27. Danny
27
DANNY
H ands down, the last ninety-six hours have been the longest of my life.
When I left Sunday morning, I’ll admit there was some fear and doubt that Parker would spend the days that I was on shift, questioning us, until she convinced herself that none of what we’d shared had been real.
As soon as I’d gotten to work, I’d asked Buck if I could talk to him and pre-warned him that if things seemed like they were going downhill, I’d need to go home and sort things out with her. Because he’s the best boss in the world, he immediately agreed and even offered me the four days off so that I could make sure Parker and I were good. I’d said no, simply because I’d rather know now if four days apart is going to make her run, but thankfully, it hasn’t.
Before she left to go to help Henry on Sunday morning, she texted me to say that she missed and loved me. Since then, we’ve texted and talked every day, and not once has she sounded like she was worried or trying to distance herself.
Now that my shift is over, I’m desperate to see her, but as I slow my car to a stop outside our house, I’m disappointed that her car’s not here. It’s Thursday morning and I know she’s at work, but I wish she wasn’t. I missed her so much, and instead of knowing I’m going to be inside of her in a few minutes, I have to wait till at least lunchtime before I can go and see her.
My cell beeps just as I’m pushing open the front door, and I smile when I see it’s a text from her.
Parks: I miss you so much. I wish I was there. Do you want to come and meet me for lunch?
Dropping my bag to the floor, I type out a fast reply.
Me: I miss you too, beautiful. Lunch sounds good, unless you can sneak away now?
Parks: We’re so busy, there’s no way I can take any time this morning. But Bay says I can take a long lunch as long as we get everything done.
Me: Okay, I’ll come pick you up from the garage.
Parks: I have to drop some guy called Eric’s car off at the courthouse where he works at 12.30 p.m. Do you want to meet me there? It’ll save me walking back across town.
Me: Sure. See you in a few hours xx
Parks: Love you xx
Resigned that I’m not going to see her until lunchtime, I pick up my bag, close the front door behind me, then head upstairs. I spot the Polaroid picture on the bed the moment I step into my bedroom. Smiling, I pick it up, staring at my beautiful woman wearing a sexy champagne-colored bodysuit that manages to both lift and squeeze and yet barely cover her huge tits. The lace fabric is so sheer that even in the photo, I can see the dark outline of her nipples through it, and my dick twitches in my pants excitedly.
Pulling out my cell, I type out another message.
Me: Are you wearing this right now?
Taking a picture of the picture, I attach it to the message, then hit send. Her reply takes a little longer this time, and instead of words, there’s just a picture of her, taken down her body, showing me a glimpse of the sexy lace beneath her clothes.
A chuckle slips from my lips as I imagine her covered in grease and oil, her sexy curvy body hidden by her coveralls, then beneath her girl-boss look, there’s sexy lace hugging her tits and shrouding her in confident femininity. I fucking love it.
The next three hours pass so slowly, it’s like time starts to run backward. When it’s finally noon, I shove my feet into my sneakers and grab my car keys, incapable of waiting any longer to see her.
When I step outside, I’m surprised to see that most of the guys’ cars are gone, and the street feels kind of empty. It’s rare on our first day off shift that anyone goes anywhere, especially those with wives. Even Oz’s car is missing, and it’s common knowledge that he and Etta barely leave their bedroom for the first two days off shift.
Shrugging, I climb into my Escalade and drive down into town, passing the garage to head toward the courthouse. I’ve driven past the austere red brick building plenty of times, but I’ve never set foot inside.
Pulling into a space across the street, I climb out of my car and lean against the side as I text Parker.
Me: I’m here, did you get here yet?
Parker: They gave me a parking ticket for using the staff lot because I’m not staff. I’m just trying to get security to cancel it.
Me: They gave you a ticket? That’s crazy. Do you need me to come in and charm them?
Parker: No, I have it sorted, I’ll be out in a minute.
When she hasn’t appeared after five minutes, I lock my car, cross the street, and march into the courthouse building, eyeing the signs on the doors as I pass. When I don’t immediately see an office marked as security, I head to the counter where a guy is manning the desk.
“Hey, could you point me toward the security office?” I ask.
