2. Chapter 2
Chapter two
Parker
Present Day
“So, how about dinner Saturday night?”
A woman I recognize from earlier this week rushes up to my car before I can even turn the ignition off.
“What?”
She giggles, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Sorry. Good morning, Parker. You look extra sexy today with a fresh haircut. I’m Christy. We spoke yesterday and the day before, but who’s counting?” Another giggle escapes her lips. “So, dinner Saturday?”
I shake my head as I grab my bag from the front seat and step out, locking my car before heading toward the animal hospital. “I, uh…need to get to work.”
Christy scurries after me. “Of course. I just thought since I don’t have plans this weekend, we could finally go on our first date. You have to admit, our connection is pretty amazing, don’t you think?”
Our connection? This woman must be certifiable because I think I’ve said a total of ten words to her, but apparently, she is already planning our wedding .
Okay, let me back up.
In the last year, my single status has remained intact, just the way I like it. Watching my two older brothers and my friend Grady fall in love over the past two years has only confirmed that I don’t want to end up in that situation again. Luckily for them, they found women who didn’t make them question the sanctity of love and marriage, but the vulnerability, the trust, the work it takes to be the “best version” of yourself for someone else? No thanks. My issues have been serving me well for the past four years, and I have no intention of changing that anytime soon.
But last spring, I became an unexpected chick magnet, and not in the sense you might think. My brother Dallas and his wife, Willow, noticed a goose had laid some eggs on their property. It didn’t surprise me since the gaggle of geese practically became pets after Willow moved into the house she inherited almost two years ago. Willow became a little obsessive about them, texting me at all hours with “prenatal” concerns about the mom’s diet and how uncomfortable she looked while waiting for them to hatch.
So, the next time I was at their place, I humored her by giving the goose an “exam.” I got on the ground, talked to the geese, checked the nest, and dodged the hissing mom and dad, who clearly weren’t thrilled about my visit. I explained to Willow that no, she didn’t need to worry about giving the goose a pregnancy pillow or calcium supplements and went over what they should do until the eggs hatched.
Apparently, she’d been recording the whole thing. She posted the video online with the caption: A man who takes care of animals…And he’s single, ladies ??
To make matters worse, I’d just come from the beach, so I was only wearing a pair of swim trunks. Now, dodging overly eager women who want to take my last name as their own has become my daily routine. You’ d think the video would have died down quickly, but every time I went to check on the geese, she’d film me again. I had no idea—it took me a while to figure out why random women started throwing themselves at me. Now, it’s been months of this shit, and all my siblings think it’s a fucking riot.
Thanks a lot, Willow .
As I reach for the clinic’s door handle, Christy stops me with her hand on my shoulder. “Parker…”
Inhaling deeply, I turn around to face the woman, hoping that some directness will get through to her. “Christy, you seem lovely, but I’m not interested in dating right now.”
Her head rears back on her neck. “But I’m a catch.”
“I’m sure you are, but I’m just not available.”
Her hand drops from my shoulder as her entire demeanor changes, her eyes narrow, and if she could, I’m pretty sure she’d shoot laser beams at me. “God, you’re just like every other guy on the internet.”
“And how’s that?” I ask, not necessarily eager for her response, but curious, nonetheless.
“You put on a show for the camera and then turn out to be an asshole in real life.”
Shaking my head so I don’t say something to spur this woman on, I turn back to the door and enter the hospital just as three of the technicians scatter from their post at the front counter.
“Subtle, ladies.”
Cassandra smiles. “What level of crazy was that one?”
“On a scale from one to ten, probably a five.”
“That’s it? I saw her parked out there when I came in at six this morning.”
My eyes bug out of my head. “Okay, maybe closer to a seven or eight. She wanted to go out this Saturday.”
“ Did she start planning your imaginary wedding too?” Kelly, our newest tech, interjects with a smile on her lips.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she did, but I turned her down before she could tell me the colors of our napkins and place settings.”
