Chapter 25 Parker
Parker
Iwas leaving the shooting range when William called and said he was taking Evelyn to the Marquis.
While the Woods were basically Oakland Ridge royalty, there were still a lot of people who snubbed their noses at us because of who we were and what we looked like.
Despite half the buildings in this town having our name on them, it didn’t make us immune to racism.
I knew someone might take one look at Evelyn and turn her away, just because they could.
So when I found out that was where she was headed, I hurriedly called Thomas to set up her membership.
Many of the townsfolk didn’t know that our family actually owned a portion of the Marquis.
My Great Grandfather had helped the Beauharts start the club and stayed on as a silent partner.
Thomas Beauhart had always been a friend of the family, so when I called, he didn’t hesitate to get the process moving to make Evelyn a member.
Every member had a profile that listed their accolades and professional accomplishments.
The Marquis wasn’t just a place to dine and play golf.
It was a networking haven. Everyone had to be vetted.
I had no idea that when I told Thomas about Evelyn being a marketing designer, he would jump at the chance to hire her.
It sounded like a great opportunity, and one that she would enjoy.
I didn’t know exactly how she would feel about my interference.
I didn’t want her to feel like she owed me anything or like I didn’t think she could manage things on her own.
I rushed home after my call with Thomas and texted William to let me know when they would be heading back to the estate. I had my fingers crossed that I didn’t come across as a total tool, given the fact that Evelyn has barely said a full sentence to me in the last few weeks.
Although my father treated me like his shadow, demanding that I be wherever he was, I managed to come out to the range when I could disappear for an hour or two. It’s been a while since I held a gun, so I wanted to make sure I was still a good shot.
By the time I finished showering and getting dressed, Evelyn was walking into the pool house.
I couldn’t help but admire her. She was in a yellow sleeveless dress that flared at her waist, accentuating her lush curves, and her hair was somewhat neatly piled on top of her head in a bun.
I consistently fought the urge to tuck one of her rebellious curls from her face.
Seeing her reminded me that I was starting to miss the companionship that had grown between us.
Evelyn was easy to talk to. She had this way about looking at you as if she was peeling back your layers, seeing through the bullshit.
I felt like I could open up to her in a way that I couldn’t with my sisters or friends.
At this point, my desire to protect her had only intensified.
I needed her to feel safe and know that she would be okay here with me in Oakland Ridge.
“I’m glad you’re here! I have the best news, though you probably already know,” she says once she notices me standing in the kitchen.
My nerves begin to subside when I realize she isn’t about to curse me out for butting into her business. Evelyn was kind, but she had a stubborn streak. I wasn’t trying to get on her bad side anytime soon.
“I’m not sure what you mean.” I played coy. I’d rather hear her tell me how things went. After all, I didn’t tell Thomas to give her the job outright.
She laughed, and it sounded like a symphony to my ears.
Happiness looked good on her. I could see some subtle changes, especially in the way she carried herself.
She seemed lighter, like the weight of the world wasn’t on her shoulders.
I knew from William’s daily updates that she was spending a lot of time journaling and walking the grounds.
When she wasn’t with my mother or the twins, she was doing a therapy call.
The reprieve from Charles’ threats felt bittersweet. My gut told me that this peacefulness wouldn’t last. It was just a prelude to chaos.
Either way, I was cooked. I barely knew the woman, but I was coming up with silly games to hear her laugh and flirting shamelessly just to catch a glimpse of that blush on her skin. She had been avoiding me, and although I had an idea why, it didn’t make me yearn for her company less.
“Thomas offered me a job at The Marquis! I’m their new Marketing Coordinator. He looked at my portfolio and offered me a job right on the spot.”
The excited energy rolling off Evelyn was contagious. I rounded the counter and brought her into my arms for a hug.
She didn’t hesitate to return the hug and rest her head on my chest. I was reminded how right her body felt in my arms.
“I’m so happy for you, that’s great news.”
Stepping out of my arms, she continued to gush about her new position, and a smile was locked onto my face. Calling the country club was more beneficial than I had hoped. It turned out that she didn’t need a membership when she was about to get her own office.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Evelyn said, halting her excited rambling and touching her face nervously.
