by Marla Monroe
“So what are we supposed to do? Just forget about her?”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget about her. I guess we just go on and hope it gets better.”
“This fucking sucks, man. They’ve all gotten their women, and we’re stuck sucking hind tit.”
“Let’s watch a movie, man, until the pizza gets here. I don’t want to talk about her anymore right now.”
Allen knew when Shane didn’t want to talk, you might as well shut up. He closed down like a nuclear reactor under fire.
The pizza arrived thirty minutes later, and they ate in silence while the TV droned on in the background. Neither of them was really watching the movie. He wasn’t even sure what was on. They downed the meal and another couple of beers before calling it a night. They each went to their own bedrooms, leaving the cleanup of the master bedroom to another day.
Allen couldn’t keep off the computer. He checked on updates about Parker most every day. Three days after they had taken her home, it was rumored she was seeing a Greek diplomat. Then a few days later, she was quoted as saying she and Michael were still friends. Seeing all the different men she was paired with was killing Allen. He finally deleted everything he had on her and dumped his favorites file. She had moved on. He needed to as well.
Shane walked in with the phone to his ear, obviously talking to Cole or Zack about another job.
“Yeah, hold on.” He looked at Allen sitting at the computer and sighed. “They have a job lined up in Houston. Probably take six weeks. You want in?”
“Sure. Probably a good idea to get out of here for a while.”
“Yeah, we’re in. Okay.” Shane disconnected and snapped his phone back on his belt. “You ready to move on?”
“No, but moping around here isn’t doing either of us any good.”
“I agree. We’ll stay busy while we’re down there. It’s an old office building already gutted. I needs new interior and some specialized cabinetry.
“Right up our alley. When do we leave?”
“In three days. On Sunday.”
Allen stood up from the computer and stretched. “Think I’ll go for a ride.”
“Careful, man. I’m sticking around here. Might do a little yard work since we’re going to be gone.”
Allen nodded and, grabbing his jacket, he walked out to the garage to check his bike. He couldn’t ride now without imagining Parker holding on tight behind him. He cursed and jerked on his helmet before climbing on the big bike. It was barely ten in the morning and already the day was proving to be a hot one. If it weren’t for safety, he wouldn’t be wearing the jacket. It was too hot.
He rode aimlessly for nearly an hour before he found himself near Parker’s condo. He wasn’t fooling himself. He’d planned to drive by when he got on the bike in the first place. When he actually rode by the back, walking out of the condo was that asshole, Michael. He climbed into a sporty Ferrari before Allen got past the drive. Fuck. What was that asshole doing at her place at that time of morning? Surely she hadn’t taken him back.
None of your business, Allen. It doesn’t matter that he isn’t worthy of her. She’s not your concern anymore.
He sped up and ended up driving to Waco and back before he finally calmed down enough to drive back home and pretend that nothing was wrong. It wouldn’t matter, Shane would know something was up and that he’d driven by her condo. His buddy knew everything. They were two of a kind and as different as night and day.
He pulled up into the garage and cut off the motor. Shane’s bike hadn’t been moved, so he hadn’t gone for a ride. He noticed the lawn mower was missing so he must have been cutting the backyard. It would need it several more times before they returned. He needed to be sure they contacted the service they used to keep up their house when they were gone. Sometimes they returned on the weekend, but he had a feeling they wouldn’t be returning while they were working this time.
After taking a shower, he set about cooking dinner. He usually liked to cook. He wasn’t a chef by any means, but he was pretty handy. He decided to cook something basic but time consuming, lasagna. He turned on the CD player and hit shuffle for something to listen to while he put it all together. He could basically make it in his sleep, so concentration wasn’t really necessary.
He had just finished the last layer when Shane walked inside covered in grass, sweat, and dirt. He looked at what Allen was doing and grinned.
“I’m going to shower. I’ll be down in plenty of time to help you eat it.”
“Won’t be ready for another hour, buddy.”
“It will take me that long to get some of this grease off me. I had to work on the fucking mower before it would work.”
“We don’t use it enough to keep one up. It probably needs a tune-up.”
“Well, it basically got one by the time I finished with it. I’ll be down soon.”
When the other man jogged downstairs an hour later, he looked more relaxed than he had in over a week. Working outside had been good for him. The shadows under his eyes weren’t as pronounced as they had been.
They ate the lasagna with garlic bread and a salad. Then they cleaned up, talking about the job ahead of them. Allen could tell that Shane was trying to keep things light. He was right. His friend knew that he’d gone by Parker’s place. He didn’t bring it up, but it was there between them. He wouldn’t ask what he had seen, and Allen wouldn’t tell him and disrupt the progress his friend had made. That was what friends did for each other. They watched each other’s backs.
Chapter Six
Parker’s mouth fell open.
“Are you sure?”
Her doctor smiled at her. “Oh, I’m sure. You’re about six weeks pregnant.”
“I’m on birth control, and I always use condoms. It can’t be right.”