“We have a problem.” All four of us spin to find Beth, our lead technician, striding out to the front of the office. Beth has been here since Dr. O’Neil’s father was still alive. She practically runs this practice now. Everyone knows you do not want to be on this woman’s bad side.
We follow her to the back and join the rest of the staff in a huddle.
“Dr. O’Neil fell at his house this morning,” she announces.
“What?” “Oh my god!” Several of the employees exclaim their shock at the same time. Seth and I lock eyes across the room, knowing exactly what this means for us.
In the past year, I’ve come to respect the man more as a doctor, but we’re never going to be grabbing beers together or painting each other’s finger nails—not that I do that with other men, but you get what I’m saying. We coexist for the sake of the practice, but that’s it.
“Is he all right?” I ask over the staff’s murmurs.
Beth nods at me. “Luckily, nothing’s broken, but he will be off duty for the rest of the week and part of next. So, that means we’re down a doctor.”
Robert has only been practicing a few days a week as it is, but on the days when he’s here, things definitely run more smoothly. This means that Seth and I are going to have to pick up the slack.
But that’s not the only thing on my mind.
Dr. O’Neil is only getting older. I think all of us are wondering how much longer he is going to push himself until he finally realizes it’s time to retire.
“ Everyone needs to be on top of things this week and communicate effectively. No calling out unless absolutely necessary,” Beth says as everyone nods in agreement. “I will be visiting Dr. O’Neil later tonight to check on him and bring him some paperwork.” She slides a card out from under the stack of papers on her clipboard. “I thought it would be nice if we all sign this card for him too, just so he knows we’re thinking of him.”
The staff practically lunges at Beth with their pens poised while I head back to my office to look at the calendar and see what I can move around. I usually take a long lunch on Thursdays at Catch & Release, my brother Dallas’s restaurant, but I’m not sure I’ll have time now, so I shoot off a text to him while I have a free minute.
Me : Not sure I’m gonna make it for lunch tomorrow. Dr. O’Neil fell this morning so we’re down a physician .
He responds almost immediately.
Dallas : That sucks. Is he okay?
Me : Apparently nothing is broken, but the man is getting up there in age. I hope he takes this as a sign to slow down.
Dallas : You think he might retire sooner than later?
Me : Ha… maybe. I’ll stop by and visit him this weekend and try to see where his head’s at.
Dallas : And convince him to leave the practice to you and not Doctor Brown Nose?
Me : In a roundabout way…yeah.
Dallas : Are you sure? You’re already married to your job. There’s more to life than work.
This is rich coming from my former Marine brother who owns his own business. Before Willow came into his life, he was a workaholic too. But love made him change his ways, which is another reason I’m glad I dodged that bullet. I’ve worked too hard to give up now.
Me : You found a good woman. Not all of us are as lucky. I’m just fine with my job as my wife.
Dallas : Does the animal hospital have devices that can suck your dick for you that I’m not aware of then? Or did you finally buy the breast pump you were trying on for size when we were shopping for baby shit with Grady?
Me : I’m going to tell Willow you only keep her around to suck your dick. She’ll love that.
Dallas : Don’t you fucking dare say that to my pregnant wife, asshole. She is very sensitive right now.
Dallas and Willow found out she was expecting soon after they got married last summer. She’s due this May, which is about three months away, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him walk on eggshells around his pregnant wife.
Me : Then stop telling me how to live my life.
Dallas : I’m just looking out for you since you’re too fucking stubborn to think about the future. It’s the curse of being the oldest brother.
Me : I do think about the future and I know I’m happiest alone .
Dallas : Fine. Text me tomorrow if you can make it in for lunch. You know the boys and I always enjoy your grumpy ass.
Dallas, Grady, and Penn, my other brother, love to ruffle my feathers at these lunches. But after Penn nearly choked me out one day because I was giving them shit about their relationships, I’ve learned there are lines you don’t cross—even with brothers.
Penn said it was because I was jealous, but that’s not it at all.
