Parker hoped she might text him today. The silence left him wondering if he’d offended her. What if she didn’t come back to work on Monday? Surely, if she’d come back after how horrible he was to her last week… He suppressed a groan as he pushed down a wave of panic.
Mom cleared her throat. “What are you up to today?”
Parker had originally planned on finishing up the dock. But the last thing he needed was to go back and lament about that kiss. Out of nowhere, he remembered this was the night Ray and the guys usually met for a game of basketball. It might be exactly what he needed to distract himself from Chelsea.
“I think I might go play basketball with the guys this afternoon. They usually stop somewhere and eat afterwards. I’ll be home sometime this evening.”
“That’s wonderful!” Mom appeared pleased. “We won’t expect you for dinner, then. Getting back out with your friends will be good for you.”
Parker made a mental note to call Ray after lunch and make sure the group was still meeting. After a year of hounding Parker to return for the pickup games, he had a feeling Ray would jump at the chance to not only get Parker back, but to take full credit for it, too.
He’d dreaded the thought of seeing the guys again after his accident. It still made him nervous — he’d be lying if he said it didn’t. But maybe it was time to quit hiding.
~
“You’re working where?!”
Chelsea cringed against the horror on Mom’s face. “For a temp agency. It’s not as bad as it sounds. I’ve gotten a great job that way.”
“What kind of work are you doing?” Dad’s emotions were more in check, but even he didn’t look happy about the news.
Chelsea sighed. Their early dinner hadn’t even arrived yet and her parents were firing the heavy questions at her. Too bad she didn’t drink — something alcoholic would be lovely right now. “I’m in charge of scheduling and bookkeeping for a large business.”
Laurie tossed her a curious look, and Chelsea gave a subtle shake of her head. There was no way she was going to tell her parents where she worked. They’d either be horrified that she had anything to do with livestock, or they’d insist on speaking with Mrs. Wilson and getting her a promotion — some place away from the barn. Either way, it benefitted no one for Chelsea to give up the name of her employer.
The food arrived at that blessed moment. Chelsea wanted to tip the waiter for his timing alone. Now, hopefully Mom could focus on what was and wasn’t good about the meal.
Unfortunately, as soon as they started eating their food, Dad initiated round two.
“Are you still living above Laurie’s studio?”
“Yes. The situation is working out nicely.”
Laurie jumped into the conversation. “It’s great that the apartment is being used. And Chelsea is a huge help in the studio. Plus, she keeps an eye on it after hours.”
Laurie and Chelsea exchanged a glance. Their parents knew that the studio had been broken into some time ago, but they didn’t have all the details. It was common knowledge the studio wasn’t in the best part of town. Chelsea was fine there, though, and the reduced rent suited her well. Besides, having a brother-in-law who was a police officer in town helped a lot, too.
Dad jabbed his fork at her. “Your mother and I have waited for you to come to your senses and return to New York. But choosing to work for a temp agency only illustrates how much you’ve floundered.” He put his fork down and gave her one of the expressions that got him just about anything he needed in the business world. “We insist you go back home. I can speak with the firm. You may have to go in as an intern again, but there will be a place for you. We can rent you a studio apartment if you don’t want to commute across town.”
“Yes, Chelsea.” Mom folded her hands together. “Enough of this phase you’re in. No more living in that filthy little apartment or working for a temp agency.” The last two words were spit out as though they’d left a bad taste in her mouth.
Tuck held up a hand. “Now, Laurie did fine there. Chelsea has my number and there’s been no trouble on that street for a long time.”
His objections went completely unnoticed as though he hadn’t spoken a word.
Chelsea tuned out the sounds of her parents’ voices as they tried to convince her how foolhardy it was to stay here in Kitner. That it had worked out okay with Laurie, but she was married. Chelsea was alone. And there was no guaranteeing she’d find herself a husband with the kind of job she had.
