“Everything all right?” he asked, closing the door behind her.
“Fine. Just a little tired. It’s been a long week,” Cadence explained, resting her purse on his hall table.
“Well, it’s time to relax. I hope you’re hungry. I’ve got quite a meal set up for us,” Parker said, taking her by the hand and leading her toward the dining room.
The corners of Cadence’s mouth twitched. She whipped her head around as if looking for something. “Where is he hiding? Caleb. You can come out now,” she said in a teasing voice.
“Okay. I had a little help from Caleb,” he admitted in sheepish voice.
“I thought so,” Cadence said, looking at the flowers sitting on the table. “Parker, everything is so beautiful. You shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble.” Her expression turned somber. “I’m not sure I deserve it,” she murmured.
He moved closer toward her, reaching out and grazing his fingers across her cheek. “Of course you do. Why would you say something like that?”
For a moment Parker saw a look on her face that worried him. She looked petrified.
She shrugged. “I don’t know, Parker. You’re so good to me.”
“Because I love you,” he said, looking deeply into her eyes.
Cadence looked at him with a shuttered expression. Once again, he had the feeling of something being off. Normally she would tell him she loved him too. Parker shook off the unsettled feeling. He was merely experience jitters about proposing to the woman who owned his heart. The diamond ring was burning a hole in his jacket pocket.
“Why don’t we sit down to eat before the meal gets cold,” he said. He let out a chuckle. “I would hate to waste Caleb’s culinary skills.”
Cadence nodded. Parker pulled her chair out for her, and after she sat down, pushed her closer to the table. They ate in virtual silence. Every time Parker tried to open up a conversation, Cadence failed to engage.
“Did you enjoy dinner?” Parker asked, once they were finished eating.
“It was fantastic,” she said, looking away from him and down at her plate. For some reason she seemed to be avoiding eye contact with him. Parker frowned. He was so nervous about the proposal, so perhaps he was imagining things. Everything seemed so off between them. Had he done something wrong?
He reached his hand across the table. “Cadence, what’s going on? You’ve been quiet all through dinner. Is it your father? Did something happen?”
She shook her head. Her blonde hair tumbled around her shoulders. “N-no, Parker. It’s not daddy.”
“Then what is it? Talk to me, baby. You know you can tell me anything.”
Cadence began to fiddle with her fingers. She bowed her head. “I think we should stop seeing each other.”
Parker froze. “W-what are you talking about?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just not working out for me.”
“Since when?” he asked, floored by the words coming out of her mouth.
“For a while now. I haven’t been happy. I didn’t know how to tell you.”
He leaned toward her. “Cadence, we love each other. This doesn’t make any sense.”
She swung her gaze up to meet his. “It’s complicated.”
Parker clenched his jaw. “Is there someone else?”
Cadence’s peaches and cream complexion paled. She looked shell shocked.
Parker felt a stabbing sensation in his gut. “There is. It’s written all over your face.” Anger rose up inside him. He felt as if it was choking him.
“Parker, I-I’m sorry. I don’t want you to be hurt.”
“It’s a little late for that. You said you loved me. Was that a lie?” Parker asked. His voice sounded raspy to his own ears. He was surprised he could even get the words out. Never in a million years had he thought this evening would be so disastrous.
“I-I wasn’t lying. I thought—” Her voice trailed off. She shook her head, her blonde hair tumbling about her shoulders. Her beautiful features were creased with strain. Tears gathered in her eyes. He watched as tears slid down her cheek. At the moment he didn’t feel anything other than numbness. And a slow, burning rage.
“You thought?” he asked in a biting tone. “You thought you’d jerk me around until something better came along. Isn’t that right?”
“N-No. Please. Don’t say that,” Cadence said in a low voice, her lips trembling. “I-it wasn’t like that.”
“It’s true isn’t he?” he barked, anger consuming him like an inferno. “What about all the times you told me you loved me? Did that just fade away? In a heartbeat?”
