Damaged

by Gina Watson

  She held the door open with her toe and typed notes into her phone: New experience: learning to fry crustaceans with Parker. What the hell is a tail flap?

  Bailey followed through to the back yard where he had a fryer contraption set up. He set the paraphernalia down on the little iron table set Maura had found at a yard sale. He lowered crabs by their pinchers into the raging oil one by one, only frying a few at a time.

  “Did you invite Tate over?”

  “Yeah, but she’s at her dad’s until the surgery. She was totally bummed to be missing this.”

  He pointed the tongs at her. “You’re the duster.”

  “The duster?”

  He passed her a can of seasoning. Slap Ya Mama.

  “It’s the best—made in Ville Platte, Louisiana. Don’t be stingy.”

  Parker used the tongs to pull up three crabs and rested them on old paper bags to drain. “Well, get in here.” He gestured for her to sprinkle the seasoning. “You’ve got to hit ‘em while their hot.” She shook the seasoning in a wide swath over the crabs and then she looked at him. He shook his head and clicked his tongue at her. “That’s just pathetic.” He grabbed the can and smothered the crabs with red seasoning.

  “Isn’t that bad? All that sodium?”

  “Just make sure you flush with a lot of beer.” He frowned. “Actually, I’m going to make a special batch for you and me with very little seasoning.”

  “Just for me. There’s no reason you have to suffer.”

  His arm around her waist, he pulled her in close. His soft warm lips caressed hers, the faint taste of the beer he drank earlier still on his lips. “We’re in this together, all the way. I don’t halfway commit to anything.”

  She nodded—that was about all she could do to keep from breaking down into a wet heaping mess. His fingers directed her head so that she was made to look into his pewter eyes. Though she hadn’t spoken the words I love you, she felt it. She wanted to whisper to him how she felt, but she was also scared. “Parker, I’ve never had this with anyone before … I … um … I don’t really know how to explain what I’m feeling. It’s pretty intense.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “I’ve never felt this way before either. I guess I thought I had, but now I know differently. Even when we were apart those few weeks I still felt like I was part of something. I couldn’t get away from you, my thoughts were consumed by you.”

  “My sister told me you called her every day.”

  “Dammit, she wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”

  “Just so you know—we’re sisters, we tell each other everything.”

  “Noted.”

  Adding to her journal she typed: His thoughts are consumed by me. Sometimes his eyes are the color of peat moss. Heavily dust fried crabs with seasoning. I love him.

  They fried the rest of the crabs and shared kisses between batches. As promised, he fried up a couple dozen without salt for the two of them.

  Inside she rushed to remove the remnants of their Monopoly game from earlier so that Parker could place the crabs on the table. He’d also prepared a green salad and some cornbread. “Soup’s on,” Parker hollered over to Maura.

  “This looks very interesting, Parker. So does David Seafood capture crabs as well as shrimp?”

  “That’s right. As a matter of fact, if I’m serving you seafood, you can count on it coming from Louisiana waters.”

  “Is that better than other places?”

  “It’s the best.” He answered her with great conviction in his voice.

  Maura smiled and nodded at Parker while Bailey giggled. The plates were passed around and Bailey watched Maura load up a plate with salad and then she took a cornbread square. When the crabs were passed to her she took the tray and placed it on the table in front of her. Bailey shot a knowing glance to Parker who just smiled widely.

  A knock at the door had Maura running to answer it. Bailey noticed Parker had set four places for dinner. “Who’s the fourth?” Bailey pointed.

  “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  “Well this is a nice surprise.” She heard her sister’s giddy voice.

  “Parker invited me over for crabs.”

  Bailey spun to see Julian standing in the doorway. Her eyes narrowed as she turned to Parker. “You play dirty.”

  He pointed to himself and innocently said, “Me? Knowing how much my brother loves soft shell crab, I invited him to join us in our bountiful harvest. I resent your tone.” He leaned to her so only she could hear, “You’ll regret that tonight.” She bit her lip, but couldn’t hide the smile breaking on her face.