Any hunger Chelsea had for her meal dissipated. “Stop!” Several other people in the restaurant cast furtive glances in their direction. She lowered her voice. “I decided to move to Kitner and I stand by it. I’m happy here. Since you and Mom are gone so much, it’s nice to be close to Laurie.”
Dad shook his head slowly. “Your moving here was a mistake. You and your sister are very different.”
Chelsea was confused by his response. “What do you mean?”
“Laurie’s independent. She always has been. But you. You’ve needed more guidance since you were a child. If it weren’t for the schedule we set up for you… Let’s just say we knew you’d need help graduating from high school and then college. It’s all lead to where you are now.” It was said matter-of-factly, but he might as well have reached out and punched Chelsea. “We laid everything out — made sure you had a good career ahead of you. And you’re throwing away all of that time and money. Have you no respect for your parents or what we’ve done for you?”
They really thought so little of her? Chelsea swallowed back the tears that threatened to flood her eyes. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Why don’t we finish our dinner?”
Although, at this point, she doubted she’d be able to eat another bite.
Mom and Dad both focused on their food, but the glares they shot her across the table told her the topic was far from forgotten.
Apparently, as far as her parents were concerned, all her hard work had yet to prove she was an adult and perfectly capable of leading a successful life.
Her chest ached and she was suddenly cold.
Nothing ever changed.
Chapter Thirteen
Parker pulled the sleeves of his sweatshirt down over his arms. He waved over his shoulder at one of the guys he’d played basketball with as he and Ray walked to their cars parked at the back of the gym’s parking lot.
“You didn’t do too bad considering you’re out of shape.” Ray jabbed him with an elbow.
Parker put a hand protectively over his ribs. “Thanks, I think. It was fun. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it.”
“You coming back next weekend?”
“I might.” Truthfully, Parker hadn’t quite decided. He’d expected a ton of questions from the guys, but they’d welcomed him back as though it’d only been two weeks instead of a year since he’d last attended a pickup game. The several new guys were friendly, too. They’d taken in his scars with the usual amount of curiosity, but once that had passed, they didn’t seem to notice them. Maybe hiding out in his apartment for so long had been the wrong thing to do. But even a month ago, he wouldn’t have been able to entertain getting back out like this.
It felt good.
“Who’s the girl?”
Ray’s question caught Parker completely off guard. He quit walking. “What?”
“This big turnaround. Coming to the gym and actually laughing at my lame jokes again. There’s a new woman in your life. Who is she?”
“Is that your new hobby? Inventing girlfriends for your single pals?” But the dubious expression on Ray’s face told Parker he wasn’t buying the attempt at redirection. “Mom hired someone on at the ranch a couple of weeks ago.” He shrugged. What else was there to say? That it’d gotten to where he couldn’t get her out of his head? That he anticipated the moments he got to spend with her? That he’d kissed her out on the dock? He wasn’t about to admit any of that. Because the fact was, he needed to push past all of that. He probably
wasn’t good boyfriend material, much less cut out to be a husband. And Chelsea deserved much better. His right arm ached, reminding him of all his shortcomings.
“And you like her.” Ray wasn’t going to let it go. “This is the first time I’ve seen you act like this when it comes to women. You shouldn’t ignore it. And I know you,” he pointed a finger at Parker, “You like to bury anything you don’t feel like dealing with.”
“If it becomes something I need to deal with, I’ll be sure to let you know.” Parker pegged his friend with his best “Don’t mess with me” look. “I’ll text you by the end of the week and let you know if I’m coming back on Saturday. All right?”
“Sounds good.” Ray extended a hand and Parker shook it. “Seriously, though. Don’t miss out on a good thing with this girl because you’re too stubborn.” He paused. “It was good to see you here.”
“You, too.”
They got into their vehicles. Parker started his up and rubbed his hands together as he anticipated the warmer air from the heater. He’d expected the guys to go somewhere to eat. At least, that’s what they used to do after playing basketball. But now, over half the guys were married or steadily seeing someone which meant they had somewhere to be after their games.
