Finding Joy (Love's Compass Book 5)

by Melanie D. Snitker

  Tuck’s voice sounded in the background on the other end of the connection and then Laurie told him an abbreviated version of what was going on. “Chelsea? Are you sure this is something you want to do?”

  “I’m not sure I have a choice. I mean, I do. Parker told me my job doesn’t hinge on going to this shindig. But really, how am I supposed to say no?”

  “You realize that there’s a strong possibility you’ll end up on the news and in the papers.”

  Panic rose, and Chelsea tried to swallow it down. “I’m trying not to think about that.”

  “This is the first real social event Parker’s been a part of since his accident. And he’s going to his sister’s wedding with a woman they don’t know. It’s going to be newsworthy.”

  “Oh no. No, no, no. Then Mom and Dad will see it. What will they say? I don’t want them assuming I’m going back to the social circles I told them I wanted to escape. And I really don’t want them questioning me about Parker. I’m getting paid to attend this thing, for crying out loud.”

  “It’ll be okay. Have we ever been able to control what Mom and Dad say? There’s no use in stressing out over that now. They were going to find out eventually.”

  Chelsea flopped onto the bed, her body laying across the dresses. “I know.”

  “Chels?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Put everything else aside. Forget that Mrs. Wilson is paying you. Forget about the news stuff or that Mom and Dad will find out. If none of those factors were in play, would you want to go to the wedding with Parker?”

  Chelsea closed her eyes, attempting to slow her breathing and her heart rate. “Yes, I want to go with Parker.” The words brought a measure of peace amidst the balls of nerves bouncing around in her stomach.

  “You’re falling in love with him, aren’t you?” Laurie’s question sounded breathless.

  “I’m crazy, aren’t I?”

  “No, sweetie. Go to that wedding. Do you still have the dark green chiffon with the short sleeves?”

  Chelsea sat again and picked up the dress that Laurie was referring to. It’d always been one of her favorites and one of the less flashy of the bunch. “Right here.”

  “Go with that one. It’ll bring out your eyes.”

  “Thank you so much. Go back to your husband and that baby of yours. Give them a hug for me. And apologize to Tuck for my freak out, would you?”

  Laurie chuckled. “Call me again if you need to. Everything’s going to be okay. I’ll come over and help you get ready on Saturday. I’m praying for you.”

  “Thanks, I sure could use it.”

  “Good night.”

  “Good night.” Chelsea put her phone on the nightstand. She held the green dress up in front of her while standing before the mirror. The skirt went to just above her ankles. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d worn it. But Laurie was right: The green brought out the color in her eyes. Chelsea had never been one of those petite girls, but this dress suited her figure nicely. Crossing her fingers that it would still fit, she tried it on. Not only did it fit well, but she felt elegant. Pretty.

  She twirled around, the skirt brushing against her legs. What would it be like to dance with Parker at the wedding? Would they even dance at all? Or was she supposed to make an appearance for the ceremony itself and disappear?

  “Ugh!” Chelsea closed her eyes and let herself fall back onto her bed again. She was a mess. An absolute mess.

  Chapter Sixteen

  It was Friday. Chelsea had only seen her parents once since the weekend, and the meal had been almost civil. All talk of jobs and living situations had been avoided. Which was good, except for the awkwardness that filled the room every time they were all together. She sensed there was something just under the surface that her parents weren’t talking about. And that made her nervous. They were all going to Tuck and Laurie’s house this evening for dinner. Chelsea was dreading it, though at least she’d get to hold her nephew. That always made things a little brighter.

  She’d taken her dress over to the ranch house as Mrs. Wilson had requested. Chelsea and Laurie discussed hairstyles and settled on Chelsea wearing hers down, with a little pulled back to keep it off her face. At this point, she was as ready as she could be.

  Her computer screen at work stared back at her. She had a list of invoices she was adding, but she couldn’t focus on them. Her mind kept wandering to Parker instead. She’d only seen him briefly a handful of times this week. He had been running all over the place taking care of the ranch and helping with wedding stuff. At the same time, thanks to all of the rain this week, she’d been forced to eat in her office. So far, it’d been the week that refused to end.