“Parker, your body has already made some changes that support the test. Congratulations.”
“Oh my God. What am I going to do?”
“Well, if you’re not sure, I can counsel you about all of your options, but, Parker, you’re in the position to take great care of a baby. Unlike a lot of women who find themselves single and pregnant, you have the money and support to enjoy your pregnancy and provide for the child.”
“I–I don’t know what to do. I need to think about this.”
“Is there any chance you and the baby’s father could make a go of it?”
She sank back into the chair and felt her belly sink. She didn’t even know who the father was. It could be either Shane or Allen. She hadn’t been with anyone else in nearly four months, anyway. What would they say? What would they do if she told them? She had to tell them, right?
“I take it you’re not sure that’s a good idea. Honey, he has the right to know that he’s going to be a father whether you try and work things out with him or not.”
“I know, but it’s complicated.”
Her doctor winced. She probably thought it was a married man. Ah, hell. It was worse.
“Well, for now, you need to get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Here is a prescription for prenatal vitamins. If you have any trouble, call me.” The forty-something doctor left her sitting in the chair contemplating what her options where.
After dressing, she settled her bill and climbed into her Escalade and headed home. Instead, she found herself driving around the same lake the men had taken her to six weeks ago. There was a young couple walking their dog. It seemed too hot to be out in the middle of the day. Maybe it was because she was pregnant, but she decided not to get out. She drove past their house but the garage doors were down, so she didn’t know if they were home or not. It didn’t matter. She had no intentions of stopping. Not right now. She needed to think first.
When she got home, she changed clothes into shorts and a tank top before pouring a glass of iced tea. She should have gotten the prenatal vitamins filled while she had been out, but hadn’t thought about it. She would get them later.
She looked at her cell phone and contemplated calling Sarah Beth. She needed someone to talk to, but trust was hard for her after Olivia and Michael had betrayed her. She had once thought Olivia was like a sister to her, but that had all changed when she caught her fucking Michael in her bed of all places.
As it was, the phone rang and it proved to be Sarah Beth.
“Hey, stranger. I haven’t seen you in days. Why don’t you come over and we’ll lounge by the pool?”
“That sounds nice. I don’t know.”
“Hey, something’s up. I can hear it in your voice. Do you want to talk? We can go somewhere and get a drink.”
“A drink isn’t what I need right now, but maybe something to eat. How about getting a salad?” She hadn’t had anything for breakfast and her stomach was giving her fits.
“Sounds good to me. Want me to pick you up since you’re closer?”
“That would be great. I’ll see you soon.”
Parker quickly changed into a cool linen suit in a pale yellow. She slipped on sensible sandals, glad that she’d had a mani-pedi the day before. Fifteen minutes later, Sarah Beth knocked on her door.
“You ready?”
“Let’s go.” She locked up and slipped her keys back in her purse.
Once they were seated in a secluded spot at the restaurant, she ordered water with lemon to Sarah Beth’s white wine.
“Okay, who is it?”
“What?” She wasn’t following Sarah Beth’s train of thought.
“You’re pregnant. Who’s the father?”
“Why do you think I’m pregnant?”
“You’re not drinking alcohol. You always get a drink when we go anywhere. Not that I’m saying you’re an alcoholic or anything, but you do like your drinks.”
“Oh, Sarah Beth, what am I going to do?”
“Have you told him yet?”
“No. I just found out this morning.”
“I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to marry you, Parker. Do you not want to get married?”
“I really hadn’t planned to get married for a long time. I mean, you know all about the conditions of the will. I had made up my mind that it didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to get married just to get control of more shares of Montgomery Oil. I’m fine like I am.”
“You were all set to marry Michael to be sure your conniving stepmother didn’t get her hands on any more of your father’s money. What happened? Oh, I mean besides the Olivia debacle. What happened to change your mind about your stepmother?”
“I realized I wasn’t any better than she was by racing to beat her to the money. She loses it if she gets married. So she’s living with a man she obviously cares about instead of getting married. She’s so greedy that she will possibly lose him for a couple more million in oil.”
“Humph, more than a couple,” Sarah Beth mused. “So what is the real problem then?”
“I’m not sure who the father is.”
“I didn’t realize you had been dating anyone, much less more than one. Who is it between?”
Parker winced and hesitated. Could she really trust Sarah Beth? She needed someone to talk to about this. It had been eating away at her for weeks now. She missed them after only spending twenty-four hours with them, but still she did.
“Parker, honey? If you don’t want to say, that’s okay, but at least let’s talk about your options.”
“Do you remember the charity ball back in May?”
“Yeah, everyone will remember that one. You… Oh. My. God! Are you kidding me? Them?”
“I haven’t been with anyone since them, Sarah Beth. We used protection, and I’m on birth control, but something happened.”
“So, you have a paternity test to determine who the father is and go from there.”
“I can take care of the baby myself. I don’t need their help.” Even as she said it, she felt guilty. They deserved to be given the chance to help.