Unlike Parker. He’d told Mom he’d be gone. He had no one waiting for him to come home or wondering where he was. Well, he may as well find somewhere to eat. His stomach growled, reminding him he’d worked up quite an appetite.
He pulled into one of the little shopping centers in the area that had multiple restaurants. He was searching for somewhere to park when he recognized Chelsea coming out of a fancy seafood restaurant with a small group of people. Was that her family?
Uh, oh. By the expression on her face, it wasn’t a good outing. Parker found a parking space and watched as she said goodbye to an older couple. Once they were gone, the redhead he’d seen in the picture with the baby hugged Chelsea before she and a tall man walked away. Chelsea stood on the sidewalk, looking lost. He ought to drive away. But he couldn’t. Against his better judgment, he got out and headed her way. If there was even a chance he could take the sadness from her face, he had to give it a try.
~
Chelsea was pretty sure a bar fight would’ve been more fun than that early dinner with her parents. Good grief, she’d gone in prepared to hear about her poor choice of employment. But what her parents had said…
She’d gone years feeling neglected when it came to the amount of time their parents spent overseas away from them as children. Even now, as an adult, she resented it. Especially when it came time to call them and tell them about Laurie being in labor. Seriously, who didn’t keep their phone handy in case their first grandchild made an early entrance into the world? She’d always felt like she and Laurie were missing out on something with Dad and Mom being gone so much.
But maybe the opposite was true. Perhaps, when they were away, it spared both Chelsea and Laurie the constant criticism. Maybe all their traveling was a blessing in disguise.
Right now, she was ready for them to leave again so she could test out her theory.
Chelsea crossed her arms in front of her. She’d left her coat in the car earlier, but the wind had picked up causing the temperature to drop at least ten degrees. She should’ve checked the weather. It must be a cold front; hopefully the last one before spring arrived.
She stepped off the curb toward her car when she noticed Parker striding across the parking lot. She stopped. What was he doing here?
“You okay?” He gently squeezed her shoulder and leaned down a little to get a better look at her.
Chelsea’s hands flew to her face. Had she been crying? She didn’t even realize it. Ugh! She swiped away the wetness and sniffed. “I’m fine. If you’re going to eat in there, it’s pretty packed.”
Parker looked confused then took in the restaurant she just left and realization dawned. “I was going to stop and eat, but then I saw you. You seemed upset. Are things not going well with your parents?”
She didn’t want to talk about it. Not with Parker, anyway. During the rest of the dinner-turned-attack, she’d become even more determined to keep her job and prove to her parents — to herself — that she wasn’t a failure. Which meant she needed to keep an emotional distance from her employer. And that wasn’t easy when he was standing there, his eyes brimming with concern. Her stomach rumbled and her head pounded.
“Didn’t you eat?”
Chelsea grimaced. “It’s pretty hard to eat when you’re under fire.”
“I’ll buy you dinner. You can talk about it or not.” He was watching her face, waiting for a response. “Your choice.”
What Chelsea really wanted to do was go home, curl up in bed, and have a good cry. But she was hungry. And even though every part of her brain was telling her to reject his offer, her heart insisted it’d be good for her. “Have you eaten at Daisy Belle’s Diner?”
“I don’t think so.”
“You won’t find better comfort food. My car’s over there. You following?”
He gave a firm nod. “Lead the way.”
It was even windier by the time they got to the diner. Chelsea shrugged on her coat and was winding a scarf around her neck when Parker joined her. He took in the surrounding neighborhood, his face oddly neutral.
She knew what he was deliberating. She thought the exact same thing the first time she’d seen it, too. “It’s okay. You can say it. The street’s a dump. But you won’t find better home-cooked food away from home than Daisy’s. And as a plus, I live just down there.”
That brought a look of alarm. “You live nearby?”
“Above my sister’s studio.”
