24. Chapter 24
Chapter twenty-four
Parker
The sound of the key turning in the lock pulls me from my sweeping. I’ve been trying to clean up as much as I could while Robert took Cashlynn back to his house to show her her mother’s paintings.
Our eyes meet as she walks inside the gallery, Robert trailing behind her.
“What are you doing?”
My eyes drop down to the broom in my hand, my shirt sleeves unbuttoned and rolled up. “I’m sweeping.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” she says as she crosses the room to me.
“I know I didn’t, but I was trying to make myself useful.” I place a chaste kiss on her lips as soon as she’s close enough, and then look up to find Robert carrying two canvases, one in each hand. “Robert,” I greet him with a nod.
“Parker,” he says before turning back to his daughter. “Where do you want me to put these, June?”
“ In the storage room for now.” She leads him back there as I finish cleaning up the pile of dirt I created and discard it in the trash. When they return, Robert asks me to help him unload the other paintings from his car, so I follow him outside.
“So, how’d it go?” I ask once we’re alone.
He blows out a breath. “Well, I know what matters now is that my actions back up my words, and I’m going to do everything I can to right my wrongs with my daughter.”
I nod in approval. “You’re a good man, Robert.”
“I’ve made plenty of mistakes, Parker, but there’s always time to correct them.” His words resonate with me more than he realizes. “Just promise me that you’ll live up to your intentions as well.”
“I love your daughter, Robert.”
“I know you do.” His voice cracks. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, and I couldn’t have asked for a better man for her.” My own throat grows tight as Robert gestures back to his car. “Now, let’s get these inside so we can all go home and rest after an incredible, yet exhausting day.”
Once Robert and I have moved all of the canvases into the storage room and he says goodbye to Cashlynn, I lock the front door behind him and turn to find Cashlynn crunching numbers at the front counter.
Her tongue peeks out from the side of her mouth, and her eyes are moving so fast, I wonder if she’s getting dizzy. “So, how’d you do?”
Her eyes light up as she lifts her head. “I just might make my first month’s rent from today alone!”
Crossing the room to get to her, I wrap my arms around her and pull her into my chest. “That’s incredible, sweetheart. You fucking did it.” I give her a chaste kiss. “And how do you feel about your talk with your dad?”
“ Relieved,” she says as she exhales. “Hopeful too. I don’t know what you said to him, but he definitely had a change of heart somewhere along the way.”
“I don’t think it was so much the words I said as the reminder that if he wasn’t careful, he was going to push you out of his life for good. When you realize you could lose something you care about, it definitely puts things into perspective,” I say, leaning back to cup her jaw.
“Yeah, I know that feeling too.”
“I’m glad you two talked. And today was insane, baby. The energy in here was amazing. Everyone was so impressed with what you’ve done with this space, and I can’t wait to see how this only grows over time.”
Her smile is electric, but her eyes are brimming with tears. “I can’t believe it, Parker. This is actually going to work. I get to do this for a living now.”
Feeling a rush of need run through me, I take her by the hands and back her up to the wall behind us, holding her hands above her head as I slant my mouth over hers. “Believe it, baby. You did it, and I’m so fucking proud of you.”
“I couldn’t have done this without you,” she says, her breathing growing more shallow.
“Yes, you would have. But I’d like to think that everything worked out the way it was supposed to.”
“And how is that?”
Thrusting my cock into her stomach so she can sense where this conversation is headed, I say, “With you and me—together.” Our eyes remain locked. “I love you, Cashlynn June O’Neil.”
She giggles. “I love you too, Parker Eric S heppard.”
No other words are spoken as we celebrate all we’ve overcome to get to this moment: lessons learned and pasts healed, with nothing but our future in front of us.
***
“When do you think they hatched?” I close my car door behind me, holding the phone between my shoulder and my ear.
“Must have been early this morning.”
“And has Mallory left the nest at all?”
“Nope. I’ve been peeking through the blinds all morning and she’s remained there.”
