Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
ANNIKA
Margarita night is in full swing and seems louder than last time.
Not just noise, but life. Laughter bounces off the walls, glasses clink, music hums low beneath all of it like it’s the heartbeat of the place.
But this time, I’m not alone. Since Parker told his family about us, I told Jenna. And after a lot of I told you so’s and I knew it’s, I invited her for moral support.
We order at the bar and Jenna clutches her margarita like she’s been invited to some exclusive club, eyes wide as we approach their table.
“This is insane,” she whispers. “I can’t believe I’m here.”
“You’re here. They’re normal people,” I mutter.
“Define normal when Parker and his brothers look like God sent them here to rule and his family looks like…” She gestures wildly, “this.”
Noelle lights up first. “Anna!” She pops up from the booth like she’s known me forever, crossing the space and pulling me into a hug. “And you brought a friend.”
“This is Jenna, my receptionist and—”
“Your favorite receptionist,” Jenna cuts in, sticking out her hand, and I’m afraid she’s going to curtsy.
Noelle grins. “Oh, I like her already.”
I elbow Jenna. “I was going to say friend, but you interrupted.”
Jenna nearly falls out of the booth. “I can’t believe I’m having drinks with THE Birdie.”
Settling into the big round booth, Birdie slides in last, effortlessly glowing in that I’m-a-pop-star-but-also-your-best-friend way.
They order their drinks and while we’re waiting, Sutton says, “So,” folding her arms on the table, eyes sharp and questioning. “We’ve heard things.”
My stomach tightens. I know he told them and he said they were all for it, but I still don’t trust this is real. “Have you?”
Jenna leans forward like she’s been waiting her whole life for this moment.
“Jenna,” I warn with a squeeze to her knee.
Too late. She’s already grinning.
“Let me just say,” she starts, lowering her voice like she’s about to divulge classified information. “His first visit? The tension could have started a war. It felt like a nuclear bomb had gone off.”
Birdie lets out a laugh. “I believe that. Those O’Ryan’s have a lot of pent-up energy.”
Heat crawls up my neck. I love when he uses that energy on me. In bed.
“I knew it from the beginning,” Jenna continues, pointing between us and having downed her first margarita. “You don’t argue like that unless there’s something underneath.”
“There’s nothing underneath.”
Sutton arches a brow. “Mm-hmm.”
“Parker said you hated him in college,” Noelle says, leaning in. “Are you still seeing him professionally?”
“Yes. I think we’ve kicked his anticipatory failure issue. At least if he keeps interrupting it.” I smile, thinking about my man. My boyfriend. “I just wish he wouldn’t compare himself to his brothers.”
“Sorry girl, it’s in our DNA,” Noelle adds. “He says you’re seeing him every day.”
“What?” I whisper-shout, which absolutely carries farther than I expect.
“And you’re staying at his place every night,” she says, proud of herself for getting the inside scoop. I get why he’s so close to her. She’s freeing. Says what she wants in the cutest of ways.
Jenna slaps my arm. “You did not tell me that part.”
“I…” I choke on my words. “He’s persuasive.”
Everyone dissolves into laughter. Even me. Because he’s persuasive with his words, his body, and in his actions. Maybe the O’Ryan men have that in common.
Birdie wipes tears from under her eye. “Okay, okay. New topic before Anna combusts. Who’s ready for karaoke?”
Noelle lifts her margarita. “Wait, Parker got your waitress hired by the Armadillos.”
Jenna’s head whips toward me. “Wait. The chocolate milk waitress?”
“The very one,” Sutton confirms with a laugh. “Becky called Marlon crying because she thought someone was pranking her.”
Birdie grins. “Parker sees one person mention a dream and suddenly he’s changing lives.”
Heat blooms across my cheeks.
Because that’s the thing about Parker. He acts like football is the only thing he knows, but underneath all the cocky athlete bravado is someone who listens. Someone who notices things most people miss.
Jenna points at me accusingly. “Okay, no. That’s boyfriend material. You left that part out too.”
“I didn’t leave it out,” I defend weakly. “It just… happened.”
Noelle snorts. “That’s how it starts with O’Ryan men. Next thing you know you’re emotionally attached and attending Sunday dinner against your will.”
“That’s not true,” Sutton argues.
Birdie raises a brow. “Says the woman married to her employee.”
Sutton flips her off while laughing.
Birdie waves her off. “Girl it wasn’t long ago that I face-planted in the snow, shattered my guitar case and got swept off my feet by an O’Ryan.”
Sutton scoffs, “You’re rewriting history.” I can see that they’re the best of friends, being close to the same age, and married to brothers only two years apart.
“Oh am I?” Birdie shoots back, smacking her lips.
“J.D. said you blew him off,” Sutton challenges as she stuffs a chip into her mouth.
Birdie smirks, “Yeah in the hotel.”
The table erupts and for a second I feel normal.
I forget everything else. The notes. The fear.
The past pressing at the edges of my life.
For the first time since I came to America, I feel like I’ve found my people.
To be included in their jokes and to laugh so hard that I can’t catch my breath feels like I’ve been injected with happy morphine.
“Speaking of bedhead. Oops I mean the boyfriend,” Jenna mumbles.
I turn and there he is. Parker. Standing just inside the door like he owns the room without even trying.
Jeans.
Property of Texas sweatshirt.
That stupid, effortless confidence that makes people turn without realizing they’re doing it. It’s obvious he just ran his fingers through his hair. Just how I like it, a little messy.
Noelle leans in. “I told you. He wants to be with you all the time. He’s a hopeless romantic.”
