Chapter 28
Parker
“Are you a doctor?” Ethan asks while we muck the horse’s stalls at his house.
I scoff. “No, you know I’m a firefighter.”
“Well, yeah I know that, but don’t you work in the ambulance and stuff too?”
“Yeah, I’m an EMT so I get to do both.”
“Is an EMT not a doctor?”
I laugh. “No, but I probably do more than a doctor does. And I’m smarter.”
“Lily said the same thing.”
I’m shocked. “About me?”
Ethan chuckles. “No way. She was talking about herself.”
“What did she say?” I ask. Even though I know better because it’s Lily and I’m sure it was something ridiculous, but hilarious.
“She said that doctors are arrogant shits that don’t do anything and nurses do all the hard work, but doctors get all the credit. Like assholes.”
I bark out a laugh, scolding lightly through the humor, “Language.”
“I was repeating her, it doesn’t count.”
“Touché. But it may not be the best idea to repeat your sister sometimes.”
“Yeah, she uses bad words a lot.”
“She definitely does,” I agree through my laughter.
“Are you guys talking about me?” Her voice appears seemingly from nowhere.
I look up and see Lily standing in the entryway of the barn, the sun illuminates behind her making her blonde hair look like it’s glowing while she leans against the wood.
The weather is getting warm so she’s in jean shorts that make her legs look long, despite her short stature.
Her brown boots with the blue accents are on her feet.
Her T-shirt is basic but on her it looks perfect, just like she always does.
“Depends. What did you hear?” Ethan snickers.
“Enough to know you’re talking shit.” She smirks, pushing off the wall to walk closer. I’m distracted watching the way she moves.
“Language,” Ethan scolds and I roll my lips together.
“I’m the adult, I can say whatever I want. Especially when my brother and ex-boyfriend are talking about me.”
“Is that all I am?” I ask with a humorous edge and a raised eyebrow.
“What else would you be?” she challenges.
“Your best friend.”
“That’s Sutton and Bailey…and Tulips. The spots are filled.”
“Wait, what am I?” Ethan demands.
“My best friend,” I tell him confidently.
“Does that mean you like me more than Lily?” He bounces on the balls of his feet.
“Definitely.”
“Oh that so? Okay, I’ll remember that.” Lily smiles widely in a way I feel like I should be scared. “I’m going to take Boone for a ride.”
“Want me to join you?” I feel like a puppy starting to follow her to the stall.
“You promised we could play video games,” Ethan complains.
“You’re right, I did, but your sister may need a chaperone to make sure she doesn’t get bucked off.”
Lily gasps, turning back to face me. “How dare you offend Boone like that. You know she would never hurt me.”
“I trust her, I think you’re just out of practice.”
“Ha ha. Enjoy playing your video games, I’ll make sure to scream really loudly if I need help.”
I step closer, speaking lowly just between us. “I’d rather make you scream for another reason.”
She sucks in a sharp intake of breath, her chest rising and falling is the only giveaway that she’s affected.
“Don’t let that distract you.” I wink, turning away because if I keep standing here with her I can’t be responsible for what I may do. And I promised one of my best friends we could play video games.
Afterwards, I plan on spending more stolen time with the love of my life.
As Ethan and I are walking back to the house he luckily waits until we’re out of earshot of Lily before asking, “Do you love her?”
I choose to act clueless. “Who?”
“Lily.”
I smile just at the mention of her name before I answer. “I don’t even know if love is a strong enough word for how I feel about her.”
We enter the house, and luckily Jerry Lee is always there when you need him. And by that, I mean he can distract anyone and everyone at the perfect times. Or imperfect, depending on who you ask.
“Hunky Parker! Jizz!”
“Can I know what that means yet?” Ethan asks.
“I told you to ask Lily.”
“Lily Worm!”
He groans. “She won’t tell me.”
“Hi bitch! Hot guy Jameson!”
He continues to squawk and bark while Ethan and I walk down to the basement. Tulips appears at our feet, and I’m surprised she didn’t go out with Lily. When I drop onto the couch, the large fuzzy puppy jumps up but doesn’t quite make it and I have to help her get up all the way.