  Chelsea pushed away from the desk and stood to study the weather through the window. Thick, billowy clouds created a wall across the sky in the distance. Yet more rain was on the way. Claustrophobic, she went downstairs and stepped outside. She inhaled the scent of coming rain and sighed. She normally loved a good rainstorm, and it totally matched the stormy mix of emotions she was dealing with on the inside.

  She crossed her arms and leaned against the side of the barn as the storm front slowly advanced.

  Parker pulled up in his truck and got out, closely followed by Happy. “Good afternoon.”

  Chelsea smiled as he joined her. His elbow was an inch from hers and she shivered. “Hi. I had to come out and enjoy the smell of rain. Looks like our brief reprieve is about over.”

  “Yeah, it sure does.” Happy nosed around in a bush. “Would you like to take a walk with me and Happy?” Parker nodded toward his dog. “He said he wouldn’t go unless you came with us.”

  “Oh, did he, now?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “I wouldn’t want to disappoint the poor guy. A walk sounds nice.”

  Parker grinned. “Good.” He clapped his hands. “Come on, Happy.”

  They strolled in companionable silence for a while. Happy kept pace with them, his nose to the ground most of the time.

  Chelsea turned her head to look at Parker. “Are you ready for tomorrow? Is Kara excited or nervous?”

  “I’m ready. I think we’ve been planning this wedding for years.” He chuckled. “Kara’s excited. She’s practically fearless. She’s been nervous only a handful of times in her life.”

  “That’s a nice trait to have. I’m more on the opposite end of the spectrum. I was scared to try new things or do something I hadn’t done before when I was a kid.” Chelsea had often followed Laurie’s initiative and took little of her own back then.

  “Are you nervous about tomorrow?” Parker was watching her, curiosity and something else in his eyes.

  “Very.” She rubbed her hands down her pants leg and licked her dry lips. “I used to attend all sorts of big social events with my parents when I was a kid and even into my teens. I worried about whether I was dressed okay and made such an effort not to embarrass my family.” She shook her head. “They were stressful.”

  Parker stopped walking. “I don’t want you to feel that way about tomorrow. Even now, you can change your mind.” He turned toward her. “No one will fault you for it.”

  Chelsea didn’t even have to think about it. She shook her head. “If I could feed a treat to a longhorn, I can go to this event tomorrow.” He laughed and she pointed a finger at him. “I’m serious. You have no idea how little I’ve had to do with animals.”

  “One of these days, I’ll take you horseback riding again. I rather enjoyed it.” His smile was mischievous.

  She crossed her arms, but couldn’t stop the grin coming to her face. “I had fun, too.”

  Lightning lit up the coming wall of clouds. Seconds later, thunder shook the ground. Happy ran back to them, leaning against his owner’s leg.

  Parker reached down and patted him. “That’s approaching fast. Let’s head back before we get caught up in it.”

  They turned around, walking back faster than they’d started out. It didn’t take long before sporadic raindrops fell
from the sky.

  Chelsea giggled. “So much for not getting wet.”

  The path they’d followed curved ahead to where they could see the barn.

  Parker took her hand in his and pulled her off path. “This way’s faster.”

  It was raining harder now as they ran through the grass. At the wooden fence, he helped Chelsea climb over it and then followed her. Happy jumped over the lower rung and made it to the barn before the humans.

  By the time Parker and Chelsea had ducked inside, both were laughing and more than a little wet. Chelsea shivered and looked behind them at the deluge. “Wow. You can’t even see the fence. It’s like a wall of water.”

  “Did you bring a jacket?”

  “It’s upstairs.”

  Before Chelsea knew it, he’d gone to her office and returned with the jacket. He draped it over her shoulders. His consideration warmed her more than the jacket ever could. She turned and began to say something when she noticed he had a hand over his right shoulder. “Is something wrong?”