“Parker, I know this is difficult. It’s not easy for me either.” Tears were streaming down her face and she didn’t even bother to wipe them away. Crocodile tears as far as Parker was concerned.
“I don’t believe that. Matter of fact, I no longer believe a single word that comes out of your mouth.” Hurt unlike any other he’d ever known burned his insides. All he wanted to do was lash out at Cadence. If he could, he would hurt her as much as she’d harmed him.
The shock on Cadence’s face was immediate. She stood up from her chair. He knew he’d wounded her with his words. A part of him felt ashamed, but another piece of him felt ecstatic. He felt like a bruised and battered wild animal, willing and able to strike out if only to make his pain slightly more bearable.
Cadence took two steps back from him. “I should go. This isn’t the way I wanted things to go, but if I stay we’ll only hurt each other more.”
“That’s the only decent thing you’ve said all evening. Go, Cadence. I’m sure there’s somewhere else you’d rather be this evening. And frankly, I can’t stomach the sight of you right now.”
Cadence nodded her head and slowly began to walk away. She bowed her head. Parker could almost see the wheels turning in her head. She raised her head up and their eyes locked. For one split second Parker could swear he saw love radiating in her eyes. His heart recognized it. Just as quickly, it disappeared. Cadence’s expression was shuttered.
“Goodbye, Parker,” she said in a low voice, nodding in his direction before she turned on her heel and walked away from him. He hadn’t moved a muscle. Walking her to his front door might have killed him. In this moment he would have done anything to make her stay, and he feared he might lose every ounce of pride he possessed in the process. When he heard the door open then shut behind her, Parker gave in to his torment.
Parker didn’t know for how long he sat in the dining room. All he knew was that the candles on the table had been extinguished and the rest of the house sat in darkness. He had no idea what time it was when he heard the front door opening and the jangling of keys.
The sound of Jason whistling drifted from the foyer toward the dining room.
The room was suddenly bathed in light as his brother entered the dining room. He let out a surprised sound when he saw Parker seated at the table.
“Oh man, you scared the life out of me,” Jason said.
Parker looked over at Jason, who had a perplexed look etched on his face. Jason frowned. “What are you doing sitting here in the dark?”
“Trying to wrap my head around what a fool I’ve been,” Parker muttered.
“What happened with Cadence? You don’t look so good.”
Parker let out a bitter laugh. “We ate dinner, and then before I could propose she dumped me like a hot potato. It’s over.”
“She what?” Jason exploded.
“Don’t make me say it again, Jason. I’m not sure I can get the words out.”
Parker stood up, holding on to the table for support. He felt weak, but he needed to shake it off. He couldn’t let this drag him down. It felt like he was sliding into a deep, dark black hole.
“Parker, I’m so sorry. I can’t even believe it.” Jason shook his head, looking as shocked as Parker felt.
“Oh, believe it. She’s not in love with me anymore and she’s involved with someone else,” Parker explained. “So I guess I dodged a bullet. Sh
e’s not wife material.”
Jason held up his hands. “Parker. Slow down. It’s okay to admit you’re hurting. You love her.”
He let out a groan. “It doesn’t matter what I feel for her. It was a fairytale I believed in. Clearly, I meant nothing to her if she could do this to me without even a hint of warning.”
“Are you sure? None of this makes sense. I would have sworn she was genuinely in love with you.”
“Obviously we were both mistaken.” With a shake of his head he walked toward the hallway. “I need some air. I feel like I can’t breathe.”
Jason’s footsteps trailed behind him. “Hey, Parker. Wait up! Talk to me,” Jason pleaded.
Parker flung open the door leading to the garage.
“I just need to get out here. I need to disappear,” Parker muttered.
“Don’t go. Stay here with me and talk this through. I’m a good listener, bro,” Jason said, pulling on Parker’s arm.
