Chapter 5
Heath rolled out of bed and right into his slippers. He loved his house, but the floors were cold on a winter morning. He pulled on his robe and tied it tight, hit the head, then scurried downstairs to pump up the thermostat and stoke the wood stove.
Once things were cooking, he made a pot of coffee and took some eggs out of the fridge. He hoped his house guest didn’t mind plain old eggs; he didn’t really know how to do anything fancy. He had some cheese…
Fortunately, Parker seemed pretty low-maintenance because he really wasn’t set up for house guests.
He lived alone, did his own thing. If Parker wasn’t around today, he would have slept in a little longer, skipped breakfast, put on some music, and maybe started refinishing the banisters or something.
He had a long indoor to-do list for the winter.
There was no sign of Parker yet, so he decided to get dressed and clean the snow off his truck before he made eggs.
He’d debated what he should do first—build the upstairs deck or turn the old barn into a garage.
He’d decided on the deck for the spring, but man, now that it was snowing again, it was tempting to change his mind.
The snow looked pretty high out the back; his deck had about a foot on it. And winter was just getting started.
He glanced out his bedroom window, shocked as hell to see someone out there—a cowboy shoveling his drive.
Or trying to.
Parker slipped and slid about every third step but, somehow, he managed to use the shovel to balance himself, the man laughing happily.
It looked like a losing battle, but at least Parker was having fun. Why was he shoveling the driveway though? Jake was usually down here with the plow at first light. A foot was a lot, but it wasn’t enough to stop a man with a plow.
He started to reach for his phone, and that’s when he saw it. One of the big evergreen trees that lined the road had come down right across his driveway.
Damn.
And that was when his phone rang.
“Hey, Jake,” he answered with a sigh.
“Hey, neighbor. You got a tree down.”
“Yeah, I see it.”
“You need a hand?”
“I think I’ve got it. Can I call you when I get it cleared?” He had a chainsaw. He had two, in fact.
“Of course. And I can send Tim down if you need a hand.”
Jake’s son was about the size of a twig. “I will do that. Thanks, Jake.” He hung up and got dressed so he could go rescue the L.A. cowboy from the snow.
The guy was going to freeze to death, and then he’d have to explain that to Skyler and Beckett.
Worse, the kids seemed to like him too.
He tugged on his boots and gloves and grabbed another shovel. “Okay, cowboy, I’m coming.” He trudged out into the snow. “Hey, Parker? What are you doing out here? Are you warm enough?”
“Hey! You said you needed shoveling done, so I thought I’d help!” The man’s lips were blue. Literally.
Whoa. Damn. Time to get Parker back inside.
“You rock. I really appreciate it, and you’re doing a great job. Can I make you some breakfast? Why don’t you come on in and have some coffee, and we’ll eat something before we get back to it?” They could discuss not shoveling and breaking down that tree instead once Parker wasn’t…blue.
“S-sounds fab. This shovel is great for steering. I approve.” Parker winked at him, obviously playful and happy. It was adorable. It made Parker even more handsome.
“Steer yourself back to the house, then. I’m right behind you.” In case the guy fell. He didn’t though. There was a lot of sliding and laughing, but they made it back to the house in one piece. “You’re pretty wet, and that’s going to be uncomfortable. You’d better take those jeans off. Socks too.”
He didn’t need to see Parker without his jeans on. That smile already had him warmed up in ways the fire didn’t, so he left the mudroom, calling over his shoulder. “Do you have a robe or…dry sweats or something?”
“I do. You got a dryer I can borrow, by any chance?” Parker worked his boots off and left them in the mudroom.
“Yep. Laundry is in the basement. Help yourself. You want me to run upstairs and get something for you?” He should really be a good host and go put Parker’s things in the wash. He sighed and went back into the mudroom.
He heard the schlump of denim hitting the ground.
“I can just toss this shit in, and then I’ll run up. Where’s the basement door?”
“I’ll put it in for you. The basement is chilly.” He held a hand out for the wet clothing, trying not to peek like a stupid teenager when they were both grown adults. “You just run up and change.”
“Are you sure? Thanks, man. I’ll be right back down.” Parker hurried off, and he got sight of a man covered in scars and tattoos, not an ounce of softness anywhere.
Damn.
He watched Parker all the way to the stairs and stood there a second even after the cowboy was out of sight. He’d never seen anything like that.
He snapped out of it and got Parker’s things in the dryer, then came back up and got busy making eggs and trying to think of anything other than all that muscle and the stories on Parker’s skin.
