4. Chapter 4
Chapter four
Cashlynn
“Dad?” Walking through the front door of my father’s house again makes this seem all the more real.
“In the kitchen, June Bug.” His voice echoes through the house, and I know there’s no turning back now.
I set my purse on the couch and make my way to the kitchen, preparing to face the music and start putting the pieces of the mess I’ve created back together.
This trip wasn’t supposed to be this complicated. Quitting my job and moving to Carrington Cove was definitely not on my bucket list. Then again, I hadn’t expected to feel trapped in Philadelphia, drowning in lawsuits over jargon I’d long stopped caring about.
This isn’t the life I’d envisioned for myself. And if I’m going to make a change, I need to do it now. The realization that I’m about to be thirty slammed into me like a freight train a few months ago. It’s time I started living my life for myself, but making my father understand that isn’t going to be easy.
“Glad to see you made your way back home,” I say as I enter the kitchen and find my father making a sandwich, his cane resting against the co unter and Johnny Cash playing on the record player in the dining room. I guess some things never change—one of them being my father’s obsession with Johnny Cash.
He scoffs. “Well, there’s only so much I can do at the hospital with Beth hovering over me and everyone afraid to look at me.” Irritation laces his words, but he seems to be in better spirits than when I left him to chase after Parker.
“You’re never going to heal if you don’t rest.”
“I fell, June Bug…It’s not like I had my leg amputated.”
“I know, but you’re not getting any younger, Dad. Beth is worried sick about you, and I think it’s time you consider passing along the practice…”
He turns to face me, his eyes narrowing as he sets down his knife. “Is that why you came home? To tell your geriatric father to hang up his white coat for good? Or was it really to see that fiancé of yours?” His words are accusatory, and my stomach twists.
God, poor Parker .
I feel terrible for dragging him into this, but when I saw him, I panicked.
I knew we’d cross paths eventually, but it completely threw me off to see him in that moment—like all the decisions I’ve made over the past year collided at once.
“I know you have questions…”
“You bet your ass I do.” His neck and face begin to turn red—an unmistakable signal I learned early on meant he was about to blow up. “My daughter shows up out of the blue, tells me she’s engaged to a man I work with, and—”
I cut him off before he gets too far into that list of grievances. “I haven’t been happy in Philadelphia for a long time, Dad.”
He reaches for his cane and walks over to the record player to stop the music, then to his recliner in the living room. As he sinks into his chair, he eyes me skeptically while I make my way to the couch across from him. The tense silence resting between us starts to make me squirm. “You’re throwing your life away, all of your hard work and a career you’ve always wanted, for a man?”
“That’s not it at all!”
“Then explain it to me,” he says, the volume of his voice rising. “Because I hoped you’d come to Carrington Cove eventually, but not like this.”
I shift uncomfortably on the couch. I’ve only been to this town one other time, right after my grandfather passed and Dad took over the practice. I was with my grandmother most of that visit while my dad dealt with the funeral arrangements and taking over a business overnight. Just a few weeks later, I was off to Cornell to study law just like I planned—well, like my father planned for me. After finishing law school, I moved to Philadelphia, claiming the decision was because I loved the city, though it wasn’t the work that drew me there. But my father has no idea about what really drew me there.
Over the years, he would either visit me in Pennsylvania, or we’d meet up in Raleigh when I traveled there for work—like the weekend I met Parker.
The man my father always spoke so highly of was suddenly right there on the plane next to me. I felt like I’d met a celebrity. Then I realized how attractive, funny, and caring he was, and I slept with him. Looking back now, that probably wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had, but I don’t regret it. That night was incredible. My only remorse is that I left him so abruptly, but I had to. I couldn’t take another moment of the lies resting between us.
I t ake a deep breath of courage before I continue. “I needed a change, and when Beth told me you were hurt, I just reacted. And Parker is here. That job, that life…” I stare off into space for a minute, gathering my thoughts. “It’s not what I want.”
