“Well, now you know. I rode over with Parker and Nicole.”
“But why, Emma? Did Parker really need your help? He knew we were coming.”
Something didn’t smell right. Stacey’s pinched face and strained tone weren’t like her at all. “Uh, what’s this really about?” Emma folded her arms. She wanted to sit, but she needed to stand eye-to-eye. This Stacey standing in front of her was someone she didn’t know.
“I hope I’m not speaking out of turn, but this is sort of sensitive.” She looked to one side and then the other.
“Go on, please.”
“Don’t you think it’s a little risky to get so close to Parker?”
Only to my heart, maybe. She cleared her throat. “Where is this coming from? He’s divorced. You know perfectly well I’m free to see whoever I want to.”
“C’mon, Emma,” she groaned. “You know that’s not what this is about.”
“I do? What do you know that I don’t?”
“You pay his salary.”
Her head jerked back. “Are you kidding me? Are you afraid if Parker and I don’t work out, I’ll pull the money?” She stared at Stacey. “Well? Is that what you’re afraid of?”
“It’s been said that it could happen.”
“Whoa. Who said?” Emma demanded.
“People talk, Emma.” Stacey picked up a feather from the display bowl, but dropped it.
“About me? And Parker?” Emma braced her hands on the table. “Did I make funding the director’s position contingent on anything?”
“No. But that’s not the point.” Now Stacey was focused on her shoes.
“Oh, so you have a better point?” Emma was desperate to stop herself from blowing up and saying something she’d regret. Besides, she expected a real answer.
Finally breaking the silence, Stacey rushed her words. “It’s just that people see you together sometimes.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Better call the sheriff. Have me arrested.”
Stacey sighed. “Please take this seriously. Someone mentioned seeing you having lunch over in Clayton.”
“Another crime.” She could almost taste the bile rising. “You know, this is the reason some people get sick and tired of small towns. Who has time to keep tabs on my lunch dates?”
“Emma, I don’t like bringing this up, but I have to. I mean, I’ve been asked to.”
Emma filled her lungs and slowly exhaled. “Do you seriously think I’m compromised in some way?”
“Do I think that? Not really,” Stacey admitted.
“Do you object to anything Parker is doing at the sanctuary? Have you seen the work he’s put in?” She pointed to the nests on the shelves, the dioramas showing birds and their habitats. The skeleton specimens. A glass jar of feathers sat on the table. “Everything came from him and what he’s put together using old supplies. He’s recycled everything. He’s even using the ancient dishes he and Nicole have in their cabins. Good thing Nicole is big on vintage.” Emma closed her mouth abruptly. She’d said enough. Nothing Parker had done needed defending.
Stacey had the look of a woman who was about to cry and was struggling not to.
Emma touched her arm. “Who asked you to talk to me?”
She raised an eyebrow. “To be clear, it’s a person who isn’t on the board. He brought up the issue of board members having relationships with employees, and how it’s frowned on. The person writing the checks and the employee and all that.”
“Ha! He needn’t worry. I’m not on the board anymore. Remember? And the sanctuary has one employee.” As an aside, she added, “But you may need to rethink that in the spring. Parker seems to be bringing more people around, even in the cold weather. And to be clear, my trust officer transfers the funds. You know perfectly well I don’t write the checks. I stay out of that end of it. For this very reason. I don’t want blurry lines. I make choices and the trust sends me reports.”
Stacey rubbed her cheeks, her frustration clear. “Okay, okay. You’ve said your piece. I’m backing down. I didn’t feel one hundred percent right about any of this. Not even ten percent. But I was pressured.”
Emma didn’t know who had talked to Stacey and didn’t care. She busied her hands fanning out brochures on the table. “Let’s be clear. I’m becoming more involved in the sanctuary, not less. I’m excited about what I’ve learned from Parker about birds and the work involved in saving them.”
