“No. Must have been a raccoon that one time.” She looked Syrinx up and down and narrowed her eyes as if she couldn’t discern anything about what she really wanted to know. “How was the funeral?”
“Sad.” Syrinx busied herself with the group of impatiens. “Parker really took Rutherford’s death hard.”
Kaye nudged her with her elbow. “I’m sure you cheered him up.”
Syrinx wasn’t sure if she had made things any easier or made the whole trip worse. “I don’t know about that.”
“Well, the party’s still on, right? Because I ordered a crapload of baby’s breath to go along with the roses.”
Syrinx hadn’t thought of that. “I would assume so. He hasn’t spoken otherwise.”
“Good.” Kaye took the replanted impatiens and put them on the sale rack out front. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“You’re looking forward to doing all that work?”
“No. To going.”
“Kaye, you know we never go to our clients’ events. It’s unprofessional.”
Her assistant walked over to the countertop and pulled out an envelope from yesterday’s mail. “That may be the case with most clients. But what if we were invited?”
Syrinx took the envelope and opened it. A golden invitation addressed by Rutherford had both her and Kaye’s names on it. “This is impossible, this is from Rutherford.”
“It’s not impossible.” Kaye touched the envelope gently. “Rutherford must have sent it before he died. You know how slow the mail’s been lately.”
Syrinx tore open the envelope.
We formally request the presence of Sylvia Rain and Kaye Underhill at the Rose Gala on Saturday, July twenty-first, at seven thirty p.m.
She smoothed her hand over the old man’s shaky writing. “We can’t go.”
“We have to go. He’s our best customer, Sylvie. Besides, you don’t want to ignore Rutherford’s dying wish.”
Syrinx’s stomach dropped. Kaye was right. Which meant she had to sort out everything with Parker before the party. When three hundred roses were involved, the last thing she needed on her mind was an awkward confrontation. “All right. But no drinking on the job.”
“We’re not on the job at that point. The flowers will be set up long before the party even starts. Our job will be done. Come on, Sylvie, it’s going to be an open bar.”
Just as Syrinx opened her mouth to respond, the bells jingled on top of the door. Parker Thomas walked in.
Kaye muttered under her breath. “Speaking of the devil, here he is now.”
Syrinx’s heart fell to her tennis shoes. When she’d said she needed to make amends, she didn’t mean this very minute. She still had no idea what she was going to say about that night, or the reason why she left so early the next day.
Kaye spoke for her, walking around the countertop to greet him. “Why, Mr. Thomas! We weren’t expecting you. Do you want to look at your roses again?”
“No.” His eyes drifted to Syrinx in a longing, melancholy look, then back to Kaye. “I’m here to speak with Sylvia.”
Kaye raised her eyebrow. “Absolutely. I’ll leave you two alone, then.” Pretending to busy herself by grabbing a few partially finished bouquets, she disappeared out back.
Parker approached the counter with an apology in his eyes. “I’m sorry to bother you. I just wanted to make sure you made it back safely.”
Syrinx rolled a pen over and over in both hands. Could have done that with a phone call. But here he was, standing in front of her in all his hunky glory looking oh so desirable. “I’m fine. I just need more time to figure things out.”
“I know.” He placed both hands on the countertop between them and leaned in as though he was going to kiss her. He stopped short of her lips, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ve come on too strong. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s not you.” Syrinx put the pen down and placed her hands over his. “It’s me.”
“Why don’t we start over and take things more slowly? How about develop a friendship?”
Syrinx breathed with relief. This man was too good to be true. “That sounds wonderful.”
“Good.” He smiled. “Then I have an offer for you and for Kaye.”
Syrinx showed him the envelope. “I already got your invitation.”
Parker blinked as if confused. “How did you get that?”
Syrinx cursed her insensitivity. Of course he’d ask. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I really thought this was what you were referring to.” She handed him the envelope. “Rutherford sent it.”
Parker took the envelope and ran his fingers along the writing. “I didn’t ask him to.”
