by Lacey Baker
Parker frowned. “This doesn’t happen in Sweetland!” he yelled. “It just doesn’t happen.”
“It is happening, Parker! It happened tonight, and if his aim hadn’t been worth crap, you’d be lying on that floor with a bullet in your brain.”
Parker turned away, rubbing a hand down his face. But Ryan wasn’t finished; he yanked Parker’s arm until he turned around.
“Worse, Drew could be lying on that floor with a bullet in her head,” he said calmly but seriously. “Now I know you’re used to thinking you’re Superman and walking through a hail of bullets might be the norm for you. But think about that woman, the one that’s carrying your child. Think about her, Parker!”
“I am, dammit! I am!” Parker yelled back. And when he was just about to say something else, he looked over Ryan’s shoulder to see her running toward him.
He cursed again, pushing Ryan out of the way. Drew fell into his arms before he could even extend them to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him so tight that Parker almost choked. Instead he wrapped his hands around her waist, holding her just as tightly against him. His heart pounded in his chest, and sweat sprinkled his forehead, even though it was most likely lost in the downpour that was now drenching them both.
What he’d said to Ryan was absolutely correct. He couldn’t think of anything but Drew and his baby now and the fact that he had to protect them no matter what. Damn his sergeant’s orders, damn his reputation and his plan to prove everyone wrong. It was only about keeping Drew and his daughter safe, that was all.
* * *
An hour later, they were at the inn. Drew and his sisters were in the kitchen, making tea or hot chocolate or something. Parker was in the living room, his brothers, Ryan, and the Sweetland police accompanying him.
“We’re spending more and more time over here talking to you boys about some sort of trouble,” Sherriff Kyle Farraway said in his raspy voice. “Almost seems like old times,” he finished, looking over at Parker.
He stood by the window. Michelle had drawn all the drapes when they’d come in, but Parker used a finger to separate them, peeping outside. Sycamore Drive was completely quiet. The rain was still falling, creating small puddles in some places, a glossy sheen on the sidewalk in others.
“Yeah, but in the old days we all knew what was going on and we had time to get our stories straight before you arrived,” Quinn commented solemnly.
Parker took a deep breath and turned to face the firing squad. It was no shock that every gaze in the room was on him. Exactly like the old days. Only this time he didn’t have Gramma standing in the room ready to defend him to the death. And he didn’t have his dad looking stern but sure to defend him as well, at least until the police left and he’d be able to scold him in private. No, this wasn’t seventeen years ago; Parker was no longer a mischievous teenager. He was a grown man and he was on his own this time.
“About six months ago I witnessed a murder,” he began. “A cop was killed and I saw the killers. A week later they paid me a visit and left the message that I should back off the investigation. Then I got the call that Gramma died and I came to Sweetland.” There was more, but Parker didn’t want the sheriff and his two deputies to hear it. He’d tell his brothers after they were gone; he still had a bit of pride left to swallow.
“You’re a witness in a murder case and you didn’t tell me?” Preston asked immediately. “Why didn’t you say something before now?”
Parker shook his head. “It wasn’t exactly the right time to dump more on the family, Pres.”
“Bullshit, Parker! We’re brothers!” The words exploded from Preston, and Parker frowned. It was a rare time when Preston lost his cool. Most recently it had been when Heaven had been kidnapped. Very rarely it had been with Parker.
“I know, I should have told you,” he admitted. “I should have told both of you the minute I came back. I thought I’d left it all in Baltimore, until the accident.”
“When you ran your bike into a tree?” Carl asked, a tinge of humor in his voice.
Both his father and Jonah, the other deputy, shot him disapproving looks.
“I didn’t run into a tree. I was run off the road. I saw the car just before it swerved in front of me.”
“Another secret, Parker? You could have died in that accident.” Preston was in rare form tonight. Guilt ate at Parker with ferocious hunger.
“Parker told me about his suspicions when I came here to help out with Heaven’s situation,” Ryan interjected. His words took Preston’s heated gaze from Parker for about ten seconds.
