Parker

by Maddie James

  Jealous. Yes. The green-eyed monster had reared its head the moment Mike said he’d wanted to ask her out. What was Parker supposed to do with that information, anyway? Be happy for him?

  He didn’t know. And that’s why he’d gotten all pissy and silent in the car. And made her cry. What an ass.

  But when he’d kissed her… All he could feel was he wanted to make things better, keep her safe, protect her from—everything. Make her his. Claim her for his own with each and every kiss. He wanted her to remember those kisses in case Mike did call. Hell, he needed to just tell Mike the truth.

  He’d lied. It was more than casual for him. More than just friendly neighbors.

  Those feelings surprised him. He’d not experienced this strong of an emotional attraction toward a woman in a long time. Maybe never. Physical too. No doubt Reba Morris was a sexy, interesting woman. A strong and capable woman, too—but there was a part of her, he was pretty darned certain, who needed and wanted a man to take over from time to time. She’d probably go screaming and kicking, but for some damn crazy reason, he wanted to be that man to drag her into his world.

  And yes, he would save her and protect her and take care of her, whether she knew she wanted it or not. The thought made him smile and chuckle.

  The ringing of his phone brought him out of his contemplation. He reached for the device rattling on his desk. “Yes.”

  Brody. “Hey, man. Just wanted you to know that we’re all down here for breakfast. You joining us?”

  Yeah. Might as well get this started. “I’m on my way,” he responded. “Ten minutes.”

  Parker pushed the button to end the call and turned to stare out the window. He’d grown up in this house. His father had given it to him when he and Liz built the new house. Surely James McKenna wouldn’t jerk his home out from under him. Would he?

  He didn’t think so. Likely, he was worrying about nothing.

  ****

  “I understand there is a meeting with Tom on Friday.” Liz wasted no time. She caught his eye the second he stepped over the threshold and held his gaze. Hell, she was likely as nervous about all of this as he was. He thought about Tom’s message and decided to cut her some slack. The large great room was the family gathering spot, and it seemed everyone was already there.

  “Yes, ma’am. Two o’clock in Tom’s office. I can drive us both if that works best for you.”

  “I suspect I should drive myself. I have a few other errands to run while in town. But thank you, Parker.”

  He nodded. “Not a problem, Liz. Let me know if you change your mind.”

  She smiled and handed him a coffee cup. Parker took it. One thing for certain, this family couldn’t function without buckets of black coffee first thing in the morning.

  He stared at the cup for a moment. His dad never started his day without half a pot of coffee.

  A breakfast buffet had been set up in the kitchen area. For years anyone who was on the ranch gathered at the new house on Sunday morning for breakfast. There would be an empty seat at the table from now on.

  Parker stuffed that feeling deeper inside him and concentrated on the food. Everyone else had already filled their plates and were sitting at the large dining table. Parker went straight to the coffee pot, poured himself a cup, and then moved to the table to claim a seat.

  “Mornin’ everyone.”

  “Mornin’,” came the chorus of voices in response.

  Callie and Murphy sat to his left. Murphy had worked and lived at McKenna Ranch since he was seventeen, but only recently convinced Callie he was the one she needed in her life—and he’d been right under her nose the entire time. It was great to have his little sister back from New York permanently and even better to know she and Murphy would soon marry and live on the ranch.

  At least he hoped that’s what would happen. That all depended on the next week or so.

  Brody and Stef were also present, along with their daughter Livy. Stef had grown up on the ranch, too, and now managed the dude ranch’s fly-fishing business. It was good to see them happy and together. That relationship had been rocky from the start, with the reconciliation a long time coming. For their sakes and Livy’s, he was glad they were on their way to a happy life together.

  And then there was Mercer, his half sister. He wondered how she was holding up. She’d been awfully close their daddy, who had spoiled her rotten simply because she was the youngest. Nevertheless, she’d grown into a fine young woman, ready to head out into the world.

