by Natalie Ann
“You sure know how to tempt a man,” he said, lowering his mouth once again.
“I like to kiss,” she said, pulling her hands out and straightening his shirt. “And since we both have plans on Saturday, what do you think of a quiet dinner on Sunday afternoon if you’re free? If you’re not we can find another weekend.”
“I’m free and if I wasn’t, I’d sure the hell cancel any plans I had.”
“That’s sweet and making my head swell.” He went to open his mouth. “Don’t tell me something else is swelling on you. I can feel it.”
He laughed again and kissed her quickly on the lips. “Nothing gets by you.”
“Just remember that,” she said, grabbing her ice cream and toppings.
When she was back home, she put her food away and then went to her office to get to work. If she looked up and out the window toward Evan’s house to catch sight of him moving around, she wasn’t going to admit it.
16
Looks Over Substance
“That wasn’t so bad,” Christian said to Evan when they were sitting at the table under the tent. It was low eighties out, but cloudy and fans were going in the tents overhead. He had a cold beer in front of him and the food would be out soon.
“I never thought it would be,” he told his brother.
“You never liked doing things like this before.”
“We’ve been to two weddings. Whitney’s and Kaelyn’s. Both were a much bigger production than this was. To me this is a backyard picnic in style. There are only about fifty people here, if that.”
“You’re right. I left my tie in my truck when I saw a few other people not wearing them.”
“I told you you wouldn’t need it,” Evan said, not sure what was going on with his brother lately.
“As long as Grandma and Grandpa didn’t do too much, that is all I care about. They are getting up there in age.”
“Don’t say that too loudly,” he said. “Neither of them wants to admit it. But you know damn well Grandma was probably loving telling people what to do and where to go yesterday setting it all up.”
“No,” Christian said. “That would be Grandpa. Grandma has been all over the caterers.”
He laughed. “They are enjoying it.” He looked out into the yard and saw Maddie running around chasing their two French Bulldogs that had stood at the altar with the bride and groom and children too. He had to admit it was a nice sight.
“What are you two boys talking about?” his brother-in-law, Harris, said coming over to sit down. He’d been walking around with Scarlet while Kaelyn was talking with Shannon and Whitney. But now he was solo.
“Where’s my niece?”
“With her grandparents. No one can get her when they are around. When are you two going to man up and add to the family?”
Christian laughed. “Please. No woman wants Evan, and I don’t have time.”
“No woman wants to spend time in your living situation,” Harris said to Christian. “How do you breathe in those places?”
“It’s not bad,” Christian said. “It’s just cluttered.”
“Cluttered,” Evan said. “You had no sink in your bathroom for weeks. Just a toilet and shower stall.”
“I washed my hands in the shower when I was done,” he said. “I’m not a slob.”
“No woman wants to live like that,” Harris repeated. “You’re a lost cause. You too, Evan. Not unless you can learn to smile once in a while.”
There was a time he wanted to throw his brother-in-law through a wall when he found out Harris was making time with his sister. He’d thought Harris was using Kaelyn to pass the time while he figured out the next stage of his life when his baseball career was over.
And then when they found out Kaelyn was pregnant, all hell broke loose in his eyes.
Kaelyn was thrilled once she and Harris made up after a fight they’d had. Harris was even more excited over it. His parents were sailing over the moon.
But he and Christian had only seen their baby sister was going to have a child and not be married. He’d let Harris know exactly how he felt about that, but Kaelyn all but twisted his ear off when she found out.
Harris hadn’t cared for the lectures, but brushed it off anyway. Harris had a younger sister and Evan made sure to throw that in his brother-in-law’s face. To think of how he’d feel if his sister Sarah got pregnant out of wedlock.
Especially since Sarah was currently dating an older man that Harris wasn’t so sure about. Evan hadn’t met Caden Finley, but he’d heard enough about it from Kaelyn. In Evan’s mind, he thought it was karma that Harris was unsure of the man in his sister’s life right now.
“I don’t need to smile to get a woman. What makes you think I don’t have one?”
“Are you dating someone?” Christian asked. “That might be why you were staring off into space the other day when I was talking to you.”
Harris started to laugh. “Is some woman giving you a hard time?”
Now he wished he didn’t have loose lips because he’d have to lie—which he hated doing—or admit he was sort of seeing someone. Yeah, he had to be. Not that he could explain what they had.
When had he ever been this confused?
“Not like you think,” he said.
“So there is someone?” Christian asked. “Dude, when were you going to say something?”
“When there was something to say and there really isn’t.”
“Except there is,” Harris said. “Because otherwise you wouldn’t have brought it up. Who is it?”
There was no getting out of this and no reason to at this point either. “No one you guys know,” he said.
“Then where did you meet and what is her name?” Christian asked.
He looked away from them and said, “She moved into the house across the street.”
Harris and Christian both started laughing...loudly. “You hate neighbors,” Christian said.
“I don’t hate them. I just don’t always play nice.”