  Maura eyed Julian’s every move. Her fork fell through her fingers and made a loud sound as it collided with the plate. Bailey winced. Come on Maura, get your head into the game. There’s a set of nipple rings at stake!”

  Parker leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest in a purely smug gesture that screamed I win.

  Julian made himself at home, loading up his plate with the bountiful harvest and then he frowned as he regarded Maura’s meager plate. He scooped three crabs onto her plate and her nose crinkled.

  “Please Maura, won’t you at least try one? For me.” Julian placed his hand over his heart and his green eyes pleaded.

  “Well … I guess … yes … I certainly should at least give them a taste.” Julian pulled a leg from the crab and fed it to Maura.

  Bailey stewed in her chair as she observed their interaction. Across from her Parker smiled as his eyes burned with desire. Bailey hoped Parker was as adept at working himself over as he was at winning bets because that would be the only sex he’d be getting tonight.

  Bailey accessed her journal. Note: if you make a wager with Parker, outline the details. Maura can’t function around Julian, but he does have the ability to make her do things she otherwise wouldn’t. I could use his superpower to my advantage. Louisiana is home to the most fantastic seafood. Julian’s eyes are like emeralds.

  “This is cozy.”

  No! Bailey would recognize that rough raspy voice anywhere. She watched Maura drop her fork and stand, choking on her last bite of food. “Alan.” Her voice trembled with years of pent up torment.

  “Hello, sweet. Set another place for dinner. You know how I love Louisiana fare.” The East Coast accent was clearly determinable in every syllable he spoke and his sinister smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Get out.” Bailey stepped forward and laid out her demand.

  His lips curled into a devilish sneer. “Always a pleasure, Bailey.” His eyes roved her body, taking in her state of dress, or lack thereof.

  Parker stepped forward as Julian scowled from his chair. “Parker David, and you are?”

  “I have to say I’m a little taken aback that Maura hasn’t mentioned me. I’m Alan Douglas, Maura’s husband and the owner of this house.

  Maura stood speechless, but Bailey was enraged. “Ex husband,” Bailey corrected.

  “Right you are, Bails. Maura, please take my bags to our room.”

  Maura’s eyes shot to Julian. He stood and transferred his scowl at Maura. Within seconds he made his way to the front door, Maura chased after him, but Bailey heard Julian’s vehicle skidding away outside and she grieved for her sister.

  “You can’t do this!” Bailey moved to attack him, but Parker pulled her by the elbow into his chest.

  “Bailey, I know you to be a very smart girl. I own this home. As owner, I’m conducting a routine maintenance check. Additionally, I’m here to get an update regarding Rainier Industries’ investment in Maura’s research. She missed our standard monthly meeting you see, and I’d hate to have to pull her funding. Don’t think the university would look too kindly on that. You should be thanking me for affording her the opportunity to explain. I could have just dumped the project.” Alan loaded a plate with food and started to eat while Bailey and Parker stood watching.

  Maura walked past, tears streaming down her face. “Maura, do be a dear and fetch me
a beer.”

  “I don’t have beer.” Maura’s defeated voice could barely be heard. The snick of her bedroom door lightly closing had Bailey incensed.

  “You can’t do this to her anymore.”

  “Are you going to stop me?”

  Bailey turned on her heels and went to Maura’s room. She entered quietly to find Maura face down on the bed, crying into a pillow. A music box that she’d had since they were kids sat on her bedside table—an old schoolhouse that when wound played Edelweiss. Bailey removed the top and wound the old wooden contraption. A classroom complete with desks and a chalkboard comprised the inside. An apple on the teacher’s desk spun as the notes of the song played.

  Parker had followed her in and he sat in the chair next to the window, his intense gaze never leaving Bailey’s.

  “Maura, do you remember when we got this?” Maura turned over and saw Parker in the chair. “Parker, I’m sorry I ruined your crab dinner.” She wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

  “You didn’t ruin anything. An asshole named Alan Douglas did.” Her broken smile displayed appreciation—of his presence or his words Bailey didn’t know, but it was there all the same.