Would I have been married already if I hadn’t forced my fiancée to confront her demons?
Yes.
Would I be a lovesick man like my brothers, attached to a woman because she made my life better than it was before?
May be.
Or would I be a thirty-year-old divorcé who’s even more bitter after finding out that his wife was a lying, cheating alcoholic that cared more about booze than him?
I’m betting on that last one.
I toss my phone on my desk just as Beth comes into my office with a knock on the open door.
“Dr. Sheppard?”
“Yes?”
Handing me a stack of files, she says, “These are half of Dr. O’Neil’s patients for the week. You’ll need to become familiar with them.”
“Of course.”
“And don’t bother making any evening plans this week. You and Seth are going to take turns managing our surgery patients until the night shift comes in.”
I was already expecting that, but I humor her. “Not a problem.”
With a curt nod, she leaves. I place the files on my desk and step up to my mirror. Adjusting my tie and glasses, I give myself a quiet pep talk.
“This is your chance, Parker. Show Dr. O’Neil that you can handle this. Show Beth and the staff that you can juggle chaos and remain as cool as a cucumber. And before you know it, you’ll get everything you’ve been working for. Good things are coming. Just…don’t fuck it up.”
Famous last words.
***
“ A woman just came in who says she wants you to take a look at her goldfish.”
I look up from the dog I’m examining, glaring at Cassandra. “Are you serious?”
“Well, I have to say, it’s more original than the ones who ask you to look at their kitten.” She lifts a brow, giving me a look and says, “I think we both know that’s code for pussy.”
Emily, the technician beside me, snorts. Sighing, I remove the stethoscope from my ears and hang it back around my neck before I begin running my fingers over the dog’s body, checking for lumps. “Can we just put a sign on the door that says If you’re looking for Parker Sheppard, he’s entered the witness protection program ?”
“Kind of hard to back that up when you’re right here,” Cassandra retorts.
I roll my eyes. “I don’t have time for this shit. If Willow wasn’t my sister-in-law, I’d slap her with a lawsuit for making my life a living hell.”
Cassandra folds her arms across her chest. “You’re not even going to consider taking advantage of your situation?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean , all of these women are throwing themselves at you. You could be banging a new woman every night, and yet, you act repulsed by the whole thing.” She snaps her fingers. “Oh, I get it now! You’re gay.”
“What?” I practically shriek, and not in a manly way, I might add. Lowering my voice, I say, “I’m not gay, Cassandra. What on earth makes you think that?”
She tilts her head, inspecting me. “I don’t know. The glasses? The hair?”
“ Plenty of straight men wear glasses, and what’s wrong with my hair?” I reach up and pat my short, light brown locks. Everything seems to be in place, and I just got a fresh haircut last week.
“Nothing really, but you also never have a girlfriend or go on dates.”
“That’s because I prefer being single.”
And the last woman I slept with left an impression on me that I can’t seem to shake. Not only was she beautiful, witty, and phenomenal in bed, but she sprang out of my hotel room so fast afterward that it shook my confidence a bit, I’m not gonna lie.
“Which would make sense if you were taking these women up on their offers, but you’re not,” Cassandra retorts.
“In case you haven’t noticed, these women aren’t after casual sex. They’re after a husband. They want to marry the man that Willow portrayed in that video and I’m actually…”
“Old man! Get back here!”
I spin around to find Beth chasing Dr. O’Neil as he hobbles down the hallway, cane in hand. The last thing anyone expected was to see him back here after only one day.
“Careful who you’re calling an old man, Beth!” he snaps back. If these two didn’t talk to each other like this on a daily basis, I might be alarmed, but Beth can handle Robert.
“You are not supposed to be here!” she scolds.
“Says who?” he fires back, eyes bouncing around the hospital. The entire staff is practically frozen as we all watch Beth chase down our boss. But if it were me, I’d listen to Beth—not just because she frightens me a little, but because she is liable to kick that cane right out from under him just to teach him a lesson.