  He just hoped not too far away. He’d prefer to have all of his siblings close by, if possible. They needed each other. Especially now.

  The hot cup of coffee marking his spot, Parker ambled toward the food. Detached. No spouse or girlfriend. Mercer was still young, and no doubt she’d find a man to tame her one of these days. And he was damned happy for Callie and Brody.

  That left him, the oldest of the crew and single. How had that happened, and at thirty-five, how had he let life slip by so quickly without finding a wife?

  Work. Ranching. That was part of it.

  Plus there had never been a woman who captured his interest, or his heart, long enough to take hold.

  Could Reba do that?

  His plate filled, he headed back to the table, where a lively conversation was happening about which sibling was their father’s favorite. It was all in fun, of course, because they all knew James McKenna really didn’t have a favorite—although each sibling was making a mighty strong case for themselves.

  Liz laughed, listening to them banter, and Parker watched her face. She was still young. He imagined a man would come along one day and sweep her off her feet. And then where would the ranch be?

  Hell, had his father thought about that.

  Suddenly, the fork of eggs he’d brought to his mouth didn’t seem so appetizing. His stomach turned at the thought of another man horning in on what was his and his sisters’. But how could he stop that from happening?

  Get a grip, McKenna. Just wait until you know the facts before going off all half-cocked.

  “How’s Reba?”

  Callie’s question pulled him back into the conversation. “I haven’t spoken with her this morning, but I assume she’s fine.”

  Mercer reached for a piece of toast on a platter. “I heard it’s a broken elbow. Ouch.”

  “Yes. She’s in a splint for a couple of days until she can get to a bone doc.”

  “Ugh. I bet that gets in the way.”

  “I’m sure it does.” He pushed his plate away, not hungry. “And an inconvenience. She was worried about a blog post and some sort of editing… Not sure how she could do it. Something about work. I have no clue what kind of work she does.”

  And he needed to find that out. He just wanted to know more about her.

  He glanced to Callie, who shrugged. “Maybe I’ll see if she needs some help. Blogging and posting and all that sort of thing are up my alley.”

  Parker smiled at his sister. “I’m sure she’d appreciate it, but that woman is damned stubborn. I’ll bet you a dollar she won’t take you up on your offer.”

  Callie smiled sweetly and picked up her cell phone. “I’ll take that bet, Brother.” She started scrolling for a number and then pushed.

  “What are you doing?”

  Callie put up one finger and mouthed the word Wait.

  Parker waited. Hell.

  “Reba? Hi! It’s Callie McKenna. I’m just checking in to see how you are doing and if there is anything you need. We are all having breakfast over here and just wondered.”

  She paused and looked into Parker’s eyes as she listened. “Oh, that’s great. I’m glad you are feeling better and that you finally got a good night’s sleep.” Callie gave a thumbs-up to Parker. “Are you drinking your water, and did you eat?”

  Parker glanced off, feeling a little like a voyeur to the conversation yet hanging on to every word.

  “Good,” Callie continued. “Oh yes, Parker is here too. Yes, I be
lieve he got rested up.” Callie listened for another minute. “I’ll be sure to tell him.”

  Callie flashed a grin and another thumbs-up his way. Parker looked to the faces around the table, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

  “Reba, you sound so much better than you did yesterday. I’m glad.” Callie picked at a cuticle, listening. “Umhmm. Yes. Of course.” Another pause. “I see. Oh Reba, yesterday you said you had a lot of work to do. I’m not sure what you do, but can I help with that? I need to put my degree to work or I’ll get rusty.”

  She laughed then, and Parker heard Reba’s giggle come through from the other end. Reba and Callie had become good friends?

  “Excellent! I can definitely help you with that. I’ll see you Tuesday morning then. Bye, Reba!”

  Callie clicked off the phone and laid it face down on the table. Slowly, she turned a smug face toward Parker. “That will be one dollar please.”

  Parker rolled his eyes, reached for his wallet, and held out a dollar bill.