I blow out a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I’ll stop by on my way home from work just to double check everything myself, but it seems your geese problem won’t be going away anytime soon, Willow.”
My sister-in-law chuckles through the line. “I’m learning to embrace it, if you haven’t figured that out yet.”
I end the call and open the door to Carrington Cove Animal Hospital, eager to get my day started. But the look on Cassandra’s face when I enter tells me that Robert has already called everyone to the back for his announcement.
When Robert and I talked last week before Cashlynn’s gallery opening, I told him I wanted to remove myself from the running to take over the practice. He was curious, of course, especially since he had always planned on handing me the reins.
But, after many hours of therapy, I realized there was more to life than just work. I love my job, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t want it to consume me, and Robert respected me for that .
“I don’t want you to make the same mistake I did—making life all about work. You should be able to have it all, Parker, and that includes a life with my June Bug that you can both enjoy.”
I guess he took my choice to heart—because the other thing we discussed is about to go down.
“What’s going on?” Cassandra whispers as I breeze past her and toward my office to collect my coat.
The sound of her footsteps following me echoes off the walls. “What do you mean?”
Cassandra scoffs. “You know what I mean, Parker.” She grabs my shoulder, forcing me to stop. “He still has a month before he’s set to retire but he’s called an emergency meeting today. That’s not a good sign.”
“You don’t know that,” I say, looking her dead in the eyes.
“What I do know is that if he doesn’t name you the head doctor, I’m going to quit.”
I close my eyes and let out a breath. This isn’t how I wanted to have this conversation with her, but she’s going to find out in about ten minutes anyway. “Cassandra…”
“Parker? Cassandra?” The two of us spin around to find Beth lifting an eyebrow in our direction. “We’re waiting on you.” She walks away just as quickly as she summoned us.
When Cassandra and I turn the corner, I find Robert standing at the head of our staff right next to Seth, and I’m instantly giddy.
“Now, I’m sure you’re all wondering why we’re gathered here today,” Robert starts as my eyes dart over to Seth, his arms crossed over his body, his smug smile so slimy that it almost makes me feel bad for what’s about to happen.
I said almost, okay?
This guy is about to get everything that’s coming to him.
“ It isn’t like me to make announcements before the time is right, but after an eye-opening weekend, I decided there was no time like the present to take care of something.”
Seth slaps Robert on the shoulder. “I think that’s smart, Dr. O’Neil.”
Robert turns to Seth. “You do, do you?”
“Absolutely. I mean, if your gut is telling you something, you should listen to it.”
God, I wish I had some popcorn for this.
Robert flashes Seth a placating smile. “I’m so glad you think so, Seth.” Seth puffs out his chest as Robert continues. “Which is why I wanted everyone here to witness me firing you.”
You could hear a pin drop with how quiet the entire room grows, but then Cassandra stifles her laugh behind her hand.
It takes a minute for the words to process in Seth’s mind, but when his slimy smile falls and his brows knit together, he turns to Robert with the most bewildered expression on his face. “I’m sorry. What did you just say?”
“I said you’re fired, Seth.”
Seth scoffs, glancing around the room filled with eyes all pointed in his direction. “You’re—you’re firing me?” He points a finger to his chest. “On what basis?”
“Lying, manipulation, extortion, and fraud. I think everyone deserves to know how you tried to blackmail Parker and my daughter, and how you’ve been taking cuts from the suppliers we partner with. No wonder you’ve been pushing the one brand over the others.”
Seth huffs out a laugh, but it’s uneasy.
I, on the other hand, am having the hardest time keeping my composure.
But when Seth’s eyes land on me, his entire demeanor changes. “You…” he seethes before taking a step toward me.
The technicians beside me scatter as Seth heads in my direction, a menacing glare on his face.
“Seth!” Robert calls after him, but there is no stopping the determination in his body right now.
“You did this!” Seth shouts before cocking his arm back and taking a swing at me.
Luckily, I duck before his fist connects with my face, but when I pop back up, he’s rushing me, shoving me back into the wall behind me.