  “Maura, the music box?”

  The Sound of Music show Mom took us to at the theater when we were very young.”

  “It was your favorite. You wanted to become a governess. And then you found out they no longer existed and Mom said you could just be a teacher. You said that worked out better anyway because you wanted to always keep an apple on your desk.”

  Maura reached for Bailey and pulled her all the way into the bed so that they were face to face. “I love you, Bails.”

  Bailey closed her eyes and settled into hugging Maura. “I love you.” She felt the bed dip and when she opened her eyes found Parker at Maura’s back, tapping her shoulder.

  “Excuse me, can I get in on this?” Maura giggled and turned onto her back so that she could see them both, one on each side of her. “Maura, you’re no longer alone. I mean you’ve had Bailey, but now the two of you are no longer without protection. This is the south and the David name is gold. Not Douglas, but David. You two pack your bags. You’re coming to stay at my house.”

  Maura smiled at him. “Parker, that’s sweet of you but I can’t do that.”

  “You can and you will. I won’t take no for an answer. I insist. I’m not leaving Bailey here, and I refuse to leave you here alone with that bastard.”

  “Alan is paying for a grant that is paying my salary for the next three years. Unfortunately, the grant also pays for three Ph.D. student assistantships, including room and board. If it were just me I wouldn’t hesitate, but—”

  “Have you heard the name Maximilian David whispered in any of your circles?”

  “Yes, he’s the provost of the university. He was included on my interview circuit.”

  “Great. Then you’ve met my first cousin on my father’s side, though we’re really more like brothers. Douglas may have money, but Max has power. He’s a good adversary. You’ll need to trust me, Maura.” He stood and both sisters watched as he extended his hand toward Maura. “Let’s get packed. Bailey, you too.”

  Alan is an asshole. Southerners can be cocky about being southerners. Alan is an asshole. David family has huge balls. Alan is an asshole. Maximilian, what kind of name is that? He must have had a terrible time in school. Alan is an asshole. Cocky Parker is hot. Parker will take care of Maura even if I’m not around to help. Alan is an asshole.

  Chapter 13

  The drive to the David house was wrought with tension. Maura sniffled from the back seat while Bailey fidgeted with the controls on Parker’s truck.

  “Oops.” Bailey muttered.

  “What’s oops?” Parker asked.

  “I don’t know, the screen’s gone blank.”

  He clicked his tongue.

  “I’m sorry.” Her leg bumped furiously up and down as she became more nervous the closer they got to the David home.

  “If you ever doubt that I love you, I would urge you to think of this moment.”

  “What?”

  “Nobody’s allowed to touch my truck. It’s a solid rule of mine, no exceptions. For some reason it doesn’t bother me that you have deleted my entire playlist.”

  “Sorry.” She mindlessly scanned the satellite stations.

  Parker held his hand to her and she laced her cold fingers through his. “What’s on your mind, Bails?”

  “I’m just nervous to meet your parents. And why do we have to tell them about my kidneys?”

  “They already know all about that.”

  “They do?”

  “Well yeah, Bailey. My entire family knows. I’ve kind of been in a funk lately and Julian was with us at the hospital when I was tissue typed.”

  Of course. He’d actually had surgery to determine if he could be a donor for her.

  “Maura, I hope you don’t mind, but I spoke to my father on the phone while you packed. I relayed the information about Alan.”

  “Oh?”

  “This Alan problem needs a solution—the sooner, the better.”

  When he pulled onto the long drive Bailey saw Julian’s SUV already parked next to the fountain. In the rearview mirror she caught sight of Maura’s grimace as she recognized the familiar vehicle. “Does Julian live here?”

  “Yeah, we all kind of live here. The place is huge so we never really needed to move out. I guess it’s kind of strange.”

  “Not at all.” Maura’s eyes held sadness. “If Mom were alive I’d live with her.”

