they were planning on eating.

  Eamon and Parker’s rooms no longer had a roof, Eamon had just slept at Emily’s apartment. Parker ended up on the floor in Dalton’s room, but now that Hazel was home, she wondered what he’d do. She should offer him her room – she really couldn’t force Parker to sleep on the couch or in the barn. Even with everything that was going on, no power, or turkey, this was the best Thanksgiving she could recall. She had so much to be grateful for this year.

  Once she’d finished with the tea, Jen hurried to the bathroom. Using that room had become an adventure with no roof or lighting, just a faint blue glow of sunlight filtering through the tarpaulin. She grimaced at the tarp and washed her hands, then returned to the kitchen, rinsing off dishes and adding them to the dishwasher, wiping down counters and putting ingredients away.

  “You know the dishwasher won’t work without power, right?” laughed Parker, as he backed through the door, a full tray of chicken kebabs and steaks in his hands.

  She rolled her eyes and slapped her forehead. “I can’t believe I forgot that. Here I thought I was being so helpful, filling it up. Ugh!”

  He chuckled and set the tray on the counter, his eyes twinkling. “You’re very helpful.”

  She laughed and slapped him playfully on the chest. “Stop it! I try …”

  “Just as well you’re so stunningly beautiful. That way people don’t mind when you fill a dead dishwasher.”

  Her cheeks flamed. Did he really mean that? She didn’t think anyone had ever called her “stunningly beautiful” before. “Cute,” sure – she’d been called that more times than she could count. “Airheaded” and “klutz” came up a lot. But never “stunningly beautiful.” She caught him watching her with one eyebrow arched, his expression pensive. “Thanks,” she whispered, then opened the dishwasher to unload it again.

  “Don’t worry about that now,” said Parker. “Dinner is ready.” He winked, pulled a platter from beneath the counter and began setting the meat on it.

  She reached for a pair of tongs and leaned across him, setting them beside the meat.

  “Thanks,” he said, his breath warm against her cheek.

  She flushed with heat and pulled away from him until her back bumped the cabinets. She met his gaze, her heart pounding.

  He stepped toward her and lifted a hand to tuck her hair behind one ear. “Listen, Jen, there’s something I wanting to talk to you about …”

  Dalton burst through the back door, a tray of browned ribs in both hands. “Ribs are done!” he called.

  Parker turned on a dime, picked up the platter and followed Dalton into the dining room. Jen shrugged and followed.

  She sat in her place at the table opposite Parker. Dalton stood at the head, leaning his hands on the table top. “As y’all know, this has been a hard year for us. A wonderful year, but also a difficult year. We got married …”

  Eamon hooted and Parker pounded the table with his palms. Jen laughed and clapped along with them.

  “… thank you, thank you.” Dalton chuckled. “And it was the best day of my life. I was so happy to marry this wonderful woman. Then to find out on our honeymoon that she was sick …” He faltered, his voice breaking with emotion.

  Hazel rested her hand on top of his and whispered something in his ear.

  He smiled and continued. “But thanks to our beautiful sister-in-law Emily …” More hoots and hollers. “… Hazel is now cancer free. We know there are more tests to be done, but we have faith they’ll be clear. So we have much to be grateful for. We have each other, we have more time and we have our health.” He lifted his glass of tea high, his eyes never leaving Hazel’s face. “So I’m thankful for marriage, family and good health.”

  “Hear, hear,” chimed Parker, raising his glass high as well. Everyone drank to that, and Jen wiped happy tears from the corners of her eyes as her throat tightened.

  Then Parker stood. “I want to say how thankful I am as well. I’m thankful for my family and for Dalton inviting me into his home to be part of his ranch. I’m thankful for Mom always being there for us boys. And finally, I’m thankful for Jen – she may not realize it, but she’s helped me see the light after many years of darkness. She’s shown me how to be happy in spite of what’s going on around me, to seize the moment and enjoy what life brings. So thank you, Jen.”

  Jen’s eyes widened in surprise, her mouth hanging open. She hadn’t been expecting that. As everyone around the table raised their glasses to her, she almost choked on the lump in her throat. She looked at him, tears in her eyes, and he smiled back, his head tipped to one side. He raised his glass with a nod, and she grinned through the tears.

  Chapter 10

  Parker picked up the pizza boxes, burning his fingers on the hot cardboard as he worked to keep the stack steady. He hurried up the porch stairs and inside with a grimace, dropping the boxes on the kitchen table. Well, he thought as he rinsed his hands under the tap to cool them off, there was no concern about whether the pizzas would still be hot enough for the party.

  Also on the table were paper plates, cups and napkins, and he and Dalton had stocked a cooler with ice and sodas. It wasn’t fancy, but it was the best they could do on short notice and without electricity. Mom had been determined to celebrate Eamon and Emily’s wedding, and she’d helped to throw a party together in only a few days.