“Your doctor, for starters.”
Robert waves her off. “That man doesn’t scare me.”
“You’re supposed to be resting.”
Dr. O’Neil stops right next to me, and I grab the dog I was examining and hand it off to Emily. “Dr. O’Neil—” I start, but I’m interrupted by a familiar voice.
“Oh my God, Dad! What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at home!”
All heads spin to the back door where the beautiful, quirky blonde I swore I’d never see again strides in, hair flying behind her, purse slung over her shoulder, and a look of irritation plastered on her face.
“June Bug? What are you doing here?” Dr. O’Neil says, his expression softening.
Wait. June Bug? The stranger I held hands with on a flight and then had one unforgettable night with is the June Bug my boss has talked about for years? His daughter ?
“Cashlynn?” The surprise in my voice is enough to catch her attention, but her eyes flick toward me for only a second, recognition flashing, before she refocuses on her father.
“You’re supposed to be at home resting, Dad.”
“I did. And now I’m fine.” He waves his cane around in the air as I dodge it and swiftly move to the side.
“I knew this was going to happen. Beth was right to call me.”
Robert glares at Beth. “You called her?”
“With good reason. Look at you, you stubborn mule.”
“I’m fine!” he bellows, and the staff scatter to every empty space they can find while several dogs in cages start barking. Once the chaos has died down, Robert turns to his daughter. “So it takes me getting hurt for you to come visit your old man?”
Cashlynn’s face softens just slightly. “I, uh…” Our eyes meet again and recognition flashes in her eyes for the second time, followed by a look I should have realized was a warning of things to come. “Well, yes, but that’s not the only reason I’m here.”
Rob ert sighs and then pulls his daughter in for a hug. “I appreciate the concern, June Bug, but I’m fine. Truly.”
“If you say the word fine one more time, I’m going to karate chop your leg,” Beth interjects.
“Now, there’s no need for violence.” I step between Beth and Robert while my heart pounds violently in my chest.
Just act cool, Parker. No one needs to know that you slept with Dr. O’Neil’s daughter. You can talk to her later and agree to just keep it between the two of you. Easy-peasy.
“So what else would bring you down to Carrington Cove, June, if it wasn’t just to make sure that I’m not dying?” Robert glares over at Beth again before focusing back on his daughter.
Cashlynn gnaws on her bottom lip before glancing back over at me. “Well, uh…you see…”
A pinch develops in Robert’s brow as he takes a step closer to his daughter. “Is everything okay, June? Are you in trouble?”
Cashlynn’s gaze keeps moving back and forth between me and her father. “No. Everything is fine, Dad. I just…”
“You’re worrying me, sweetie.”
Cashlynn takes a deep breath and then marches over to me, weaving her arm through mine and flashes a bright, suspiciously forced smile. “I’m here to see my fiancé. I believe you know Parker, Dad. I mean…obviously you know Parker.”
My mouth drops open as Robert’s eyes snaps to mine. “I…I’m sorry,” he stutters, “Did you just say… fiancé ?”
“Uh, Cashlynn—” I start, but she cuts me off.
“Yes. Fiancé.” She squeezes my bicep, then presses up on her toes to kiss my cheek. “It was time to stop hiding, right, muffin ?”
“Muffin?” I mutter to myself, the urge to vomit coming on strong.
Rob ert turns to me, bewildered. Yeah, you and me both, boss. “Parker? Is this true?”
“Dr. O’Neil—” I start, but Cashlynn tightens her grip, practically cutting off my circulation.
Ouch. That fucking hurts .
“It’s true, Dad. We’re in love, and I’m moving here to be with him.”
At that moment, Seth waltzes into the office and stops dead in his tracks as he takes in the scene. “Uh, Dr. O’Neil, I thought you were supposed to be resting…”
“I’m fine,” Robert grates out before directing his irritation back at me. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t understand how you two are engaged.” The skin on his neck is turning red, which can only mean that the yelling is about to start again.
