by Cass Sellars
“That’s what I said. There must be some sucking up scheduled in exchange for a high-stakes heist or a tear-jerking chick flick.” Sydney pinched off a piece of the butter-sodden garlic bread just in time to receive a corrective smack on her arm from Parker. She feigned shock as she mischievously stepped out of reach and defiantly continued to chew.
Jenny rolled her eyes as she let Olivia Grace slip from her hip. “Could you try to have a little faith in us? We only ever want jewelry and foot rubs.” Jenny looked over at Parker, who smiled at her.
“Actually, we really only want the foot rubs. They’re a lot cheaper than jewelry anyway.” Parker beamed at Sydney as Olivia crashed headfirst into Sydney’s shins and raised her stubby arms over her head. “Sy-ee up!”
“You are ruthless, O.G.” Sydney was clearly trying to look unfazed as she swung the child into her arms and nuzzled her neck, eliciting an eardrum-shattering squeal from the toddler.
Parker’s heart swelled when she saw the child in Sydney’s once reluctant arms. They didn’t want children together, but Syd’s tender side touched her heart every time.
“Didn’t I forbid everyone from referring to my child as the Original Gangster? Uncle Allen is in so much trouble for starting that.” Mack tried to look stern, but Parker knew she was overcome by the existence of their miracle baby, finally theirs after three tries and two heartbreaking losses.
“By the time she’s old enough for it to matter, no one will remember who that was anyway; we’re just old.” Jenny snuggled into the circle of her wife’s arms and kissed her. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure she visits you in the home.”
“Considering I only have two years on you, you might be right next to me.” Mack swayed Jenny against her as they seemed to get lost in each other. Parker recalled Jenny clinging to Mack at a hospital not long ago and knew well the teasing was part of the strong bond they shared after Mack could easily have been taken away from their family.
They sat at the rarely used dining table in order to accommodate Olivia’s highchair that clipped onto the tabletop next to Jenny’s seat. Sydney passed the salad and looked expectantly at Parker as she began to eat.
“Okay, we’re sitting. What’s the story?” Syd chewed slowly as Parker began to formulate a strategy for the conversation.
“Well, Quint came into my office the other morning and asked a big favor. I told him I thought you would be fine with it, but then I got the RSVP list today, and suddenly, I’m not so sure.” Parker’s run-on sentence rushed out as she caught Jenny’s eye, silently pleading for help.
“Invite list. So, I’m assuming, then, that the big favor is a function of some kind, am I correct? And we are having it here?” Syd took another bite of lettuce she had folded onto her fork.
“Yeah, sorry. I forgot to start there. We’re just starting the renovation for the CTI expansion on the lake. Quint promised them a summer kick-off party at his house, but Brenda unexpectedly derailed it all with some big remodel that won’t even be ready until late fall at the soonest. So, he asked me…us, if we could have it here, and Jenny and I could host.”
Sydney looked amused.
“It would just be CTI people meeting DPI people and a couple of the key vendors and partners. Which,” she stopped to take a new breath, “is where the iffy part comes in.” Parker bit down on a rounded fingernail as Sydney grinned at her, obviously waiting for the punch line.
“Yes?” Sydney laid her fork on the plate and folded her arms, thoroughly enjoying the show.
“It seems that PRG is the advertising/PR firm doing CTI’s rebranding, which means Richard and Allen would be invited…”
“As well as Dayne Grant, right?” Sydney shifted slightly as she processed the thought of Parker’s ex-wife being inside her home. The first time Sydney met Dayne, she made a targeted play for Parker and proposed that she and Parker get back together.
“Right,” Jenny piped up, obviously trying to slightly lessen the pressure Parker was feeling. A party was one thing; possibly dealing with Dayne’s misbehavior was quite another.
Sydney picked up her fork and pierced a firm cherry tomato. “How many other guests do they expect?” She didn’t look up from her plate.
“A hundred are invited, but it’s unlikely that we’ll have more than fifty actually show up. DPI will pay for everything, and he even offered a service to come clean the next day if we wanted…you wanted. But it’s only two weeks away, so it will be a bit of a rush.” Parker stared at Sydney, clearly trying to decipher Sydney’s mood as she crunched contemplatively through her salad.