Stacey smiled. “I’m embarrassed. The thing is, I’m happy for you. If there’s a choice, I’d find the money from someplace else rather than disrupt...whatever is going on with you and Parker. Oh, you know what I mean, Emma.”
“Yeah, I sure do.” Emma shrugged. “There’s no need for that. Nothing is disrupted, and I don’t intend to take a position on the board. Believe me.” She looked over Stacey’s shoulder and saw Parker and Ty coming to the table. “Here they are.”
Stacey spun around and said hello. Parker said a terse hello to Stacey. Emma couldn’t miss the phony smile Ty cast her way.
“I suppose we should be heading to lunch,” Ty said, with what sounded like false enthusiasm. “We’ll see you at the talk this afternoon.”
Parker stood with his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the two leave. They were in an animated conversation and neither looked happy. From Parker’s stance, Emma was certain Ty had sought him out for a talk. This situation was much worse for him, Emma conceded, since he did answer to the board.
“They’re gone, Parker.”
He leaned over and plunked his hands on the table and rested his weight on them. “From the look on your face, I gather Stacey questioned our personal relationship.”
“Yes, but she backed down. She almost apologized for bringing it up.”
“Lucky you. Ty wasn’t that conciliatory,” Parker said. “It took a second to understand he was serious. I thought he was sort of congratulating me on...” he pointed to Emma and then to himself “...us.”
“Us. That’s why Stacey backed off. She knows me. She thinks what’s going on with us is kinda fun. On the other hand, I can’t figure out who bothered to tell Ty and Stacey we had lunch together in Clayton. What is that?” Emma struggled to make sense of it. “At one time, I’d have accused Jim of being the troublemaker. Not anymore.”
Parker tapped his fist in his palm. “My hunch is it’s Ty himself. He was vague about some guy who had seen us around.”
“Committing crimes, like being spotted together in a restaurant.”
“Exactly,” Parker exclaimed. “Ty made up that another person was involved and he lied to Stacey about it.”
“So, you’re saying no one complained,” Emma clarified. “They’re covering themselves.” She pushed the point. “They really are afraid if things don’t work out between us, I’ll take my checkbook and go home.” Emma tried to shake the image of carrying her checkbook tucked under her arm like a ball. “And they’ll be in trouble.”
Parker growled in disgust. “It always comes down to that. Money.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Emma would not give in to that worry. “I don’t even think about it. I wish you wouldn’t, either.”
“You told me right from the start that you’re hands-off when it comes to the decisions and operation of the center. Why don’t they see that?”
“Seriously? If we’re the talk of the town, let’s enjoy it. We have fun. I like you and you like me. I don’t care who knows it.” She gave him a flirtatious smile. “Besides, you’re a great kisser. I’m not about to give that up.”
He smiled. “You’re a pretty great kisser yourself, Emma O’Connell.”
She gestured for him to come around the table. “Let’s charm a few people into joining the sanctuary.”
“I better leave the charm to you. I’ll watch and learn.”
“If you insist,” she said, laugh
ing. “We’ve still got a long day ahead. Might as well enjoy it.”
She spotted Nic waving at them to get their attention. “Speaking of charm, look who’s here.”
Parker turned around just as Nic approached with six or seven classmates, asking him about bird rescue and rehabilitation. Stacey and Ty no longer mattered.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“WHEN YOU BLUESTONE RIVER folks put your minds to it, you can draw big crowds,” Parker said, pointing at the long line of cars and trucks flanking the farm road for as far as he could see.
“I might have known this many people would show up for the rebirth of Christmas caroling. If I’d anticipated these numbers, I’d have suggested we get here earlier.” Standing next to his truck, Emma lifted her cane and then firmly planted the tip in the snow. “Nothing to do but forge on.”
“Are you sure?” Parker’s attempt to keep his voice neutral wasn’t entirely successful. With the toe of his boot, he poked at the fresh snow in front of them, relieved it was only about three inches deep. They could walk in the tire tracks, which would be firmer for Emma underfoot.
Emma looked mildly concerned, but her voice was strong when she said, “Let’s go.”
