by Lexie Davis
He shook his head. “I thought there wasn’t anything between you two.”
“There isn’t.”
Her father snorted. “Tell that to the grin on your face.”
She hugged him and kissed his cheek goodnight. After settling in upstairs, she lay back in the bed and closed her eyes. She was dabbling in dangerous territory, but if it got her the man she wanted, then all of it was worth it.
Chapter Six
“Imagine my surprise when I leave town to pick up forty cattle head and come back to see that Parker Montgomery is engaged.” Colton Holland arched an eyebrow at his best friend. “And it’s not to the girl you are dating but to your old blast from the past.”
“We’re not engaged.”
“I figured as much.” Colton came in his office and took a seat. He propped his boots on Parker’s desk and pulled his cowboy hat off, draping it on his knee. “What’s the Wicked Witch doing back? Came to roll your truck in the lake for old time’s sake?”
“No.” Parker leaned back in his chair. “She claims she’s just here to visit.”
His friend laughed. “And that’s why I saw her at Marjorie’s trying on those wedding dresses.”
Parker rubbed his eyes. “You know as well as I do she likes egging the old bats on. She wanted me to allow her this for the week.”
“Right.” Colton stared at him. “You seem pretty calm about her being here. I also noticed you took down the wanted poster.”
“We settled the score.”
“Yeah? How?”
“She apologized.”
Colton shook his head. “I don’t believe that.”
“She also offered to pay me for the Camaro.”
His friend arched an eyebrow. “Really? I know she’s a hot shot in Dallas, but the old Aubree wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Yeah. She’s changed. Some, anyway.” Parker pulled out a file from his drawer and searched through it for a paper he wanted.
“And what about your girlfriend? I can’t imagine Sophie is taking Aubree’s shenanigans lightly.”
“We’re not dating anymore.”
Colton laughed. “What the fuck happened there? I’ve only been gone two days and this town is falling apart.”
Parker found what he wanted and leaned back in his chair. “I took Sophie to Tyler to eat at that fancy restaurant. She thought I planned to propose. Made a big deal about how I can’t commit. Then she turned on me about Aubree. Told me I spent too much time with someone I supposedly didn’t like.”
“You spend time with her?”
Parker licked his lips. “Can I finish the story?”
Colton held his hands up and Parker continued. “So she broke it off with me. She complained it was weird she’d never stayed at my house. It was weird I never stayed at hers. It seemed like I used her and she didn’t like it.”
His best friend squeezed the top of his Stetson. “Can I talk now?”
“Go ahead.”
“You spend time with Aubree?”
“We’re working on my porch together. She wanted an escape from the old bats and my pet project seemed to help her in that.”
“Right.” Colton sat up. “You still have the hots for her.”
Parker didn’t say anything. Colton knew him just about as well as Aubree. There wasn’t much point in denying what his best friend could see.
“Wow. That’s a strange turn of events. No denying it?” Colton sat back in the chair. “Has she spent the night?”
“No.”
“Will she?”
Parker met his gaze from across the desk. “You know the answer to that.”
“Do I? It seems where Aubree is concerned the rules don’t apply.”
“Stop talking about me.”
Parker turned his attention to the door while Colton nearly fell out of his chair.
Aubree stood there with Riley watching the two.
“Well if it isn’t Satan in a Sunday dress.”
“I’m wearing pants. Work on your expressions, Colton.”
“If you were a guy I’d flip you off.”
“Behave, you two.” Parker felt like he’d been thrust back into high school. “What do you want, Aubree?”
“Your little girlfriend paid me a visit.”
“Oh, shit.” Colton chuckled.
“She’s not my little girlfriend.”
“She’s a hysterical mess.” Aubree walked in and snagged the seat where Parker kept a spare set of clothes. “She came in the dress shop proclaiming I ruined your relationship. That you want me and not her. You didn’t propose and she thought you couldn’t commit, but you’re really hung up on me. Blah, blah, blah.”
Parker rubbed his hands over his face. “Do I want to ask what you said to her?”
“Well, after she tried ripping the wedding dress off my body” —Aubree pointedly stared at him— “I told her you didn’t want marriage and babies. That you never had. I told her if she cared anything about you she wouldn’t pressure you into something you didn’t want. Then I called her a psycho.”
Parker closed his eyes. “Why is this happening to me? What bad deed have I done to earn this kind of karma?”
“Well, her little outburst killed the old bats’ rumors. My momma is upset I’m not getting married and she’s not talking to me. Our fake wedding has officially been canceled.”
Colton laughed. “You wouldn’t commit to your girlfriend but you played pretend wedding with your ex?”
Parker glanced up at his friend. He didn’t have a response, so he flipped him the bird which only made Colton laugh harder. His life was a mess.
“But on a happy note, I’m free to work on your porch. I think I can get all the sanding done today and we can start painting tomorrow.”
“Do you really think it’s a good idea to be seen at my house after everything that’s happened?”
“It’s not like you’re there. Plus, I left my daddy’s tools last night.”