“It’s just so great to see you so happy. It looks good on you.” I say with a laugh.
She returned my smile, and it inspired an idea.
“I know I haven’t been around lately, and soon we’ll both be busy, but I want to make sure we take some time out to accomplish some of the things on your list.”
“Are you sure? I know your dad has you working some long hours,” she said with a shrug. “It was a really nice gesture, but you don’t have to go through with it. I can get around now, do some things on my own.”
“So you’re not interested in your first driving lesson?” I say in an effort to persuade her. I can already tell it's working by the way her eyes light up.
This was the first time in weeks we had been in each other's presence for more than a few minutes. Attending every meeting and photo op that my father requested was wearing me thin. In a way, I needed this too.
With a toss of my keys, I motioned toward the door and took a step forward. I knew she'd made her choice when I heard her footsteps trailing behind mine.
“Okay, now lightly press your right foot on the gas and pull out of the parking space. Easy now,” I instructed as Evelyn pulled out of the space in the empty parking lot.
We’ve been out here for almost two hours in the old abandoned 7-Eleven parking lot practicing.
Evelyn was a quick learner. At first, she was terrified, and I had to convince her I wouldn’t flip out if she damaged my car.
After the first forty-five minutes, she began to calm down and almost seemed to be enjoying herself.
Evelyn did as I instructed, pulled the car out of the space, then made a left turn around the lamp pole.
“I think I’m getting the hang of this,” she said with her eyes never leaving the road.
She definitely was. I could still sense some apprehension, but I was sure that with more practice, she would be ready to go on the road.
The sun was quickly setting, and I didn’t think it was a good idea to keep practicing at night, so we decided to end our lesson.
Since we hadn’t eaten in hours, I suggested we head over to Doc’s Dinner in town.
Doc’s was a roller skate car hop diner serving cheeseburgers and curly fries late at night, along with anything you could think of, as long as it was greasy. This place looked the same as it did in high school.
The retro red-and-white sign illuminated the night sky like a beacon. I watched Evelyn as she took in her surroundings. I knew from what she’s told me of her childhood that she hadn’t traveled much, so I figured that this place might be a treat for her.
As I was putting the car in park, a waitress dressed like she was in the 1950’s skated up to the car. She moved with expertise around the parked cars in a red-and-white pinstriped dress with a black scarf tied around her neck.
“Hiya, I’m Dee. Welcome to Doc’s, what can I get for you two tonight?”
“We’ll take two fully loaded cheeseburgers with curly fries, an order of hot honey barbecue tenders, and two vanilla milkshakes.”
After writing our order down in her notepad and making sure there was nothing else to add, Dee skated away.
“I hope this place lives up to the hype because I am starving!” Evelyn said clutching her stomach.
“Oh, I’m sure it will. I haven’t been here in forever, but from the full parking lot, it’s still gotta be as good as I remember.”
Turning in her seat to face me, she asked, “Did you come here a lot growing up?”
She had her full attention on me, and it made me stutter a bit, “Yeah, this was kind of the date spot when I was in high school.”
“Oh, I see,” she said with a smirk. “I can only imagine how many dates the captain of the football team brought here.”
I balked at her assumption. My life was a cliché, so why would this aspect be any different?
“Actually, I had the same girlfriend all throughout high school.”
That seemed to shock her, judging by the way her eyebrows hit the roof.
I didn’t know what to make of her reaction.
Did I give off the impression that I was a player?
If only she knew that I barely had time to date.
Work consumed the majority of my life. When I wasn’t at the station, you could find me asleep, resting up to do it all over again.
“Was it Denise?” She asked with a touch of curiosity in her voice.
I had almost forgotten about the incident at the gala.
The woman that I encountered wasn’t the woman I remembered, or maybe she was exactly who she’s always been.
Her mistreatment of Evelyn rubbed me the wrong way, so I made sure the message was received loud and clear.
I just hadn’t expected Evelyn to go along with it.
When her hand met mine, and she smiled at me, I almost forgot we weren’t the real deal.