by Jewel E. Ann
Knock knock knock.
Parker dropped her head to the steering wheel in defeat. She knew whose fist rapped on her window. The door creaked again.
“I checked. They’re still dead.”
She didn’t move. Looking at him would hurt too much, just his voice set her Levi detox back by a good month. But damn him for saying something as inappropriate and funny as the suit he had on the last time they were at the cemetery. Parker grinned even as tears welled in her eyes.
As quickly as it appeared, her smile faded. “I shouldn’t be here,” she whispered. Parker thought the same thing at the funeral, but at least then she was the only one who knew why her presence was inappropriate.
“Probably not. Yet here you are.”
She raised her head and swatted away her tears. “Don’t be a jerk.”
“I need to be mad at you.” His brow knitted tight.
Parker laughed. “You’re doing a great job.” She swung her legs around and hopped out, not waiting for him to say anymore and not shutting the door behind her before marching back into the cemetery. When she reached the top of the hill, she made a quick glance back.
Levi leaned his shoulder against the wrought-iron gate at the entrance, his back to her. She found the gesture odd. Was he giving her some sort of privacy?
Her attention returned to the graves in front of her.
August L. Westman
“Told you.” She wiped away more tears. “I knew you were going to break my heart. You and that stupid Cubs cap.” Parker squatted down by his headstone and traced his engraved name. “You’ve ruined my life.” She laughed through her tears. “Even in death you just had to make sure I never found happiness.”
Her breath caught and nearly two months of pent-up grief racked her body as she fell forward to her knees resting her head and hands on the cool granite, tears vanishing in the grass beneath her. “Why were you in that car with her?” she whispered through her sobs. “You were s-supposed to be with m-me.”
Parker cried for every unfair thing that had happened to her in her adult life. She knew Gus would want her to leave it behind with him. He may have been despicable, but everything Levi said about him was true. August Westman was a good man, a hard worker, and he loved his wife … he also loved Parker. That’s how much love he had in his heart.
After the last tear, she sat up and drew in a shaky breath. She wouldn’t visit him again. It was a final goodbye. “I knew you were too old for me.” It hurt to smile, but that was the memory—the feeling—she most wanted to remember. “Rest in peace, Gus.”
As she walked by Sabrina’s headstone, she feathered her fingers over the top. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. And she was.
Levi didn’t move as Parker approached the entrance. She stood beside him; he seemed to be watching the last sliver of daylight disappear.
“Did you love him?”
Parker followed his gaze, admiring the splendid orange and blue sky. “Yes.”
“How long had you been sleeping together?”
“We didn’t.” It wasn’t a lie.
She and Gus road the line and even swayed over it on more than one occasion. But they didn’t have sex. That was Levi’s question.
“I need to know what happened between you two,” the anguish in his voice cut her to the bone.
“Not all truths set you free and not all lies are deception,” she repeated his own words.
“You’re not going to tell me?”
They both continued to watch the horizon.
“No.”
In life, there were truths and lies, and then there were intimate moments that stayed between two people. Even if what happened between Parker and Gus was wrong, it was still personal in the most private way.
Letting go of Levi hurt beyond words. But she couldn’t apologize for the lie, and he couldn’t forgive the truth.
Parker took a small step past him.
“I was on my way to you.”
She stopped.
He breathed out the whisper of a laugh. “I think I’ve been on my way to you my whole life.”
Parker’s lips parted as she drew in a stuttered gasp, tears pooling in her eyes.
“I need you.” His voice cracked, so did her heart.
One blink. Tears.
“I love you,” he whispered as if the words were being ripped from his soul.
Parker closed her eyes. “I love you too.”
“More than him?”
Her quivering lips pressed together as she swallowed past the pain and fear. “So much more.”
Levi’s pinky finger slid around hers.
And that’s when life happened.
Epilogue
Four Months Later – Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere
“I love surprises!” Parker’s smile faded. “Well, the good kind. Please tell me this is the good kind.”
“I think so.” Levi gave her a sideways glance as they pulled into the drive. “No peeking.”
“I’m not.” She adjusted the blindfold. “Jeez, I just said I love surprises.”
He turned off the car. Rags whined from the backseat.
She drummed her fingers on her legs. They’d been in the car for hours after staying at a hotel one night with the shades drawn the entire time. It had been a blind trip so far. Parker couldn’t imagine what kind of surprise involved that much travel.
“It’s the beach, isn’t it. We’re at the beach. Gah! I can smell the ocean air.”
Levi chuckled. “Is that so?”
“What are you waiting for? Why aren’t we getting out?”
“Really, babe? You really like surprises?”
“Yes! But not torture. This is torture.”
“Hold tight.”
“Where are you going?”
“To get your surprise. No peeking.”
“Why do I have to stay here? You can’t bring the ocean to me.”
“How many times have I promised to give you the world?”
She breathed an easy laugh. “God I love you.”
“Stay put.”
“But,” she called to stop him, “seriously, why do I have to stay here?”