  Grinning, Callie said, “She’s not so stubborn.”

  “She sure the hell is with me!”

  Still smiling, Callie rose and snatched the bill out of his fingers. “Then that’s your issue, big Brother. Stubborn is as stubborn does.” Callie headed off to the kitchen with her plate.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “Figure it out,” she called over her shoulder.

  Parker repeated, scanning his siblings faces, “What the hell does that mean?”

  “Parker,” Liz said, “there are little ears here. Watch your mouth.” She nodded toward Livy.

  “Sorry. Heck. What the heck…”

  Mercer punched him from his right. “I think big Brother has a crush on our new neighbor.”

  “I don’t do crushes, remember? We’ve already been down this road. Stop.”

  He rose, picking up his own plate to take to the kitchen.

  “Parker, you haven’t eaten. Are you okay?”

  That came from Liz. He glanced her way. “I’m fine. Just not real hungry right now. I’ll cover it and save for later.”

  Liz waved him off. “Oh goodness, no. There is enough food there to feed an army. Just get a fresh plate when you’re ready.” She paused as he headed for the kitchen area. “But I do want to talk to all of you, so come back and get a seat once you are finished there.”

  Callie nudged his shoulder playfully as she headed back to the table. “Oh, and by the way, Reba wanted me to tell you thanks again for everything you have done for her and that she’s made arrangements for the insurance company to come and look at her SUV tomorrow. She said she hopes that will be okay with you. She wants to get it taken care of as soon as possible.”

  “She needn’t worry about that.”

  “I think she just needs to take care of business.”

  I want to take care of business and it has nothing to do with her truck. Dammit, where is my brain? Stop thinking about her kisses and focus on something else. Like perhaps what Liz wants to talk about.

  The squeeze hit his gut. Taking a deep breath, he scraped his plate, rinsed it, and left it in the sink. Before he sat back down again, he topped off his coffee. Finally, he settled in and waited.

  Liz began. “Kids, as you all found out a few days ago, your father had been ill before he fell off the horse, although he never told any of you. He knew his time was short, and he started to make plans.”

  “So you knew what his plans were?” Mercer questioned her mother.

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t. Not really. He talked with me and we discussed options, but ultimately I left any decisions about the ranch up to him. It’s all his land—land that he bought or acquired long before I came into the picture. Your father made decisions for me, for all of us, for a very long time. I trusted him to make his final decisions, without my interference.”

  Parker stared at the top of the cherry dining table. Liz was right. James McKenna had been the true patriarch, and he prided himself on providing for his family. There were a number of times throughout his life Parker had wondered why his father had made a decision to do something in a certain way and had been concerned he was making a mistake—only to come to realize down the road his father was right all along.

  I need to trust that he has made the right decisions for all of us.

  “He met with Tom a few weeks before he died and filed a last will and testament. He amended what was previously there. He told me that much but did not go into details. He did give me this,” she held up a plain white, sealed envelope, “and asked me to read it to you a few days after his death. So that is what I am going to do now.”

  Parker interjected, “Has Tom seen this?”

  She shook her head. “No one has seen this, and to my knowledge, only your father knows what is written here. I’d like to keep it that way. Just between us.”

  Parker took a deep breath and glanced about the table to each of his siblings. The faces staring back at him were stone sober. “I’m good with that,” he said.

  The others seemingly agreed, for they all relaxed.

  “All right.” Liz took a letter opener and slipped it under the flap, breaking the seal. She removed and unfolded the single piece of white paper inside and began reading:

  To my dear Liz and my wonderful children—Parker, Callie, Brody and Mercer:

  You all are my light and my love. You each gave meaning and purpose to an old man’s existence—all in your own unique ways. There is no way I can express individually what you have meant to me over the years—because my life would have been incomplete without all of you collectively in it.