Syd carefully placed her fork on the plate and took a bite of bread, slowly swallowing before she spoke.
“So, let me get this straight.” Her voice was stern, and she narrowed her eyes. “You want us to host a huge work party in our home and allow your arrogant ex-wife to come poke through our medicine cabinet and paw through your underwear drawer?” Syd winked covertly at Mack, catching the mischievous glint in her eye as Syd pretended she had significant concerns at the prospective evening. Jenny shifted her stare between Parker and Sydney nervously, as if expecting an angry eruption.
She started to speak as Sydney moved from her chair and walked over to Parker’s. Mack started laughing when it was obvious Syd couldn’t bite her tongue or fight the smile any longer. Syd kneeled in front of Parker, grinning.
“I have told you a million times that I’m not threatened by the woman who let you get away, Park.” She held her fingers and kissed them lightly. “I was just teasing you. I couldn’t care less if she is here. That is, unless you have renewed feelings for her, in which case I’ll just have her taken out before the party. Problem solved.”
Parker noticeably relaxed into her chair and tapped Sydney on the forehead with a scolding finger. “Not nice, you know. I really thought you were mad.” Parker tilted her head onto Sydney’s shoulder before kissing her cheek.
Sydney took Parker’s face into her hands and looked at her seriously. “Name one time I’ve actually been mad at you in two years.”
“Well, there was the time when I let a stranger into the building who turned out to be Becky.”
“Doesn’t count. I hadn’t swept you off your feet yet.” Syd tried to remain light when she thought of Becky Weaver holding a knife to Parker in an effort to get to Sydney.
“Good point. Then, I guess never.” She brightened and stroked her fingers down Sydney’s arm. “You sure this will be okay?”
“Certainly. As soon as you convince me that I won’t find you groping her in the bathroom, we’re all set.” Sydney straightened and winked at Jenny, who stifled a laugh while Sydney sat back in her chair.
“Seriously, love? Just think of how many other choices I will have that night. Why eat the same dessert twice?” Parker teased Sydney, who knew she had it coming.
“Point taken. And it might just be the reason we finally get you that ‘Property of Hyatt’ tattoo on your forehead.” Sydney winked while she corralled the final mouthful of salad onto her fork.
“You two are like a comedy team. If this business thing ever fails, you could always hit the road together.” Mack shook her head and heaped pasta onto her plate, creating a tiny pile without sauce for Olivia.
“Bite your tongue, Foster. Parker isn’t allowed to leave DPI until I do.” Jenny poked at her wife before turning her attention to her daughter.
“You’re just afraid of being the sole object of Frank’s attention. At least he pretends to talk business with me.” Parker rolled her eyes and rubbed her bare foot up Sydney’s calf.
“Who is Frank?” Sydney looked at Jen, who was trying to corral an escaped noodle before it hit the floor under Olivia’s chair.
“Ugh. Just a nerdy guy in sales. He can’t hit on Parker overtly, so he pretends to talk to her about work and tells me about his female conquests because he thinks we’re buddies or something. He can barely concentrate when she’s in the room because he’s staring at her boobs, and as
soon as she walks away, his eyes are glued to her ass.”
Jenny shook her head and cut another noodle for Olivia, who seemed to be more enthralled with squeezing the pasta between her fingers than eating it.
Sydney raised her eyebrow at Parker. “Maybe we need to schedule that tattoo sooner than we thought.”
Parker smirked. “My dear, Frank Meyers is a tiny little man nearly half my age who has a better shot with you than he has ever had with me.”
“Well, there goes my appetite.” Sydney theatrically dropped her garlic toast onto her plate to a renewed round of laughter.
“Please be sure to identify him if he comes to the party. Syd and I can make a point to introduce ourselves.” Mack smirked, catching her de facto partner’s eye. They had worked together on several unofficial cases and had nearly been killed together in Sydney’s rolling Porsche. The resulting bond was unbreakable.
