Somebody to Love(107)

He didn’t answer.

“Eight months. That’s great,” Parker said. Her expression and tone were completely pleasant. “Obviously, my business with James can wait until after you two catch up. Welcome to Gideon’s Cove. Have a wonderful night.”

She walked past James, not touching him. “She’s totally nice!” Leah said. “I thought she’d be so stuck-up!”

“I—I’ll be right back,” James said. “Stay here.” The door to his apartment closed as Parker left. Way too classy to slam it, of course.

“I wanted to surprise you,” Leah said, a hint of a pout creeping into her voice.

“And you did,” he said over his shoulder. “Be back soon.”

He bolted out the door, clattered down the stairs. “James!” said Mrs. Kandinsky, opening the door. “There’s a very pretty young lady here to see you! And I believe that children’s author just left!”

“Thanks, Mrs. K.,” he said, not stopping.

“Always in such a hurry, you young people,” she commented.

Parker was already a block ahead of him. “Parker! Wait up!” he called. She didn’t slow down. He didn’t blame her.

He caught up to her in front of Dewey’s and grabbed her by the arm. She shook him off. Already, people inside were watching them. “Parker, it’s not what you think.”

She gave a bitter laugh. “Wow. That was really the wrong thing to say.”

“I didn’t know she was coming! I had no idea! You heard her. It was a surprise.”

Parker tilted her head and looked at him, her expression calm. “How old is she? Just out of curiosity?”

“Um, twenty-two? Twenty-three?”

Clearly that was the wrong answer, because Parker jerked the door open and walked up to the bar. “Hello, Dewey,” she said pleasantly. “I’d like a glass of your best scotch, neat, if you don’t mind.”

“You bet, Parker.” He winked.

“Parker.” James came up beside her. “I really need to—”

“Hey there, Parker!” said one of the Three Musketeers…Stuart, who’d helped Parker paint her bedroom. “How’s it going?”

“Well,” she said, smiling at the old man, “I’ve been better, Stu. How are you? How’s your knee?”

“Not so bad. You look upset, sweetheart. Anything I can do?”

“If you could keep James here from talking to me, that’d be great.”

James flinched. “Parker, please let me explain.”

“The lady doesn’t want to talk to you,” Stuart said pleasantly. “Sorry, son.”

Dewey placed the glass in front of her, and she drained it in one gulp. His uncle’s eyebrows rose.

“Parker—”

“James, I do not wish to speak to you at this time. Please leave me alone.” Her voice carried through the bar quite clearly, especially as everyone had stopped talking.

James glanced around. Chantal shot him a smile, and her husband made a sympathetic Dude, you’re screwed grimace. Malone was less friendly, giving him the Stare of Death.

“I had no idea she was coming,” James said, turning back to the subject at hand and doing his best to ignore the nearly silent bar. “I had no idea you were coming. You could’ve called, Parker. You have my number.”

“I definitely wish I had called, believe me,” she answered, not looking at him. “Then I might’ve learned that you have a girlfriend. Dewey, can I have another one? Thanks, buddy.”

“Parker, I don’t have a girlfriend. I broke up with her. Months ago,” James said.

“Well, I’m pretty sure the fact that she came all the way up here, lit all those candles, took off her clothes, got into your bed and called you ‘baby’ shows that she, at least, thinks you have a girlfriend.” Her eyes were diamond-hard.

“That’s really not honorable, man.” This from the rich guy. Great. Collier Rhodes, there to pick up the pieces.

“Parker, Leah is not the… She’s not my girlfriend. We hung out a few times. I told her I was going to Maine for the summer— Do we have to discuss this here?”

“You know, it’s ironic. I used to think you were just like my father, but you changed my mind this summer. But here you are, exactly like him. The son he never had. Twenty-two, huh? Twenty-two. Wow.”

“Parker,” James ground out, “please tell me why you wanted to see me.”

Parker swallowed her second scotch and turned to look at him fully. “I came to tell you this, Thing One.” Great. He was back to Thing One. “Nicky told me today that he hid on you. On purpose. He heard you calling and he didn’t want to come out. And I was concerned about you, James, because I knew you felt responsible for losing him.” Her voice thickened with tears. “So don’t. Don’t feel guilty about that.” Her voice took on an edge, rising in volume. “But the fact that you were planning to move to New York while I was thinking about babies and long-term relationships? Feel guilty for leading me on.”

“Parker, I wasn’t—”

She cut him off. “Oh, and the na**d woman in your bed with the candles and music? Yes. Go ahead and feel guilty about that, Thing One!”