Parker overhears as he’s moving towards us, “Maybe, but this is about keeping our girls safe.”
Our girls.
That one phrase settling in my chest. Somewhere deep.
Then the doors open again.
Greyson, Matt, J.D. Even Witt.
Of course, they’re all here. They’re a tight knit family and it makes me long for one of my own.
“Hope we’re not crashing. The kids are all at Dad’s and Paulina’s helping him,” Greyson says, grabbing a chair to sit at the end.
“Well you are, but sit anyway,” Sutton’s reply is dry, but she kisses him.
The guys all pull up chairs except J.D., who picks up Birdie, steals her seat and perches her onto his lap. “Hey babe. How was your last recording session?”
“Last?” I ask. “Are you retiring?”
“I’m taking off after this next album and tour. Now I just want to sing karaoke. Now who’s going first? Witt, what about you and Jenna?”
Witt scoffs. “Not happening. No offense... I’m not making a fool of myself.” But Birdie shoots him a look right as Jenna grabs his arms and pulls him up.
“Everyone’s having fun tonight and that goes for us too.”
I swear Witt smiles. Maybe I imagined it, but they get on stage and Witt can sing. He’s not getting into it but he’s in tune and on time with the lyrics.
And just like that, Parker’s gaze locks on me.
The noise fades. “You ready?” Parker asks.
“For what?”
He nods toward the stage.
Oh no.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Too late.”
Ten minutes later, I’m standing under the dim lights with a microphone in my hand and a lump in my throat.
Parker stands beside me, relaxed. Does he not realize this could end up on social media?
“I can’t sing. This is a terrible idea.”
“You said that about breakfast and look what a fantastic idea that was,” he mutters in my ear, then flashing his dimples.
The music starts. A classic that almost everyone knows whether they’re from America or not. Parker doesn’t even glance at the screen. He knows every word.
Meanwhile, I’m a beat behind. Chasing lyrics like they’re running from me.
He bends down, his voice low and steady, carrying us both.
I catch up where I can. Miss where I can’t. Laughing through the whole song. And somehow it works. The last word of the song is forever. And the way he looks at me, it feels like he means every word he’s singing.
I’m breathless. Grinning. Alive in a way I haven’t felt in a long time.
And before I can process the applause, his hands are on me. Lifting me, strong and certain. My legs wrap around his waist on instinct, heels pressing into his back.
“Birdie’s right,” he smiles against my lips. “You need singing lessons.”
“Why are you so perfect?” I shoot back.
He answers by kissing me, proving once again—he’s perfect.
The evening races past us. It’s full of teasing, and stories of the O’Ryan brothers, including Matt. His family is the kind everyone dreams of. Do they argue? Yes. Do they tease each other? Yes, relentlessly.
Parker is right about Witt. He’s intense, quiet and his eyes have been on me all night. It seems like I still have one skeptic in the family and I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t trust me either.
“I need to use the bathroom before we go,” I tell Parker, slipping away before he can follow me.
“Don’t take too long,” he calls after me.
The bathroom is quiet.
Too quiet for the number of people here.
I grip the counter staring at my reflection.
Flushed cheeks.
Bright eyes shining with happiness.
I’m in love.
The door creaks open at the other end of the room. I don’t look up, but I feel the change in the air.
“You were always good at pretending nothing happened.”
My blood runs cold and all color drains from my face as I turn towards her.
The woman standing in front of me is familiar. I haven’t looked up anything about hockey for years, yet I know her.
My voice breaks. “Nadia?”
“I knew you couldn’t forget.” Her smile widens showing her sharpened teeth like a bear ready to devour its prey.
My stomach drops.
“I saw the look on your face,” she continues, stepping closer. “Back then. When your dad—”
“Stop,” I whisper forcefully through gritted teeth.
Her eyes flash.
“Tell your new boyfriend everything,” she says, her tone low and cutting. “Or I will.”
My heart slams. “Please don’t.”
“You don’t deserve to be happy when you don't have to pay the price.”
“I paid the same price as you,” I argue.
“You could have stopped it. You didn’t,” she bites back, then turns and slips out the door. And I’m left standing there, shaking.
When I walk back out, my senses are overloaded with sounds and lights. It’s too much.
“Anna?” Parker’s voice slices through the noise.
I don’t realize how bad I look until everyone’s staring at me.
“What happened?” Noelle asks, her voice full of warmth and concern.
“I’m fine.”
It’s a lie and Parker knows it.
“Let’s get you home,” he says, guiding me out. His hand steady on my back.
In the distance, I hear, “Feel better. Let’s do it again next week.”
I barely remember the drive. Or getting inside. Or sitting on the edge of his bed while he presses a glass of water into my hands. “Drink.”
I do. Because it’s easier than thinking.
My head is spinning like I’m drunk. I’m not.
Did I have a little buzz going on before seeing Nadia?
Yes, but once she spoke, I sobered.
Parker sits close beside me. Wrapping his heavy arm around my waist and pulling me flat against his side.
“You know,” he says gently, “if there’s more you want to tell me… I think I’ve proven you can trust me.”
My throat swells. I can hardly swallow.
I do trust him. That’s the problem. I lean into him and whisper, “I know.”
The word I’m trying to say lodges in my throat, trembling before it escapes.
“Trust.”
He doesn’t push and I’m not sure why. Parker lifts up the sheets and pats the mattress for me to slide in, and when I do he presses my back to his front, tight and comforting. He’s the most patient man I’ve ever met. No questions. He just waits patiently for me to say something.
But even though I feel safe and protected, I can’t admit what I saw and did nothing to stop it.