by Vivi Holt
The hoot of an owl overhead startled her, and she watched as a bat sailed by, a dark shadow on silent wings. Cicadas filled the quiet with an unbroken chorus and she smiled at the lowing of a few restless cattle even as tears wet her cheeks.
A silent black figure emerged from the darkness and ran up the stairs, making her gasped. “Jen?”
She exhaled with relief. “Parker, you scared the life out of me!” she hissed. “What are you doing?”
He chuckled and settled into a chair beside her. “Just taking a walk. It’s hard to get privacy around here sometimes. I like to go out at night when it’s dark – I can just walk by myself and think about things. It’s nice.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I know what you mean. I came out here for the same reason. It’s so peaceful.”
He tapped a rhythm on the table with his fingers. “So what’s going on?”
She spoke before thinking. “Chris just dumped me. Ohhh …” She sobbed, slapping her hand over her mouth.
She couldn’t see his face, cloaked in shadow, but he tipped his head to one side and his voice was filled with compassion. “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you all right?”
She nodded through the darkness. “I’ll be fine. I’m probably more angry than anything. He broke up with me over the phone, said he’d already met someone else. I really thought he cared about me, but it was so callous the way he did it. I guess I didn’t know him as well as I thought.”
He exhaled loudly and went back to tapping on the tabletop. “Yeah, that’s pretty rough. I’m sorry.” He leaned toward her.
She swallowed another sob as he wrapped his long arms around her and pulled her close. She nestled into the crook of his neck. He was warm, and his scent was a mixture of musk and cologne. She let her eyes drift shut to breathe it in. Already she felt better.
As he pulled away, she smiled through a sniffle. “Thanks, Parker. You’re a real friend.”
He nodded and stood. “How about we go out for a drink tomorrow night to celebrate?”
“Celebrate what?” she asked with a frown.
“Your freedom from Chris the Idiot.”
She chuckled. “That sounds like a good plan.”
“We’ll see if the others want to join us.”
“Perfect.” She stood and followed him into the house.
Just before she headed down the hall to her room, he spun to face her. “You’re better off,” he whispered.
“What?”
“You’re better off without him. He doesn’t deserve you, Jen. You’re amazing – beautiful and smart and sweet and kind and a lot of fun. He didn’t see that or he’d never have broken up with you like he did. He’d have hung onto you forever.” Parker saluted in the darkness and strode away.
She stared after him, her mouth ajar. She couldn’t believe what he’d said. Did he really think that about her? Regardless, hearing it warmed her heart – and made her head spin. She padded down the hall to her room and shut the door behind her. She’d seen light beneath his door. No doubt he was reading – Hazel always said he was a voracious reader. She’d never met a man who read that much, not even in vet school.
She leaned back against the door and breathed deep the cold night air, marveling just how much everything could change in such a short time.
* * *
The dim light of Clancy’s Bar and the smell of beer and stale peanuts assailed Parker’s senses the moment they opened the thick oak doors. That was something he’d learned from his Army days: the world over, every dive bar felt pretty much the same.
He smiled at Jen and led the way to a booth. As he sat, she slid in beside him, scooting over the red fake leather seat to press against his thigh. She looked even more beautiful than usual tonight – her blonde hair glowed in the neon light, and she’d set it in curls that looped around her pretty face. Her blue eyes sparkled when she laughed. And he couldn’t help admiring the curve of her jeans when she walked.
What was he thinking? She was a friend and he had no intention of changing that. Even if he’d wanted to, he didn’t think she saw him that way. He was Hazel’s brother-in-law and nothing more than that to Jen. Which suited him fine – he wasn’t at a place in his life where he was ready for a relationship. And with Jen, it would be a relationship. She wasn’t the kind of woman he’d be able to casually date.
Dalton and Hazel squeezed into the other side of the booth, followed by Eamon and Emily. The entire group barely fit, cozy and snug. Emily picked up a menu and looked it over. “What’s good to eat here?”
Eamon chuckled. “The wings are pretty good. Or the cheese fries.”