  He glanced out the back window and saw Jen stringing solar powered twinkle lights over the bushes outside while Hazel watched, sitting on a chair with a warm blanket tucked around her on every side. He chuckled. Jen had lived up to her vow to take care of her friend. From what he’d seen so far, she wasn’t letting Hazel do anything for herself since coming home from the hospital.

  Mom flew into the kitchen, velcro rollers still in her hair and sporting a bright smile. “There you are – and good, you got the pizzas!” she said in her shrill organizer’s voice. He remembered it well from childhood, and it still made his hair stand on end as though someone had run their fingernails down a chalkboard.

  He frowned. “No problem at all. They’re still hot.”

  She nodded. “Good – people will be arriving soon. I hope no one’s late. I ask you, what’s the point of a surprise party if you’re gonna be late and spoil the surprise? But I’ve seen it happen more times than I care to say.” She opened the back door and peeked outside. “Looking beautiful!” she shouted through the opening.

  Parker began opening the boxes of plastic knives and forks to set out on the table.

  “Where’s Dalton?” asked Mom.

  “Setting up the fir
e pits so they’ll be ready to light when everyone’s here.”

  “It seems to me everything’s in order. You’d better go and get dressed, my boy.”

  He nodded and hurried out of the room. When she was in party mode, the only thing you could do was whatever Mom told you to, and pronto. He threw on a change of clothes, ran a comb through his hair and hurried out back.

  The guests had begun to arrive, and as requested had parked around back in the field behind the house. Dalton was directing traffic while Jen and Hazel greeted the guests – neighbors, colleagues, friends, doctors from Emily’s office, men from the stockyards, anyone who could make it on such short notice. Even Jen’s boss Will was there.

  And Jen … Parker had to admit, she looked amazing in her little black dress with a long red coat and black stockings. Her hair was piled loosely on top of her head. She even wore red lipstick – the first time he’d seen her with lipstick on since she was a bridesmaid at Dalton and Hazel’s wedding. It suited her.

  By the time Emily and Eamon pulled up in front of the house, all the guests were well-hidden behind the bushes out back. Mom was inside to meet the couple and come up with some excuse to get the two of them out the back door. Parker crouched in silence, musing over how strange everyone looked, hiding quietly behind bushes and shrubbery.

  The kitchen door inched open. Eamon came out first, followed by Emily, both looking confused by the twinkle lights. Emily murmured something about how pretty it was just before everyone jumped out and shouted, “Surprise!” Eamon’s eyes widened and Emily’s hands flew to cover her mouth.

  Parker hurried to greet them. “Finally, congratulations on your wedding!” he said, shaking Eamon’s hand and kissing Emily on the cheek. The other guests followed his lead and soon the couple was surrounded by well-wishers.

  Parker sidled up to Jen and nudged her with an elbow. “Wanna dance?”

  She looked up at him with a half-grin, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears from watching Eamon and Emily. “There’s no music.”

  He shrugged. “A minor detail.”

  She nodded and he put his hand over hers and led her toward the house. He reached inside the kitchen door and grabbed his Bluetooth speaker, hoping it had enough charge to make it through the evening. In a few moments he had it positioned on the end of one of the folding tables Dalton had arranged along the back of the house for the food, blasting Toby Keith at full volume. Then he pulled her to an open space away from the rest of the party-goers and drew her close, his other hand on her back.

  As they moved in time to the music, his eyes locked on hers. She didn’t look away as they danced in silence. His pulse raced at her touch, and he fought the urge to kiss her. A few other couples soon joined them on the makeshift dance floor, including Emily and Eamon.

  Parker grinned at them. “You gonna show us how it’s done?”

  Eamon dipped Emily, and she grimaced, then laughed. “Careful now, I’m not a rag doll.”

  Eamon chuckled, pulled her back up and quickly kissed her.

  Parker raised a hand to spin Jen. She stumbled over her own high heels, and he caught her just before she hit the ground. He laughed and pulled her close. “I guess we showed them, huh?”

  Her cheeks reddened, but she grinned widely. “We sure did. And that’s just the beginning – I’ve got moves you’ve never seen.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Julia Roberts in My Best Friend’s Wedding?”

  She nodded. “I didn’t think you’d get the reference. I love that movie. It’s sappy, but just the right amount, don’t you think?”

  He chuckled as he pulled her close again and led her around the dance floor. “Do you think it’s possible, though?”

  “What?” Her brow furrowed.

  “For two friends who think they’re nothing more to realize they love each other and make it work. Do you think that could happen?”

  She frowned. “In the movie they realize they’re not right for each other …”

  “Yeah, but still – it could happen, couldn’t it?”

  She smiled. “Sure it could. I think when it comes to love, anything’s possible.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Now, that’s sappy.”

  She laughed.

  “But just the right amount.” He pulled her closer, and her head fit perfectly beneath his chin as they moved.