“Oh, no. You two will probably make him wet his pants before his first cocktail.” Parker wagged a finger at them. “He’s harmless and a little sad, but he’s no threat to either of you. Besides, Jenny is the only person he can look in the eye, so his staring at other people’s body parts might just be a coincidence.” Parker ducked as Jenny threw a balled-up napkin across the table at her.
“All that said, Jen and I will plan it over the next week and handle the final details on Thursday and Friday from here, if that’s okay with you, love?”
Syd nodded as everyone began stacking their cleaned plates. “Sure.” Syd lifted some dishes from the table. “Just tell me what I need to do.”
“Be my bodyguard and grope me in the bathroom, of course,” Parker said seriously as she walked into the kitchen.
“Finally. A job I’m completely qualified for. Score one for me.” Syd snuck a kiss and returned to collect the remaining remnants of dinner.
Jenny kissed Olivia loudly on the cheek before scooping the cold pasta out of the corner of the highchair tray. Syd loaded the dishwasher and drained the remaining wine into Parker’s glass.
“Thanks for dinner, and sorry for the mess the little gangster made.” Jenny balanced Olivia on the island as Mack took a wet towel to her fingers and face.
“You are more than welcome always, you know that. Let’s meet in the morning, and we can get started, okay?” Parker turned to hug Mack and nuzzled Olivia before they packed acres of baby things into their car and headed home.
She and Syd were finally alone together. “Thank you for being the best girlfriend and being understanding about what will happen to your place for forty-eight hours.” Parker heaved herself onto the countertop and pulled Sydney to her with her legs.
“Park, this is our place. Why would you ask my opinion instead of just telling me how it’s going to be?” Syd sifted her fingers through Parker’s hair. Parker closed her eyes when Sydney began rubbing the tension from her neck.
“I guess the Dayne thing was the extra monkey wrench in it this time. I just didn’t want you to feel like you had to say yes if it made you uncomfortable.” Parker stroked Syd’s arm.
“I promise to tell you when something makes me uncomfortable if you’ll promise the same.”
“Deal.” Parker leaned against Syd and breathed in the scent of her skin. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
“Best part of my day is when you tell me things like that. I love you.” She wondered why Parker still couldn’t think of this as their home. Syd thought the years of compulsive independence might take a few more years to completely unravel. She was willing to wait.
Chapter Four
Parker looked up from her desk and unexpectedly saw Syd’s face. She grinned as she recalled the hours spent rolling around with her the night before.
“I don’t believe you’ve ever been to this office during business hours, Ms. Hyatt.” Parker stood and stepped from behind her desk.
Syd cocked a khaki-clad hip into the door frame and hooked the arm of her sunglasses into the collar of her casual black T-shirt.
“I thought you were running a successful business helping overworked legal professionals put away the bad guys.” Parker regarded her curiously.
“Indeed I am. But I heard the love of my life works here, and I just needed to see her beautiful face.” She winked playfully as Parker stood and moved around her desk.
“What is happening in here, may I ask?” Jenny appeared around the corner wearing plum-colored platform heels and a perfectly hued sheath to match. She snaked an arm around Sydney’s waist and accepted a chaste kiss on her cheek. “You should train my wife to come visit me in the middle of the day, Syd.”
“She wants to, Mrs. Foster, but she just can’t trust herself to be restrained around you.” Syd winked at her, locking her arms around Jenny.
“Dear heavens, you are a lucky girl, Park. The charm just leaks out everywhere.” Jenny waved her hand over Syd’s body and shook her head in mock resignation.
“Trust me, I know. It’s dangerous, especially when you don’t know what the ulterior motive is.” Parker deposited a quick kiss on Sydney’s mouth as she glanced down the executive hall behind them. She was careful to shield her personal life at the office, since she knew well that HR was subject to extra scrutiny. She didn’t care who knew she was a lesbian, but she always avoided overt PDAs in the office.
Parker heard footsteps, and Jenny leaned back to see better down the hall. She gestured and mouthed “Frank” to Sydney, who didn’t turn around.
Frank Meyers stood twisting the toe of his loafer against the grain of the carpet until Jenny released Syd and spun to greet the account executive.