“You told Ryan? You told the goddamned FBI and you didn’t think to tell your family?” Preston asked.
Quinn walked over to Preston then, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure Parker had a good reason for his actions. In retrospect we’ll all agree now that he should have told us, but that’s not getting us anywhere tonight.”
“He’s right,” the sheriff added. “I want to know everything you two know.” He looked from Parker to Ryan.
“I have a file back in my hotel room. How about we meet tomorrow morning at the station and go over everything?” Ryan suggested.
Kyle nodded. “Sounds good. Now, for tonight I want you boys to lock this house down good. Michelle said you don’t have any guests checking in until tomorrow, but Jonah will keep patrol tonight.”
“I can handle the patrol,” Carl protested.
Kyle didn’t even look at his son when he said, “Jonah will take tonight’s patrol. Ryan, you headed back to your hotel?”
Ryan nodded. “I am. I’m also going to email my commander with a report. My jurisdiction’s limited on this one. I’ve just been giving Parker a hand with some investigative work. But with tonight’s incident, I’ve got to call it in.”
“Right,” Kyle said with a nod. “What about you, Parker? You calling your sergeant tonight or do you want me to do it in the morning?”
Parker swallowed. “I’ll call him in the morning. I’ve got some other things to take care of tonight.”
The women came into the room at that moment, passing out mugs and setting a plate of cookies on one of the tables. It was weird and somewhat comforting to watch all the women migrate to their partners—Nikki to Quinn and Heaven to Preston. Michelle, Savannah, and Raine stood close together, everyone needing a little extra support. Drew took her time after handing Jonah and Kyle their cups. When she turned, she came in Parker’s direction but didn’t get as close as Nikki and Heaven did to his brothers. That was the only signal Carl needed.
He stepped close to Drew. “I’ll take you home now, Drew.”
Quinn and Ryan immediately looked at Parker. He didn’t need their nudge, he’d already decided what he was going to do.
“Thanks, but it’s okay, Carl,” he said, moving close enough to Drew to place a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll take care of Drew.” He wanted her to stay at the inn with him tonight, wanted her close just as he wanted his family close. After all, she was his family now, too. But he didn’t want to say that in front of everyone.
“I think it’s better if I take her home, out of harm’s way. I can stake out in front of her building for the night since Jonah’s doing the patrol here,” Carl continued.
“You’ll be at the station, Deputy, handling the paperwork from tonight’s events,” Kyle said.
“Fine,” Carl replied tightly. “But I’ll take Drew home first.”
“No, thank you, Carl. Parker will see me home,” Drew said in a quiet voice.
Parker let out a secret sigh. He wasn’t sure how Drew was feeling about him at the moment. Sure, she’d hugged him tightly outside the restaurant, but that was before the revelation that whoever had shot out all Walt’s windows had done so because of him. They hadn’t had a chance to talk alone about what had happened, and he so desperately wanted the opportunity to do so.
Carl looked dejected, again. But Parker didn’t give a damn. As a man, Carl was out of line. He was ma
king a play for Drew right in front of Parker, and that wasn’t cool. As a cop, he was apparently pissing off his father and his superior. That, Parker didn’t want to get into at all.
“Then let’s all get a good night’s rest. Everything will look better in the morning,” Michelle said. “I’ll walk you to the door, Sheriff, Deputies.”
“Y’all have a good night,” Jonah added in his always polite voice. He’d taken off his police hat and now tipped it to the women as he slipped it back on and headed for the door.
“We’ll meet at the station nine AM sharp. Parker, I expect to see you there,” Kyle told them. “And lock this place up tight.”
“Yes, sir,” Parker heard himself saying. Kyle Farraway had always been a fair man. Even when he was grabbing Parker by the collar and dragging him away from whatever trouble he’d gotten into, he was fair and he was solid. He’d been married to Esterine Farraway for what had to be more than thirty years, and his only son, Carl, had followed in his footsteps. If there was any other man in Sweetland that Parker had looked up to outside of his father, it was Kyle Farraway.