  Bailey turned to face her sister. “I would too.” They clutched hands before exiting the truck. Parker led them through an impressive entry, then through the kitchen, and finally into the main living area of the house where they found Julian focused on a football game, the volume turned so low it was barely audible.

  Maura’s brow furrowed and she worried her bottom lip in her teeth.

  “What’s that thing?” Bailey pointed.

  “That’s Dad’s nautilus machine—a sore subject in the house because of his insistence on keeping it in the family room.”

  Maura and Bailey giggled.

  “Let me show you to your rooms. Parker led the way and soon Bailey heard the click clack of nails against the marble floors. She turned to find a huge fat dog with an perpetual scowl.

  “How old is that dog?” Bailey giggled.

  “Sable may look ancient, but she’s only two.”

  Bailey frowned. “Sable? It’s a girl. Looks like a boy.”

  Parker looked affronted. “Now don’t go saying things like that around her, she’s got it hard enough as it is trying to keep up with the two labs.”

  “What kind of dog is she?”

  “English bull dog.”

  At the foot of the stairs Maura squatted and called for Sable. Nose to nose she spoke dog-speak. “You’re such a good girl, aren’t you? Yes. Yes. Sable is a very good girl.” Sable licked Maura’s neck.

  “Sable’s a good judge of character. If she likes you, you’re as good as gold.”

  They all trudged up the stairs. Except for Sable. “She’s not allowed on the second floor?”

  “She can come up if she wants to, but she’d have to be carried and my back just isn’t cut out for that.” He placed his hand on the small of his back.

  He stopped in front of a door in the hallway and opened it. “Maura, this will be your room.”

  From a glance Bailey could see it was light green. She smiled—Maura’s favorite color was green. “Thank you, Parker.”

  “No problem.” He turned to Bailey and pulled her along by the hand. “You’re bunking with me.”

  Parker’s bedroom was large and adorned with a double bay window which would afford sweeping views of the landscape during the daytime hours. Now a swimming pool glowed in the backyard like a murky swamp lit from within by a green lamp. The low positioned bed and bamboo flooring gave his room a modern feel. A huge flat screen television
hugged the wall. Beneath that a console table housed fancy electronics and blu-ray videos. Perpendicular to the windows stood a large desk with two large boat models. The top of the desk was cluttered with spare boat parts, tools, and paints.

  Bailey lifted an unattached hull and inspected it. The amount of detail that went into the paint job was more noticeable up close. The piece had been painted and then weathered and stripped just as one you’d expect to find on a salt-water sea. “Did you make these boats?”

  “Yeah, I sometimes like to do things with my hands.”

  One of the boats on the desk was weathered and worn, a detail interpreted by the artist. The other was exquisitely stained and boasted a shiny mahogany wood finish. The boat even had a little steering wheel. Pinstripe beige detail offset the darker wood stains. Her finger traced the clean, smooth lines.

  “It’s a Rivera speed boat. I’m building the actual boat by hand in the shop out back.”

  “You’re building a life-size boat by hand?”

  “Yeah, It’s pretty much put together. I’m in the sanding stage right now. I’ve built three and sold them, but I was thinking about keeping the one I’m working on now.”

  Overwhelmed by his astonishing skills, Bailey suddenly felt bereft and inadequate. She hadn’t known he could create something from nothing with just his bare hands.

  “That’s some talent you have.”

  He shrugged off her compliment. “I enjoy the work. I would love it if I could one day retire onto a beach somewhere and build boats for a living, but I don’t think Dad would like that.”

  “He wants you to work in the family business?”

  “Ultimately, I think he wanted all of his kids to work at the seafood plant, but it was clear once Everett completed his bachelor’s degree and then went off to law school in Boston that he wasn’t coming back.”

  “Everett?”

  “My brother Everett. You haven’t met him. He likes to pretend he’s not from here.”

  “Why is that?”

  “He’s embarrassed I guess. He’s cultivated a neutral accent to go with his fancy-ass Italian suits. The only time his southern Cajun accent can be heard is when he drinks. Or when he gets pissed. It’s pretty funny. I like to piss him off just to hear it.”