He turned around and met his brother’s gaze. He could see the sympathy lying in the depths of his brown eyes. Parker shook his head. “I can’t. I don’t have the words at the moment. All I know is everything I was hoping for in my life has gone up in flames. Including me.” He walked into the garage where he quickly located his motorcycle. The Harley was his prized possession. Cadence had convinced him not to ride it because she told him she feared for his safety. He’d been a fool to ever listen to a single thing she’d ever said to him. Riding it was his declaration of independence.
Parker reached for the button that opened the garage door. Once it was open, he sat down on his bike and let out a deep exhale as it thrummed to life.
Although he could hear Jason calling out after him above the roar of his bike, Parker didn’t stop for a single second as he roared down the driveway. He needed to ride into the onyx night and chase away the pain that threatened to consume him. The ache of loss gnawed at him. The future he had mapped out in his head for him and Cadence had been eviscerated. It had disappeared in a flash.
The pain of not being loved by the woman he adored more than his own life threatened to drag him under. At this moment he didn’t know what the future held for him other than agony. All he could do was pray for help and for God to ease the pain Cadence had inflicted on him.
“Family. It’s the most powerful tie that binds us together.”
Jude Donahue
Chapter One
Three years later
It was a hot summer night in Pelican Bay, Florida. Way hotter than the local meteorologists had forecast. Parker could withstand the heat. He wouldn’t want to live anywhere else other than Florida, but the muggy nights were his least favorite part of the living conditions. He wasn’t going to complain. He could always go for a swim in the ocean as soon as he got home. Buying a house on the water had been one of the best decisions Parker had ever made for himself. It was the gift that kept on giving.
Parker parked his sleek convertible in his parents’ pebbled driveway. The new car was the result of several years of working hard in his PI business. He’d built the company from the ground up. It had been hard work, but he’d pushed through the hardships and was now making a solid profit. His services were in high demand. This automobile was his first ever splurge and he still felt slightly guilty about it. Not too guilty though, he thought with a chuckle. The car was a classic—a cherry red Mustang.
Parker considered himself to be a regular Joe. Hardworking. Honest. God fearing. He liked the simple pleasures in life. Home. Hearth. Family. The Lord by his side. He didn’t need much more. He went on the occasional date, but there really hadn’t been anyone of substance in his life. Not since Cadence had ripped his heart to shreds.
Parker, when are you going to settle down? His mother’s voice buzzed in his ears.
He couldn’t even imagine it. Not really. The one woman Parker had loved with every fiber of his being hadn’t wanted him. And although he wouldn’t admit it to a single soul, it still gnawed at him. He still ached over the loss of Cadence. She was now nothing more than a distant memory. And it hurt like a knife in the back whenever she came to mind.
Parker gritted his teeth. He didn’t even like for his mind to veer toward thoughts of her. It had been three long years since he’d last seen her in person, although Parker had seen her face plastered all over the society pages. Her marriage to a much older wealthy businessman had come some two months after she dropped him like a hot potato. Two months!
The crunching of a car’s tires served as a welcome distraction from thoughts of Cadence. He turned his head just in time to see his brother Nash pulling in. Nash—tall and good looking with dark hair—always drove faster than he should. Parker shook his head as Nash jumped out of his vehicle and began walking toward him.
“Hey Parker,” he called out. “I see we’re the last two to arrive.” Nash nodded toward the other cars in the driveway.
“Yep,” Parker said with a chuckle. “Some things never change. We’re always bringing up the rear.”
“The party doesn’t start till we get here,” Nash teased. Nash was laid-back and relaxed. He was one of the quieter brothers. As an up and coming photographer, Nash enjoyed his artistry almost as much as spending time with his family.
He, along with his seven siblings, had been summoned to a family dinner at Casa Donahue. His parents—Jude and Penelope—usually did Sunday dinners, so being called together on a Friday night was unusual. And slightly inconvenient due to a client Parker had found it necessary to reschedule. Ignoring a summons to a family dinner was not acceptable in the Donahue family.