Cashlynn lets out a nervous laugh. “Well, Dad, it’s actually quite a funny story…”
“I’m not laughing,” he replies, his eyes darting back and forth between us.
Me comforting you on a flight and then fucking you so hard in a hotel bed that we left marks on the wall isn’t a funny story, Cashlynn.
Robert narrows his eyes at me. “I have to say, Parker, I would have expected to hear something like this from you, not to be bombarded like this…”
“Don’t blame him, Dad,” Cashlynn interjects. “It was my choice to keep this from you. He was just going along with what I wanted.”
“And why would you want to keep it from me?” His face starts to turn red again, and I brace myself to cover my ears. “If my daughter is engaged to one of my employees, one I practically think of as a son, why would you hide that?”
Seth clears his throat, clearly perplexed. “I’m sorry. Did you just say that these two are engaged ?”
Cas hlynn nods and moves in closer to me. Her breasts are plastered against my arm now, reminding me of what they felt like when she was beneath me that night almost a year ago.
Fuck, not now. I can’t get a fucking hard-on during this chaos .
“Uh, Cashlynn—” I start, but she interrupts me yet again.
“Yes, we are!” Cashlynn declares enthusiastically.
Seth crosses his arms over his chest and a slimy smile spreads across his face. “Then where’s your ring?”
Cashlynn and I both glance down at her left hand that’s wrapped around my arm right now—the one with a very bare ring finger.
“You didn’t get my daughter a ring?” Dr. O’Neil inserts himself once more. “And more importantly, you didn’t ask for my permission first?” The vein in his forehead begins to pop. “What the hell is happening right now?” His eyes dart around the room, but everyone else is hiding behind machinery and counters, watching from a safe distance.
Smart of them.
Beth chimes in, thank God. “Cashlynn asked him not to say anything, Robert. Remember?” She motions for him to move toward a chair, but he waves her off. “Perhaps you should take a seat…”
“I’m fine!” he yells again as my balls shrivel up and try to climb up inside of my body.
Yeah, not sure how this could get any worse .
“Parker proposed spontaneously, so he didn’t have a ring. We agreed to pick one out together when I came down here.”
So now it looks like I’m buying a ring, something I swore I’d never do again, for a woman I barely know. Yeah, this just got worse .
“So you’re moving home?” Robert asks, looking down at his daughter. “But what about your job?”
“Uh…”
All cylinders finally fire in my brain, catching me up to speed, so I say, “You’re going to be working remotely for a while, right, babe?”
Cashlynn looks up at me as a sigh of relief leaves her lips. “Yes, until I can figure out my next move.”
Yeah, you might be relieved right this second, woman, but I have a fuck ton of questions and we are definitely having a conversation later.
“Convenient,” Seth mumbles so low that I’m pretty sure no one but me hears it. I glare in his direction, but as all of this slams into me, panic rises in my chest.
Needing some fresh air and a moment to freak out, I release my hold on Cashlynn and then glance at the clock. “Well, I think I’m going to take an early lunch. I didn’t eat breakfast this morning and now I’m starving.” Patting my stomach, I turn to Dr. O’Neil. “Glad to see you’re feeling better, sir. When I return, I can catch you up to speed on a few things…”
“Like how you ended up engaged to my daughter without telling me?” The pinch in his brow tells me he’s not happy, and honestly, I get it—because I’m fucking irritated in this moment as well.
“Not today, Dad. You’re going home,” Cashlynn says to her father.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Robert slams his cane on the ground. “This is my practice and I have a right to be here!”
“Okay, why don’t you at least go sit down in your office if you’re so hell-bent on staying” Beth says, trying to diffuse the situation. She and Cashlynn move toward Robert, so I take that as my chance to get away.
I stop by my office, grab my wallet and keys, and speed out of the parking lot toward Catch & Release, needing that long lunch break now more than ever.
The boys aren’t going to believe this.