  Emily’s phone rang in her jeans pocket. She released Eamon’s hand and pulled it free, glowering at it before taking the call. “Hello?”

  Eamon’s eyebrows arched. “Who is it?” he whispered.

  She shook her head and mouthed something Parker couldn’t make out before she spoke. “Ba Ba, it’s hard to hear you. We’re having a party … to celebrate our wedding. I know, I know you didn’t agree I should marry Eamon. And I’m sorry you’re disappointed. But we love each other and I hope you’ll come to realize he makes me happy. Don’t you want me to be happy?”

  Eamon set his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them gently as tears began to pour down her cheeks.

  “… But Ba Ba, it’s not that I don’t respect you … please, can’t you just be happy for me?” She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, then nodded. “That’s all I want. I promise, I didn’t do this to hurt you. I fell in love, that’s all …” She was silent for a while, then hung up and fell into Eamon’s arms, sobbing against his shoulder.

  Parker released Jen and shuffled his feet, shoving his hands into his pockets. He hated to see Emily hurting so much. What kind of parents treated their only daughter that way, just because she chose to marry someone they didn’t like? Come to think of it, he was sure they hadn’t even met Eamon yet, so it really didn’t make sense for them to disapprove.

  Eamon led Emily to one of the chairs set up around the party space. She sat down and he crouched in front of her, stroking her cheek and whispering to her. Jen followed and sat beside Emily, wrapping her arm around her friend’s shoulders. Parker wandered over, though there likely wasn’t anything he could say or do to make things better. But he felt as though he should at least try. “Are you okay, Em?”

  She glanced up at him with tear-filled eyes as Eamon took a seat beside her. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Thanks, Parker.” She turned to Eamon, who was staring at the ground in front of her. “They don’t know you. How can they treat us this way?”

  Eamon shook his head, took her hand and squeezed it. “Don’t worry about it – they’ll come around sometime. I mean, look how lovable I am. They won’t be able to resist this level of charm for long.” He grinned, and she laughed at him, then hiccupped. “What did your Dad say?”

  “That he was disappointed I’d chosen to marry you against their wishes. That Ma Ma wouldn’t even come to the phone to talk to me. He wants to mend things between us, somehow. He said he’d like to come and visit. But …”

  “Well, that’s good, isn’t it?”

  She nodded and sniffled into her sleeve. “Well, it’s definitely a step in the right direction. I can’t believe he was the first one to break and call me. I was sure he’d never do that. But he still sounded like he just wanted to come here so he could talk me out of it …” She sobbed again, and Jen pulled a tissue from her pocket and handed it to her. She thanked Jen and wiped her nose. “He said he’ll try to convince Ma Ma to visit after Christmas. They want to see where we live and where I work …”

  Eamon smiled. “See, it’s all going to work out.”

  She sobbed again, then burst into a fresh round of tears. “I hope so.”

  * * *

  Parker hung his towel on the rack in the bathroom and grimaced at the condensation on the mirror. He had to remember to switch on the exhaust fan before he stepped into the shower. Hazel hated it when he fogged up the entire bathroom.

  He flicked the switch, hoping to clear out the steam before she took her shower. He’d forgotten how much he appreciated electricity until it was gone. Of course, he’d taken many a cold shower in the military, but now that he was
out he’d grown used to home comforts. So when Dalton hooked up their new generator so they could get the water heater going for awhile, he’d almost danced for joy.

  He’d been showering in Dalton and Hazel’s en suite since the roof was blown off the main bathroom. It was small but worked well enough, though he hated invading their privacy that way – having to sneak through their bedroom past a sleeping Hazel with his towel over his arm and a toiletry bag in hand. After sleeping all night on the couch. He was ready for the roof to be repaired so things could get back to semi-normal.

  In the kitchen, he nodded to Dalton and reached for the box of Honey Bunches of Oats. He set it on the table, found a bowl and spoon, poured himself a generous portion and added milk from a portion sized long-life carton. As he ate, he browsed the latest news on his iPad until a grunt from Dalton gave him pause. He glanced up at his brother with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

  Dalton was glowering. “Insurance company. They’re saying they won’t cover the cost of replacing the roof or redoing the bathroom and bedrooms.” He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “I can’t believe it. We’ve paid premiums all this time, and now when we finally need them to step up they’re trying to weasel out of paying.”

  Parker shook his head and frowned. “Typical.” He took another bite of cereal, his thoughts swirling as he munched. “I mean, they have to pay. That’s what we have insurance for.”

  Dalton shook his head. “Doesn’t look like it. They’ve found a loophole – something to do with water damage. Apparently our policy doesn’t cover it.”

  Parker swallowed. “So what do we do then? We can’t live like this permanently. I don’t know how long those tarps will keep the weather out, and if we get another storm they won’t. Not to mention it’s freezing cold at night. Thank goodness for the fireplace, or I’d probably be frozen solid on the couch by morning.” He scooped up the last of the cereal from his bowl.