B071NZPNXN EBOK

by Unknown

  She thought about their plans to buy a house and have a baby. She remembered how unsure she had been, but now it was no longer an option, she realised there was nothing she wanted more than to make a family with Parker.

  You really are so stupid, she sighed to herself, miserably. Why did you have to push him away?

  “Why don’t you talk to him,” Eleanor asked, clearly not missing Alice’s reaction to speaking about her son. “You can’t just leave like this. He loves you.”

  “I just think it’s for the best,” Alice shrugged, knowing she had destroy the best thing in her life because she was stupid and selfish. “I have hurt him, and he has let me go. I need to do the same…”

  “But he has not let you go,” Eleanor stopped her mid-sentence and gave her a knowing smile as she slowly crossed the room to where Alice was sitting. “He is so devastated by all of this, you both are. But he is being his usual stubborn self, and is refusing to let anyone see his vulnerable side. You are both too stubborn for your own good. You are more like each other than either one of you realise, but it’s why you two work.”

  “I used to think that,” Alice said with a sigh as she remembered all the times Parker had come into the coffee shop. “I always believed that I saw something inside him that reminded me of me, but that’s not enough to make a marriage work.”

  “No, maybe not,” Eleanor said as she sat down next to Alice on the bed. “But neither is getting married to save someone’s future, but you and Parker made that work. Why can’t you make it work now?”

  Alice’s head snapped up and looked at Eleanor, as her face burned with embarrassment.

  “You…you know about our arrangement?” Alice asked as her heart hammered in her chest. She was so stunned that Eleanor knew the truth. Alice was sure if Eleanor had ever found out she would hate her for deceiving her. But instead, she was sitting there next to her, still being kind and caring. Alice was completely blown away by this.

  “Of course I did,” Eleanor laughed. “My son forgets I have known him every day of his life. I knew that when we gave him that ultimatum it would shake up his life a little, but we never intended to make him follow through with it. Then when we read in the newspaper that he got married, well I thought it had backfired on us. I knew my son was unpredictable, but to pull a stunt like that! Then we met you, and I knew from the moment I saw you two together that Parker had found the one he would love the rest of his life, and that you would love him too.”

  “I’m sorry for trying to deceive you,” Alice whispered as she tried not to think about the last part of what Eleanor had just said. “I would never have agreed to it, but I needed to take care of Gram, and it was the only way I knew how.”

  “I know why you did it, Alice,” Eleanor said as she took hold of her hand. “And I think what you did for your grandmother was the bravest, most selfless thing anyone has ever done. But she is gone, Alice, and the last thing she would want is for you to be punishing yourself like this.”

  “I’m not…I’m…” Alice whispered as finally she lost her battle, and once more the tears began to flow.

  “You’re blaming yourself for not being there,” Eleanor said as she reached over and took her chin, then tilted her face up to hers. “For being happy with the man you love, while she was alone. Only she wasn’t alone, I was with her, and she was filled with so much love for you. You were the last thing she talked about. She made me promise to take care of you, and to make sure you were happy. So, I can’t sit here and watch you destroy everything that matters to you because you feel you don’t deserve to be happy.”

  “I should have been there,” Alice sobbed softly. “I should have been with her when she went.”

  “But you were there,” Eleanor replied. “You were in her heart. You were always in her heart, and she knew that you loved her very much. But now you need to do what’s best for you. You need to let the man that loves you in.”

  “But it’s too late,” Alice said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “I have hurt Parker so much. I was angry and hurt, and I took it out on him. He just wanted to love me, but I pushed him away. I blamed him.”

  “He knows you were hurting,” Eleanor replied and smiled once more. “He knows that you didn’t mean the things you said.”

  “I just don’t know how to fix it,” Alice sobbed once more. “I am afraid because I don’t know what to say.

  “Just tell him that you love him,” Eleanor pleaded. “It’s the only thing he really wants to hear.”

  “But I’m scared,” Alice admitted. “I am scared that he will never forgive me. He didn’t even come to the funeral…”

  “He did,” Nicole said suddenly from the doorway, surprising both Alice and Eleanor. “He was there, he just hid so you wouldn’t see him. He wasn’t sure that you would want him there, but he went anyway. He had to.”

  “How do you know,” Alice asked, as a tiny bubble of hope rose inside her.

  “I went to see him,” Nicole admitted. “I wanted him to know you’re leaving, and I thought…anyway, he said that he was there and that he just didn’t want to upset you, so he hid.”