Even though I’m sure Lily will be fine, I make sure my phone sound is on so I can hear just in case she needs to call for an emergency. No matter where I am or what I’m doing at any point if she were to call and need me, I would be right there for her.
Mrs. Baker calls out for Ethan, and he jams the button on the controller while we’re mid battle in the game. Footsteps hit the stairs, and the noises from the game get louder as we continue to be bombarded by the enemy.
“Parker, come on!” Ethan scolds, and I bite back laughter at how serious he’s taking it.
“Ethan,” his mom calls again once she’s closer.
“One second.” He doesn’t even turn around, but I do, sending a smile to Lily’s mom.
“Hi, Mrs. Baker.”
“Hi, Parker, when my son is available could you send him up to help with dinner, please?”
“Of course.” I nod.
“And if Lily is still out riding, would you mind going out to see if she’ll be joining us. Unless you two have other plans.”
I can’t help how happy it makes me that she thinks we may have plans. I wonder if Lily has talked to her about anything that’s been going on with us. Obviously not the details. But I wonder if she knows where Lily’s head is at all when it comes to me.
“Dammit!” Ethan tosses the controller down, and I look up at the screen to see that we lost because I got distracted.
“Language,” both me and his mom scold.
“Sorry,” he mumbles.
“Great, now that I have my son back will you come help me?”
Ethan groans, “Fine.”
“I’ll go find Lily, but we don’t have any plans,” I tell their mom.
“That’s okay. If you want to stay for dinner, you’re more than welcome to.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Ethan follows his mom upstairs while I turn off the game and can hear Lily’s voice in my mind giving me shit about calling her mom “ma’am” like she used to.
“Ma’am,” Lily mocks as soon as her mom is out of the room.
“I’m respectful, unlike someone else I know.” I give her a pointed look.
“I’m very respectful to your mom.”
“You walked into my house and yelled, ‘I’m here bitches, bow down before me.’”
“In my defense, I didn’t think she would be right there. That was just for you.”
“You also said ‘word brochacho’ to her once.”
“I was testing it out, definitely not for me.”
I chuckle; fuck, I love her.
Jerry Lee greets me as he always does once again when I walk past him on my way to go find Lily. I really enjoy that he learned to say, “asshole Aaron.” I enjoy it even more that he hasn’t said it recently.
When I walk toward the barn I look around to see if Lily is still out riding, but don’t see or hear her. I do find her in the barn; she has Boone back in her stall, feeding her treats and petting her neck.
I lean against the open stall door, crossing my arms and just watch her. Her hair is back into a ponytail, exposing the soft skin of her neck and the sensitive spot there I know makes her melt if I kiss it.
She doesn’t even turn around before speaking. “I can feel you staring at me.”
“Yeah, because I like what I see.”
Lily turns around with an amused grin. “Oh do you? The dirt really doing it for you?”
I shake my head. “No, that’s all you.”
She walks forward, nudging me out of the way so she can exit the stall, sliding the door closed behind her while I don’t dare look away.
“You’re freaking me out. What’re you doing? Where’s my brother?” She strides over to the small bench that’s in here and starts to kick her boots off. I get there before she’s able to, and kneel onto the concrete, gripping her boots like I used to.
“Remember how sore your feet would be when you got new boots?” I ask.
“Ugh, the blisters were awful,” she complains.
“You insisted on pushing through, every time, though.”
“Yeah, my mom didn’t raise a quitter.”
“She sure didn’t,” I agree.
Lily wiggles her foot around. “Are you going to help me or just stay there?”
“I’m just enjoying the view. Especially since we were interrupted.”
“Oh yeah.” She raises her foot, pushing it against my shoulder, and it makes me want to sink down completely. She could step all over me and I would thank her for it. “What would you have done if we weren’t?”
“I want to show you, but I don’t want someone barging in again.”
She looks toward the open bay door, then back into the barn before her eyes meet mine again with a heated look. She pushes her foot against my shoulder a little harder. The single move shouldn’t have me so turned on, but I like that she can take control sometimes. Anything she wants, she can have.