“I was running late today, so your nephews are taking full advantage because they’re up past their bedtimes.”
“Hi, Parker,” J.J. said in the background. “Boys, say hi to Aunt Parker.”
“Hi!”
She laughed. “Tell J.J. and the boys I said hello.”
“Aunt Parker says hello and that if you don’t go to bed on time she won’t take you for ice cream this weekend when she babysits.”
“Sam!” Parker yelped.
“We’ll be good!” the boys yelled into the phone.
“Aunt Parker also says she can’t wait to see you, but it’s time for your baths.”
“OK!”
“You are awful,” Parker said, laughing again.
“Whatever works. Hold on a sec.” Sam’s voice faded. “John, promise me you’ll keep the sea excursion to a minimum so they can get in the bed.”
“I make no promises,” she heard J.J. reply. “Captain Blake never shortchanges bath time.” Then she heard the sound of a kiss.
“They’re never going to bed.” Sam said when she returned to the phone. “How was your day?”
“I took two showers when I got home.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”
“I called to berate you for ambushing me with this Riley assignment, but hearing the boys has changed my mood.”
“I know, they do wonders for you. Why do you think I ask you to babysit all the time?”
“Because I have no social life.”
“No, you’re nicer when you hang out with the kids.”
“Hey, I loved being stoic and cynical. I’m convinced there’s some kind of fairy dust on that ranch.” She padded into the kitchen to get the light beers from the fridge. “Do you have any new information on the stuff left on Sloane’s doorstep?”
“I hung around for the preliminary report. There were no prints on the note, and the clock is fairly common. You can get it damn near anywhere. Kendrick talked to the building’s management company. They’re on board for plain clothes specialists in place around the building. Which I am happy about. J.J. threatened to buy the building if they wouldn’t comply.”
“I love my brother-in-law’s in-your-face attitude.”
“Could it be because you have the same cheery disposition?”
“Any-who.” Parker walked into the living room when she heard the front door unlocking. It was Avery. “Avery’s here and we have a date to watch movies and indulge in junk food. I’ll have my report in your in-box by morning. We’ll fight about you sandbagging me another time.”
“OK. Love you, Sis.”
“Love you too.” Parker ended the call.
“Sorry I’m late! Give me a minute to clean up.” Avery threw her bag down as she came rushing into the apartment then headed straight for her bedroom. She returned a few minutes later with her pajamas on and sat on the couch next to her. “There. That’s much better.”
“How was your day at the animal shelter?”
“We found homes for five dogs at the adoption drive. The people seemed really nice.”
“That’s great. It always gets to me, seeing so many abandoned dogs.” She sighed. It had been hard for her volunteer at the shelter. She wanted to bring them all home.
“You are such a softie.” Avery giggled.
“No. I was just telling Sam I’m a robot with no feelings.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Will Wyatt be joining us after his shift?”
“He has the night off. He and Rusty are helping Corbett move the rest of his stuff to Anna Beth’s. I think they’re going to grab some beers after.”
“I can’t wait until they find a new place. I’m ready to buy the housewarming gift.” She adjusted her robe. “He has the day off? I thought he was working. Call him. You should be spending the evening with him.”
“He’s fine.” Avery waved a hand at her. “He loves hanging out with Rusty, and we’re in a place in our relationship where we don’t have to spend every second together. He’s stopping by when he comes home.”
“Speaking of Rusty, I think Joy and Isaiah are coming to town for the Super Bowl.”
“Really.” Avery smiled. “They’re the worst kept secret next to Corbett and Anna Beth.”
“Right.” She laughed. “I guess some couples need a cocoon before they’re ready to announce they are an item.”
“What good it does in this family.” Avery gave her a onceover. “What’s up? You look tired. I thought you were doing a simple surveillance on that cheater guy.”
“He was a piece of cake. Predictable and boring. I got a call from Sam after that asking for help with Riley’s situation.”
Avery gasped. “Situation? Is he OK?”
Parker marveled at Avery’s relationship with Riley. Her friend saw the good in everybody. It was touching that she cared about the quarterback. She’d turned him down, but they’d remained friends. They had lunch together sometimes, and Riley even stopped by their apartment occasionally. Wyatt wasn’t thrilled about it, but he trusted Avery. Besides, anybody with eyeballs could see how much they loved each other and were enjoying a sweet, old-fashioned courtship. Parker knew they’d be married some day.
“Calm down.” Parker squeezed her hand. “He’s fine, but it looks like his stalker isn’t done. You’ll be seeing more Regency specialists around the building. And make sure you stay alert and let me know if you see anyone that looks out of place.”
“Of course. I took Sam’s self-defense class and I keep my stun gun in my purse, ready to zap.”
Parker laughed. Everyone thought of her friend as some delicate flower when the truth was, she was a cop’s daughter. Avery’s instincts were spot-on, and she was hyper vigilant about safety. That’s what made it so easy about living with her. Avery knew what she’d gone through being Deke Carson’s daughter. She was trained from the time she could walk to be tough and self-sufficient.
“Good. I don’t think anyone else is in danger, but I want you to be safe.”