He frowns. “Yes, it is.”
“No, it’s what you wanted for me.”
Our eyes meet and, for a second, I swear I see a flash of remorse in his. But it disappears just as quickly as it came. “I wanted you to have stability. To make smart choices. To build a life that would last.”
“I know.”
He sighs. “If that makes me a bad father, then so be it.” The defensiveness rolling off him is exactly why I’ve been putting this off.
“You’re not a bad father. I love you and appreciate everything you’ve ever done for me, but you pushed me into a life you thought was best because you didn’t want me to end up like Mom.”
Just mentioning her has my father going stiff.
Losing your mother at sixteen is something no person should ever have to go through. But growing up with a father who was never the same after she died? That’s another experience that can scar you just the same.
He stares across the room for a moment, his jaw tight and his hands balled into fists as he rocks back and forth in his chair.
“But at twenty-nine, I realized that I felt stuck and numb, Dad. You can’t be mad at me for wanting more for myself.”
His gaze drifts back to mine. “I’m not mad, June Bug. I’m just worried. You come here and announce you’re engaged to a man I didn’t even know you were seeing—a man I’ve been working with for the past six years, no less. Forgive me for being a little concerned.”
I stand from my spot on the couch and walk over to him, taking his hand. “I’m sorry for keeping things from you and surprising you like this. But when Beth called me, I knew I had to come check on you, and it felt like the right time to tell you about the changes in my life, too.”
“I’m fine.”
I tilt my head to the side as I look down at him. “I think you’ve established that. But like I said, you’re not getting any younger, and falling is a sign—”
“That what? I’m clumsy? Because that’s all it was. I missed a step.”
“What were you doing, anyway?”
He darts his eyes from mine. “I was going down to the basement.”
“For what?”
“Just…stuff.” His evasiveness should concern me, but this is my father’s house. He deserves his privacy and now’s not the time to push him further.
“Either way, I don’t like you living alone.”
“Well, I’ve been alone for the past eleven years since you left for Cornell, and I don’t plan on changing that anytime soon. Except you’re here now and need a place to stay…
“I’ll be staying with Parker,” I say, hoping that once I speak to him, he’ll agree and I won’t have to go back on that lie. Besides, it’s going to be much easier for me to accomplish what I need to without living under my father’s nose.
Taking a step back, I push a hand through my hair, hoping he can’t see how badly my hands are shaking from my nerves.
My dad leans back in his chair and begins rocking again. “So, you ready to tell me how that relationship came to be?”
Uh, no. I need to make sure that Parker is going to go along with my lie first .
Not to mention, we should get our story straight so we can put on a united front. Having a fake fiancé was not originally part of my pla n, but I think it might help me see this through. My father will have something else to focus on while I attempt to figure out my life, and since Parker’s not a complete stranger, hopefully it will be easy to act the part.
Yeah, good luck with that, Cashlynn. Try not to remember what Parker Sheppard felt like hovering over you that night while your father questions how the hell you two met .
Jesus, why did I have to drag Parker into this mess with me?
Hopefully, he’ll humor me and support me yet again, just like he did on the plane.
“Let’s all have dinner together in a few days,” I suggest, carefully keeping my voice casual. “I’m seeing Parker tonight, so I’ll make sure he’s free sometime this week, and then you can ask us both whatever you want.” My smile is making my cheeks burn, but I need some time to get my ducks in a row.
“Fine. But that boy has a lot of explaining to do. You both do.”
I give his hand a gentle squeeze. “Don’t be too hard on him. He respects you immensely, Dad. And…I love him.” I reach out to smooth his graying hair as I swallow down the lies that keep spewing from my lips. “If you think about it, our relationship is what brought me here. You can’t be mad at him for that.”
My father glares up at me from his seat. “I can be as mad as I want, June.”
“Your grumpy old man is showing,” I tease, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of his head.