Off in the distance Parker heard the opening lines of “Joy to the World.” The music grew louder as more voices in the crowd joined in.
“Sounds like the high school kids are the opening act,” Emma said. “They started right on time.”
“Do you want to get there faster?” Parker asked.
“Sure, I do. Maybe you could arrange an airlift to the bridge.”
“No need to be sarcastic,” he said wryly, putting his arm around her. “Are you up for a little adventure?”
“Al...ways.” By the time she was done drawing out the word, it might have been a sultry summer night.
“Good. Then you gotta trust me. Adventure about to launch...here goes.” He bent his knees and scooped Emma into his arms. She grasped the puffy fabric of his jacket and slid her arms around his neck. “Hang on tight.” She was light in his arms as he started down the road. His scheme might work after all.
Listening to her melodic laugh triggered the surge of adrenaline that made carrying her through the snow seem like a genius idea. One of his best ever.
Emma kept up her sultry tone. “Why, sir, you swept me right off my feet.”
“I think you’re close to a bad case of the giggles. But no humor allowed, m’lady. I won’t be able to carry you and laugh at the same time.”
“Got it,” she whispered, glancing up at the sky and moving her head in time to the final bars of “Joy to the World.”
“Do you know you’re stepping to the beat of the song?”
She hummed along with the tune, not entirely on key, and sure enough his steps matched the rhythm. “I know it now that you’ve pointed it out,” he said.
Emma sighed. “Wow, what a beautiful night.”
“And it’s just starting,” he replied, keeping his voice low and full of promise.
The singing stopped, but it was only a few seconds before Emma began humming along with “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Another carol she claimed was her favorite.
“Ooh, the crowd is louder on this one,” she said. “They must be warming up.”
“There it is,” he said, as the corner of the bridge came into view. He turned so Emma could get a glimpse of strings of lights spread across the opening arch and outlining the slanted roof. Other lights covered the side.
“The fairy lights are so pretty,” she said as if in awe of the sight. “This is so, so special.” Their contented silence was burst when she suddenly said, “I must be heavy. I could walk the rest of the way, you know.”
He was still enjoying having her in his arms. That alone was enough for him to keep going. “I’ll carry you to the edge of the crowd.”
She let out a happy sigh. “I’ve never seen the park and the bridge this beautiful. Everything lit up and all these people. Even the usual summer weddings aren’t this big.”
Parker didn’t know the names of most of the people he saw, but many faces looked familiar. He must have seen them around town or at the sanctuary. He also spotted people he thought of as friends now, like Georgia and Maggie and their families.
“Here we are,” Parker said, gently lowering her to the ground, but holding her elbow until he was sure she was steady on her feet.
“Thanks. What a great idea.” Emma slipped her hand through his arm and they walked up to where tables had been set up with town brochures and compiled song sheets of common Christmas carols. “Ah, they’re singing another one of my Christmas favorites, ‘Little Drummer Boy.’” She closed her eyes and began singing along.
“They’re all your favorites,” Parker teased. Looking around him, it struck him that he hadn’t seen anything quite like the scene in front of him. Not just the decorated bridge, but also the lights circling the trees in the park and the spotlights surrounding a low stage set up at the back of the playground. One of the music teachers led the chorus of about twenty teenagers. There were some chairs in a row, mostly filled by older people.
“I may have needed a free ride, but I don’t need a chair,” Emma said, reassuring him. “I saw you looking at them lined over there.”
“Oh, no, I wouldn’t have suggested it.” He drew back. “And have you get all huffy with me? Not a chance.”
She squeezed his arm. “Aw, you know I wouldn’t do that.”
“Look,” Parker said, pointing with his chin to Jim and Ruth sitting in chairs.
“After all that happened, I bet you’re glad to see them. You’re the one person in town who could bring out the good side of him.” When the music in the background changed to a Christmas pop song, Emma said, “Oh, I love this one.”