Carl stormed out first, not muttering a word to Parker or any of them. “Boy’s never gonna grow up,” Kyle admitted.
Parker stood with Drew as they filed out.
“I want to talk to you,” Preston said to Parker.
“Not tonight,” Quinn added. “We’ve all had enough for tonight. And since there’s nobody in the rooms, we’ll all just stay here. That way Michelle won’t worry for the next eight hours about where we are and if we’re all safe.”
Michelle shook her head. “I wouldn’t worry,” she told them. “I’d just call your cell phones every hour on the hour.”
Nikki laughed at that. “I don’t doubt it for one moment. Come on, Quinn, we’ll take the Blue Room.”
Heaven wrapped her arms around Preston’s waist. “And we’ll take the Sunshine Room. It’ll be like old times,” she offered him a smile. When he didn’t immediately return it, she nudged him and kissed his cheek. “Everything’s going to be fine, we’ll deal with all of this in the morning.”
Preston went with her reluctantly, without looking back at Parker. He was beyond pissed off, and Parker hurt for the rift he’d created between them. It was stupid not to tell at least Preston what was going on. But it wasn’t the first stupid thing he’d done in his life.
“Are you two staying here tonight?” Raine asked when she came to stand in front of Parker and Drew.
“Yes,” he answered for them, pulling Drew closer. He needed her tonight more than he’d ever needed anything in his life. If she pulled away, if she refused, Parker had no idea how he’d handle it. Luckily for him, she didn’t.
“I’ll take the dogs down to the basement and get them all settled,” Drew offered.
She moved away before anyone could stop her, and Parker was left alone in the living room with Savannah, Raine, and Michelle.
“I think Carl’s got a thing for Drew,” Savannah told Parker.
Michelle tsked, moving around the room to collect the cups that everyone had left. “Carl’s got a thing for every female he sees.”
“But he isn’t buying flowers for every female he sees,” Savannah added as she plopped down into a chair. “He gave Drew flowers and asked her out to dinner.”
“When?” Parker asked tightly.
Savannah smiled, crossing her legs. “Weeks ago, I think. Delia got her out of the date, but Carl’s been hanging around the flower shop a lot lately.”
“Stop it, Savannah,” Raine admonished her. “Tonight is not the night to get Parker all riled up with jealousy. He has a gun, you know?”
“A gun he’d better keep locked up while he’s in this house,” Michelle added.
“How’s he gonna protect us if that lunatic comes back to finish the job if his gun is locked up? Really, Michelle, don’t be such a grandmother.”
Everybody froze at Savannah’s words, looking at her as if she’d spoken another language.
“What? You all know she’s walking around here acting like Gramma, nitpicking everything and telling us all what to do,” Savannah continued.
“Stop it,” Parker said finally. “Just stop it. There’s enough going on around here without us fighting with each other. If Carl has a thing for Drew, I’ll be sure to set him straight. I’ll keep the gun close to me, Michelle, but out of sight. Okay?”
Michelle nodded.
“Let’s get some rest,” he said, and started to walk out of the room.
“Parker?”
He turned to Michelle’s voice. “We’re here for you, no matter what. Don’t you ever forget that.”
He looked at his sisters, each one of them, even the pouty one on the couch, and smiled. “I know, and thank you. It’s about time I started being here for everyone as well.”
Parker left the room then, heading down to the basement to find Drew. There was a lot he needed to come clean about, and he wanted her to be the first to hear his confessions.
* * *
“So there’s a very good chance that I may lose my job,” Parker said to Drew when they were seated on the couch in the sitting room of the caretaker’s suite.
Rufus was lying in his dog bed, even though Drew didn’t expect that to last for long. He hadn’t wanted to stay down in the basement, crying and scratching against his kennel as she’d taken that first step in attempting to leave him. Then she’d looked up and seen Parker standing at the top of the stairs. Drew hadn’t known what to do—run to him or away from him. Instead she’d turned back, unlocked the kennel, and pulled Rufus into her arms. Tonight, he’d serve as the buffer between her and his owner.