He clasps my hand before I can get too far. “I am happy to have you home.”
“This is your home, Dad. But now, it’s going to be mine too.”
***
Whe n I walk back into Catch & Release a few hours later, the restaurant is starkly different than before. There’s a line of people out the door waiting to be seated, every table and booth is filled, the bar has not one empty stool, and servers are hustling to deliver food and drinks. Nautical décor is everywhere, with fishing nets hanging from the corners and metal anchors adorning the wood-paneled walls. There are anchors everywhere, actually. Must be a thing in this town I missed the first time I visited.
I’ve read about small towns and I’ve certainly watched my fair share of Hallmark movies, but nothing could have prepared me for what it feels like to actually be here right in the middle of quaint, small-town reality.
Dallas sees me from his spot behind the bar and heads over, his smile welcoming despite how we met earlier. “Cashlynn, good to see you again.”
I hike my purse up higher on my shoulder, smirking at him. “Are you sure about that?”
He chuckles. “Well, you certainly took us all by surprise this afternoon, but I have a feeling this will all work out for the best.”
“That’s pretty optimistic of you, but I’m glad someone feels that way.”
He motions for me to follow him. “Parker is waiting in the back. I’ll show you the way.”
When I texted Parker to arrange when and where to meet, he suggested coming back to the scene of the crime—well, one of them, at least. Since it’s his brother’s place, he assured me he’d put us somewhere we could speak candidly and privately to sort out the mess I dragged Parker into.
Dal las leads me to a back room, secluded from the bustling restaurant. “We use this room for staff meetings and large parties, but you two have it all to yourselves tonight,” he says as we step inside.
Parker’s alone in a booth in the far corner, staring at his glass, fingers trailing through the condensation. His glasses are perched high on his nose, and his gaze is intense and pensive, his mind clearly miles away.
God, he’s so hot, in a nerdy-doctor-with-muscles kind of way.
That rush I felt when I met him on the plane comes back to me now that my heart isn’t running a freaking marathon along with my mind like it was when I was racing to find my dad earlier.
His light brown hair is cut short and tousled messily on top. He’s wearing a solid black T-shirt that clings to his biceps and the muscles that I know he’s hiding underneath. He’s got on a pair of snug jeans and a pair of brown boots that make him look way more rugged than he did earlier.
He looked so different at the clinic, in a burgundy button-down, gray slacks, and his white lab coat. My dad insists the staff always look the part—sharp, professional, and ready to tackle anything.
It’s adorable how seriously my father takes his job, and after hearing his stories over the years that included the man I owe an explanation to, I know that Parker is very much the same.
Yet another detail I have to admit to this man tonight.
“I’ll leave you two to it.” Dallas gives us a nod and disappears, leaving me standing there, waiting for Parker to acknowledge me. But his eyes remain locked on his glass.
“Hey.” I should have thought of something more clever than that, but honestly, I’m at a loss for words right now.
Funny. You had no problem coming up with all kinds of words out of thin air earlier, Cashlynn.
Par ker doesn’t look up as he speaks. “How the hell did I not know that you were Dr. O’Neil’s daughter? I thought her name was June.”
“Okay, so we’re jumping right in then…” I slide into the side of the booth opposite him.
That makes his eyes lift, at least. “Forgive me for skipping pleasantries, Cashlynn, but you can’t imagine what my mind is like right now.”
Sighing, I slide my purse off my shoulder and place it on the seat beside me before reaching for the glass of water that I’m assuming is for me. I take a sip and then draw in a deep breath. “You’re right. I owe you an explanation.”
“You think?” His jaw flexes as he leans back, crossing his arms, and I’m suddenly hit with the memory of that night—of the way he looked when he pressed me against the wall, his eyes dark with need.
God, that night feels like a lifetime ago.
“Your name,” he says coolly. “Let’s start there.”
“My name is Cashlynn O’Neil, but my father calls me June Bug. Always has.”