“I like the crab legs,” added Parker with a wink.
Emily frowned. “What about the salads – any good?”
Dalton laughed. “I wouldn’t risk a salad in this place.”
“But everything else is so … unhealthy,” she complained.
Eamon kissed the tip of her nose. “How about we share a grilled buffalo chicken burger with sweet potato fries? Would that work for you?”
She nodded and smiled. “It’ll do.”
Parker adjusted his seat, conscious of Jen flush against him. There was no more space in the booth, so he ended up with her tucked under his arm as it lay across the back of the seat. She didn’t seem to mind, just smiled up at him and reached across him for a menu.
“I’m gonna put something on the jukebox,” said Hazel, then realized she was boxed into the booth.
“I’ll do it,” Jen replied. “You sit and relax.”
“I can play a tune on the jukebox, Jen. I’m really not as incapable as you think.” Parker could see Jen shrink back at her friend’s harsh words. But then Hazel crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Jen, breaking the tension.
Jen laughed and shook her head. “I know you’re capable. I just want to take care of you. Besides,” she added as she stood, “I can actually get up without forcing half the group to move.”
“Okay, okay,” Hazel conceded. “You know what I want to hear.”
Jen nodded and hurried across the room to the jukebox. Soon the crooning of Michael Bublé filled the room, and the men rolled their eyes while the women smiled. “I love Michael Bublé,” said Jen with a grin as she returned.
“Of course you do,” responded Parker sourly. “All women do.”
“Speaking of Michael,” continued Jen, “I have a funny story to tell ya’ll.”
Hazel grinned. “Do tell – I love your stories.”
“I was over at Doc Salvatore’s the other day – he’s started breeding hogs, you know? Well, he has two hogs called Michael and Bublé! Apparently his wife named them.”
“Prissy Marge?” asked Dalton.
She nodded. “And since he’s just begun raising hogs, he doesn’t know a lot about them. So when Bublé started acting lethargic, he called me just to come out and check on her, make sure she was okay.” She grinned at the group, all eyes on her. “I went into the barn and Doc and Marge introduce me to Bublé. She did seem a bit out of sorts and was butting the door of her pen with her head – things like that. Just seemed agitated.
“So Marge opened the pen and stepped inside, softly talking to the hog, encouraging her. She bent over to scratch her head – and just then, Bublé rams right into Marge’s legs! Marge crumpled like a house of cards and landed in a pile of dirty hay. Doc ran into the pen, helped Marge to her feet and dusted off her floral print dress … and that sow came behind him and rammed him in the butt! Both of them went down, face first in the slop troughs.”
Hazel laughed and Dalton, Eamon and Parker hooted with delight. Parker slapped his thigh and chuckled.
“Oh, that would’ve been a sight to see – Old Doc and Prissy Marge’s faces covered in pig slop,” chortled Eamon.
Jen chuckled. “Yeah, it was quite the spectacle. But I had to keep things professional, so I sucked it up and rushed to help them – Jen to the rescue! I hurried in, got them upright and scraped off the worst of the slop s
o they could see …”
“I see where this is going,” Emily interjected.
“So then, Bublé came after me. She tried to hit me from behind, but instead went between my legs. So now I’m seated on her shoulders!.”
The entire group erupted into raucous laughter and Dalton slapped the table.
“Well, the momentum knocked me off my feet and before I knew it I was riding a hog around her pen with nothing to hold onto! I clenched tight with my knees around her shoulders and prayed for her to stop, her squealing the entire time – squeeee! And Doc and Marge just stood and watched me in shock! It lasted a good minute or two, then Bublé stopped, let me off and wandered away, Without so much as a goodbye kiss.”
Parker’s laugh rang out above the rest, and Jen smiled up at him with a wink.
“What about the hog?” asked Hazel. “Was she all right?”
Jen chuckled. “She was fine. Just expecting. Go figure – a pig with pregnancy brain.”