He grinned at her. “I think there’s a rule that you can have only one favorite.”
“Who would write such a rule?”
“What Child is This?” happened to be a Christmas carol Parker knew well. He used to sing it with Nic when it came up on an old CD of Christmas carols she played over and over when she was little. It brought on nostalgia as he sang, but here with Emma was where he wanted to be. Christmas Eve was only four days away. And a long quiet winter was ahead. He couldn’t wait for Emma to open her Christmas present. He’d gone back to the gallery in Clayton and got her one of Guy Hammond’s carved jewelry boxes, one with mostly hummingbirds.
“You have a nice voice,” Emma said. “Not just like a radio announcer, but you can sing, too.”
That was true, at least he could carry a tune. “I used to play guitar—sort of—and sing with a bunch of kids in high school. An old-style garage band. We were an odd assortment but we picked up gigs now and then. It was fun while it lasted—a couple of years.”
“Okay, I’m officially impressed. I mean, healing birds is great as far as it goes, but playing in a band?” In a voice full of enthusiasm, she added, “Now, that’s cool.”
“Hey, it got me dates,” he joked. Specifically, it got him dates with Jackie, but he didn’t need to say so.
When the music stopped, the music teacher, serving as emcee, went through a list of people to thank for making the event so successful. Before she stopped speaking, Emma nudged him and pointed to an area behind a couple of family groups in front of them. “Come on, we can get a better view over there.” She pointed to a flatter spot on the edge of the crowd.
They moved the few yards, where it was easier to stand. And dimmer, Parker thought, with fewer people around them. The music teacher ended her talk and began leading little kids in the crowd in a kind of off-key “Jingle Bells,” but no one cared. Conscious of Emma standing so close, Parker had a hard time paying attention.
“I always wished I’d had a halfway decent singing voice,” Emma said.
“Who says you don’t?”
>
She rolled her eyes. “No one has to.”
She had him there. “Who cares? You have lots of other talents.”
“Good evasion.”
“No evasion.” He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “You’re smart and curious. And funny.” He kissed her again. “Being beautiful doesn’t hurt.”
Emma let her head drop against his chest.
“Dance with me,” he whispered in her ear. “You like to dance. You’re good at it, too. You can’t deny it. I happen to know a certain lawyer who has proof. On video.”
She tilted her head back and held his gaze. “I don’t know, Parker. I haven’t... I’ve put that behind me now.”
He put his arm around her waist. “I see the way you move. You’re graceful, like the dancer you are. Besides, you walk everywhere, don’t you? No reason you can’t do it to music.”
She didn’t say no.
He picked up her hand hidden in thick, fleece-lined gloves. “There must be real fingers in here.” His hands were just as protected. He gently drew her as close as their puffy down jackets would allow. “I’ve got you, Emma. I won’t let you fall.”
The crowd was singing the first bars of “White Christmas.” Parker smiled. “Hear that? They’re playing your favorite song.”
Emma put her arm around his shoulder, keeping the cane in her grasp behind his back. Parker took small steps at first, making a slow circle on the even ground and swaying to the slow rhythm. Parker softly sang the words, and with every step she relaxed a little more in his arms, trusting him, but mostly trusting herself.
He held on to her when the music stopped. “Let’s see what comes next.”
“Wait one second.” Emma kept her right hand in his, but she stepped back and with her left hand, she tossed her cane into the snow. “I don’t need it right now.” She gave him a shy smile.
“Looks that way.” He admitted to feeling a little smug, but this was one hunch he was glad he’d followed.
They stayed in the same flat spot and danced and swayed through the next two songs. The crowd got louder and the voices stronger, especially with “The Christmas Song,” when everyone sang the familiar words about chestnuts and Jack Frost. He kept his arm around Emma when the music switched back to carols. He scanned the crowd and saw Mike and Ruby with Jason waving at them. When he and Emma waved back, Mike took a couple of steps in their direction, but Ruby touched his arm and stopped him. Good. Thanks, Ruby.
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