Chapter 41 Lily
Lily
Parker picked me up to go to the Amity Strawberry Festival.
It was supposed to be the two of us in his truck, but Ethan threw a fit to join.
Which resulted in him squeezing between us.
My parents, Aunt Trish, and Parker’s mom Jackie will be meeting us there.
Which is why I really wanted this extra alone time with Parker beforehand.
Maybe a quick make out session or quickie or something to get it out of my system. But that doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. And yes, I’m pouting about it.
Ethan has been talking a mile a minute the entire car ride, and I wonder if this is what it’s like with me some of the time.
Parker handles it like a pro, laughing and joking with my brother like they’re best friends.
It’s amazing to see. I know Ethan has struggled with making friends at school and has been bullied before.
It’s not surprising at all that Parker was willing to step up and be his friend when he needed one most.
He's the best man I know.
And he’s mine.
Except right now because I’m having to share him, and I’m going to complain about it the whole time.
We get to the empty dirt area that gets transformed for this event every year.
I see Sutton and Jameson walking toward the entrance and jump out of the car to flag them down.
Of course that means calling out for my friend, loudly.
She turns around, smiling, and I swear her pregnant stomach looks even bigger. That can’t be comfortable.
“Lily!” Sutton calls out, and I jog toward her, throwing my arms around her.
“Is Bailey coming?” I ask right before the noise from a loud sports car approaches answering my question.
Wes swings the car into an unmarked spot, and I hear Parker greeting Jameson and Sutton as he throws his arm around my shoulder. I smile at the easy contact from him. One I would have denied only a few months ago, but now I embrace it.
Sutton notices, giving me a wink.
Bailey also notices and gives me a nod with one of her signature close lipped smiles. Wes greets everyone but isn’t overly talkative. He never is, but you know he’s there since he’s so freaking massive.
While we’re walking toward the entrance we’re joined by my parents, Trish, and Jackie. I love having this group together like this. It only reaffirms how at home I feel being back here.
We find an open spot on the bleachers to watch the small rodeo the festival has. I look over to Jameson “You not participating this year?”
He raises an eyebrow at me. “I could ask you the same thing.”
I scoff. “I haven’t practiced barrels in so long.”
“Me either.”
“Bet I could beat you though,” I challenge.
He laughs. “Bet you could.”
“Not even going to put up a fight about that one?” I narrow my eyes.
“You’re in your twenties and I’m pushing forty, I fully believe you’d beat me in a barrel race.”
“Damn.” I shake my head, disappointed I wouldn’t have a worthy competitor.
“If we raced, I’d still beat you,” Parker teases.
“Barrels? Yeah right, you could never get around the first corner.”
“No, just a normal race.”
“Oh, we’re going to see about that,” I challenge. He pulls me into him and plants a kiss on the side of my head.
“Parker, look!” Ethan points at something, getting his attention. Even though he entertains my brother, he keeps a hand on or around me in some way the entire rodeo.
“You seem happy,” Sutton notes next to me.
“I am.”
“We all called this, you know?” Bailey adds from behind me, leaning between Sutton and me to join our conversation.
“Yeah, well we all called you and Wes getting together and you didn’t believe us either.” I tilt my head down to look at her through the top of my sunglasses.
“I’ll give you one free pass to say, ‘I told you so.’”
“I’ll save that for another time.” She sits back and I shake my head.
“I’m just glad you both are able to be in the same room without starting a fight,” Sutton notes.
“We never fought.”
“Agree to disagree.” Sutton chuckles.
I twist my lips and turn toward the small arena where the rodeo is about to start. I notice in the corner of my eye Parker looking at me. “Are you okay?”
“Did we ever fight in front of our friends?”
“Uh.” Parker lets out a single laugh. “I’d like to call it playful banter.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” I agree.
“Glad we’re on the same page, then.” He pulls me into him with the arm wrapped around my shoulders.
I sink against him and quietly agree, “Me too.”
After the short rodeo is over Ethan is bouncing and pulling at Parker’s arm to go to the carnival rides and games.
They end up ahead of all of us while I hang back with Sutton and Bailey.