“And why’s that?”
I debate how much he needs to know, but at this point, what do I have to lose? “My parents were obsessed with Johnny Cash and June Carter. Dad wanted to name me June, but my mom came up with Cashlynn, so he went along with it but insisted my middle name be June. He’s called me June Bug for as long as I can remember.” I shrug.
Parker shakes his head. “You never told me your last name that night.”
My entire body breaks out in goosebumps from the memory, along with a twinge of regret. “I know.”
“Why?”
I sigh, holding his gaze. “Because I thought you’d figure it out.”
He narrows his eyes. “That you were Robert’s daughter?” I nod, waiting for his brain to catch up. When it does, his eyes widen and he leans in, eyes narrowing. “You knew who I was?”
I lower my eyes to the table and nod. “Yeah. As soon as you mentioned you were from Carrington Cove, I put two and two together. My dad talks about you all the time. That’s when I realized I couldn’t tell you who I was.”
He leans his head to the side. “Why?”
A heavy sigh leaves my lips as I shrug again, but I don’t break eye contact. “Honestly? I’m not sure. Maybe I was scared you’d treat me differently. Maybe I figured you already had preconceived notions about me from things my father has said. Or…maybe I just wanted a moment where I wasn’t Robert O’Neil’s daughter and there wasn’t this pressure on me to be the person he expects me to be. The person I’ve become accustomed to portraying.”
His face softens a bit, and suddenly I feel extremely naked. When I was actually naked with this man, I didn’t stumble at all. He made me feel wanted, alive, like I could be myself and he didn’t judge me at all for it.
And the sex. Fuck, it was so intense, so hot, so effortless, and just what I needed. He just saw me. That night, I got to just be me, and I can’t remember the last time I felt that free.
Honestly, I’m not even sure who I am anymore, but that’s what I’m trying to figure out.
“I can understand that,” he says, startling me out of my thoughts.
“Really?”
Parker blows out a breath, gaze still narrowed on me. “Let’s just say I understand feeling the need to be who everyone wants you to be, and when you aren’t, they treat you differently.”
“Exactly.”
But then he shakes his head, and I brace myself, watching as the warmth drains from his face. “That said, I can’t be your fiancé, Cashlynn.”
I try not to let my disappointment show. This isn’t his problem to figure out. “Why not?”
“Because I’m not the marrying kind.”
That surprises me. “That’s cryptic. Forgive me, but the man I met on the plane was thoughtful, genuine, helpful, and comforted me when I was freaking out…all qualities that any woman would be lucky to find in a husband.”
He scoffs. “Yeah, well, not everyone is destined for marriage.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “So that was all an act on the plane?”
Our eyes lock. “Not at all.”
“Then what are you saying? I’m sorry, but I’m confused.”
He pushes his hand through his hair. “I can’t be your fiancé, okay? That’s all you need to know.”
The pain of defeat rises in my chest, but before I count myself out, I decide to try my backup tactic. I didn’t want to have to resort to coercion, but desperate times... “You know, I’m not the only one with something to gain from this ruse.”
His right brow lifts. “What do you mean?” I watch his forearms flex and my body starts to heat up, remembering what his entire body looked like naked, the way every part of him flexed when my mouth was around his cock.
Focus, Cashlynn. That night cannot be a memory we revisit while we’re here .
“I saw your videos,” I blurt out.
His entire face falls and he leans over the table, burying his hands in his hair. “Fuck. I hate the internet.”
“ Yeah, well, it seems you’re quite popular with the ladies now, aren’t you?” The number of times women post videos of themselves ogling this man is insane, but I definitely understand the appeal.
He lifts his head and glares at me. “What are you getting at?”
“Beth has told me about your visitors to the animal hospital and how these women are relentless.” I begin to draw circles on the table in front of me. “If you were getting married, that would make them back off.”
He sits up again, crossing his arms. “Nice try.”