“You must be playing something well,” Harris said. “She’s got to be hotter than hell for you to even want to talk to her.”
Evan felt his face flush. Most times he didn’t give a shit about talking about a woman like this that he might be dating, but with Parker he felt more protective.
“Oh my God,” Christian said. “You’re dating the woman from Survivor? What was her name? Patricia?”
“Parker,” he corrected. “How do you know who is across the street?”
“Whitney was talking about it the other day. When she found out who bought the house she was all excited and wouldn’t shut up. Does she know you’re dating her?”
“No,” Evan said. “At that time it wasn’t much more than me talking to her.”
Harris pulled his phone out of his pocket and then turned it around and whistled. “Damn. Now I know why you like your neighbor suddenly.”
“What the hell are you doing noticing how someone else looks when you’re married to my sister?” Evan asked, frowning.
Christian took the phone out of Harris’s hand. “Damn. Does she have a sister?”
“No,” he snapped. He wasn’t going to tell them about Erin. It wasn’t their business.
“What did you say to Evan to make him scowl?” Kaelyn asked, moving over and sitting on her husband’s lap. He wanted to make a sarcastic comment about that but held back. His sister was married after all now. It was only normal to be that way with your spouse.
Shit, he wanted to pull Parker into his lap last night and have his way with her, but they came to terms of sorts. Her way of laying down the groundwork that she wasn’t around for him to just throw on his bed. Even if he wanted to carry her to his room.
He saw the look in her eyes. He could have had her in his bed with minimal effort if he wanted.
But he hoped he earned more points by letting her walk away.
“Nothing,” Harris said, kissing his wife and wrapping his arms around her. “He’s tel
ling us about the chick he’s dating. I found her on the internet and she’s pretty hot. He’s mad because I commented on that. Said I should only have eyes for you.”’
“First off,” Kaelyn said, “Harris’s eyes can look anywhere they want. His hands better stay right where they are now. The same with me.”
“What?” Harris said. “Who have you been looking at?”
She laughed and poked him in the side. “We all think the opposite sex is attractive, but it’s only you I want.” She grabbed the phone back from Christian. “She is stunning I agree. I wouldn’t expect anything different from Evan though.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“That you go for looks over substance,” Christian said. “That’s why nothing sticks.”
“Parker has a lot of substance. She’s got brains and beauty.”
“Oh boy. He’s defending her,” Harris said. “That means something. So where is she if you know her so well?”
“It’s been a few weeks,” he said. “We don’t see each other much. We both have demanding jobs and she had plans with her family today.”
“What does she do?” Kaelyn asked.
At least his sister wasn’t riding his ass anymore. “She’s a pharmaceutical rep.”
“So she is on the road a lot,” Christian said. “And you work a lot, so when do you see each other? Unless you sneak across and crawl into her bed?”
His face must have shown how pissed he was over that comment that was made in jest. In the past he’d probably just laugh it off, but he didn’t want his family to think poorly of her.
“Guys,” Kaelyn said. “Enough. Look at him.”
Harris stopped laughing. “Holy shit. Are you taking the plunge?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
“Oh yes, you do,” Christian said. “You’d be laughing and joining right in with this conversation, but instead you want to throw your beer down and take a swing at one of us.”
His brother was right. He’d love nothing more than to tackle Christian to the ground and start rolling around like they did as kids. He could only imagine how his parents would react to that.
“Fine. I like her. She’s nice. And she’s nothing like anyone else I’ve ever dated before. I can’t even freaking help her carry something into the house without all but begging her to let me.”
Kaelyn started to laugh and then slapped her hand in front of her mouth. “Sorry. This is funny. And I’m going to leave now before I get on your bad side.” She patted his leg. “Good luck and keep us posted. You know we are going to want to meet her soon.”
He watched his sister leave and then turned to look at his brother and brother-in-law, lifting his eyebrow to see if they’d say anything else, but Harris just said, “Did you catch that game last night?”
17
Showing You Off
“What are we doing here?” Parker asked her brother Marcus. Jeremy would be here shortly, but he was on call this weekend and making rounds at the hospital.
“One of Mom’s little get-togethers,” Marcus said. “You know how she likes to throw these parties and show off.”
“What is she showing off this time?” she asked. “Nothing new has been done to the house and she told me to wear a sundress. You’re not dressed up.”
“Maybe you’re on display today.” Marcus laughed. “She could be showing you off.”
“Don’t even go there,” she said.
But she had a feeling her brother might be right when Jeremy showed up twenty minutes later and her mother brought out some drinks on the deck.
It was the five of them with her father being quieter than normal. The rest of the guests would be showing up within an hour or more. Her mother was famous for having her brothers and her show up early so she could put them on the spot and get them in a mood.
When they were younger it was to pump them up. Now as an adult it pissed them off.
“You look lovely today,” her mother said to her. “That color makes your skin glow. Good choice.”
“Thanks,” Parker said, ignoring her brothers snickering.