We chat about nothing important and just enjoying being here all together.
As much as I want to spend time with Parker, I’m okay sharing him with Ethan, at least for a little bit. I get more time with him later anyway.
We find them at a ring toss game where they’re competing against each other. I slide up to Parker to distract him.
“How’re you doing? Are you winning?” I ask, pressed against his arm.
“I was,” he grumbles, missing one of the rings.
“Aw, what happened?” I push my chest against his arm that’s resting on the counter while he throws with his right.
“You happened, Lil.” He tosses another ring, and it looks like it’s going to make it, but doesn’t.
Ethan’s next throw makes it, and he tosses his arms up in celebration.
I turn to face him, making sure to press my ass against Parker.
I hear him grumble something that sounds like “fuck,” but he could’ve also said “duck,” who knows?
There are rubber ducks floating in some of the cups that are in between the bottles of the game.
“Oh, that reminds me, did I ever tell you about the duck man?” I ask Parker as he goes to throw his last ring, and misses.
He drops his head on a laugh. “No, you didn’t, but do I want to know?”
“You definitely want to know. I told Sutton before, and she can tell you it’s a good one.”
Sutton speaks up, “There’s no way I can give that story justice. You have a special talent for storytelling.”
I smile proudly. “Thank you.”
“I win!” Ethan shouts with his last throw. He gets to pick out one of the small prizes. I’ve never seen him so excited over a small stuffed llama before.
Jameson chooses to impress Sutton with one of those strength games where you slam a giant hammer down and try to get the bell at the top to ring. Wes does one where he has to hang on a bar for a certain amount of time. And I’m pretty sure after a while it starts spinning to try and kick you off.
He keeps a straight face the entire time, I don’t know if he’s even capable of another face that isn’t a scowl. I’ve seen him smile a couple times with Bailey, but she’s the same way. I guess that’s what makes them such a perfect fit for each other.
Ethan dragged Parker to another game where they’re shooting water guns into a target. My parents, Trish, and Jackie are trailing behind but are entertained amongst each other enough to care about what us kids are up to apparently.
It’s so weird to be in my twenties and technically an adult, but when I’m somewhere with parents, or as I would consider them, adultier adults, I feel like a kid again. It’s like I really am back in high school. Which is exactly what Parker has been trying to make me feel like. And it’s working.
Just like the mature adult that feels like a kid again, I decide to mess with him to try and help my brother win yet another game that will make him happy.
They get set up on the game, aiming their water stream from a water gun at a target.
Right as they’re starting, I jump onto Parker’s back, wrapping my arms around the front of his neck.
He lets out a “oof” and tries to regain his focus on the game.
He manages to aim practically perfect, so I resort to more drastic measures and start whispering in his ear.
“I can’t wait until we’re alone later. I was thinking about all the things you could do to me.”
“Lil,” he grunts, though he may have meant it as a threat it didn’t sound like one to me. I continue anyway.
“I was thinking about how it will feel to take you in my throat again. I want you to fuck my face, that would be so hot.”
“Lil, seriously.” He clears his throat and I smile.
“Seriously what? You seriously can’t wait to fuck me until we can’t breathe? You seriously want to watch your cum dripping out of me because you fucked me so full?”
“Lily, fuck,” he groans, and I’ve noticed he isn’t aiming as well now.
“Ooh you called me Lily, that means I’m in trouble. Good, I want it a little rough tonight.”
A loud ringing bell goes off signaling the end of the game and Ethan jumps up in victory once again. “I won!”
I hop off Parker’s back to congratulate my brother. “Good job.” I give him a high five.
Parker wraps his arm around my stomach and dips his head to speak into my ear. “You’re evil.”
“You like it.” I wink.
“I said don’t be gross,” Ethan demands after getting his prize from the attendant.
“Come on, let’s go do some rides,” Parker distracts from Ethan’s complaints, and takes my hand in his to pull me along.
I chuckle, “I know what I want to ride.” Parker just yanks me into his side, and I laugh into his shirt. I like knowing how much I got to him, taking pride in it. And also looking forward to him fulfilling my wishes later.