There’d been a lot of responses she’d half expected, but the concern wasn’t one of them. It warmed her in a way the coat hadn’t even come close to doing. “It’s cold. Let’s get inside.”
A friendly chime announced their entrance. Almost instantly, Daisy was coming toward them. “Chelsea, dear. What are you doing out in this horrible wind? Come. Sit down, sit down. Are you cold? I have a great spot near one of the heater vents.” The large woman’s welcoming smile turned to Parker. Chelsea noticed that her gaze hovered on his scars for a moment before she seamlessly continued in her usual welcoming way.
“That’d be great, Daisy. Thank you.” They followed her to a corner table and took a seat opposite each other. The heat from the vent above softly blew Chelsea’s hair and she let out a sigh of relief. Yes, this was a good choice.
Daisy pulled a pad from the pocket of her bright pink apron. “What can I get you to start off with? Coffee? Hot tea?”
Parker picked up a menu and leafed through it. “I’ll take a Coke, please, ma’am.”
“I’ll take a cup of coffee.”
Daisy wrote that down. “You got it. Rough day?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Daisy clicked her tongue and left to get their drinks.
Chelsea picked up her menu. She knew what she wanted to eat, but needed something to keep her distracted from the handsome man who’d tried to make sure she was okay. Not only that, but he’d followed her to one of the worst parts of town to have dinner at a little diner he’d never even heard of before. To top it all off, he was wearing a sweat suit and looked relaxed. A far cry from the normal jeans and button-up shirts or jackets he wore at the ranch.
“What’s good here?” Parker lifted his gaze from the choices in front of him.
“Almost everything. I’d avoid the Cobb salad. And the shrimp. But besides that, you can’t go wrong.”
Daisy returned then, set their drinks down, and fished out her pad and pencil.
Chelsea spoke up first. “I’ll take a big bowl of your chicken noodle soup. And bring some extra crackers if you could, please.”
“You got it, honey.” She jotted that down and turned to Parker. “How about you?”
“What would you suggest?”
“I can fry up a mean chicken fried chicken.”
>
“Then I’ll go with that.”
“Coming right up!” Daisy bustled toward the kitchen.
Chelsea dumped two packets of sugar in her coffee, stirred it, and took a sip. Though she wasn’t normally a coffee drinker, it hit the spot. Between the caffeine and the warm diner, some of the day’s tension slowly left her body.
Parker took a drink of his Coke. “Should I ask about today?”
“Nothing much to tell. I’ve greatly disappointed my parents and can expect the lightning bolt to strike me down at any moment.” She shrugged. “Nothing new since I jumped off their bandwagon.”
“I’ve seen how hard you work. How much you care about your sister and her family. Your parents obviously don’t know you very well.”
His words were like a balm on her bruised heart. He was right. They didn’t know her. Maybe they never had. Tears sprang to her eyes again, and she willed them to go away. She refused to cry in front of Parker again. Or Daisy, either, for goodness sake. The woman would pull up a chair and join them, insisting that Chelsea report all her troubles. Nope, that was not happening tonight. She massaged her temple and the pain pounding behind it. “I appreciate that. Thank you.” She took another drink of her coffee. “I’ll never treat my kids the way they do. I’m sure I’ll make a whole slew of my own mistakes. But they will know I love them, I enjoy spending time with them, and that they are free to choose who they want to be.” With that last part, she hit the table with her fist. Coffee sloshed over the side of her cup.
Chelsea and Parker moved to grab a napkin from the stack on the table at the same time. Their fingers brushed and they paused. Chelsea’s pulse pounded in her ears. How did a simple touch from this man cause her thoughts to skitter in every direction?
Parker took her fingers lightly with his hand and used his other to pick up a napkin and dab at the coffee on the table. The nerve endings in Chelsea’s fingers sent electrical sparks all the way through her body. Could he sense it? Was it possible he was reacting even close to the same way?
Finding Joy (Love's Compass Book 5) Page 13