“I know.” Avery smiled. “So you’re working with Sam on Riley detail?”
“Yes, I would say she tricked me into it, but the truth is she called and asked for a favor.”
“Sam?” Avery’s eyes widened.
“Yes. I was shocked too. No ordering, no guilt trips. She asked and I said yes.”
“Wow.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I still think she’s up to something. She may see it as a way to put money in my pocket or keep an eye on me.”
“Or she thinks you’d be great for the job.”
“Nobody thinks Riley and I being in the same room is a good idea.”
“Please.” Avery reached for the popcorn bowl. “That griping you two do at the Sunday family dinner is nothing more than verbal foreplay. Everybody knows it. Even the kids get a kick out of it.”
“That’s not true. He seeks me out and does his best to aggravate me.”
“And if he were Jack’s age it would be the equivalent of pulling on your pigtails.”
“I do believe he is childish.”
“And he’s attracted to you.”
“Because I’m a woman and I have a pulse.” Parker rolled her eyes. “He has a new girlfriend every other week.”
“That was the old Riley. He’s grown a lot over the past year. He’s looking for a good woman who can challenge him. He wants something of substance.”
“He actually told you that?”
“In so many words.” Avery nodded. “He’s also in a little bit of denial. But it’s there. One day the two of you are going to come face-to-face with all that pent up anxiety and do something about it.”
“And I think you’re a lunatic.” She palmed her face with her hands. “Av, I don’t know if I’m up for this. What if I do something crazy? I spent one afternoon with him and I bloodied one guy’s nose and pulled a gun on another.”
Avery put her arm around her. “I know you’re still working through some things, and
you’ve made great progress with the psychologist.”
“I know. But you’re still bursting into my room in the middle of the night.” She’d been having nightmares since she started going to counseling. The downside was that things were shaking loose in her subconscious. There was something buried in her mind that scared her senseless, but she just couldn’t get to the root of it.
“I’d happily burst into your room and slay the monsters in your dreams. Did you reconsider going to your mom for answers? She has to know something about your night terrors.”
“My mom and I are on shaky ground right now. I’d rather not involve her unless it was necessary.”
“How about Sam?”
“No, I hadn’t considered talking to her about it either. We butt heads so much about my career aspirations or lack thereof, we barely get out a civil conversation with each other. It’s not fair to you, being my night watcher. I know Wyatt wishes the two of you could spend more time at his place.”
“Wyatt understands we’re all family. He doesn’t care where we sleep as long as he gets to cuddle up to me and snore in my ear.” Avery squeezed her.
“That sounds like heaven to me. And on the plus side, you’ll know what to expect if you ever have to do a rotation in a mental ward for your studies.” She laughed.
Avery waved a hand as if dismissing her last words. “The cuddle snores are nice.” Avery beamed. “You can have that too. If you let someone into your heart.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” Parker reached for the remote. “It’s getting way too schmaltzy in here. I want to see some impossible car chase scenes where miraculously no one gets hurt. Not even a mild chase of whiplash.”
“As a future doctor, I’m getting really uncomfortable watching things like that.”
“As an action-movie junkie, I’m severely disappointed.”
“You know what I think?” Avery reached for the light beers on the table and handed one to Parker. “I think I’ll worry less about Riley knowing he’s in your capable hands.”
“Aren’t you laying it on a bit thick?”
“Nope.” Avery took the remote from her and started the movie that was queued up.
Later that night, after they’d had their fun and passed out from exhaustion, Parker had that dream again. She woke up drenched in sweat and gasping for breath like she’d been running a marathon. A minute later Avery came in with a glass of water and a comforting shoulder.
This had to stop. She had to find out what was scaring the hell out of her in her dreams. She should have been more content since leaving the force. There was no longer any danger that she’d overreact and hurt someone again. She needed a distraction. Maybe Avery was right. She could work with Riley, and with a little help, she could work through her nightmares at the same time.
CHAPTER FOUR
When Parker knocked on his door this morning, Riley didn’t expect Avery to be with her. She offered a comforting hug and a basket of muffins and juice as comfort foods. Avery was one of his few true friends. He wished Wyatt was more accepting of him so they could spend more time together.
Parker was dressed in her workout clothes and informed him she’d be accompanying him on his run. He’d planned on running, but he didn’t know if Regency would give him a hard time about it. Instead she marched in with a bag slung over her shoulder and informed him Regency had factored in his morning routine and, barring something happening to make them amend his activities, they were OK with it. They ran five miles together. He shortened his stride so she could keep up with him, but she told him it wasn’t necessary. He figured she wouldn’t want him to slow down just for her, but it didn’t hurt to ask. Those times they’d been together on the ranch, he’d been intentionally rude to her despite considering himself a pretty chivalrous guy. He’d been schooled at an early age by his dad about good manners. Around her, though, sometimes it was easy to forget all that. Or it was, until he started working at it again…
When they returned to the building, it was time to get ready for practice. She’d asked to use a guest room, and it was more than distracting thinking of her freshening up in the other room while he took a shower. They drove to the stadium in near silence and in her car. Sticking to the speed limit was really annoying him.
