by Jo Leigh
After the initial shock, Ginny didn’t bother with any useless pretense. “I didn’t mean to, but I think I might be falling in love with him.”
“Might be?”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s not interested in me. He’s going back to Alaska. Which is where he belongs, out there in the woods. He runs a cargo delivery business, but other than that, he leads a pretty solitary life. He’s definitely not the commitment type. Seriously. Aside from his mother, he doesn’t have any ties.”
“What about his niece?”
Ginny shrugged. “We haven’t worked it all out yet. I’m sure Tilda will be spending some time in Idaho. Which, by the way, I’m still trying to wrap my brain around. She’ll probably see him from time to time, but I won’t.”
“I don’t buy it.”
“You’ve never even met him.”
“Doesn’t matter. I heard you. Every word. About the night of the dance. While I was canoodling with Wyatt, who I’ll tell you about later, you were doing the same with Parker, right?”
“We kissed. That doesn’t come close to canoodling.”
“Knowing you, same difference. And then instead of stealing Tilda away, he stood up for you. He actually sounds as if he knows you pretty well.” She held her hand up when Ginny started to protest. “Yes, I know, you hadn’t seen each other for years.”
“We didn’t know each other well back then either. Meg disappearing was stressful. Just like the last week has been. Times like that, people tend to make ill-advised emotional attachments, which is exactly what I’ve done. He’s not as susceptible. Trust me.”
Shaking her head while giving Ginny the sweetest smile, Cricket said, “He risked his life for you.”
“Don’t make too much out of that. He’s a good man. Parker would have done that for anyone.”
Cricket’s brows rose. “I’m not sure about that. Having a gun pointed at you usually means panic rules. But his first instinct was to protect you, at any cost. Which, given what he’s learned since he came back, is saying a lot. Despite grieving, he’s also undoubtedly beating himself up. And if I know anything about human nature, it’s that when people are ashamed of their behavior they lash out at the nearest target. Even when he was mean, he still listened, and put your safety first.”
“That was because—”
“Tilda was part of it. Yes. But the way he handled everything, it’s obvious he’s trying to protect you, as well. Don’t you see?”
“I’d like to believe every word of that.” Ginny sighed. “I mean, you make a good argument, but then you are an attorney. But I honestly don’t know what to think. His main instinct is still to get away from civilization. And quite likely me.”
“Have you ever been to Alaska?”
* * *
THE DAY HAD flown by quickly. While he cooked the striped bass on the patio grill, Ginny fixed the salad. He heard her as soon as he came in after checking on the fish. “Think you could chop a little louder? I don’t believe the folks in Nantucket can hear you.”
Ginny didn’t respond except to get louder as she diced the carrots.
They’d been busy. After getting the bass and chatting with a few of the vendors, she’d driven to the grocery store, then back home to put things in the fridge. By that time, she’d wanted something better than her own lunches, and they’d gone back to The Grind. She’d splurged on crepes and he’d had something he could handle with one hand, and they’d talked about everything that wasn’t related to their situation. Like favorite books and foods.
She’d looked beautiful in her yellow dress, a belt around her trim waist and a fullish skirt that swung when she walked. Her sandals were the same color.
At least he’d shaved.
Many hours later, she still looked beautiful.
“You sure that bass doesn’t need to be flipped?”
“Oh, I flipped it when I was putting it in the marinade.”
“What did it do to you?”
“I don’t know. It just looked fishy.”
They both turned smiles on each other at the same time. The sound of her laughter made him wish he wasn’t leaving tomorrow. That was why he hadn’t argued when she’d insisted on doing all the driving.
She’d canceled her piano students, let Tilda spend a couple of hours on the beach with Kaley, leaving Parker and herself to spend the morning alone together.
“That was nice this morning,” Ginny said, “at The Grind. I haven’t felt that relaxed in ages.”
“Huh. Hard to believe we were there ten days ago.”
She blinked at him. “The night I brought you home, right?”
He smiled at the way that sounded. “Yep. Feels more like a year to me.”
“It truly does,” she said, her voice dipping into melancholy. Sadness had crept up on both of them, between the teasing and laughter. Even though he still wanted to get home, the thought had lost some of its luster. Maybe it was because he wasn’t looking forward to the visit with his mother. Wade would be there for her, but she’d need to cry with Parker, who’d known and loved Meg and who understood the rocky path that had led to such a tragic outcome.
Except for Tilda, of course. He wasn’t sure what his mom would want, other than to spend time with her granddaughter. Man, she was going to spoil the kid rotten.
Tilda poked her head into the kitchen. “Hey, when’s dinner gonna be done?”
“Soon,” Ginny said. “You finished setting the table?”
“Yes. Why are we eating in the stupid dining room, anyway? We like the kitchen table.”
“Because I wanted a change. And we never eat there.”
“Spoiler alert,” Tilda said. “That’s because it’s too formal in there. And we don’t do formal.”
Ginny turned to her daughter, both hands on her hips. It was a great sight to behold in that dress. “And because it’s Parker’s last dinner with us. He’s leaving tomorrow to get his plane.”