Levi sighed. “It’s a delicate situation.” He shut the door.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
A wet nose sniffed her hair.
“Is that your way of telling me to stop being so nosey?”
Fifteen minutes later, Rags barked, whined, cried, and danced impatiently in the back seat, even clawing at the window.
“Stop! What is it?”
The back door opened first.
“Hey! Why does he get let out?”
Levi opened her door next. “Because he’s scratching my leather seats and doors.”
Rags barked several times.
“What is his deal? When can I see? Come on! Come on!” Her hands clapped like a circus monkey as she jumped up and down.
“Here.” Levi thrust something warm, furry, and wiggly into her arms.
“What the hell?”
He pulled off her blindfold.
The sun singed her retinas. “It’s a puppy … I think.” Parker blinked several times as she giggled from the eager tongue tickling her face and neck. “You got me a puppy?” She squealed.
“You can thank Rags.” Levi whistled to him.
Rags marked a few bushes lining the driveway to the house.
“What do you mean? Where are we?”
“The indiscretion at the rest stop … chocolate Lab … swollen vulva?”
Parker’s eyes bulged out of her head, mouth agape.
Levi wrangled Rags back into the SUV. “It resulted in seven puppies. Six female. One male—the runt of the litter that didn’t sell.”
“This is their house? The freaky spastic lady?”
“Shhh …” Levi glanced back toward the house then tossed a nod toward the vehicle. “Jeez, woman. Get in. I think her front windows are open.”
Parker hopped in
the front seat.
“They named him Knutt. K N U T T.” Levi retrieved a sack from the pouch behind his seat, pulling out a new dog harness and seat belt loop. “I think we should keep the name. I like it.”
Parker stared at his secret stash of dog supplies. Levi was good. Sneaky, but good.
“Here.”
She handed Knutt to him. Levi secured the soft, wiggly ball of brown fluff with the harness and seat belt.
“Knutt. Interesting.” Her head cocked to the side.
Levi backed out of the driveway. “As in he’s the result of Rags’s nuts not being empty.”
“Oh …” Parker snickered. “That’s funny. Was she a bit calmer?”
“Barely. I’d say medicated. She called me right after the pups were born, frantic and demanding I bring a suitcase of cash in exchange for the ‘hideous’ puppies. I told her to see if she could sell them first. Come to find out, she sold them for more than she would have purebred Labs. Except…” he glanced at the review mirror “…the runt.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I wanted to keep my options open in case she called back demanding I come buy them from her. Actually, I was thinking of telling you just recently because I assumed she’d sold all of them, but then she called two weeks ago. Surprise!” Levi shot her a lopsided grin and a wink.
Rags kept to his side of the backseat while Knutt tried to squirm toward him.
“Two kids now. We have our hands full. Good thing I’m still unemployed. A puppy is a full-time job.” She smirked.
Levi chuckled. “Indeed. Here.” He handed her the blindfold.
“What?”
“Put it on.”
“Why?”
“Another surprise.”
“I’m tired of wearing it.”
“On. Or I’m pulling over and not moving another foot until you do.”
With a heavy sigh and a pouty lip, she went back into the dark.
*
One Long Drive Later – In the Middle of a Barren Frozen Field
At nearly two in the morning, Levi welcomed another favorite day, watching his world sleep in the passenger seat.
Never could he hate her.
Never would he cut her again with his words.
Never would he regret their love.
They were real.
Human.
And worthy of love and forgiveness.
Knutt rustled in the back then whined.
Parker blinked her eyes open. “Where are we?” She brought the back of her seat upright.
It had been a crazy trip that involved bathroom breaks with the blindfold coming off literally at the door to the ladies’ room. He even helped feed her. A crazy and unforgettable adventure.
He pulled off her blindfold and hopped out.
“Levi—”
“I’ll let the kids out to do their business.”
“Levi—”
He zipped his coat. “Damn it’s cold!”
“Levi!” Parker got out. “What are we doing here?”
Rags jumped out, nose inspecting the frozen dirt. Knutt followed his dad, marking and remarking their territory.
Levi shoved his hands in his pockets and lifted his shoulders up to guard his neck against the arctic temperatures. Parker hadn’t even zipped her coat.
“Thought we should introduce the folks to their new grand dog.”
She glanced over toward her parents’ house just up the road. “And this couldn’t wait? It had to be now? It had to be a surprise?”
“You love surprises.” He hugged her to him, for totally selfish body-warming reasons.
“Yes.”
“Why did you park here?”
His teeth began to chatter. “I like this field. It holds some really good memories.”
Parker giggled. “It really does. But … it’s not as much fun in January.”
“True.” He whistled to the dogs. “Let’s go, boys, before we all freeze our balls off.”
They hopped in and drove the short distance to the farmhouse.
“Wrong way.” She shook her head. “Old habits.”
“Wrong way?”
“Man, you are tired.” Parker laughed. “You need to go to my parents’ house. See the sign in the yard that says ‘Sale Pending’? The house is empty, and in a few days it won’t even be mine.”