“You know we are still so proud of you being the top salesperson last year. Are you on track for that again this year?” her mother asked
“I don’t know. It’s only been six months. A lot can happen in that time. I’m where I should be in my plans.”
“Because you are such a career-oriented person. But you know, you’re getting up there in age and at some point you should consider slowing down. What if you are in a relationship and the man doesn’t like you working all those hours?”
She wanted to growl, but her father spoke up and said, “Emma. You ruined one daughter’s life, don’t even consider meddling in this one’s. Parker, you do what you want in life and ignore what the rest of us tell you.”
Her mother got up and stormed off, her father tossing back his scotch and going in the other direction.
“What was that?” she asked her brothers.
“I have no idea,” Marcus said. “I knew the two of them were arguing a lot, but Dad hardly ever said anything like that to Mom.”
“None of us have been home for years,” Jeremy said. “Dad was the closest to Erin. We were all glad to see that piece of scum get sentenced to a hundred and twenty years in jail last fall, but it’s still popping up in the news now and again.”
“Don’t remind me,” she said. She wasn’t going to admit it was hard to push aside. That she’d even slipped and told Evan when she’d never told another person before.
That conversation was what led to their first kiss...then so much more.
“So do you think Mom has plans to introduce you to someone today and that is why she wanted you to dress up and she’s playing all Mommy Dearest and complimenting you?”
“She better not,” she said. “I’m not in the mood to play nice.”
“Please,” Jeremy said. “You play nice every day all day long at your job. I know. I’ve seen you. I’ve heard how great you are. How friendly and funny.”
“I get paid to be that way,” she said, laughing. “A lot.”
“It’s who you are too,” Marcus said. “Everyone knows it. You can relate to so many people. You look like you do.”
“Meaning what?” she asked.
“You’re pretty and you know it. You’re put together and can talk fashion with the women, but you don’t come off as snotty. You’re friendly. You always find some conversation to strike up with people. And anyone who saw you on Survivor knows you aren’t prissy like some women.”
“You can’t be if you’re peeing in the woods and haven’t showered in weeks.”
“I still think that takes competition to a whole new level,” Jeremy said, “but to each their own.”
“That’s another thing,” Marcus said. “You’re athletic. You like the outdoors. You aren’t afraid to throw back a beer and watch a game either. Trust me, you can get along with just about anyone and you know it.”
“For a short period of time anyone can,” she argued.
“I suppose,” Marcus said. “We know that with patients too. The bottom line is, you’ll play nice with whatever Mom has planned because in the end it’s not worth the headache or her wrath.”
“It seems to me she is getting a lot of wrath from Dad,” she said.
“No clue,” Jeremy said. “That is their life. Maybe Dad is getting sick of having little to no say in the house. Or maybe there is more.”
“Like what?” she asked.
“I shouldn’t say,” Jeremy said.
“You started it,” she told him.
He sighed and then looked at Marcus, got the head nod and continued, “I don’t know if Mom might have cheated on Dad or not. Or maybe it never happened.”
“What?” she asked. This was the first she’d heard it.
“It was a long time ago. I think it might have been before we came along. I remember hearing a guy’s name at times over t
he years.”
“Connor?” she asked. She’d heard it too in passing. Sarcastic ones that her father would throw out.
“Yeah. He worked with Dad years ago. I think he transferred here recently and there has been more tension than ever,” Marcus said.
“He makes his voice heard at work enough, why not at home?” she asked. “Could just be he is sick of Mom and her crap. Without us around, she is probably taking it out more on him and he’s not traveling as much.”
“Maybe because he does so much at work that at home he is ready to let it go,” Jeremy said. “Or he’s used to it. I can understand wanting to drop it all at the end of the day. Who Dad is at work isn’t the same as he is with us. Or maybe we are reading more into it. It’s not how Marcus and I am either at work as we are with you.”
“I’m the same,” she said.
“Different fields,” Jeremy said. “You might not be that way if you worked somewhere else. Whatever is going on with Mom and Dad, they have to figure it out. It’s not for us to say or judge. As long as I’m not in the house and getting the brunt of her ‘talks’ I could care less.”
Part of her wanted to argue that it wasn’t right her father was subjected to it, but he was a grown man and could take care of himself.
Now might be the time to get a feel for the development job that was mentioned to her since she didn’t want to talk about her parents’ marriage either.
“Speaking of that, when I was at St. Peter’s the other day, I was approached about the Director of Development position that will be opening soon.”
Marcus smiled. “What you always wanted.”
“I’m not sure I saw myself doing that,” she said. “I want to run the hospital.”
Jeremy smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “No, you don’t. It’s not a fun job. You have to be a hardass and you’re not liked either. It bothered you when girls didn’t like you growing up even when you said it didn’t.”
“They were jealous of me,” she shot back.
“They were. Justified or not, you can’t make people like you. Just like you hated that Keegan didn’t like you on Survivor. You did nothing wrong other than you were a threat to his game and masculinity. Do you want to run a hospital with a staff full of doctors just like Keegan?”