  And to my beautiful Claire, my first love, and the mother of my firstborn children. I have never stopped loving you. I never shall. I long to see you on the other side…

  In a few days you all will learn of my wishes regarding the ranch. But before that happens, I want to talk to you directly and share what is in my heart.

  It has always been my desire to provide a safe, secure and happy home for my family. I have dreamed of a ranch that would support us, sustain us, and provide for us for the long term. I pray that it is your wish to carry on my dreams and desires. This is your home. Always remember that. This is where some of you were born, and this is where some of us will die.

  It’s McKenna land. Before that, some of it was Parker land. It shall remain our land, no matter how it manifests itself in the future.

  My request is that within the next few days, all of you embrace each other, your family, and realize that we all want the same thing. Love each other and take care of each other in my absence. I’m not there, not in body anyway, but I’m there in spirit. I’m in the breeze, in the dirt, in the hay, and in every animal that lives and breathes on our land. I’m there in your daily chores and at every meal.

  I’m still there kissing you good night and drinking a cup of coffee with you in the morning. I’m here, with you, at home.

  Any decisions I have made regarding my last will and testament were made with all of these thoughts in mind.

  Your loving husband and father, James McKenna

  Liz stopped speaking and lowered the letter. Her eyes downcast, she stared at a spot on the table in front of her. Parker watched her from the opposite end, noticing her shaking hands. She was suffering along with the rest of them. Simultaneously, he took in the sniffles and soft sobs from everyone else around him.

  We’re all suffering.

  It was a solemn moment. The silence was warranted. One by one, James McKenna’s children got up and drifted off—except for Parker. Liz finally looked up and said, “I’ll leave this letter on the table for anyone who wants to read it again.”

  Parker would, later. His father’s voice resonated in those words, and that was nearly his undoing. The past few days had been so busy he had not stopped long enough to let the grief catch up and take hold.

  Well, it had now. With full force.

  His chest ached with a hea
viness he’d only felt once before—when his mother died.

  Now, he wasn’t worried so much about what happened with the ranch. He was worried more about how they all were going to go on living, without the one man in their lives who had meant everything.

  And he figured Liz was thinking the same thing.

  Slowly, he got up and rounded the table. He approached Liz’s side and reached for her hand.

  She looked up, tears spilling over her lower lids. “I’m not sure how I can go on without him,” she whispered.

  Parker grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet. He faced her and looked into her eyes, knowing that this was his moment of resolution. Whatever words were in his father’s will didn’t really matter so much anymore. “We have each other, Liz. We’re family. All of us. And whatever Dad wanted, we’ll do with his blessing.”

  He hugged her then, and her arms went around his neck. Liz’s body shook as she cried, and Parker held her until she stilled, quieted. Finally, she pulled back and looked up to him.

  “Thank you, Parker,” she said. “I am so relieved. I have felt so lost the past couple of weeks. I just didn’t know….”

  He gripped her hands tighter. “Shh, Liz. We’re family. We’re McKennas. You, Brody, Murphy, all of us. And there is no stronger bond than that. As long as we have each other, we can get through anything.”

  Liz sobbed a little again and squeezed his hands back, glancing to the floor between them. Finally, she looked up and said, “You’re just like him, you know? I may need to lean on you once in a while.”

  He nodded. “I was just thinking that I may need to lean on you.”

  Chapter Eight

  Tuesday morning

  “OMG. Reba, you are Bekah from Bekah’s Cottage?”

  Reba chuckled at Callie’s reaction. Ever since Callie had called Sunday morning, Reba wondered how she was going to enlist Callie’s help without actually revealing who she was. Now that a couple of days had passed it wasn’t a big deal that Callie knew, or that anyone around here knew, for that matter. When her Bekah’s Cottage food blog first took off a couple of years ago, Reba made the decision to be anonymous. Back then, she used avatars and manipulated stock art to represent her in pictures, and she just hadn’t stopped. There was a reason for doing that, however. She had wanted—no needed—her work life and her private life to remain very separate.