Parker arched an eyebrow and studied her as she laughed with her friends. She was a born storyteller, that was for sure. And for some reason, those kinds of ridiculous incidents seemed to follow her around. As he sat there, chortling along with the rest of them, he suddenly realized he hadn’t laughed that hard since before he entered the service.
He inhaled deeply and set his elbows on the table, bowing his head over his hands. He hadn’t known how much he missed it – laughter. What was that saying – “laughter is the best medicine”? Maybe it was true. All he knew was that for the first time in a long time, he felt good. Really good.
Chapter 5
Outside on the porch, Jen set her book on the table and watched Emily park her car beside the ranch house. Harley bounded around, tail wagging. Even Lulu the cat emerged from the barn to stalk toward the vehicle, her tail flicking back and forth.
Jen smiled and waved as Emily got out. Eamon climbed from the passenger seat and held high a white plastic bag that looked as though it might burst at the seams. “We brought dinner,” he shouted.
Jen nodded. “Sounds great!” She followed them inside, and the smell of Chinese food filled the room. Her stomach growled – Chinese food was her favorite type of take-out. She especially loved the beef and black bean from the Wok Inn in Tifton. She always made a point of checking out the best Chinese restaurants in a new town so she could satisfy her craving whenever it arose. And the Wok Inn was the best she’d found in the area.
Hazel was sitting in the den in front of a crackling fire, a blanket over her legs. Dalton sat with her, newly emerged from a shower after a hard day’s work. They stood to welcome Eamon and Emily, then joined them in the kitchen and found seats at the table or counter. Emily passed plates and silverware around, while Eamon opened the boxes of food and set them in the center of the table.
“I’ll go tell Parker dinner’s ready,” offered Jen. She jogged down the hall and knocked on his closed bedroom door.
“Just a minute,” came a muffled reply from within. The door opened and Parker stood there, dripping wet with a white towel wrapped around his taut waist.
Jen’s mouth fell open, all thoughts vanishing from her head. “Um … hi.”
He grinned and ran a hand through his wet hair. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
His eyebrows arched and he leaned against the door frame. “Did you need me for something?”
“Oh … ah … yeah. Um … dinner. Dinner’s ready. Eamon and Emily brought Chinese food.” Her heart hammered.
He was still smiling. “You okay there, Jen? You seem a bit flushed.”
She frowned in embarrassment. “Yeah, I’m fine. Great, actually. It’s just really hot in here … you know, with the fire going and everything.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll get some clothes on and be with you in a minute, then.”
Jen nodded, frozen in place.
“I have to shut the door, Jen.”
“Oh yeah. Sorry.” She stepped back so he could close the door, then sighed deeply and leaned against the opposite wall, her legs trembling. That was Parker. Her friend. Mmmm.
She blinked and rubbed her eyes. So he looked great in a towel – that didn’t change their friendship. He wasn’t her type. And she was certain she wasn’t his. Though really, she didn’t know anything about his type – she’d never seen him with a girlfriend and Hazel hadn’t mentioned anyone …
She hurried back to the kitchen and slipped into her chair without a word.
“Is Parker coming?” asked Hazel, spooning chow mein onto a plate and passing it around the table.
“Uh, yeah. He is.”
Hazel frowned and reached for another plate. “Your cheeks are all red. Are you feeling okay?”
Jen blanched. “Oh yeah, I’m fine. I just got a little shock, that’s all.”
Hazel’s eyes narrowed. “What? What happened?”
Jen leaned closer to Hazel and whispered into her ear so no one else at the table could hear. “Parker was in a towel. Just a towel.”
Hazel almost choked trying not to laugh out loud. “Well, that explains it,” she whispered back. “Are you okay? Can I offer you a fan, or some ice?”
Jen rolled her eyes. “Very funny.” She reached for the snow peas.
* * *
Parker scooped the last spoonful of sweet and sour pork into his mouth and chewed slowly. The noise of the group chattering and laughing soothed his nerves. He’d begun to relax, enjoying their company more with each week that passed. Jen had a lot to do with that. With her here, he felt as though he had a friend he could talk to, spend time with, who seemed to understand him without pressuring him to share too much of himself before he was ready.