He cocks his arm back again, but before he can swing, I clock him from the left, sending him crumbling to the ground.
Blood rushes from his nose as he stares up at me. “Fuck you, Parker!”
“Right back at you, Seth.”
Robert hobbles over, standing between us. “You okay?” he asks me as I realize my chest is heaving.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Good.” Turning to Seth, Robert hovers over him. “I think it’s rich that you have the audacity to blame Parker for your termination.”
“He’s lying to you! His relationship with your daughter—”
“Is none of your concern!” Robert bellows as everyone continues to stare at the shitshow unfolding before them.
Cassandra comes up beside me with an ice pack for my hand. “Thank you,” I whisper to her as we continue to watch Robert put Seth in his place.
“You honestly think that I wouldn’t have done my research?” Seth continues to wipe under his nose. “Not only did you threaten Parker and my daughter, but you’ve been stealing from the practice!”
“ It’s a lie,” Seth mutters.
“Do you even know what’s the truth anymore, Seth? Now, I suggest you leave my practice before I have you removed by the police.”
Seth scrambles to his feet, but before he gets too far, I reach out and tug him back by his shirt, wrapping my hand around the back of his neck and leaning in toward the side of his face. “And let me make one more point.” My voice drops to a deadly whisper. “If you ever come near Cashlynn again, I will break every bone in your hands so you won’t be able to practice medicine ever again.” I watch his Adam’s apple bob. “Have I made myself clear?”
Seth nods and I release him. The staff watches him scurry toward the front of the practice, where Beth lets him out and locks the door behind him.
“Holy shit,” Cassandra says loud enough for everyone to hear before turning to me. “So does this mean that you’re taking over the practice?”
I take a deep breath, meet the eyes of my boss and future father-in-law—who nods at me to answer the question—and then brace myself for the reactions I’m sure will come. “Well, not exactly…”
***
“So, everyone took the news pretty well then?” Cashlynn strokes my forehead, pushing my hair back as I stare up at her from my position on the couch. My head is in her lap, and she’s upside down from where I’m lying, but this has become our new routine when I get home from work and we catch up on our days.
“Everyone except for Cassandra, yeah.”
“You knew she wasn’t going to like your choice.”
“ Yes, but now she has motivation to go back and get her DVM.”
Cashlynn smiles as she strokes my jaw with her index finger. “Are you really sure about this decision, Parker? I mean, a few months ago, you wanted nothing more than to own the practice, and now…”
I push myself up and turn to face her, framing her face in my hands. “Now I have you.” She swallows roughly but keeps her eyes locked on mine. “My job has been such a focus in my life for so long, baby. But if this whole thing has taught me anything, it’s that the right people in your life will help you learn lessons you need to at the right time. You’ve helped me see that there is more to life than work.”
“But—”
“And I’m so fucking glad.” I press my finger to her lips. “Your job from before didn’t fulfill you, right?” She nods against my hand. “Well, the truth is, mine hasn’t fulfilled me in a lot of ways for a very long time. And now, I know why.”
“Why?”
“Because my life was missing you.” Her eyes begin to well with tears. “You’ve helped me see what matters, that there is so much to experience outside of work when you have a partner that makes you feel alive. I want to plan things with you, travel and have lazy days in bed together where we never wear clothes.” Her giggle goes straight to my dick, but I maintain my composure. “I can’t have that if I’m the boss, Cashlynn. I realized I’d rather just be your boss in bed.”
Her laughter rings out. “I guess I can’t argue with that.”
I nuzzle her neck. “You know what fighting with you does to me though, baby. Want me to show you?”
She pushes me away playfully, and then her smile falls. “I just want to make sure this is what you want, Parker. I don’t want you to resent me down the road because you didn’t follow your dreams.”
“ I could never resent you for making me realize that my dreams could change. I didn’t think there was anything else I could want more than being the boss, but there is.”
“So what are your dreams now?”
I cup the side of her face. “Anything that involves you, baby.”