Chapter 17
DELANEY
“Do you miss being a cop?”
Mason and Pia sat on the big couch. Parker was on the smaller one, and when I’d come back from the bathroom and the three of them had moved to sit in front of the fire, I panicked.
The armchair was cozy, especially since I was closest to the fire.
But I should have been brave enough to sit by Parker.
My mind was a jumbled mess of contradictions. Wanting to kiss him again. Wanting to get in the first car out of here tomorrow, go home, and bury myself in my bed. Wanting to bury myself in Parker’s bed. Wanting to go back in time and not have kissed him at all.
How could a person want so many opposite things at once?
Makis. That’s how.
A huge part of me wanted to forget the sleepless nights I spent waiting for a text that never came. Or the emptiness of life without a man who clearly wasn’t right for me but who I missed nonetheless. But the hurt was still there, lingering.
Maybe it was good we weren’t sitting together. He looked so handsome in sweats. Though his hair was dry, when it had been wet earlier, it was all I could do to stop myself from running my hands through it.
Mason had just taken a swig of beer when I asked the question.
“Yes and no,” he said. “I miss my colleagues and certain aspects of the job. Helping people, which is why I got into it in the first place. But there’s a lot of bullshit I don’t miss. And running Heritage Hill has been rewarding too.” He looked at Pia.
She was lying on the couch with her feet in his lap. Winking at him, Pia snuggled down into the couch even more.
“It must have been scary though? Changing careers like that?”
“It was until I actually made the decision. After that”—he shrugged—“no looking back.”
“Which begs the age-old question,” Parker said. “What would you do if fear wasn’t holding you back?”
I nearly spit out my drink.
“You” didn’t seem like an appropriate answer.
“I’d make art my career,” I answered quickly, before my cheeks turned pink and everyone guessed what had really been on my mind.
“You should see her paintings,” Pia said. “There are a few around town actually. The Grapevine Bistro has two, and we’ve commissioned a big one for the inn’s great room.”
“Speaking of that,” I added. “It’ll probably be next month before it’s finished.”
“No problem,” Pia said. “She won’t even let me peek,” she told Mason.
“You make jewelry too, right?” Parker asked.
“I do. And pottery. That’s part of the problem. I can’t seem to choose one medium, so am half good at all of them.”
“Not true.” Pia turned on her side. “She’s just being humble.”
“Agreed,” Mason chimed in. “I’ve seen your piece at The Big Easy. It’s amazing.”
“Maggie was so sweet to work with,” I said of The Big Easy’s chef and owner. “I loved that painting. The subject made it easy to create.”
“New Orleans?” Parker asked.
“Yep. She wanted to capture the architecture of the Quarter so I drew a street lined with Creole townhouses.”
“Wait a minute,” he said. “The picture hanging just behind the hostess stand with all of the colorful houses. That’s yours?”
“Yep,” Pia chimed in, as if she were my agent or PR rep. “Sure is. Looks like a photo, it’s so realistic. Right?”
“Impressive.” Parker looked at me. “What’s the biggest hurdle?”
“Where do I even start? Giving up guaranteed income. Throwing away years of education. Startup costs. I’d open a studio. Something that could showcase all of my own pieces but a place where other people could learn too and take classes. Somewhere near the square.”
“I think she should do it,” Pia said.
“Seems like the two of you have a lot in common.” Mason got up from the couch to add a log to the fire. “Parker has been talking about his own construction company for years.”
Parker and I exchanged a glance. “You’re in a better position than me,” I said. “Already working in construction. I totally think you should do it.”
“I will if you do,” he teased, smiling.
“Would love to see that.” Mason moved Pia’s feet off him. “Who’s up for midnight pizza?”
“Me, please,” Pia said, looking more awake than she was a few seconds ago. “I’ll help.”
Whether Mason really needed help putting a frozen pizza in the oven or she wanted to leave Parker and me alone, I’d have to wait to find out.
“So,” I said, attempting to keep my tone light. “We both have commitment issues. Both want to start our own companies. Both like cupcakes. What else do we have in common?”
Parker leaned forward, elbows on his knees as if ready for an intense conversation. “Let’s find out. Chocolate or vanilla?”
“Chocolate.”
He shook his head. “Nope, vanilla. Beach or mountain?”
“Beach.”
“Zero for two. Mountains for me. Favorite season?”
“Fall. One hundred percent.”
“Oh, man, we’re not doing so great. I’m a summer guy. Fishing. Boating. But fall isn’t so bad.”
“Morning person or night owl?” I asked.
“Morning, for sure.”
I grimaced. “You’re right. We’re sucking it up. How about dream destination?”
Parker raised his eyes, looking straight up toward the bedrooms upstairs. “Pleading the fifth on that one. Mace, grab me a beer?”
I laughed, ignoring the rush of heat that coursed through me at his insinuation. I had to admit, my bedroom with him in it… or his bedroom with me in it… sounded pretty dreamy to me. “I meant for a vacation, silly.”
“Oh, well, in that case, Montana. Let me guess from the look on your face, not your top pick?”
Funny he’d say Montana. “No,” I said. “That would be Italy. I’ve always wanted to see it.”
We talked about the places we had been and tried to find more commonalities until Mason and Pia finished cooking. By then, the other guys came back inside from the hot tub, changed, and joined what turned out to be our late-night pizza party.
It was all fun and games until everyone started going to bed. Alone with Parker once again, reluctant to leave him, I asked if he was tired.
“Not even a little. You?”
“Nope,” I said, glad to go back to sharing favorites, trying to find more things in common.
Having stopped drinking, I was content to talk to Parker and listen to the crackle of the fireplace.
I hadn’t looked at my phone in a while, but the last time I did peek, it was past three in the morning.
Fighting sleep, I stayed awake as Parker headed into the bathroom, wondering if I should get up and join him on the couch.
Maybe I would, but only after I closed my eyes for a second.
Just a tiny little nap until he came back.