“Okay, let’s start from the top. I take it you’re planning on having the baby one way or another. Am I right?”
“Yes! I won’t have an abortion or give it up for adoption.” Parker shivered at the thought.
“So the next steps are straightforward. One, you tell them about the baby and see what they say. Two, you don’t tell them and hope they never find out. I mean, the chances are good that they never would put two and two together.”
“If it were you, what would you do, Sarah Beth?”
“Honey, I’m engaged. If I were to get pregnant, it wouldn’t matter, really. I can’t even imagine myself in your shoes. I’ve loved him for so long that I don’t even remember dating anyone else.” Sarah Beth’s voice had gone soft as she thought about her fiancé.
“I need to tell them, don’t I?”
“Yeah, you need to get that part out of the way. Then you can make plans for the baby.”
Parker swallowed around the knot in her throat and only half listened as Sarah Beth began talking about her wedding plans. She would go back to their home tomorrow and tell them. Then, depending on their reaction, she would know where to go from there.
It wasn’t that she was expecting one of them to marry her, because it wouldn’t matter. She wouldn’t do it. She just needed to know how much involvement they might want to have in the baby’s development and child rearing. She couldn’t very well make plans if they were going to interfere with all of them.
She sighed. They were basically good men. They had treated her like a princess their entire time together. Was she doing them a disservice by assuming they would cause trouble? For all she knew, they might not want to have anything to do with the baby. That thought hurt.
“Parker? Are you listening to me?” Sarah Beth smiled knowingly.
“I’m sorry. I guess I’m just too preoccupied to be of much help to you with the wedding right now.”
“That’s okay, honey. You’ve got a lot to deal with over the next few weeks.”
They talked about the upcoming social activities that they both attended and ate their salads without returning to the subject of Parker’s pregnancy. An hour later, Sarah Beth dropped Parker back off at her condo making her promise that if she needed to talk some more she would call her.
Parker decided that a long, leisurely bath was called for. She grabbed a book and ran the tub full, using her bath salts liberally. Then she climbed in the tub and sank into the foaming water to relax and read. She would let her subconscious sort everything out and get back to her.
* * * *
Parker drove over to Shane and Allen’s home every day for next five days without catching them there. It finally occurred to her that they could be out of town working. That didn’t leave her with any way to get in touch with them short of hiring a private detective, and she hesitated at going that far. She decided to try the computer.
She spent two hours sifting through information without finding anything on them until she remembered that their gang was called The Dirty Dozen. She mapped out that with construction and finally found a contact number. When she called the number, however, the answering service informed her that they didn’t give out personal information. If she wanted to leave her name and number, it would be passed on. She hung up without leaving it. That was too impersonal. She decided to give it another week and then go by their house again. Surely they would be back soon.
The next morning, she woke up to someone pounding on her door. She ran a hand over her face and checked the time. Eight o’clock in the freaking morning. Who would be banging on her door at that hour?
Parker climbed out of the bed and pulled on a robe over her short nightgown. She checked the peephole and groaned. It was Michael. She opened the door and frowned at him.
“What in the hell do you want, Michael? I’ve already told you the answer is no. I’m not going to try again.”
“Who is he?” Michael stormed past her into the entrance hall and slapped a rolled-up newspaper into her hands.
“Who is who? What are you talking
about? You can’t just barge in anytime you want to.” She trailed after him intent on finding out what he was talking about.
“Who is the fucking father of your baby?”
Parker’s mouth flew open. How had he found out? No one knew but Sarah Beth, and she couldn’t believe she’d been so wrong about her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“It’s there in the paper that you’re pregnant. Are you denying it?” he demanded.
Michael’s face was livid with anger. She had never seen him so enraged before.
Parker opened the paper where it was folded back to the society page and a picture of her and Sarah Beth sitting at a table with their heads close together. The caption said. Heiress Parker Montgomery rumored to be pregnant with love child.
She let the paper fall to the floor and all but collapsed on a chair. Someone had overheard them. What was she going to do now? She hadn’t even contacted Allen or Shane. What if they saw it? She sobered. What were the chances that they read the society pages anyway? Surely not.
“Are you listening to me? Is it true or not?”
“It’s none of your business, Michael.”
“Like hell it’s not! We’re supposed to get married and start our own family. We discussed it on several occasions.”
“No, Michael, we’re not getting married, and you were the one discussing a family. I told you I wasn’t interested in children right away.”
He reached down and grabbed her arms with his hands, dragging her to her feet.
“You’re going to marry me, Parker. That child can be mine. We’ll just tell everyone that we made up, and now we’re getting married.” He shook her. “Do you understand?”
“Michael, you’re hurting me. Let me go.”
“Not until you agree to marry me. We still have plenty of time to plan out a decent wedding before that deadline.”
“That’s what this is all about. You don’t care a thing about me. You just want to get your hands on that money. Well, fuck you, Michael. I’m not marrying you for hell or high water. Let go of me and get out of my home!” Parker tried to jerk her arms away from him.