“Yeah, I took them inside.”
She scoffed. “Then give me your key.”
She held out her hand.
Colton sniggered in front of him.
What was it about her that had Parker completely in shambles? Instead of getting mad that Sophie confronted her, he wanted to be a fly on the wall to hear the conversation. That wasn’t a normal reaction. At least not what he thought he should feel. He and Sophie dated for over a year, but he and Aubree dated for at least four more than that.
He pulled his keys from his pocket. “Don’t lose them.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t dump my truck in the lake.”
She sent him a mischievous grin and his stomach knotted.
“I will lock you up and throw away the key, Aubree Grace.”
“Relax.” She wrapped her fingers around his keys. “I’m just breaking into your house. I have nothing against your truck.”
He watched her leave before turning to Colton. His best friend knew better, so he didn’t try to explain his way out of it.
“She’s got you wrapped around her little finger.”
“Not quite.”
“Have you had sex with her yet?”
“No.” He glanced down at the folder. “Not since high school.”
“But you want to.” Colton sat back with his elbow on the armrest and his finger propping up his chin. “I’d even venture to say you’d let her spend the night.”
Parker didn’t say anything. He’d thought about it all last night after he drove her home. Some of Sophie’s words had cut him deep. She made a big deal about not being able to sleep at his house and how he didn’t stay at hers. He was fairly certain she knew he didn’t sleep well, but he didn’t think she understood it like Aubree. Aubree could bust his balls before turning around to take care of him unlike any other. He saw the way she looked at him, the way she’d asked if he was okay before she left. It was a completely different scenario, and if he’d had a little more whiskey in him, he pr
obably would have spilled his guts to her.
“Since you’re not saying anything, I’m going to say I’m right.” Colton stood. “Damn, man. If you feel safe enough to go there with her, then why the hell are you sitting here while she’s rummaging through your house unattended?”
“It’s not nighttime.”
“Aubree doesn’t scare easily. I think you’re right to assume she can handle the nightmares. I would have never encouraged you two together after everything that happened, but if you feel that way, then go for it.”
“I pulled a gun on you.” He shook his head. “I don’t want to risk that with her.”
“You didn’t shoot me though.” Colton leaned on the desk. “I say at least try it. If you scare the shit out of her, then she’ll be gone in a couple of days and you don’t have to worry about it.”
Parker didn’t say anything. Getting involved with Aubree was a bad idea, even though he knew it would happen before she left. Telling Sophie he couldn’t commit tore him up inside. He didn’t want to be like that. He wanted to settle down, eventually. He wanted to have a family, but the person he saw himself with wasn’t Sophie. He saw himself with a blonde haired, blue eyed troublemaker that lived in Dallas. That messed with his head more than anything.
****
Aubree let herself into Parker’s house, closing the door behind her. The inside looked as decrepit as the outside. He didn’t have much furniture. A sofa, a television, and a coffee table filled the living room. The hardwood floors needed sanding and staining. Some nice curtains and a fresh coat of paint would do the place wonders. She went into the kitchen and frowned. No stove. No dishwasher. He had a refrigerator and a microwave. She opened the freezer and found his stash of TV dinners. The fridge had beer and water. She shook her head and moved on to the bathroom.
The small closet of a bathroom was barely big enough for her to fit inside. She couldn’t imagine Parker trying to shower or use the facilities. She wasn’t a claustrophobic person, but the room felt like it was closing in on her the longer she stood there.
The bedrooms weren’t much better. One had gym equipment in it and the other had a rumpled bed without a headboard and mismatched sheets. He kept the place tidy. There was no clutter or dirty clothes. He didn’t seem to use anything but the living room and the kitchen.
The sander sat on his coffee table and she grabbed it. She carried it outside and plugged it in. She spent the next few hours sanding until her hands hurt. After pausing to grab a water bottle from Parker’s fridge, she stopped in her tracks as Colton approached his house.
“I see you’ve made yourself at home.”
She snorted. “What do you want?”
“To talk to you.”
“About?”
“Parker.”
She set the water down and stared at him. “Okay.”
“I doubt he’s told you everything.”
“Everything about what?”
“Life.”
She frowned. “Life?”
“He served in the army.”
“I know that.”
“He didn’t come back the same man that left.”
“I know that too.”
“He has trouble sleeping at night. It’s why he didn’t spend the night with Sophie. I stayed with him a few times when he first got back and he actually pulled a gun on me. Two years after the fact, whatever happened still haunts him.”
She drank the water. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because.” Colton leaned against the banister. “I know him and I know you. We both know whatever you two have going is eventually going to lead to a rendezvous in the sack. He’s cautious. I think he trusts you, which says a lot. There are very few people that boy trusts in this world.”
“Why do you think he trusts me?”
“He gave you his keys didn’t he? Left you unattended inside his house. I’m not even sure Sophie has been inside his house.”
Aubree took in all that Colton had said. “Yeah. What’s the deal with the TV dinners and his sorry excuse for a kitchen?”