Actually, maybe it was a good thing she brought it up. Better be embarrassed now than at the party when she and Kaye showed up dressed for the occasion. “So you had no idea he invited us?”
“Nope.”
Syrinx shook her head. “Then you don’t want us to go.”
“No, that’s not it at all. It would be wonderful if you and Kaye came to the party. I was going to ask you myself. It seems Rutherford beat me to the punch.” Parker studied the writing on the envelope.
Syrinx didn’t know whether to be happy or frustrated. How was she ever going to figure things out if she kept seeing him? But she wasn’t about to argue with him. The way Parker stared at Rutherford’s writing eclipsed her other concerns. “You can keep the envelope if you want. I don’t mind.”
“No, no, no.” He placed the envelope back on the countertop. It took him a few moments to collect himself. “As part of our new friendship, I was wondering if you and Kaye would like to join me for some bowling followed by some ice cream?”
Syrinx smiled. He remembered. That was exactly what she’d suggested after their first date. “I’d love to. I just have to ask Kaye—”
“Count me in!” Kaye waltzed in holding two hanging flower arrangements. “I love bowling. I may not be good at it, but I love it.”
Here Kaye was, eavesdropping again. Syrinx gave her an admonishing look. “All done with your work back there?”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t hear anything secret. I only heard the last part as I was bringing these in.” She winked at Syrinx, but Syrinx wasn’t totally sure she believed her.
Parker, on the other hand, didn’t seem to mind her eavesdropping at all. “Great! Meet you at Bowl-O-Rama Friday night, let’s say six?”
“Friday? That’s the night before the party.” Syrinx always liked to get to bed early the day before her floral gigs.
Parker narrowed his eyes mischievously. “Won’t you have everything already set by then?”
“Yes. We will.” Kaye answered for her. “We’ll see you at six o’clock sharp.”
Parker smiled and walked to the door. “And bring your bowling shoes.”
Chapter Twelve Sabotage
“I forgot to tell you my mom loved the floral purse I sent her for her birthday.” Kaye clipped up her black curls in the passenger’s overheard mirror.
Syrinx drove to the bowling alley, half wishing she’d said no. The other half couldn’t wait to see him again.
“That’s great. I’m glad I could help.”
Kaye gave her a suspicious look. “So when am I going to get to meet your parents?”
Syrinx shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know. They live a long way away, and they don’t like to travel.”
“Greenland, right?” Kaye didn’t sound convinced. “I didn’t think anyone lived in Greenland. Isn’t it the opposite of green over there—like all ice and snow? In fact, if I remember correctly, the first settlers lied when they named it Greenland to attract travelers.”
Actually, that’s why Syrinx picked it. That way, Kaye would never want to go visit them. “Is that so?” She changed the subject, “Maybe you should go on Jeopardy with all that textbook knowledge. You could make us rich, and we could buy an even bigger greenhouse.”
Kaye pursed her lips.
; “Or you could just marry Parker, and then we’d be rich anyway.”
Syrinx turned serious as she found a parking spot a few cars away from a silver Jaguar. Must be his spare. “That’s enough. No more talk of marriage or dating. We’re all just going out as friends.”
“Just saying…” Kaye smirked as she got out of the VW Beetle.
Syrinx grabbed their bowling shoes, and they walked through the giant clown’s mouth into Bowl-O-Rama. A bright-purple carpet with pink candy canes led the way past several arcade consoles and claw machines stocked with fuzzy animal prizes. Little kids cried, laughed, and smeared ketchup over the booths and the walls, while the constant sound of pins dropping clanged in the background. It was the least romantic place in the world, which was exactly why Syrinx had agreed to it.
“There he is.” Kaye pointed to a lane Parker had already reserved for them. “I like a man who’s on time.”
Parker looked so hot in his white polo and low-rise jeans that hugged his butt in just the right way. Syrinx focused on his eyes, but the intensity there also turned her on.
“Thanks for coming, ladies.” He gestured toward the plastic seats.
“Thanks for inviting us.” Kaye sat by the electronic scoreboard. “My parents used to take me bowling as a kid. I suck at it, but I have a great time.”