“… So as you all know, my surgery is scheduled for just before Thanksgiving. But there’s something I wanted to discuss with y’all first.”
Everyone quieted down and focused on Hazel.
She faced Emily with a hesitant smile. “You can say no, but I’d like you to perform my surgery.”
Emily’s eyebrows flew up. “Really? I mean, we talked about that a while ago, but then you seemed to have things under control without me. Are you sure?”
Hazel nodded. “There’s no one else I’d want to do it. I know you’ll take good care of me. You’re probably the best surgeon in the whole area, anyway. So it makes sense.”
Emily frowned. “Thank you.” She glanced at Eamon, who raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m happy to do it if you want me to. But remember, every surgery has its risks and I won’t be at all offended it you choose to go with someone else. Please don’t feel as though you owe it to me.”
Hazel shook her head and put her hand in Dalton’s. “We’ve discussed it, and it’s what I want. We know there are risks involved and Dalton has promised me he won’t blame you if things go wrong.” She laughed uncomfortably and Dalton squeezed her hand. “So as long as you feel good about doing it …”
Emily smiled. “I’d be honored.”
Hazel threw her arms around Emily, and tears glistened in her eyes.
Parker picked up a spring roll and munched on it as casual conversations started back up around the table. He pondered what had just happened, his thoughts in a whirl. Was it sensible to have a friend perform her surgery? It was Hazel’s call, but as Emily had inferred, if something went wrong it would be easy to place the blame on her shoulders. That was a big responsibility for her to carry. Though from what he knew of Emily, she seemed fully capable of carrying it. He’d never met someone as tough and resilient as her.
He finished eating, took his plate to the sink and retreated to his room. He needed some alone time. The older he got, the better he understood that when he felt squirrelly, it was time to lose himself in a book, or go for a walk alone with just music for company.
Parker threw himself on his bed with a huff, crossed his ankles and reached for the book on his bedside table. He smiled at the cover – even though he was glad to have left the service behind, he still enjoyed reading a good military th
riller. It let him remember without having to go through the stress and heartache all over again. He settled himself against the pillows, one arm behind his head, and jumped back into the story.
But just as he was getting started, his cell phone buzzed on the bedside table, spinning around in a circle. He sighed and reached for it. “Hello?”
“Hello, darling. How are you?”
“Not bad, Mom. And you?”
His mother laughed. He knew right away what that meant — she only laughed that way when she was feeling uncomfortable or about to confront someone she cared about. He couldn’t help smiling.
“Oh, I’m okay, I guess. Though I’m a little put out that none of my boys has invited me for Thanksgiving this year.”
Parker rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Oh yeah, Thanksgiving. Sorry, Mom – we’ve just got a lot going on here at the moment.”
She sighed. “I understand. It’s just that I’d like to be part of it all. I mean, Eamon and Emily got married and didn’t even tell me until afterwards! I’m still smarting over that one. I haven’t met Emily yet. Hazel is sick and I’m stuck here in Chattanooga unable to do a thing to help. And I’m worried about you too.”
He frowned. “Why are you worried about me, Mom?”
“I’m always worried about you, darling. You’re my baby.”
Parker rolled his eyes. “I’m not a baby anymore.”
“Yes, but you’re always my baby, six-foot-four or not.”
“Well, you should come and visit sometime, Mom. But I’m not sure about Thanksgiving. Hazel’s having her surgery just before the holidays and the house is pretty full.” He grimaced as he sat up.
“I don’t care if the house is full – I’ll sleep on the couch. I miss you boys, and I want to be there. You know what – I’m coming. You can tell everyone else to expect me, okay?”
He heard the hurt in her voice and nodded slowly. “Sure, Mom. It’ll be great to see you.”
* * *
Parker lifted the horse’s hoof and filed it back. Perfect. He set it down and shifted positions until he was in place to shoe it.
