Meritlaughed. “Iwouldn’t go that far.Itwasn’t that long ago thatImade my own monumental mistakes when it came to falling in love with an incredible woman, andIwas grateful to have someone step in and help me get past it.”Hereached into the pocket of his jacket, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and then slid it across the table. “Theearliest flightIcould get you leaves this afternoon.Acar will be by to pick you up at two.”
“Thankyou,Merit.”Hecouldn’t express how grateful he was, but he hopedMeritcould see it on his face.Heseemed to be good at that.
Hepicked up the paper without opening it, his mind racing to figure out what he should do once he landed inDenver.
Twenty-Three
Kelli
Aknock soundedatKelli’sdoor.Sheglanced at her clock—it was after eleven p.m.—then shook her head.Shethought she’d fully convincedValeriathat she was just fine and didn’t need her babysitting all night and that she should go celebrateNewYear’sEvewithRhett.
Beforethe trip to theRoyalPalmResort, before the plan to extend the trip overNewYear’s, before everything withParkerhappened, and before this cold decided to take up residence in her body, she had planned to go to the same party and had been excited about it.Theplace was even going to have a light show in the ballroom as they counted down to midnight, and as much as she didn’t want to be alone tonight, she didn’t wantValeriato miss it even more.
Shecleared her throat the best she could in its current state and called out, “Comein!Andyou better be coming back only because you forgot something!”
Sheheard the key turn in the lock, but she started coughing because yelling that loud had been too much for her poor, scratchy throat.Thecoughing made her head pound and angered her sinuses.Shewas just blowing her stuffy nose whenParkerappeared in her bedroom doorway.
“Parker!”
Shestared at him with her mouth open, wondering if she was really seeing him standing in her doorway, holding bags, snow in his hair and on his shoulders, the light she’d left on in her living room backlighting him and making him look like an angel.Wasshe seeing things?
“Whatare you doing here?Aren’tyou inMyrtleBeach?Youdon’t even know whereIlive!Andhow did you get into my house?”Moreand more questions filled her mind, but they were coming too fast to get any of them out of her mouth.
Hetook one tentative step into her room. “Ijust got back an hour ago.IemailedValeriato see if she knew whereIcould find you.Shehad me meet her at some party and gave me your key.Shetold me you were sick and thatIshould come tonight and let myself in so you didn’t have to get out of bed.”Hiseyes quickly scanned the room and then fell back on her. “Isit okay thatI’mhere?”
Kelligave him a slow nod, and then closed her eyes, thinking about how much she wanted to strangle her best friend.JustbecauseValeriathoughtKellineeded to realize that she didn’t have to be perfect didn’t mean that she wantedParkerto see her like this.Shehad managed to shower last night, but hadn’t even blow-dried her hair; she had just let it do whatever it wanted to do, and then she’d pulled it into a crazy bun on top of her head.
Shehadn’t so much as put on moisturizer, let alone the makeup she always put on before ever leaving the house.Shewas sure her nose was red and dry, especially from blowing it right beforeParkerappeared in her doorway.Andher eyes were probably giant bags from crying earlier.Likelybloodshot, too, based on how itchy they had been and how terribly she’d been sleeping.
Andshe was wearing flannel pajamas, in bed, and her room looked like a bomb went off in a tissue factory.Thiswas not the way she had wanted to seeParkeragain, especially after so many embarrassing things had happened in his presence.
Buthe was there.Whenhe was supposed to be celebratingNewYear’sEveon the beach.Whatdid that mean?Herbrain was feeling too sick to be able to figure out things like that.SheneededValeriathere to translate.
“CanIcome in?”
Shenodded and motioned to a reading chair she had on the other side of her nightstand.Heput his bags down and then sat, but he scooted the chair so that he was facing her.Heroverhead light wasn’t on, just her two lamps, but it was plenty to see his face in their soft glow.
Somany emotions were battling it out inside her, right alongside her massive cold.Athrill had gone through her at seeing him, and it was coursing through her even more madly now that he was so close and his eyes were on hers.Therewas also an overwhelming sadness that he had ended things.Panicand embarrassment were fighting for dominance, too, and making her wish she’d never said he could come into the room to see her like this.Andthere was curiosity as to why he had come.Thatone seemed to be winning.
“I’msorry you’re so sick.”Hereached a hand forward like he was going to brush his knuckles down her temples.Hepulled his hand back, seeming unsure, but her skin was still on high alert and practically tingling with anticipation of his touch. “Whendid it hit?”
“Notlong afterIgot back.Hopefully,Ididn’t give it to you beforeIknewIhad it.”
Theawkwardness was crowding in the room, causing uncomfortable silences and uncertainty.Likethey both were bursting with so much to say, but didn’t know how to say it.Likethey didn’t remember how to be around each other since they had officially broken up.
“How’severything with your dad?”
“Good.Somecrazy weather delayed his flight, so he doesn’t get home until tomorrow afternoon now, but we’re going to spend the evening together.”Justlike her dad had promised.Hemight not make choices that she agreed with, especially when it came toJoAnn, but he didn’t lie.Hedidn’t make promises he couldn’t keep.Shewished thatParkerunderstood that about him.
Beforeit had a chance to turn into another awkward silence, she hurried to ask him a question. “Whendo you start working at your friend’s company?”Shedidn’t want to hear the answer.Shedidn’t want to face the idea of him not being atZentCubedaily to become a reality.Butshe had to know how much time she had left.Hopefully, his answer wouldn’t be the day they were supposed to go back to work after the holiday break.
Whatshe wanted to do was ask him to explain why he ended things.Shewanted to tell him that she was working on her fears and that she loved him and wanted him to be with her through it.Andif he had fears, that she wanted to be with him as he worked through his.Shewanted to keep trying to make it through whatever they faced together.Thatshe loved him for who he was.
Butshe couldn’t think straight.Notwith this cold and not with him unexpectedly there, sitting so near.Shegrabbed a tissue and rubbed at her nose.She’daskedValeriawhat she needed to do, and all her friend had said was for her to get better.Sinceshe hadn’t done that step yet, she hadn’t worked out what came next.
Parkermoved to the front of his seat, barely sitting on it, leaning forward with his arms resting on his knees. “Kelli,Iwas wrong.Aboutso many things—most of whichIhadn’t even realized at the time.Iwas wrong to say all the thingsIdid about your dad.Youwere right.Ididn’t know him well enough to say whatIdid.
“ButIdid know you well enough to know thatIshouldn’t have doubted you.Ishouldn’t have worried that you would get hurt.Ishould’ve just been there for you.”