Parker let out a chuckle. After raising eight children, their parents finally had an empty nest. Shayla had recently moved out and gotten her first place, leaving them footloose and fancy free. They deserved to enjoy each other’s company and travel around the world on a moment’s notice if the mood struck them. For all they had given their children, Parker prayed they would be able to enjoy themselves in a carefree manner.
“Come and sit down, boys,” Penelope Donahue instructed. With her dark hair and stunning blue eyes, Penelope was a stunner. A former model, Penelope had given up her lucrative career once she’d gotten pregnant with Parker. Because her mind was constantly whirling with ideas, Penelope had put her thinking cap on and, along with their father, brainstormed the idea for a family diner in Pelican Bay. As a result, The Silver Spoon Diner came into being. It was a popular eatery in Pelican Bay, frequented by a faithful clientele who came in for the Eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, cheesy bacon burgers and dozens of other popular meals. The beauty of the diner was that the customers could choose upscale food or regular, all American diner fare.
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Daniel said, quickly sitting down at the table.
It was funny how everyone had the same seat since childhood. No one ever seemed to vary from it. Parker sat down in his regular seat. Just once he should sit down in someone else’s place just to see what would happen. He smiled at the mere thought of it. Chaos would erupt.
Jason rubbed his stomach. “We’ve been waiting on the two of you. I’m starving.”
“Maybe you should learn to cook,” Caleb teased, jabbing him in the side.
Everyone laughed. One quick glance in his mother’s direction showed her sitting at the end of the table with a serious expression on her face. Her hands were crossed prayerfully in front of her. Parker could tell she was on edge.
There was a strange vibe in the air. Parker met Jason’s gaze from across the table. He knew Jason sensed it too. His brows were furrowed and he couldn’t hide the look of concern stamped on his face.
Once everyone had been seated, Jude cleared his throat. He placed his large hands in front of him on the table. “We didn’t just call the family together for supper.” He looked down the table at Penelope and sent her a pointed look. “Your mother and I have something to tell you.”
“Oh no!” Shayla cried out. “Are you sick? Did someone die?” Fear was etch
ed on her beautiful features.
Micah reached out and clasped her hand in his. “Take it easy, Shayla. No one died. No one is ill.” He looked from one end of the table then to the other. “Right?”
“No, that’s not it,” Penelope said in a firm voice. “It’s something quite different altogether.” She bowed her head. “This isn’t easy to say, but your father and I…we’ve decided to separate.”
A hush fell over the table. Parker couldn’t remember ever sitting at the Donahue table and hearing nothing but absolute silence. Parker swung his gaze around the table. Everyone had a look of utter shock etched on their faces. They were all stunned, to the point where no one could utter a word.
“Kids, we know this is a shock to the system. We’ve done what we could to stick it out,” Jude said with a heavy sigh. “But some things can’t be fixed. People grow apart and in different directions. We’re not filing any papers yet, but we know living together with all this tension isn’t good for either one of us.”
“It doesn’t mean we don’t love each other,” their mother added. “We’ll always care deeply for one another, but we just can’t go on like this.”
“But what about the vows you took?” Shayla asked, her lips trembling with emotion. “Doesn’t that mean anything?”
“Clearly not,” Heath muttered. Parker studied his brother intently. Heath had recently returned from a stint in the military. He’d been under an inordinate amount of stress. Parker had been worried for weeks about his brother’s state of mind. He seemed a bit off-kilter. And unusually subdued. He wondered if things were going smoothly with his high school sweetheart.
“Hey, that’s not fair,” Jason interjected. “We can’t judge them when we haven’t walked in their shoes.”
“Fair? I’m not sure it’s fair to be invited to a family dinner only to be blindsided by this devastating news,” Micah said, his voice laced with anger. “Something tells me it didn’t just happen overnight. Am I right?”
Breathless (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Pelican Bay Book 1) Page 2