Tilda came around the island to face him. “So soon? You were shot.”
Parker felt an ache in his chest that shouldn’t have been there. “I’m much better, and I can fly just fine. I can’t neglect the business any longer. Folks need their supplies delivered.” He thought about going out to check the fish so he didn’t have to see the disappointment in Tilda’s eyes. “Besides, I know you’re anxious to get rid of me.”
“That’s not true,” she whispered, and hurried out of the kitchen.
He wished his joke had been better.
A second later, Tilda yelled down from the stairs, “I don’t have to go to the concert tonight.”
Parker would miss his niece. And her mother. But soon enough, his old life would fit him once more like a handmade pair of mukluks.
“You know she’s going to miss you like crazy.” Ginny had her head down, focused on washing the peppers. “I’ll miss you too. It’s been nice having you around the house.”
He couldn’t think of anything to say. Nothing that wouldn’t make things worse.
She turned off the water and put the vegetables on the mat to dry. “You know, I can’t recall if I’ve ever had all the plumbing working at one time. I’m thrilled I don’t have to hand water the front flower bed anymore, especially in the hot months. So, thank you.”
Parker went to the sink and elbowed her aside. She was lousy at changing the subject. “Quit hogging the sink. And why didn’t Lee take care of the irrigation for you? Doesn’t he do all that kind of stuff?”
Her cheeks infused with pink. “I hate to admit it, but it hadn’t occurred to me to ask. I’ve been making do with little things for so many years, I just...”
Parker heard her lousy excuse, but he was still enjoying the blush on her cheeks. She smelled so good standing next to him. Before he even knew what he was doing, he caught her hand and drew her closer.
&nbs
p; She gasped but didn’t pull away as their mouths met. Or when he deepened the kiss. He pulled her closer, wishing they were alone. That he wasn’t leaving, that they had more time...
Tilda’s step was hard and loud as she clomped down the stairs, but they didn’t pull apart until her flip-flops hit the wood floor. Even then, it was harder than he’d imagined.
Things somehow simmered down. Smelling the fish getting overcooked helped. But his thoughts and heart rate refused to settle.
“You know I meant it about skipping the concert,” Tilda said.
“No, you don’t need to do that,” Ginny said quickly, then bit her lip and glanced at him.
“Go to your concert. It’s not as if I won’t see you again.” Parker had forgotten Tilda would be gone for a few hours.
The thought of spending a little more time alone with Ginny, of kissing her again, touching her soft skin, lingered in his mind as he brought the fish to the table while Tilda brought the rest of the food.
Then Ginny walked out with the water pitcher and her eyes met his, then moved to his lips...
Everything came to an anticlimactic end when Tilda joined them and took her seat at the table. She was right about one thing. The formal dining room was way too formal.
When he looked at Ginny across the table, hunger in her gaze, it was like a slap in the face. What had he been thinking? What a jerk. They weren’t going to be doing any more kissing tonight.
Ginny Landry was off-limits. Period. There was no future for them, outside their ties to Tilda. And Ginny had suffered enough pain and loss already. He didn’t need to add to that.
He managed to avoid looking at her as he served them the bass; the scent of garlic, thyme and oregano splashed with fresh lemon juice was good enough to distract Tilda and Ginny. At least until they’d all served themselves squash and salad.
Before Tilda had taken a bite, she put down her fork. “I have the perfect plan.”
“For tonight?” Ginny asked.
Tilda shook her head, clearly excited. “So, I’ve been looking at all these pictures of Alaska online. It’s so amazing you won’t even believe it, Mom. I figure we could all spend summers there while the tourists take over Temptation Bay, and then we can all come back here in the fall and winter, when Alaska freezes over.”
Ginny’s fork dropped. She tried to speak, but nothing came out except more of her blush.
Parker didn’t have a clue what to say. Not a single one.
Tilda seemed to realize on her own that she might’ve jumped the gun.
From there dinner turned into an awkward ordeal that felt as if it would never end. Every time he tried, he made things worse. Ginny opted for ignoring everything but how good the fish was and what time she was supposed to drop Tilda off.
Finally, it was over, and he grabbed hold of that with both hands. “You guys go. I’ll clean the kitchen. I know you and Kaley are worried about getting good seats, Tilda.”
Ginny grabbed her purse and took out her keys as Tilda made a dash upstairs to brush her teeth. “Remember, I have to stop at the pharmacy before I come back. Do you need anything while I’m out?”
He shook his head as he picked up the remainder of the dishes, and being a coward, refused to meet her eyes. And not for lack of her trying.
Tilda hurried downstairs and they left a minute later. Making a painful decision, he whipped off his sling and got the kitchen clean in record time. The litany of his own mistakes played like a song that wouldn’t leave his head. He never should have come back to Temptation Bay. He should have known better. Just telling himself that he didn’t have feelings for Ginny didn’t make it true.
He’d gotten far more comfortable here than he’d ever have guessed possible. Man, he’d even gotten jealous over that stupid FBI agent.
