“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, trying like hell to keep the tears at bay. Mrs. West was—is, dammit, is—such a sweet woman, and the thought of her losing herself to a merciless disease tears a hole in my already ragged soul.
“Thanks. But it’s not an apology I need,” he says, his tone hardening. “She’s run off five nurses already, and I can’t let there be a sixth.”
“Five?”
“Yeah. And since she needs someone now, I’m back to what I said before… Forget I called. I’ll find someone else.”
Jesus, he’s the most stubborn man I’ve ever met.
“I’ll do it,” I blurt before he can hang up on me.
Damn, Ember, you’re a glutton for punishment.
“What?”
Now it’s my turn to sigh. “You heard me, Parker,” I bite out, needing to get some composure over myself, especially if I’m going to be heading straight into the lion’s den. “I’ll do it.”
“You’ll have to move in with her. She can’t be alone… ever.”
“Okay. I-I can do that.”
“Don’t you have a husband or boyfriend or something who’ll have a problem with this?”
I huff out a laugh. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I don’t. Don’t you have a wife or girlfriend or something who’llhave a problem with your ex living with your mother?” I counter cooly.
“Old lady.”
“What?”
“I’m a biker, so it’s old lady.”
“And that matters because?”
“Oh, it matters,” he says, his tone turning raspy. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I don’t have anyone who will give a shit.”
“Okaaay. Well, now that we’ve established that…” I clear my throat. “When do you want me to start?”
“Seriously? You don’t want to go over the pay or anything like that?”
I’d do it for free, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“Right. Um… Can you meet in the morning for coffee? We can go over the particulars then.”
“You’re really gonna do this?” he asks, disbelief dripping from his words.
“Yeah, I guess I am.”
“Why?”
Ding, ding, ding. That’s the million-dollar question.
“Because Parker. It’s your mom.”
CHAPTER 5
GHOST
I don’t want her sympathy.
