Chapter Eight #2
Parker did as Lottie asked, smiling when she felt her own phone buzz immediately with a text from the woman.
“Thank you, Lottie.” Parker looked at all the stuff she’d brought and wasn’t sure what else to say to express how grateful she was while also knowing it wouldn’t feel right to take advantage of the woman’s kind offering, “I appreciate the gesture, but I can’t imagine any of this was cheap and I can’t accept a gift like this.
” She already felt a bit like a charity case at the moment, but at least she was working at the farm in exchange for the room and board.
Lottie nodded, touching Parker’s arm lightly. “I get that, and if you really want I can take all this back, but it was donated by the business owners. I didn’t do anything other than go around to a few places and ask if they’d be willing to help me out. It’s all just anonymous generosity.”
Parker let loose a watery laugh, the good feelings she was experiencing threatening to overwhelm her.
“Sorry,” she choked out. Waving her hands in front of her face, she smiled shakily.
“I feel like I’m in a fairytale, but there must be some evil stepmother around here somewhere.
” Though Parker would take that over the uncertainty of traveling through dark forests completely alone like they had been any day of the week.
Lottie chuckled and shook her head. “Not that I know of, and I know every person in this town.”
Parker picked up a box of cinnamon rolls, her mouth starting to water as she breathed in the smell of the sweet bread. “Well, thank you very much. I guess I’m not used to such kindness.”
Lottie nodded. “Well, if you’re living at the Kemp Farm, you’d better get used to it.
” Lottie patted Kit on the head, a move the girl normally detested but didn’t seem to mind coming from Lottie or anyone else that wasn’t her mother.
“I’ve known them my whole life and they are just about the best people you’ll ever meet. ”
Comprehension finally dawned on Parker as it became obvious who Lottie was.
There was no ring on her left finger, so she must be the girlfriend Parker knew would be hanging around somewhere.
She was a beautiful woman with curves Parker would kill for, and it made sense the handsome, muscled farm manager would go for someone like that.
“Well, thank you again.” A little bit of the sadness she was feeling at Travis being taken slipped into her voice, and she tried her best to swallow it back down. He wasn’t for her anyway. “Travis is a lucky guy.”
Lottie stared at her for a minute with a furrowed brow before her eyes widened and she barked a laugh. “Oh, no honey. He is a lucky man to have such a wonderful family, but he is not for me. Travis is as single as they come,” she said with a wink.
Parker started to sputter a little and was rescued from her half-assed attempt to save face when a stomping sound came from near the open doorway.
A few moments later, Travis appeared, looking just as good as he had a couple of hours ago.
He smiled shyly when his eyes hit hers before they moved over to Lottie.
Coughing into his fist, Travis stepped further into the room.
“Lottie,” he said with a nod. Looking at the haul of goodies on the table, he smiled at the woman before kicking at the wooden floorboard. “Seems Felix got hold of you.”
Lottie rolled her eyes, shooting Parker a can you believe this guy glance. “He did, though you could have just texted me yourself.” She stood in front of the big man and poked his shoulder. “Contrary to what some may think, I am not all that scary.”
Travis shrugged. “Don’t think that. Just know you and Felix are closer.”
Lottie sighed indulgently. “I guess I can agree with that statement.” She smiled at Parker and Kit one last time before starting down the stairs, waving over her shoulder. “Have a lovely day, you guys.”
Parker waved to the woman who was already halfway into the barn before turning her attention to Travis. “Well, she is something else.” Parker had never met a woman as effortlessly friendly while also seeming a little pushy at the same time.
Travis chuckled. “She is.” He looked around the apartment, taking in the few belongings they’d strew about in an attempt to make the place their own. “Ready to hit the store? Not sure what’s left in the fridge besides Felix’s favorite hot sauce.”
Parker laughed lightly as she had already found the bottle of expired sauce and tossed it into the garbage.
“That sounds good.” Gathering her purse and stuffing the gift cards she’d just been given into it, she managed to get Kit into her shoes in under five minutes and followed Travis down the stairs.
It took another minute to get Kit to come with her out to Travis’s truck since Kit was insistent on spending at least a couple of minutes searching for Boots.
“If it’s not much trouble, do you think we could stop by some shops downtown?
I was hoping to get some clothes for Kit. ”
Travis glanced over his shoulder and nodded curtly. “No trouble. Whatever you need.” Once they were all settled in the truck, Parker couldn’t help but smile as the cold air from the vents hit her face. “Take your time getting settled. We start work Monday morning.”
Smiling at getting a whole weekend to just hang with her daughter, Parker tried to relax and stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. “I look forward to it.”
Hard work wasn’t something she’d ever shied away from and she was eager to start earning her keep, but as she snuck glances over at Travis, the grassy green eyes that were focused on the road at the forefront of her mind, the more Parker realized there was definitely one part of the job she was looking forward to most.