The only possible solution to all of this was for him to leave. Tonight. Not tomorrow. The second he saw Ginny again, he’d probably rationalize that this was his last night so why not spend it holding her in his arms, and that would be a terrible mistake.
Ginny needed someone she could count on. Someone who wouldn’t disappoint her. Who would be a steady and equal partner. Not someone like him.
The best gift he could give her would be to walk out of her life so that she could find a man worthy of her.
He owed her that, at the very least.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
WHEN GINNY GOT HOME, she was surprised that Parker’s Jeep wasn’t in the garage. Before she stepped out of the Subaru, she checked her cell. No texts, no voice mail.
It seemed like such a strange thing. Had he gotten worried when she’d been gone so long? Mrs. Millner, her neighbor, had caught her at the pharmacy and talked her ear off. But if Parker had been worried, he would have called.
Inside, the kitchen was clean, the dishwasher was on the dry cycle, all the leftovers were in the fridge. Had Parker fallen asleep? That didn’t explain his missing rental. Maybe he’d taken a short drive to see how he did with his arm. It made sense and she was glad he was being sensible.
The guest room door was closed so she went back into the kitchen to wait. Ten minutes later, she called his cell. Straight to voice mail.
The nice thing to do would be to go upstairs and leave him alone, but it was his last night, and she had no interest in wasting it. When he didn’t show in the next ten minutes, she started to get worried. Just in case, she knocked on the guest room door. Nothing.
She knocked again, this time with her fist.
Then she opened the door. The first thing she saw was his sling on the dresser. And a note on the bed.
I found a flight to New York tonight. I’ll call you later and explain.
Ginny sank down to the bed as she tried to make some kind of sense of things. But her brain was stuck and her body numb. What in the world...
They’d kissed. He’d kissed her. They’d had such a great day. Tilda’s perfect plan had admittedly been a shocker, but Parker knew she was simply being a teenager, with all the usual romantic notions.
No, this was something else. If he’d needed to go so quickly, he could have called her. She’d have understood an emergency.
Leaving the empty guest room, she wandered through the house, her thoughts scattered and her stomach clenched. She couldn’t help looking for him even though his note indicated he’d left. He wasn’t on the patio. Nor was he upstairs. And it broke her a little when she didn’t find him in her bedroom. Her fault. She’d never been great with romantic relationships.
But she’d always been good with manners. And doing what was right. The more she paced her bedroom, the angrier she grew. By the time she was back downstairs, she’d already made up her mind.
No way was he going to leave with that stupid note and no explanation. She rushed to her car, and with her Bluetooth ready to go, she peeled out of her garage and driveway, breaking almost every traffic law in Temptation Bay.
When she was finally on the highway, she instructed her car to call Kaley’s mother. That turned out to be a very quick conversation, as she gave Sharon no choice whatsoever. Ginny had simply lied about an emergency.
Her next call was to Tilda, knowing they didn’t allow cell phones to be turned on during the concert. “Hey, honey. Kaley’s mom’s picking you guys up. I’ve had something silly come up, and I might have been late, so you get to sleep over at Kaley’s house tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow. Hope you’re having a wonderful time.”
The smile she’d used to make herself sound cheerful dropped the second she disconnected the call. Next stop, Providence. Luckily, it wasn’t a very big airport, and they couldn’t have that many planes heading for La Guardia tonight. And if there wasn’t anything that looked right, she’d check the flights to JFK and Newark.
He wasn’t going to walk out on her again without an explanation. Not in this lifetime.
&nb
sp; * * *
WHILE PARKER WAS grateful the airport wasn’t packed to the rafters, the other people waiting to board his flight to New York were already getting on his nerves and he’d sat in the least convenient spot where there were only a couple of kids with backpacks two rows back. They wouldn’t shut up about some baseball game. Parker was ready to pay them each a hundred bucks to be quiet.
He looked at his watch again. It wasn’t time to board yet.
He wasn’t proud of leaving Ginny and Tilda like that, but in the end, it was the right thing to do. Before he spoke to them he’d come up with a good excuse that wouldn’t upset them. Yep. Taking off hadn’t been easy, but it had been the kind thing to do. He wasn’t the man for Ginny. She needed someone she could count on, someone steady and capable of commitment. When the chips were down, he was the last guy they should look to for strength and good judgment. Instead of facing life head-on, he’d run to the farthest place he could find.
But man, he was terrible at being noble. He kept wondering if Tilda was enjoying her concert. And if the agent following her was too. Even more pressing was what Ginny would make of his note.
He dropped his head into his hands. There was no way to make this any easier. It sucked. He needed to remember that every day he could’ve stayed would have made it even worse when, inevitably, he’d run back to where he belonged.
The call for first-class passengers and people with small children came over the speaker. Thank God the flight wouldn’t take long.
As the crowd stood up, checking their boarding passes and moving toward the attendant, someone sat down right next to him. There were a ton of empty seats, why—
“Ginny. What...?”
“I believe you owe me an explanation,” she said, and he could tell she meant business. “Not this sorry excuse for running away.” She tossed his note on his lap, but it fell between his feet.