I hold my hands up defensively. “I’m not speaking lies here, am I?” I can practically see the wheels turning in his brain, so I press on. “Not to mention, when I was talking to my father earlier, I brought up retirement. You’re in the running to take over the practice, right?”
He smirks as he leans back. “I underestimated you, Cashlynn O’Neil.”
“Most people do, but that’s why I had to have a plan when I came back here, Parker.”
“I imagined you did when you blurted out that we were engaged. That doesn’t seem like something you’d come up with on the fly.”
“Please don’t think that I don’t know how crazy this sounds and that I don’t know what I’m asking from you. I do. But you don’t know my dad like I do, how judgmental he can be, and how quickly he can overreact. I needed something to give me time to plan this big life change before springing it on him, and this is what I came up with.” I shrug. “Was it the best idea? Well, that’s still to be determined.”
His eyebrows draw together. “But why me? Why an engagement?”
Leaning forward, I reach for his hand and lock my gaze with his. “You have a lot to lose here too, Parker. I’m literally related to the man who will determine the future of your career. Do you honestly want to work for Seth Brown if my father chooses him?”
“ You know about Seth?”
I nod. “Beth and I are close. I know a lot .”
In fact, I probably know more about the drama at Carrington Cove Animal Hospital than the townsfolk do—and I don’t even live here.
Well, I guess I do now, actually.
“If you come clean to him about our lie, he’d almost be forced to choose Seth. And I know you don’t want that.”
He swallows, his jaw clenching. “I’m fucked either way, Cashlynn, thanks to you.” He pulls his hand from mine, and my stomach is immediately in knots again. “You’re right. If I come clean now, I’ll lose your dad’s trust that I’ve worked hard to build. But if I go along with this and he finds out later it was all a lie, he’ll be even more furious with me.”
“No, he won’t,” I insist. “Because this is temporary. I promise.”
“It is?” He feigns surprise. “Thank God—I thought you planned on getting married for real!”
“Your sarcasm is a bit over the top, don’t you think?”
“We haven’t scratched the surface of my sarcasm, sweetheart.”
I blow out a breath, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. “Look, I just need some time to get my life together.”
He raises an eyebrow. “And how long is that gonna take? Because I gotta say, I’m not too confident in you and your current life choices.”
Shaking my head, I fight back the tears that are threatening to fall. I can’t cry. I don’t want him to see that his words affect me, but they do—because he’s right.
God, I’m a fucking mess.
“Look, I don’t expect you to understand. You have a career you love, a picture-perfect family and life here, and I’m sure you’ve made very few mistakes in your life.” His face falls a little. “But that hasn’t been my path, and for once in my life, I’m deciding to do something that I want. I’m sorry that I dragged you into this, but I’m scared, Parker. My entire life just went up in flames, and I’m standing here with a fire extinguisher that I don’t know how to use.” One tear slides down my cheek, but I swipe it away. “All I’m asking for is your help. I need time. I need space to figure out if I can make my dreams a reality. Haven’t you ever fallen on your ass and needed someone to help you back up?”
He stares at me for so long that I’m sure he’s about to tell me that I have no one but myself to blame for where I’ve ended up. And he’d be partially right. But when he finally speaks, his words shock me.
“How long were you thinking?”
I blink at him slowly. “What?”
Clearing his throat, he reaches for his glass, takes a sip, and sets it back down. “How long do you need to figure things out?”
“Um, I don’t know… Three or four months?”
He nods. “So until June?”
“Yeah…that should probably work.” Honestly, I have no idea how long my plans might take, but if that’s what he’s willing to give me, I’ll make it work.
“Okay.”
My mouth falls open. “You’re…agreeing to this?”
He blows out a breath and shakes his head. “Apparently so.”
I jump up from my side of the booth and launch myself at him. “Oh my God, Parker! Thank you!”