  “I snagged it on a nail when we were climbing the fence.” He removed his hand to reveal a torn spot in his shirt with blood seeping into it. “There’s a first aid kit in here somewhere.” He went into the back room and rummaged around in a cabinet. “Ah, there it is.” He retrieved the white box and set it down on the counter.

  The red from the blood wasn’t spreading too fast, but it still hurt Chelsea to see it. “That’s more than a scratch, Parker. Here, let me help.”

  Parker shook his head, pink coloring his neck and traveling to his ears. “I’ve got this. I’ve had my tetanus shot, and I’m more than capable of slapping a bandage on a scratch.” He took another look at the pouring rain. She suspected he might have tried to take the kit with him and leave if it’d been clear.

  Why was he embarrassed? Or was it simply that he didn’t want her to help him? Her hesitation and confusion must have shown on her face because his own expression softened.

  “I’ll be glad to accept help. But I’ll warn you, it isn’t pretty.”

  What wasn’t pretty? She had no idea what he was talking about until he’d unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off. Chelsea noticed the white t-shirt underneath a split second before the line of scars that ran down to the elbow on his right arm. They were thicker and angrier than those on his face. The spot he’d injured was up near his shoulder, toward the back of his arm, and a small trail of blood was slowly making its way down.

  Were the blemishes what he was worried about? Parker avoided meeting her eyes, busying himself with a package of gauze that didn’t want to come open. He cleared his throat and craned his neck to see the wound and then held the gauze to it.

  He was definitely self-conscious about the scars. She stepped forward. “Here, let me hold that. Do you have any alcohol in there or something to clean it with?” She put her hand over the gauze, her fingers brushing his. The heat from his skin seared her palm as the scents of pine and earth mingled. She didn’t know if it was his deodorant or cologne or what, but she loved that combination. Her heart stuttered.

  Parker pushed items around in the first aid kit until he found an alcohol pad. He tore it open and handed it to her. “How is it?”

  She lifted the gauze and examined the wound. “You’re right, it’s just a scratch. The nail tore the skin, that’s why it’s bleeding so much.” Her eyes traveled the length of his scars, her own arm aching in sympathy. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that. I can’t even imagine what it must’ve been like.”

  He paused his search for a bandage and looked at her. He seemed to struggle with whether he wanted to talk about it. His Adam’s apple bobbed and finally he spoke. “A large truck ran a red light and hit my passenger side. They tell me I was trapped in the car for over an hour. I don’t remember the accident.” He shivered. “But I remember waking up in there, not knowing where I was.”

  “They had to use the jaws of life to cut you out, didn’t they?”

  Parker nodded. “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

  “I’m sure it’s not something you just get past.”

  “I had nightmares every night for a long time.” Parker lifted a bandage and handed it to her. “Is that one big enough?”

  “Yep, that’ll do it.” Chelsea cringed as she cleaned the wound with the alcohol pad. Parker never even flinched. “I think it’ll be fine, though you may want to put some antibiotic cream on it for a few days.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  They were both silent as she applied the bandage. When she was done, she left her hand on his arm. It was so quiet, she could hear the blood rushing in her ears. She ran her hand down along the scars. “Do they still hurt?”

  “Sometimes.” Parker’s deep voice rumbled near her ear as he turned to face her. “They’re superficial. Ugly, but at least I didn’t lose my arm. It could’ve been worse.”

  He was close enough now that she could feel his breath on her skin. She ought to put some distance between them. Excuse herself and get back to work. But her feet wouldn’t obey. She inhaled slowly. “They aren’t ugly, Parker. They’re a badge. Proof you survived. That God gave you a second chance.” She lifted her gaze to his, caught up in the emotions she saw there.

  Her hand was still on his arm. He put his other arm around her waist and gently tugged her closer. A heartbeat later, his lips were on hers as warmth and contentment flowed through Chelsea. The kiss morphed from slow and sweet to something more urgent. Her hand moved up his shoulder to the back of his neck, her fingers burying themselves in his hair. He broke the kiss, his breathing ragged.

