Chapter 7 Parker
Parker
Even though I don’t live with my mom anymore, I show up to her house without warning because I’m her son. Her one and only child, her baby boy, and I know she can’t stand to be away from me.
“Mom?” I call out as I walk through the front door. I hear a thud and I start to go toward the source.
She pops out from one of the back rooms that’s her art studio and blows her hair off her face. “You know you can’t scare me like that when I’m in the zone.”
“Thought you heard me.” I shrug and she shakes her head, wiping her paint-stained hands on a towel.
“Yeah? Thought I heard you over my music while I’m completely focused?”
“Anyway,” I divert, “want to go to dinner at the Baker’s?”
“Tina invite us? Or did Lily invite you?”
“So you did know when she was coming back into town,” I accuse.
She gives me a knowing look. “Does it matter?”
“Yeah, it does because she has some boyfriend,” I grumble.
“Is he here?”
“Not yet, but he will be.”
“Well, he’s not now so sounds like it’s your chance.”
“My chance for what?” I humor her.
“To get her back,” she says way too excitedly.
As much as I want to be optimistic about the possibility, I remember how stubborn my ex is, and how much she seemingly hates me now.
Even though I’m still not entirely sure why.
When she left for college, I didn’t think we had any animosity toward each other.
We would text, and then all of a sudden one day it stopped.
The next time I saw her it was different.
There’s also the possibility that she really is happy with someone else, and that thought is the hardest for me to accept.
“Don’t get your hopes up,” I warn my mom.
“Don’t be so sure. Everything happens for a reason. And maybe that’s why she’s back.”
“I’m going to tell Trish you said the reason her business burnt down is because of her niece’s love life.”
“As long as that love life includes you, then you can tell Trish whatever you want.” She tosses the towel into the small hamper in her studio and steps out.
“It’s been six years,” I state, even though it hurts to admit. “I think that ship has sailed.”
“Oh, my son.” She pats my shoulder. “Your ship is still firmly docked at the port.”
She may be right about that, but Lily’s seems across the ocean. Though, I have a feeling that doesn’t mean my mom is going to let up on this at any point during dinner.
Growing up, my mom and Lily’s mom were best friends.
They were that way long before Lily and I were born, but they became even closer after my dad left.
Lily’s parents were both there for my mom to help with everything she needed, including me.
Of course, that meant that I spent a lot of time at their house, and a lot of time around Lily.
She’s been my oldest friend, someone I’ve known my entire life.
It only got better when things shifted as teenagers and our relationship progressed to something more. Something better, something I struggle to fully describe because it was just us. Until it wasn’t.
Things between us were always easy, except right now.
We’re at the dining table, our mom’s made sure we’re sitting next to each other while all members of the Baker family, and my mother surround us.
Ethan sits on the other side of me because he got annoyed that his mom insisted Lily and I sit next to each other.
“We’re so happy you’re back,” my mom tells the blonde sitting next to me, and I give her a look that I hope shows how I can see how thick she’s laying it on right now.
“Who’s we?” Lily asks, amused.
“Parker, and me, silly girl.”
I grumble around another bite of food.
“Jackie, don’t embarrass the boy,” Lily’s dad scolds, and for once I appreciate him sticking up for me. He’s a man of few words, unlike his daughter.
My mom completely ignores Lily’s dad and continues. “So, Lily, I heard you’re a nurse?”
Lily nods. “I am, yeah. Turns out sex work is illegal so nursing was my next choice.” There are a few sputters from around the table at her comment, and I bite back my smile as she continues. “Why is sex work illegal anyway?”
“Parker,” Tina practically yells to draw attention away from her daughter’s comments. “You have to go to the hospital quite a bit when you’re on duty, don’t you?”
I nod, swallowing the oversized bite of steak I just bit off. “Yeah, enough they know me around there.”
“I don’t think that’s why they know you there,” Lily grumbles.
I turn toward her. “What does that mean?”
She looks over at me, blue eyes glaring and all it does is make my heart rate spike. “I swear, every time you speak it makes my ears start to ring.”
“Maybe you should have that looked at.”
“No, I think that just means you shouldn’t talk to me.”
I smirk at her hostility; it shouldn’t make me this happy to spar with her, but I can’t help it.
It’s like old times, and it feels like the first ray of light breaking through the storm clouds.
Even if we’re arguing, it feels like it used to when it was just us.
When nothing else mattered other than the two of us curled up on a bed of blankets in my truck on a spring night.
“You missed me, Lil, it’s written all over your face.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but then her phone goes off, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her grab for it faster.
“Lily, we’re having dinner,” her mom scolds.
“It’s Aaron, I should answer,” she pleads, and hearing her say his name has my shoulders and eyes dropping.
“Can’t he wait until after dinner?” Tina tries, but Lily’s already standing up.
“It’ll just be a minute.” She moves her arms around toward the table. “Talk amongst yourselves.”
She walks away, and no one says anything at first, we all just give each other looks that I hope all mean the same thing. Because mine sure means that I don’t like whoever this guy is that she’s dating.
“I hope she tells him to stay back in California,” Ethan speaks up, and I smother my laughter with a cough.
“He’s coming to help Auntie Trish,” Tina tells her son, and I grimace at the reminder that he’s coming here to be helpful. “Be nice.”
Ethan turns toward me, and teases, “Yeah, Parker, be nice.”
“I’m nice to everyone,” I announce.
There are some snickers around the table, but no one denies it.
Lily comes back, dropping into her seat.
It may not be obvious to everyone else, but I can see the light has dimmed in her.
Even just a little bit; she was sunshine when she walked away, but now she’s not as bright.
She tries to hide it, but I can see it. I always notice everything when it comes to her. Even after being apart for so long.
“What did I miss?” she asks, and I see how she tries to perk back up.
I don’t take my eyes off her the rest of the meal.
I don’t know what happened during the short phone call, but I feel like there’s more she won’t say.
Holding things back really isn’t Lily’s style.
Which is another reason I’m concerned and going to make sure to keep an eye on this Aaron guy as soon as he steps foot in our town.
After dinner, I head home and sit in my truck for an extra moment as the quiet surrounds me.
I feel so much knowing Lily is back and so close once again.
It may end up driving me crazy. Tomorrow, I start my forty-eight-hour shift at the fire station, and can only hope there will be enough distractions that don’t involve the chaotic little woman that drives me insane in the best way.
I go inside, stripping down to my boxers and climbing into bed.
I reach under my pillow to feel the soft fabric of the object I keep hidden there.
When I pull it out, the light blue color looks lighter against my tanned skin.
I remember how it looked in her blonde hair when it was pulled back.
And how it felt when she put it on my wrist after I gently pulled it from her hair.
“What’re you doing?” I ask as she slides the soft scrunchie onto my arm.
“Staking my claim on you,” she teases with a smile.
“You’ve already done that. I think you did it even before you agreed to be my girlfriend.”
“How?”
“Well, I remember when you yelled at Marie Johnson when we were six that she wasn’t allowed to be my friend because you’re my best friend.”
“I stand by that, Marie was a bully,” Lily insists and the way her eyes narrow as she pouts makes me unable to stop the urge to pull her into me.
I run my fingers through her hair, holding the back of her neck and angling her to look up at me. “It doesn’t matter anyway. She would never have been my friend. No one could take me away from you.”
“Good.” She smiles, and I press my lips to hers.
If someone has taken her away from me, what I said is true. No one could ever replace her in my life. Lily is my once in a lifetime.
Even if I’m not hers anymore.