  “He…he knows I’m leaving,” Alice asked as suddenly the bubble of hope began to fade.

  “He does,” Nicole replied but her face was unreadable. “He said that he still loves you, but he thinks you don’t want him anymore.”

  “I see,” Alice said as her mind raced. Parker still loved her. In her heart, she knew this to be true, but her head kept telling her she was too late. He knew she was leaving, yet he hadn’t come to stop her. What did that tell her? That he didn’t care, or was it that he loved her enough to let her go?

  “I don’t get it,” Nicole said suddenly and her tone of voice surprised Alice. “You two are supposed to be the grown-ups. You are supposed to know what’s right from wrong, yet neither of you can see how stupid this all is.”

  “Nicole!” Eleanor exclaimed, clearly surprised by her daughters outburst.

  “It’s true, Mom,” Nicole continued. “They both love each other, they are both miserable, but neither one will make the first move. That’s just so stupid.”

  “It’s very stupid,” Alice said with a smile as she suddenly stood up and straightened her dress. “You’re right. We both are so stupid. But not anymore.”

  Eleanor and Nicole looked at Alice, and Alice could see the relief in their faces.

  “I think I need to go talk to my husband,” Alice said as she hurried towards the door. She had no idea what she was going to say, but something told her that she would know the moment she saw Parker.

  She hurried along the corridor, and down the sweeping staircase, her mind racing with thoughts of Parker. She got half way down the stairs, but stopped dead in her track, completely stunned to see Parker standing at the bottom of them.

  The moment he saw her, he froze too and a look of worry filled his face.

  Alice’s heart ached to see the broken man that was standing before her. He looked sad and worn out, like he hadn’t slept in days. She had done this to him, and now she needed to make it right.

  “I know you probably don’t want to see me,” Parker began before Alice could say a word. “I know you think that I let you down, and maybe I did. But Alice, I love you so much, please don’t ask me to stand by and watch the best thing that happened to me walk out of my life. Give me a chance, and I swear, I will never let you down again.”

  “You didn’t let me down,” Alice said as she took another couple of steps down the stairs, before she stopped once more. “You did nothing but love me. I’m the one that let you down. I promised that I would love you forever, then I broke your heart. I’m the one who should be asking for the second chance.”

  “Please tell me that it’s not too late,” Parker begged as he walked up the stairs slowly, closing the distance between them. “Tell me that you still love me as much as I love you; that you will come back home where you belong.”

  I love you,” Alice whisp
ered as once more tears spilled down her face, just as Parker reached her, but this time they were tears of relief and happiness. “I tried not to, but I can’t stop. My heart is broken from losing Gram, but it’s completely shattered without you.”

  “But you don’t have to be without me.” Parker said as he took her face in his hands. “You are the only thing in the world that matters to me Alice O’Neill. Please don’t make me live without you.”

  “I don’t want to live without you either,” Alice cried as she looked into his eyes, “I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

  “When you love someone, there is no need for sorry,” Parker smiled. “There just needs to be happy ever after.”

  Parker pressed his lips to Alice, and finally she felt like she had come home. This was where she belonged; in the arms of the man she loved.

  “Does this mean that you two have made up?” Nicole asked from the top of the stairs and Alice could hear the happiness in her voice.

  “It does,” Parker replied without taking his eyes off Alice. “It also means that Dad is going back to work for a few months.”

  “Why?” Alice asked, surprised by Parker’s remark.

  “Because I am not ready to take over from him,” Parker admitted with a grin. “Someday, maybe. But right now, I need to step back and let dad lead the way.”

  “Are you sure that is what you want?” Alice asked but she knew by the look in his face he knew he was doing the right thing.

  “I’m sure,” Parker replied. “I want to take some time out and get to know my wife all over again. This thing between us is everything to me, and this time I am going to do it right.”

  Before Alice could reply, Parker claimed her mouth once more.

  Epilogue

  Ten Months Later

  “This house is awesome,” Nicole said as she came back into the kitchen of Alice and Parker’s new house. She sat at the table with her parents, Alice and Parker. “I think I even know which room I want as mine for when I come to stay over.”

  “And do you know how it will be decorated?” Parker asked as he raised his eyebrows and gave his sister a questioning look.”

  “Well,” Nicole replied with a grin. “I have some ideas but I will need to think about it first.