“Then we should say goodbye.”
“Fine. Tomorrow. I’m tired. And you need to sleep since you drove the whole way.”
Levi shut off the engine. “Two seconds.” He cupped the back of her head and leaned over, brushing his lips along hers. “Today is my favorite day.”
After a brief stare-off, she smiled. Those five words always made her smile. “Two seconds.” She nipped his lip, climbed out, and headed to the door. “And I don’t understand your sentimentality for a house you’ve been in three times.”
He jogged to the back door with Rags and Knutt chasing him. Parker retrieved the key from the lockbox then opened the door, flipping on the kitchen light. “Oh shit,” she whispered. “Grab them before they go any farther! Someone is living here. I can’t believe Piper let them move in before the papers were signed.”
The house that should have been empty was filled with furniture.
“Thank God she did.” Levi went back outside and returned a minute later with their bags.
“Why did you say that? What are you doing?” she whispered, attempting to keep the dogs in the kitchen while glancing toward the stairs with a cringe on her face.
“Come on, boys. I’m tuckered out.” Levi moved past her, climbing the stairs. “Welcome home, Mrs. Paige.”
He put both dogs in the bathroom for the night, knowing Rags would not like being in jail but Knutt needed the company until they could get him a kennel or housebroken.
Levi dropped their bags on the floor of the master bedroom, stripped down to his black briefs, and crawled into the new bed.
After a good five minutes, Parker appeared in the doorway with a blank face, lips slightly parted. She surveyed the bedroom, walls adorned with photos of family, Rags, the beach, and one shot from their wedding a month earlier.
“Are you sure?” Levi gave Parker a stern glare as they stood at the entrance to the white wedding chapel with the blue roof.
“Yes.” She ran her hands down the fitted bodice of her white dress that fell just below her knees and covered her scars. “It’s the Graceland Wedding Chapel. Do you realize how many celebrities have been married here?”
“Your mom already hates me for stealing you away to Arizona. I don’t think eloping in Las Vegas, regardless of the chapel’s notoriety, is going to score me any points with her.”
“I’ve already told you, it’s the only option. Piper and I have buried the hatchet, but revenge never dies. It just doesn’t. If we have a wedding, she will poison me. I’m certain of it.”
“You didn’t poison her.” Levi adjusted his blue tie.
“I’m pretty sure when she was buckled over in pain, vomiting in the toilet while shitting down her dress, she felt like someone had poisoned her.”
“We’re your nephew’s godparents. I think everyone has grown up since then.”
“You’re wrong. Trust me. This is best for everyone involved.” She rubbed her glossed lips together. “Just … marry me, Levi.”
“That’s my line.”
She grabbed the lapels of his jacket. “Then say it.”
Levi wrapped his arms around her waist …
After staring at their Graceland Wedding Chapel photo for several minutes, Parker breached the entrance to the bedroom.
“It’s temporary.”
Her eyes shifted to him, sheets pulled up to his waist, hand cocked behind his head.
“We’re … living here?”
“Yes. But again, it’s only temporary. Until we build on the lot to the north.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m going to design the house so the master bedroom is on the very spot where w
e parked that night.”
A grin pulled at her lips. “In Iowa … we’re living in Iowa?”
“I think you once said something about liking space. Trees. Gardens. A few animals. Maybe a meadow of wildflowers or lavender. And a doggy door with a yard for Rags … and now Knutt to run around. That wasn’t going to happen in Scottsdale.”
“But your job?”
“But your sister and your new nephew, who you cannot stop talking about. Remember them? And your mom who hates me because I stole you and took you to Las Vegas for our wedding.”
“She doesn’t hate you. I told you she adopted the whole lifeline-not-anchor philosophy.”
“Bullshit. She hates me … well, hated me. But now we’re good friends. I might just be her favorite person right now because I brought you home to stay.” He twisted his lips. “Clothes. Off. Naked. Now.”
Parker took another step toward the bed. “I’m glad we’re not living here forever.” A twinge of pain etched her forehead.
“Memories?”
She nodded. They didn’t have to have the conversation. He knew something must have happened between her and Gus in that house. Levi didn’t like it, but he’d learned to accept the way their pasts had interwoven into something no one else would ever truly understand—including him. What Parker and Gus shared was before Levi. He left it at the cemetery the day he reclaimed the love that mattered more than illusions of lies or pasts buried beneath headstones.
No more questions. No more explanations. Levi just wanted the girl for all the reasons every idiot before him failed to see. That was his motto. One of his mottos.
Parker pulled her phone out of her pocket, swiped her finger over it several times, and tossed it on the bed as Taylor Swift’s “This Love” started to play. She slipped out of her clothes, down to her white cotton bra and panties.
“Dance with me, Levi.”
“It’s late.”
“It’s our song.”
He chuckled. “It’s not.”
She slipped off her bra letting the strap hang from her finger for a second before releasing it to the floor.