Around them the house was quiet, but she still heard the gun shots and the shattering of glass. She sat leaning forward with her legs pulled close together, her elbows resting on her knees, hands clasped together.
For the last half hour she’d been sitting in silence while Parker talked. He had a lot to say, a lot she hadn’t known and had wondered about. And when he finished, it seemed there should be more. Mainly because now he was sitting quietly, waiting for her response, no doubt, and Drew had no idea what that response was supposed to be.
Parker had been suspended from his job for investigating a case his commander explicitly told him not to investigate. He’d come to Sweetland for his grandmother’s funeral and someone had followed him here—most likely the person who’d come to his apartment to issue a warning. But why hadn’t that person just killed Parker? Apparently he’d tried that day on the highway; why hadn’t he managed to get the job done yet?
And why was she thinking of Parker being killed?
She dropped her head, took a steadying breath, and that’s when she felt it. A flutter in her abdomen that made her gasp and sit up straight.
“What’s the matter?” Parker asked immediately. “What is it?”
Drew didn’t speak for fear he’d think she was crazy and, worse, that it wouldn’t happen again and she’d think she was crazy. But it did happen again, a fluttering across the front part of her abdomen. Her hands went there immediately, and Parker moved closer to her on the couch, his arm going instantly around her shoulders. “Drew, are you okay? Do I need to call Quinn or Dr. Lorens?”
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “I think she moved.”
And as if on cue, the sensation erupted again and she sat back in the chair, smiling, hand still on her stomach. “Our baby moved.”
Parker didn’t speak at first, but Drew locked gazes with him, saw the corners of his mouth lift into a smile. He covered her hand with his and looked down. “She moved, huh?”
Drew nodded. “Yes, three times. I felt it and it was like, it was so soft and so quick and…” She sighed. “So real. It’s real, Parker. I’m going to have our baby.”
Parker was nodding as well, still looking down at her stomach, at their hands on her stomach. “You’re close to twenty-one weeks now, so yes, it’s normal. Some women feel what’s called
a quickening as early as fourteen and fifteen weeks. But first-time mothers sometimes take a little longer to feel first movements or to actually decipher what they are.”
He was babbling, and Drew thought it was so cute that she laughed. “You must read a little more of that book each time you’re at my apartment. Maybe I should just buy you your own.”
He looked up at her then and they both shared a smile. “I’m going to be a good father, Drew. I promise. Regardless of what’s going on now or what I’ve done in the past. Even given the fact that I may not have a job, my first priority is to be a good father to our daughter.”
“I know, Parker,” she told him. It was the first concise thought she’d had, feeling she’d experienced, since they’d come into his room. “I know you’re going to be good to our child. And you’ll find a way to fix what’s going on now. I believe everything is going to work out just fine. I don’t know why I believe it, I just do.”
He lifted both her hands from her stomach then, bringing them to his mouth for two gentle kisses. “Gramma would call it having faith,” he said quietly. “And if you believe it, Drew, then so do I. If you think we can make this work, then I know we will.”
She watched him lean forward then, knowing he would kiss her. She expected and anticipated that kiss, loving the warmth that spread throughout her body as his lips touched hers. In no time he was moving over her, pushing her back on the couch.
“Tell me if I’m hurting you,” he whispered, his hands cupping her face.
Drew shook her head. “I’m fine. Just fine,” she told him, pulling his head down for another kiss.
* * *
Parker kissed her as if he’d been dying of thirst and she was there to quench it. His tongue moved slowly over hers, his hands moving down her neck to her shoulders. He moaned as he shifted some of his weight off of her, not believing that his body lying completely on hers could not be causing some sort of discomfort, considering he outweighed her by at least eighty pounds. She moved with him, twining her legs with his, grabbing handfuls of his shirt at his shoulders.