He glanced at Syrinx’s green-and-orange bowling shoes. “Cute shoes.”
Kaye chimed in. “Somewhere at a circus, a clown is running around barefoot.”
As Syrinx shot her an angry look, Parker laughed and tied his own sleek black bowling shoes. “I envy him.”
Syrinx blinked in confusion. “Why?”
He shrugged. “I love going barefoot and feeling the grass under my feet.”
Syrinx smiled. “That’s funny, I’m the same way.”
“Not me.” Kaye grabbed the first bowling ball. “I hate the thought of bugs crawling all over my toes. Yuck.” She threw the ball and let go too late. The weight almost pulled her forward on her face. As she stumbled to regain her footing, the ball rolled to the side, missing every single one of the pins.
Syrinx and Parker stared. Syrinx knew she should say something to comfort her friend, but Kaye was so bad, it left her speechless.
Kaye turned around and gave them a goofy smile. “Guess I’ll try again.”
As she floundered with the next ball, Parker turned back toward Syrinx. He licked his lips, his eyes growing a little too intense for the bowling alley, making her feel that she was the only woman in the room. “The sole of the foot is one of the most sensitive places on a person’s body.”
“I know.” Syrinx matched his steady gaze with one of her own. She knew she shouldn’t be flirting like this, but he was so tempting. “So is the neck.”
“It is, is it?” Parker reached over to touch her neck.
Kaye walked back and interrupted them. “So that’s a big fat zero for me.” She sat in the seat in front of the scoreboard and typed in her score.
Parker turned back to Syrinx. “Your turn.”
Syrinx stood and took a ball, pretending to feel the weight in her hands. In all reality, gods could lift as much as they chose. She could have juggled the balls without the slightest bead of sweat.
Whatever you do, don’t hit all the pins. The last she needed was for Kaye to pick up on another one of her superhuman characteristics with Parker around. Syrinx took a deep breath, stepped four times, and let the ball roll. It curved slightly down the alley, then careered straight for the pin in the middle. In a second, all the pins were down.
“Strike!” Kaye shouted, wide-eyed. She stood and hugged her friend. “Wow. You never told me you were this good at bowling.”
Syrinx shrugged. “Just lucky, that’s all.” Make that unlucky. She’d have to have a conversation with the god of chance.
Parker seemed to laugh at her with the sparkle in his eyes. “Lucky, indeed.” Somehow, his tone made it sound as if he didn’t believe her.
She bowled again, trying to mimic Kaye’s style. The ball veered to the right. It missed the first pin, but the force of the momentum knocked one pin on its side, which in turn knocked the rest down.
“Double strike!” Kaye shouted. She pointed at Syrinx. “Never mind sending me to Jeopardy, I’m sending you to a bowling competition.”
Parker glanced at Syrinx and raised an eyebrow. “Jeopardy?”
Syrinx rolled her eyes. “You don’t want to know.”
Parker stood for his turn, and it took all of Syrinx’s resolve not to look at his butt as he picked up his bowling ball and made his move. Kaye, on the other hand, stared unabashed.
The muscles in his arms and legs bunched as he let go of the ball with a practiced grace. The way he watched the ball, standing perfectly still, reminded Syrinx of a wild animal stalking prey.
“Strike!” Kaye’s eyes grew wider with each one as she took down the score. “Remind me never to go bowling with you two again.”
Syrinx shook her head, wondering if she’d truly met her match in Parker Thomas. That might not be a bad idea.
She glanced back at Parker. He stared across the bowling alley, frozen in place. Fear hardened his eyes, and he held his breath. Syrinx had never seen anything rile him so much.
She turned her head in the direction he faced. A woman with long black hair stood at the concession stand. The woman’s back was turned, so Syrinx couldn’t see her face. She had a small, lanky frame, just like the woman running along the forest.
Syrinx’s heart sped. Was it her? The woman wasn’t ordering anything or talking to anyone. She just stood there, as if time sped around her and she existed in some alternate dimension apart from this one.