“He doesn’t have time to work on it. I don’t think he has the extra money either. He raked up some bills when he first got discharged. They diagnosed him with post traumatic stress disorder, but they didn’t really help him with it. He had a horrible adjustment back to civilian life. Tom, Jim, Me, Doug, and Holt all chipped in to help him through it. We took turns staying the night with him.”
Her dad helped him. That sounded like something he’d do. Aubree fished her phone from her pocket. “Will you help me with something?”
“What?”
“I’ve been wanting to do this for years, but I never got around to it.” She scrolled through her phone contacts. “Will you go by Doby’s junkyard and see if they still have Parker’s Camaro?”
“They do. I know it because the frame is right there in front.”
“Okay. Will you get your brother to haul it to my mechanic in Dallas?”
“I’ll see what Rick’s doing, but…Why?”
“I’m going to fix it up for him. Don’t tell him about it either.”
Colton folded his arms over his chest. “You have changed.”
“Yeah, well, I grew up.” She found the number she wanted and clicked on it. “Will you be around tomorrow? I’m ordering some appliances for his kitchen and I need some help getting them inside.”
“Yeah, sure. But he’s not going to like you buying stuff for him.”
“I’ll deal with him. Just get the guys together and help me get them in his house.”
“Okay. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Aubree placed the order for matching appliances. At the very least, he needed a stove. Parker was a big guy, and he couldn’t live off TV dinners for the rest of his life. She pocketed her phone after everything was scheduled to be delivered from Dallas the next morning. What Colton told her played over and over in her mind until Parker finally parked his truck out front. She’d spent hours working on the porch and made a great deal of progress. A coat of primer, a few coats of paint, and it would look like a brand new house.
“Looks good.”
“Yeah?” She stopped sanding and stepped back. “I think so too.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and stared at her handy work. “Colton stopped by. He said he’d help me unload your new appliances tomorrow.”
“New appliances?”
She glanced over at him. “I have a client that got me a good deal on a stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, and microwave. He also got me a washer and dryer too. It’s being delivered tomorrow.”
“Wow. You’ve practically moved in, haven’t you?”
“Nah.” She smoothed her hand along the banister. “I have my own place in Dallas.”
He sat on the steps watching her. “Colton say anything else to you?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. He likes to spit off at the mouth.”
“Nah.” She avoided looking at him while she sanded the rods of the last part of the banister. “He wanted to make sure I didn’t trash your place or dump anything into the lake.”
Parker snorted. “Did you?”
She smiled. “If you really questioned that you wouldn’t be sitting there so calmly.”
Parker rubbed his forehead. His shoulders looked tense, like he hadn’t slept in his bed last night. Worry filled her the longer she stood watching him. He struggled. She could see that from the first time she saw him after arriving in Prospect.
“Go change your clothes and help me.”
He glanced up at her. “You’re almost done.”
“Just a little bit more and we can paint the primer on. Let it dry overnight. Then I can start painting tomorrow. It’ll probably take two coats.”
He watched as she filed the last rod. “I don’t know. Maybe you should go home. You’ve been here all day, and I’m sure the old bats were hovering around.”
“They were. Ms. Malloy brough
t me a homemade chicken salad sandwich for lunch.”
“Have you had any more run-ins with Sophie?”
“No.” She glanced over at him. “Why?”
“I thought I should talk to her. Maybe clear up a few things.”
“Nothing’s worse than your ex hovering around you after you’ve broken up.” She paused. “Current ex, that is.”
He snorted. “Is that why you went to Dallas?”
“Partially.” She dropped the file and walked toward him. “You wanted to get married and I didn’t.”
“It wasn’t that simple.”
“It wasn’t? My daddy found out about us in the back of your car, and both he and Tom put pressure on you to do the ‘right’ thing.”
“Actually they didn’t.”
She scrunched her brow. “What do you mean?”
He leaned forward so his elbows were on his knees. “Nobody pressured me into proposing. I thought for a second that if we got married, I don’t know, things would be okay. I wanted to leave Prospect too, but you seemed hell-bent on getting out of Dodge and leaving me behind.”
“You wanted to get married?”
Parker turned toward her. “Yeah. I mean, I did then. It was probably for the best that we didn’t, but nobody pressured me.”
“Huh.” Aubree rubbed her hands on her pants. “I always thought my dad wanted you to marry me because of the whole losing my virginity thing.”
“He actually told me no.”
She frowned, shocked. “What?”
“I asked him. He said no.”
She stared at him in disbelief. Her father had always loved Parker like a son. “Are you serious?”
He nodded. “Told me that you needed your space. I joined the army shortly after.”
She didn’t know what to say. Her father had been right, but she hadn’t known he’d told Parker that so boldly. She’d been so young. So rebellious and full of adventure. She wanted something better than what Prospect had to offer. She found it too. Dallas gave her a life she had only dreamed of. She met some amazing people. Made so many friends and she found a job she loved doing.
“Anyway. I’m hungry and all I have is TV dinners. I doubt you want one so—”
“If you want me to leave just say it.”