His arms instinctively wrap around me as I lean against him, breathing in his scent that’s just as intoxicating as I remember from our night together. I immediately melt against him, sliding into the seat next to him.
When I lean back, Parker’s eyes are on my lips.
Oh my God. Is he going to kiss me?
More importantly, do I want him to ?
Yes, Cashlynn. Do you remember how well this man kisses? Mount him, right here. No one’s around. Seal your fake engagement the old-fashioned way.
Neither of us moves. Parker’s eyes remain locked on my lips, and my chest rises and falls as I take shallow breaths. Can I really be fake-engaged to this man when I’ve already slept with him? Isn’t that just asking for trouble?
But then, just as quickly, he snaps out of it, releasing me and shifting down the booth, putting a few inches between us. “Look, it’s uh…no big deal.”
“Yes, it is, Parker. You’re a good man, and I owe you so much.”
“A foolish man, maybe,” he says with a chuckle. “But you seem like you could use a friend right now, and I’ve been there. Because, despite what you may think, my life isn’t perfect.”
“I’m sorry for saying that. I just…”
He holds up a hand. “I get it. But if we’re doing this, we need to set some ground rules.” His eyes dip back down to my lips, then to my breasts, and then he glances away, pushing a hand through his hair. “Maybe you should, uh, move back to your side of the booth.”
Even though my pulse is thrumming from our proximity, I return to my seat, fixing my hair and taking a sip of water. “Okay. Rules. What are you thinking?”
“Well, for starters, no one else can know that this is fake besides my brothers and Grady.”
I nod in agreement. “Okay.”
“And that’s only because they were there when you crashed our lunch.”
I wince. “Sorry again about that. I just wanted to explain.”
“I know.” He sighs. “But no one from the animal hospital can know, not even Beth.”
Nod ding, I say, “Agreed.”
“Next, no more lying to me.” His words are sharp, but fair.
“You got it.” And then a thought comes to mind. “I guess that makes this a good time to tell you my father thinks I’ll be staying with you?”
His eyes bug out. “What?”
“I mean, wouldn’t it make sense for me to be staying with my fiancé?”
Parker closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Jesus. Yeah, I guess so.”
“I also didn’t tell him the truth about my job.”
His eyes snap back open. “Which is?”
“That I don’t have one. You said I’d be working remotely, which was kind of you—but I actually quit.”
“That’s right, you’re a lawyer. Your dad always talks about how proud he is of his lawyer daughter.” He shakes his head. “Not a teacher like I assumed.”
I nod. “Right.”
“Then what was with the blue paint under your fingernails?”
The details of his memory take me by surprise. “You remember the color of the paint under my nails?”
He shrugs, looking away. “Well, yeah. You don’t see blue paint under people’s nails every day.”
“Huh.” I lean back and fold my arms over my chest.
“Huh? What does that mean?”
“Can I ask you a question…without you getting mad?”
His brow furrows. “I can’t promise that.”
“Well, do your best for me then, will you?”
He blows out a breath, his irritation building again. “What is it, Cashlynn?”
Swa llowing down my nerves, I uncross my arms, biting my bottom lip as I glance down at Parker’s mouth—the same mouth that did magical things between my legs. “Do you…have you…ever thought about that night?”
His entire body goes still, his jaw tightening as his eyes darken slightly. Then, after a beat, he licks his lips and replies in a low, measured voice, “No.”
“Liar,” I retort, fighting my grin as heat floods my cheeks. And there it is—memories of that night, the way we’d moved together, each kiss and touch like wildfire. I clench my thighs as desire hums through me.
We just sit there, silent, staring across the table at one another. My pulse thrums in my ears, a soft ache building inside me.
“Rule number three,” Parker finally says, breaking the silence.
“We’re numbering them now?”
“Rules are always numbered.”
“Only if you’re a rule-follower,” I counter.
He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as if I’m exhausting him. “Are you going to argue with me about everything?”