And that tight, tiny ass in navy blue boxer briefs.
Jesus.
It just screamed, ‘touch me’.
And he was not going to. Not. At all. He was going to scramble the living fuck out of these eggs and try not to burn the toast and not think about Skyler’s friend that way.
Although, Skyler obviously wasn’t thinking about Parker that way.
Skyler stared at Beckett like the man was stunning.
He shook his head and pushed the toast down in the toaster. The only cheese he had was American, so he broke that up and stirred it into the eggs, making sure it melted. He got out butter and strawberry jelly. He set out two mugs for coffee.
Watch him play host. He could do this.
Parker came bouncing down, grinning at him. The man’s energy was wild. “I can’t stop shivering!”
Heath glanced up at Parker, who still looked kind of frozen. “Go sit by the wood stove.” He ducked into the mudroom and came back with a down vest that Parker was going to swim in, but it would help keep some heat in. “Pull that on, and I’ll get you some coffee.”
He put together a plate for Parker, complete with relatively unburned toast and a travel mug full of coffee, which would stay warm longer than an open mug.
“Looks great, man. Thanks.”
Was this son of a bitch the Energizer bunny or what?
Maybe he was on drugs.
Either way, if Parker had frostbite once thawed out, Beckett was going to kill him.
“You’re welcome.” Maybe he should ask Beckett what was up. He pulled out his phone and texted.
Heath
Tree fell and can’t get out. Parker is stuck unless you can come pick him up. Does he…
He deleted that last bit and tried a more tactful way.
Heath
He’s got a lot of energy huh?
He hit send and went to get his breakfast.
Skyler
He’s fine. The kids are puking. Keep him there. Also, he’s a bull rider. They only come in adrenaline-ridden
“So, Beckett says the kids have a stomach thing, and you should stay here.” He sat with Parker and picked up his fork.
“Oh my God! Let me call Sky. If I have to, I’ll DoorDash them some soup and salt crackers.”
That was cute and well-meaning but, no. “Parker, I’m sure they’d appreciate that, but there’s actually no DoorDash delivery out this way.”
“Oh. Well, I’m sure they can… I’m sure if they need me, I’ll figure it out. If not, I’ll help you.” Parker ate his eggs with gusto. That was nice, he guessed.
So, Parker wanted to be needed. He heard that loud and clear, and he figured he could give Parker the perfect job to use up some of that energy. “Random question. Do you know how to use a chainsaw?”
“I have used one a couple of times, and I didn’t die.” Parker’s grin was wicked.
“Cool. Not dying is my only rule.” Heath grinned. “There’s a big-ass tree down at the top of the drive. If we can get that cleared, Jake can come plow us out. I don’t shovel the driveway as a rule. The front porch, yes. The deck? Sometimes.”
“Oh. No problem. I will totally destroy the big-assed tree with you.”
“Fantastic. I have plenty of gear—boots and gloves and stuff.” He wasn’t going to let Parker slide around in wet cowboy boots with a chainsaw in his hands. “And after we can come back in, get a hot shower, and make pasta. Or stuff pizzas in the oven and put on a movie.”
“Sounds perfect.” Parker chugged his coffee. “What’s your favorite movie, man?”
“Anything with explosions.” He grinned. “Or car chases.” He honestly didn’t have a favorite. “I like Samuel Jackson movies a lot too.”
“Oh, yeah. I will watch anything that’s not torture horror. That shit creeps me out.”
“I live alone in the middle of nowhere with woods on one side and an open field on the other.” Heath laughed. “I do not watch scary shit. Disney is okay though.”
“Right? I’m on the road a lot. Like in that scary dude on the highway way.”
“Nope. Uh-uh.” He chuckled and sipped his coffee. “Sorry you don’t get to see the kids today. But we’ll get you out tomorrow, I promise.”
“It’s okay. I’m thinking about finding an Airbnb, stay around a little while.” Okay, that was a surprise.
“That’s an idea, but, I mean, I’ve never seen Beckett and Skyler allow friends and family to stay anywhere but with them. Well, except for this little hiccup, but this is only for a few days.” The room just needed paint or whatever; it wasn’t going to be too long.
“Yeah.” Parker didn’t sound too sure, but he didn’t elaborate, just finishing up his breakfast. “Thank you for breakfast. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.” It wasn’t fancy, but Parker didn’t seem to care. “Let’s find you some boots and then we’ll fire up the chainsaws.”