“So what did you do last night?” he asked after finally growing tired of the silence.
“Uh. Me?” She glanced over at him then looked back at the road. “Avery and I had a girl’s night. It’s rare we’re home at the same time.”
“Oh really? What did you ladies do? Braid each other’s hair and have a pillow fight?”
“Is that the best you can conjure up for a med student and a PI? You watch way too much soft core porn on cable.”
He laughed. “It’s not that. You two may be the most normal women I know my age.”
She arched an eyebrow at him. “That doesn’t say much about most of the women you know if you think we’re normal.” She shrugged. “Anyway, Avery wants you to come down for dinner one night.”
“Will you be there?”
“Yep. I’m pretty sure Wyatt will be there too.”
He frowned. “Avery is one in a million. I hope Wyatt knows how lucky he is.”
“I’m sure he’s aware he hit the jackpot.”
As soon as he arrived at the stadium, the world felt normal again. People had seen Parker around, so it wasn’t such a big deal that she’d be there. He knew his teammates would never let him live it down if they knew he had a crazy stalker and needed bodyguards, and he’d wanted to forget about the whole thing for a while. Parker told him she’d be close and that she had a walkie-talkie and would be on the same frequency that stadium security used.
Changed and ready for practice, he went onto the field and started his stretching routine. The team was charged up, and everyone was in a good mood, but they didn’t let the coach see it. Coach Worthy’s philosophy was that there was no cause to celebrate until the last game had been played. He was one of the new changes to the team. He’d been with them for two seasons after Seth and T.K. poached him from the Kansas City Falcons. He’d laid down the law as soon as he stepped onto the field and told them he had no tolerance for whining, grandstanding, and pampered superstars who didn’t earn their keep. This was soon put to the test when some of the team wanted to copy the latest social media craze where a group of people played air guitar in an effort to break the current record of a celebrity band that held the title. Coach said there’d be plenty of line to make goofy poses on the unemployment line if anyone disagreed with him. He was a stoic, no-nonsense man who was a great teacher. There were pearls of wisdom mixed in with the constant barking he did. Riley was just trying to stay on the man’s good side.
The run in the morning usually invigorated him, but today he felt sluggish. He’d had a pretty restless night’s sleep. It wasn’t everyday a huge bodyguard named Luther hovered around his apartment while Riley slept. Knowing they were there to thwart some attempt on his life didn’t put his mind at ease. He’d lain awake thinking of who could hate him so much that they wanted to harm him.
Thinking of the threat made him scan the stands for Parker. She was nearby, talking to Logan—
“Sloane! Any day now!”
He heard the coach call his name, but he was too busy watching Parker and Logan. She’d smiled at him, which he didn’t particularly like, but which was no surprise. Women loved the roguish team owner with the complicated relationship with his filthy rich, old-money Texas daddy.
“Sloane!” Patton Hawkes, the defensive coordinator for the team, yelled.
He ran over there. “Yeah, Coach?”
“You all right?”
“Sorry, I have a few things on my mind.”
“We had a meeting,” the coach said in a low tone. “Seth briefed us on what’s going on.”
Riley winced. He hadn’t wanted anyone to know. “This won’t affect my playing.”
“Good. I think it’s just a jackass wagering against the team wh
o wants to rattle your cage so we’ll lose.”
“You think so?” He hadn’t considered a financial angle as a reason for the threats.
“I’ve been in the business a long time. Nothing surprises me. You weren’t getting any death threats when our numbers were in the toilet.”
“You’re right,” Riley replied.
“Now get back out there and run those drills.”
“Yes, sir.” He ran out to the thirty-yard line where Ross McKinney and few of the guys were standing. “Ross, we missed you at Bliss. You should have come out.”
“Yeah, right, and I’d be divorced today.” Ross shook his head. “You do whatever you want and maybe your girlfriend will complain. A married man with a family does that and there’s a good chance his family breaks up.”
“Next time we’ll pick a more suitable setting to celebrate.” Riley said. He liked Ross. He’d warmed up to him considerably over the last several months. But he was right. That wasn’t an appropriate place for a family man to be seen.
“I wouldn’t hold my breath. You young boys like to party too hard.”
“Hey, we can be civilized. As a matter of fact, I was planning a dinner party at my place. Nothing fancy, just good food and conversation. I promise it will be totally respectable.”
Ross thought for a moment before throwing the ball to a player down the field. “OK. Text me the details, and I’ll make sure my wife and I get a sitter. And let me know what I can bring.”
“Great. I’ll text it to you. Just bring yourself. I’ll have everything covered.”
Riley started his drills again and this time he was focused. A few minutes later, teammates Keenen Rothschild and Trey Vickers came over. Keenen was the flamboyant, attention-seeking running back. Trey was a linebacker.
“Sloane, I thought you’d still be hung over from partying,” Keenen said.
“I couldn’t drink, remember? I was too busy babysitting,” Riley huffed.
Trey looked into the stands. “Hey Sloane, isn’t that Parker Carson up there?”
“That’s her,” Riley replied cautiously.
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