A couple ran across the alley to the concession stand, and the woman turned her head. Her face was kind and beautiful like a fox. She smiled and embraced the couple and together they laughed and got in line.
Syrinx turned back to Parker. He breathed again, shoulders sagging in relief.
It wasn’t her.
Yet, the interaction nagged her. Hadn’t she known a woman like that? She thought back, all the way to Mount Olympus. Once again, she thought of Coral, but she’d never be seen in this century. She was still back on Mount Olympus waiting for Pan.
…
They finished their game and ate hot dogs, veggie burgers, and ice cream at the snack bar, sitting in the sticky child-ridden booths. Kaye talked about her family, her work, and her nonexistent love life. Parker listened with interest, asking questions as if he was truly interested in getting to know Syrinx’s friend and getting on her good side. But, Syrinx noticed, Parker wasn’t saying much about himself.
“What about you, Parker?” Syrinx interrupted Kaye as she spoke about her favorite pastime: scrapbooking.
Parker leaned toward her. “What about me?”
“What do you like to do in your free time?”
He paused as if deciding what to tell them, then leaned back and smiled. “It’s not very exciting.”
“Come on. You have to tell us.” Kaye teased him as she ate her last bite of hot fudge sundae. Syrinx didn’t interfere. She wanted to know as much as Kaye.
He crossed his arms and challenged her. “Why?”
Kaye popped the cherry in her mouth. She’d saved it for last. “Because now you know all of mine.”
He turned to Syrinx for a reprieve, but she gave him the admonishing glance she was so good at. “It’s only fair.”
Parker sighed and finished off his veggie burger. “Okay, okay. I like walking in the forest. I sit perfectly still on a cliffside or a rock outcropping, and I watch the wind play with the leaves, like waves in an ocean. I close my eyes and listen to the gurgling of brooks and birdcalls. Sometimes, I whistle into the wind and see if the birds respond.”
Kaye frowned as if disappointed. “That would entertain me for about five seconds. Don’t you even bring a book to read?”
Parker shook his head and smiled. “Nope.”
Syrinx swir
led her spoon around her empty bowl, watching the patterns it left with the last remnants of melted ice cream. His idea of pastime matched hers perfectly. In fact, she longed to sit in the woods and do that very thing with him right now.
“Well, I’m done.” Kaye stood and brushed crumbs off her shorts. “Gotta get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow.” She turned to Syrinx. “Ready to go?”
As much as Kaye was right, Syrinx didn’t want to leave. The more she learned about Parker Thomas, the more she thought he was the perfect match for her. But they had a lot of setting up to do before the party, and he was still their very best customer. She stood. “Thank you for a great time.”
Parker reached out and took her hand. For a moment, she thought he’d pull her into the booth with him. But instead, he placed a single kiss on the back, making her skin burn with desire. “You’re most welcome.”
“See you tomorrow.” Syrinx took back her hand.
“The big day.” Parker’s fingers lingered on her own before letting go. He’d done so well at being her friend on this date, but every so often he slipped.
Kaye had already made it to the clown’s mouth, and Syrinx didn’t want to keep her waiting. She jogged after her friend. Night had fallen while they ate dinner, and a full moon shone like a coin in the sky. Eager anticipation sizzled in the night air, as if mischief rode the wind. It made Syrinx very nervous, as if fate had a plan for her she wasn’t aware of.
“I think that went very well.” Kaye waited for the second beep to signal that her door unlocked, then got in.
Syrinx slipped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Part of her was sad to leave him there alone. “Thanks to your lighthearted conversation.”
“No. That made no difference. Everyone in that bowling alley knew he was in love with you.”
“In love?” Syrinx backed out of her parking spot and turned onto the road. “Come on, we’ve only known each other a few weeks.”
Kaye shrugged and reapplied her lip gloss in the mirror. “A few weeks, a few days, with love, it doesn’t matter.” She dug in her purse, pulling out old gum wrappers and a comb with enough hair stuck in it to clone another Kaye, or at least make her a twin dog.
Pan's Conquest (Entangled Covet) Page 9