“Afternoon, Frank. How are you?” Jenny said enthusiastically.
Sydney slowly pivoted to appraise her wife’s biggest fan.
“Hi, Jenny. I just wondered if you have everything you need for my new employees. I’m getting backed up and hoped they would be able to start this week.” He peered around Jenny, presumably to catch sight of Parker. “Hi, Parker. You look very nice today.” He dropped his eyes to the floor before obviously skating them up Parker’s body.
Syd glanced back at Parker, who returned a warning look at Syd before she replied.
“Thank you, Frank. I saw your new hires this morning with the two new accounting guys doing tax forms and getting the tour from Quint. So, you should—speak of the devil.” Parker gestured behind him where Quint was leading the new employees. “Here they are now. Perfect timing.”
Quint led a wiry man in his thirties wearing worn gray pants and a yellow oxford into the crowd. A younger, dark-complexioned man in a cheap suit followed closely behind. Two bookish and pale men over forty stood close to one another as if forming a shield in the face of suspected fire.
Jenny stepped forward to shake their hands. “How is your first day so far, everyone? It’s quite an honor to get the tour from the CEO on your first day. I’m still waiting for mine.” Jenny smiled broadly at Quint, who looked at her fondly.
“I’m just waiting for a break in my schedule, Jenny. I think 2022 will be your year.” He laughed at the mock huff and Jenny’s well-known inability to keep a straight face.
Parker stepped past Syd and welcomed them each to DPI. She knew Syd would bring Frank up later. Syd was protective of her to a fault, somehow charming and mildly suffocating at the same time.
Quint held a hand out toward Sydney. “How are you, Ms. Hyatt? I wanted to say thank you again for agreeing to host our little shindig. Very generous of you.”
“Call me Syd, please, and you’re very welcome. My pleasure.” Sydney shook his hand and smiled. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m headed to Maclean for a meeting with the DA, so I should be prompt. Nice to see everyone.” Syd hugged Parker and accepted a quick peck from Jenny, who headed back to her office with Frank in tow. The new employees followed in a single line behind him.
Quint walked with Syd to the elevator, seemingly relieved to relinquish his tour guide duties. Syd glanced back at Parker before Quint began q
uizzing her about how she recreated crime scenes for juries and prosecutors trying a case. He seemed genuinely fascinated, and Sydney offered him a private look inside the DRIFT studios before the party.
Parker took stock of the visit and decided to be happy she’d missed her enough to stop by instead of wondering if she just wanted to be sure Parker was where she said she would be. She reasoned that Syd’s concern wasn’t about her potential infidelity but an undeniable need to make sure she was safe. And she couldn’t fault her for that.
Chapter Five
Parker felt as if she’d spent twenty-four hours pointing and adjusting and shifting the entire contents of the loft. She stashed a myriad of precious knickknacks and personal photos into boxes to accommodate a makeshift bar and multiple surfaces for hors d’oeuvres, petit fours, and an ice sculpture boasting the CTI logo that Brenda Davidson had insisted on. Parker tended toward the understated where Brenda liked to scream things just a bit too loudly for Parker’s taste.
Jenny plodded into the living room wearing only a camisole, cotton shorts, and a scowl. “I need help. Mack won’t be back from dropping Olivia for an hour, and I don’t think I packed the right outfit. I’m panicking.”
“Well, Frank will love you just as you are, Jen.” Parker laughed as Jenny stomped her foot. She huffed and turned back toward the bedroom just in time to smack into Sydney as she was buttoning a white Lanvin shirt.
Jen gasped at Sydney, who lost hold of a cufflink. “I’m so sorry, Syd. I didn’t see you!” Jenny scrambled to pick up the platinum lightning bolt that skittered across the old concrete floor. She retrieved it and appraised the item that matched Parker’s necklace.
She turned to Parker with a smile. “I take it these are from you, Park? Nice job.” She placed it in Syd’s palm. “You two are so damn cute together, it’s almost nauseating. Parker, I need your closet before I have a meltdown.” She shifted focus again.