  Chelsea’s legs were weak, her pulse racing. Simultaneously, they both took a small step away from each other. “Parker, I…” But what was she going to say? That she was scared? That he was her employer and they shouldn’t have kissed like that? That she wished the kiss hadn’t ended?

  Parker shook his head, his eyes willing her to not say a thing. He caressed her jaw with the back of his fingers. “I’ll pick you up at your place tomorrow at noon.”

  She nodded, and he walked out into the rain and got back in his truck, Happy at his side. As soon as they were out of sight, she leaned her back against the counter. Her lips tingled from the kiss, and she could still feel his arm around her.

  Going to the wedding with him wasn’t going to be easy.

  With a groan, she pushed away from the counter, threw the trash in the wastebasket, and headed back upstairs. No matter how many nerves and worries chased each other around in her mind, she couldn’t stop the grin on her face.

  Parker had kissed her. The kind of kiss that curled her toes and made a girl start wishing for a happily ever after.

  ~

  The sun had gone down and Parker was lounging on the couch in the sitting room Friday evening, his eyes on the flames as they danced in the fireplace. His day had been full as he’d completed things on Mom’s to-do list before the wedding. And he’d gotten through it all, even if his mind had continuously replayed what happened in the barn with Chelsea earlier.

  That kiss they’d shared and the way she’d felt in his arms… He could get used to that in a real hurry.

  Ever since, his mind had come up with different things Chelsea might have said if he’d let her continue. But he knew in his gut she would protest, or find some reason for why he shouldn’t have kissed her. Truthfully, he didn’t want to hear it. Because, regardless, he was escorting her to Kara’s wedding and he needed a clear head. He needed to walk Kara down the aisle without distraction and make it through the stress of the press being there.

  After the wedding, he’d do what it took to convince Chelsea how much he cared.

  The sound of footsteps on the floor brought his attention to the door. Kara entered, rubbing her arms with a sleepy expression on her face.

  “Tomorrow’s your big day. Can’t sleep?”

  Kara shook her head. She sat down on the couch next to Parker and held her hands out toward the fire. �
��I’ve got a million things going on in my mind right now. I know I should get some rest, but I’m too excited.” She released a happy little sigh and let herself lean back against the couch.

  Parker put an arm around her.

  Kara poked him in the ribs. “It kind of stinks, you know.”

  “What does?”

  “I feel like we finally got you back after all these years, and now I’m leaving.” She nestled into the crook of his arm. A small sniff told Parker that she was, at the very least, on the verge of tears.

  “Okay, no crying. Mom will kill me if you wake up with puffy eyes because you cried. You hear me?”

  Kara chuckled and sniffed again. “Yeah, I hear you. And you’re right — she totally would.”

  Parker kissed the top of her head. “Good. And neither of us are going anywhere. We’ll see each other plenty. Family get togethers and all that.”

  Kara stilled. “Chelsea seems nice.”

  Okay. That came out of nowhere. “Yeah, she is.”

  “I saw the way you looked at her, big brother.”

  Parker leaned away from her and she sat up, her expression mischievous. “And how exactly did I look at her?”

  “Pretty much the same way she was looking at you.”

  Was how he felt about Chelsea really that obvious? The thought unnerved him. But was there a chance that Chelsea felt the same way about him? Even the possibility made his pulse speed up. “You’re seeing things, Kara.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. All I’m saying is that it sure would be awesome if my future kids had some cousins to play with.” She winked at him and chuckled. “I’d better go try and get some sleep. You should, too.”

  “I’ll go to bed in a few minutes.” Parker stood as she did and kissed her on the cheek. “See you in the morning. Sweet dreams.”

  “You, too.” She disappeared into the darkened hallway.

  His thoughts shifted to the events of the following day. There were so many emotions going through him when it came to the wedding that he didn’t even know where to begin. He was nervous about walking Kara down the aisle, yet proud to be the one to do so. And Chelsea…