The guy’s eyes widen a little, and then what looks like a smirk curls at his lips as he lifts his hand and points toward a corridor that leads off to the left. “Down there, at the bottom, there’s a door that leads out onto a garden, follow the path, and there’s a single door on the other side, the security office is in there, you can’t miss it.”
“Thanks,” I say.
Turning away, I head in the direction he pointed to, but halfway down the corridor, I run into Nero and Tori.
“Hey guys, what are you doing here?”
When Tori’s eyes land on me, her lips split into a huge grin. “Danny,” she says happily. “This is perfect. We need a huge favor.”
“Okay, sure. I need to find Parker first though. Freaking security gave her a ticket for bringing a customer’s car back and parking it in the staff lot.”
“Oh no, we have Parker,” Nero says, smiling.
“What do you mean, you have Parker?” I question, narrowing my eyes.
“We’re getting married,” Tori blurts. “It’s a last-minute thing, but the judge said we need two witnesses, and we didn’t want to use strangers. We bumped into Parker on our way down here, and she’s in the bathroom washing up and getting changed. Will you be our second witness?”
A laugh bursts from me. “Holy shit, y’all are finally getting married? Of course, I’ll be your witness. I’m not exactly dressed for it though,” I say, taking in Tori’s pretty dress and Nero’s suit jacket and button-down.
“That’s okay. We literally just came here on the way back from the dry cleaners, so I have a suit you can wear,” Tori says, grabbing a garment bag that I hadn’t noticed from Nero’s hand and shoving it toward me. “There’s a restroom right here. Go get changed, but hurry up because there was only one slot to get married today, and we don’t want to miss it.”
Taking the bag from her, I chuckle. “Yes, ma’am.”
Considering Nero is a few inches shorter than me and not as muscular, the suit fits perfectly. It’s a rich, navy-blue wool that looks great on me when I glance at myself in the mirror. There was a pale blue shirt in the bag, matching slacks, and even a pair of shoes that look a whole lot better than the sneakers I was wearing. When I step out of the restroom, Tori is gone, but Nero is waiting, and he slaps me on the back, taking the garment bag with the clothes I was wearing in it from my hand.
“Hey, I might steal this suit,” I joke, running my fingers over the lapel.
“It’s all yours, man. Let’s go, or we’ll be late,” Nero says, striding off down the corridor.
Rushing to follow him, I watch as he drops the bag onto a chair then pushes open a door that leads outside, gesturing for me to step through first.
The sun dazzles me the moment I step outside, and it takes me a second for my eyes to adjust to the daylight. Blinking to clear my vision, I start to take in everything around me. The garden isn’t simply an open space between buildings like I was expecting. Instead, it’s a tiny green oasis with rows of chairs that are full of faces I recognize.
Looking around, I see the Barnetts, my teammates, and several other familiar faces. In front of the rows of chairs is a wooden archway draped with flowers, and standing beneath it is Parker, her hair down in loose curls, her body clad in a simple but incredibly sexy white dress.
Narrowing my eyes in question, I look around me again, then back to Parker. “What?” I ask.
Smiling, she crooks her finger and beckons me to her. It takes me a moment to react, stepping forward and walking down the pathway that can only be called an aisle until I finally reach her. “What’s going on, Parks?”
“We’re getting married,” she says with a playful smirk.
Blinking, I stare down at her, then look behind me at the sea of faces, all watching me with similar smirks to Parker’s on their faces.
“We’re what?”
“We’re getting married,” she says, stronger this time as she looks to someone off to the side and nods.
When I open my mouth to speak, she lifts her finger to my lips, silencing me. “Shh, this is the important bit now.”
Grabbing hold of her finger, I pull it away from my mouth. “Explain.”
“What’s to explain?” Her laugh is full of amused smugness. “This is Rockhead Point. Surprise weddings are a thing here, so I figured it was time to act like a Barnett. You’re mine, Danny, and we’re getting married. Surprise.”
I can’t help it, I laugh. “We’re getting married?”
Nodding, she pushes up onto her tiptoes and presses her lips against mine. “I love you, Danny. Do you love me?”
Leaning back far enough to look at her, I curl my finger under her chin, tilt her head back and whisper two words against her lips before I claim them as mine. “I do.”