  “Ignore her,” Eleanor said and rolled her eyes. “I don’t know where I got this cheeky girl from.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Alice said as she placed her hand on Parker’s. “I think she learned from the best.”

  “I’m saying nothing,” Parker laughed as he lifted up his coffee and took a sip.

  “How is Jenny doing?” Robert asked, clearly trying to change the subject. “How are the wedding plans coming along?”

  “She is okay,” Alice smiled as she thought of her friend. The last time she was talking to Harrison, he was teasing Jenny that she had turned into bridezilla and that poor Jensen was a complete wreck. “She is umm…excited might be the nicest way to put it.”

  “Poor Jensen,” Parker laughed, knowing what Alice was talking about. “That girl has him so he doesn’t know if he is coming or going.”

  “She isn’t that bad,” Alice sighed but she couldn’t help but smile.

  “I will just be happy when this wedding is finally over,” Parker replied giving Alice a knowing smile. “Then we can look to the future.”

  “You’re not planning on quitting on me again are you?” Robert asked, giving Parker a worried look. “Because I have just got into the swing of this retirement thing. The last three months have been pretty great and I really don’t fancy going back to the boardroom.”

  “No, Dad,” Parker assured his father. “I told you when I went back to O’Neill’s that I was ready, and I meant it.”

  “Good,” Robert replied and smiled at his son. “And you have been doing an amazing job since you came back. I am really proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Parker said, giving his father a grateful smile. He then glanced back at Alice and gave her a pleading look and she nodded her head.

  “Hey, did I show you what Alice got me for our first anniversary?” Parker asked excitedly as he stood up from the table. Alice loved how excited Parker was, and she just couldn’t ask him to keep their secret any longer.

  “No, you didn’t mention it,” Eleanor said, giving her son a questioning look.

  “Come with me,” he said as he took hold of Alice’s hand. “We want to show you something.”

  Parker led them from the kitchen and up the stairs, the whole time never letting go of Alice’s hand. As they made their way along the upper hallway, Alice could feel the excitement emanate from Parker and she couldn’t help but smile.

  When he reached the room across from their bedroom, he stopped and smiled at Alice before he opened the door.

  “Come on in,” Parker said as he stepped into the empty room, and turned back to his parents and his sister. He slipped his arm around Alice shoulder as he watched his parents look around the empty room, with a look of confusion on their face.

  “There is nothing in here,” Nicole said as she gave her brother a questioning look. “You know Parker, sometimes you’re so weird.”

  “Well, you’re right,” Parker laughed as he looked from his sister to Alice and his smiled widened. “There is nothing in here, yet. But in about six and a half months…”

  He walked across the room and turned back to his parents.

  “Right here, where I’m standing,” Parker said almost fit to burst with pride. “There will be a crib, and maybe a mobile above it…”

  “You…you’re kidding,” Nicole squealed excitedly.

  “No, I am not kidding,” Parker beamed as he hurried back across the room to where Alice was standing. He placed his hand on her belly and Alice never loved him more than in that moment. “My gift was this little bundle, growing inside this amazing woman.”

  “Oh my God!” Eleanor exclaimed as she rushed over to them and hugged them both. “I am going to be a grandma. This is incredible news.”

  “Well done, Son,” Robert said as he shook Parker’s hand, before he too hugged Alice.

  “Thanks, Dad,” Parker replied unable to keep the smile from his face. Alice loved how happy he was, and she was happy too. She had never felt happier in her life.

  Alice thought about Gram. She would have loved that there was a baby on the way, and while Alice wished that Gram was there with them, she knew she was with them in their hearts.

  “She would be proud of you,” Eleanor said, sensing what Alice was thinking.

  “I know she would,” Alice smiled. “And I know she would be happy that I’m happy.”

  “I think this calls for a celebration,” Parker said as he reached for Alice’s hand. “I have some champagne in the fridge down stairs.”

  They all made their way back down to the kitchen and Parker poured them all a glass of champagne. Alice had refused any, but Parker said one sip wouldn’t do her or the baby any harm.

  Once they all had their glasses, Parker raised his glass and looked at Alice.

  “A little over a year ago,” he began his eyes never leaving her. “I was lucky enough to meet and marry my best friend. I know things haven’t always gone smoothly. But you have to admit, it sure has been fun. So, here’s to this thing between us. May it always be so much fun.”

  They all raised their glasses and repeated. “This thing between us.”

  The End