“I’m sorry,” I say, even though I feel like my point is valid. “Continue.”
He locks eyes with me again and says, “Rule number three. No bringing up that night.”
I swallow roughly. “Why?”
“Because if we’re going to do this, we need to keep it platonic. No kissing, no touching…”
“But we’re fake-engaged. Wouldn’t it be weird if we weren’t affectionate with each other?”
He closes his eyes, takes in a deep breath, and then opens them again. “Only when necessary, and only in front of other people, okay?”
Dis appointment settles heavily in my chest, but I push it aside. I know he’s right—this has to be strictly business. But the effect he has on me makes it hard to accept. Today has been crazy, overwhelming, and a whirlwind. I’m not thinking straight, so at least someone is.
Parker’s right. I need to focus on my goals and not him and his body, and that scar above his eyebrow that I never asked him about, or why he wears glasses and not contacts, or…
“Cashlynn?” Parker says, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Yeah?”
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes.” I force a smile, but it probably comes off strained.
His eyebrows draw together. “Are you sure? You look like you zoned out there for a moment.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just…been a long day,” I say, stifling a yawn.
“Yeah, and a wild one.”
“It has, but I can’t thank you enough, Parker. Truly.”
He nods once. “Just don’t make me regret this, okay?”
“The only one who can control that is you.”
“Excuse me?”
I trace small circles on the table, thinking back to my last memory of my mother. “Regret is a choice, Parker. You choose whether you live with it or not.”
He studies me for a moment. “Is that what this is about for you? Not living with regrets?”
“Yes.” I look him straight in the eyes. “The last thing I want in my life is to look back and wonder ‘what if’. My mother lived by that, and it’s one of the few things I still remember about her.”
His face softens. “Your dad never talks about her.”
I let out a short, humorless laugh. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”
He studies me again, his look intense. “I feel like I know you, but that you’re a complete stranger at the same time. It’s fucking weird.”
I chuckle. “I feel the same way. Maybe over the next four months, we can actually get to know each other…”
Something flickers across Parker’s face, but it’s gone before I can fully register it. His gaze leaves mine as he says, “I just want you to do what you need to do, Cashlynn, so I can move on with my life, all right?”
I swallow, a dull ache settling in my chest, and force my voice to stay steady. “And what exactly are you moving on to?”
I can’t figure this man out. He’s so hot and cold from one second to the next. He’s hiding something, or there’s something that I’m missing. Maybe living with him will give me the chance to discover more of the real Parker Sheppard, not just the man he portrayed to me a year ago.
Standing, he drains the rest of his drink and sets the glass down. “Text me tomorrow and we can make arrangements for you to bring your stuff over.”
I rise from the booth as well, reaching out and catching his arm before he can walk away. “I told my dad we would have dinner with him soon so he can drill us about our relationship.”
“Fuck,” he grumbles, but nods. “We can talk about that tomorrow too. I need to get home, Cashlynn. It’s been a hell of a day and I’m beat. I think I’ve handled all I can for now.”
Releasing his arm, I flash him a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you again, Parker. I’ll be in touch.”
With a curt nod, he leaves, slipping out of the restaurant’s back room as I stand there, watching him go. I slowly let out the breath I feel like I’ve been holding since I arrived in Carrington Cove.
Ton ight could have gone much worse. Parker could have told me to kick rocks and come clean to my father right this instant. But instead, he showed me compassion, which is one of the most vulnerable things you can do for another human.
Now that I know we’re on the same page, tomorrow we can come up with a story to convince my father we’re the real deal.
And as for Parker’s rule about no more lies, that’s a promise I plan to keep.
But my father? Well, he doesn’t get the entire truth yet. Not until I can make sure that I’m moving my life and career in the direction I want.
I just hope he can see past the hurt in the end—because if there’s one thing my father has never gotten over, it’s losing my mother, and what I want to do with my life involves every part of her she gave to me—talents and all.