One Good Reason (Boston Love #3)(50)

“You’re just gonna run again?” he asks, voice low. “Really, Zoe?”

I swallow. “I have to be somewhere.”

“Where?” He scoffs. “Anywhere but near me, I suppose?”

I don’t answer.

“Pretty strange, then, you showing up at my sister’s Christmas party.” His eyes narrow.

Before I can retort, there’s a sound of commotion — whispers, footfalls, muffled curses — and then the entire damn West entourage bursts into the foyer, all wide-eyed and winded, jostling for positions in the archway, pushing each other for better views. I turn and see Phoebe, Nate, Mark, Chrissy, Gemma, Chase, Shelby, and Luca all staring at us. Nate’s private security boys tower at the back, a head above the rest of the group. Even the Three Stooges are there, peeking around a corner to witness whatever’s about to go down. And Boo is weaving between their legs like a cat, jingling with every step.

“What’s happening?” Chrissy hisses.

“Do they know each other?” Shelby asks.

“Apparently.” Gemma’s voice is dry.

“Woof!” Boo barks.

“Parker, how do you know Tink?” Phoebe pushes free of the fray and steps up to my side.

There’s a loaded beat of silence. Parker’s voice goes gravelly.

“Tink?”

I don’t look at him. I can’t look at him. I’m afraid of what I’ll see in his eyes.

“Yeah, Tink.” Phoebe sounds exasperated. “The girl who saved my ass, last spring. You remember, don’t you? That time your only sister, your flesh and blood, got kidnapped by mobsters?”

He pauses again. From the corner of my eye, I see his head swivel around to look down into my face. When he speaks, the words reverberate from deep inside his chest. “Yeah. I remember.”

I press my eyes closed.

Shit, f*ck, damn.

“Well, we bumped into her at that underground fight last night, the one you and Nate didn’t want us going to because it was a quote-unquote bad crowd, or whatever. Thank god I never listen to anything you two say.”

I feel Parker move closer. When he speaks, it’s not to Phoebe.

“You’re the one who saved my sister.”

I still don’t look at him.

“But, wait…” Phoebe’s confused. “If you didn’t know she was Tink, how’d you know her?”

Parker doesn’t say anything.

Forcing my eyes open, I muster my courage and drag my gaze up to his face. Immediately, I see he’s not angry. Alarmingly, he looks almost… happy. His eyes rove my features with new awareness, like a master thief who’s finally discovered the right combination to crack open an impenetrable safe.

“You could’ve told me, you know,” he murmurs, a hint of a smile touching his lips. “Saved me a week of thinking you weren’t interested in me. My ego could’ve been permanently damaged.”

“Seriously doubt that’s possible.” I counter immediately. “And I’m not interested in you.”

“See, I don’t think that’s the case.” He leans in a bit, eyes getting warm. “I’m thinking, if anything, you being here tonight means you’re more than interested.”

“You’re wrong.”

“You could’ve told me how you knew my family. One sentence of explanation would’ve cleared the air.” His gaze is sharp. “You kept it hidden because you were looking for any excuse to talk yourself out of taking a risk on something that scares you.”

“And what would that be?” I snap.

His eyes soften. “Us.”

“There is no us,” I whisper, heart clenching.

“Then why’d you come sailing with me?” he asks.

“You had something I needed.” I try — unsuccessfully — to move out of his space. “You blackmailed me.”

He grins. “That’s not what happened and you know it.”

“Wait!” Phoebe explodes. “Wait just a damn minute!”

We both look at her. She’s got her hands planted on her hips and is glaring at her brother furiously. Nate, standing immediately behind her, looks like he’s trying very hard not to laugh.

“This is the girl you took sailing?” Phoebe’s gaze swivels back and forth between Parker and me. “Tink is the girl you’ve been talking about ad nauseam for the past week?”

My gaze swings to Parker. I feel my mouth tug up in an involuntary smile. “Oh, really?”

Parker looks a little red around the collar — it’s actually pretty adorable, seeing him flustered. “No.”

“You said she was amazing,” Phoebe reveals, grinning so wide I’m afraid her cheeks might split. “You said you’d never met anyone like—”

“Enough!” Parker cuts her off before she can reveal anything else, grabs my arm, and yanks open the front door. “We’re leaving.”

“We are?” I ask, arching my brows. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay here? I think Phoebe has more to say…”

He grunts and pushes me out onto the steps. I manage to wave briefly at Luca before I lose sight of him.

“I’ll call you, Zoe!” Phoebe yells as the door slams closed.