Somebody to Love(64)

“Gorgeous.”

“Stop it, Thing One.”

“Stunning.”

“Okay, you’ve pushed your       credibility enough for one day. I’m going swimming. Want to      come?”

That shut him up. “No thanks. Be       careful.”

And as always, she felt his eyes       on her as she and her little dog swam through the cold water.

* * *

AT SIX O’CLOCK       that evening, Parker heard the purr of an expensive car coming down the       road.

“Here comes trouble,” she said,       opening the front door. James came up behind her, smelling of soap and       laundry detergent and sun. So good it should be illegal. She could feel his       warmth behind her, and if she stepped back a little bit, she’d be nicely       cozied up against his—

“Who’s that?” James       asked.

“My next stepfather?” Parker       guessed.

“Sweet ride,” he murmured, his       breath stirring her hair. And not only her hair. Lady Land perked right up.       She cleared her throat and stepped forward a little bit.

Her mother was sitting in the       passenger seat of a chocolate-brown Porsche convertible; at least it wasn’t       black or red, so points to the driver for not living the total midlife       crisis cliché. He was blond, maybe forty years old and wore aviator       sunglasses.

“Hello, darling!” her mother       called, vaulting out of the car, her half smile as unchanging and disturbing       as Jack Nicholson’s Joker. “Guess into whom I ran.”

“‘Into whom I ran’?” James       echoed. “That is some very impressive grammar.”

Althea hustled to the door and,       ignoring James completely, whispered, “This is Collier Rhodes, he owns the       Pines, he’s loaded, don’t blow this. Husband material, Parker.”

“For you or for me?” Parker       asked.

“For you! Don’t be ridiculous!       I’m blissfully happy with Maury. Let’s go! Hurry up. I don’t want him to see       this pigpen any more than he already has.” She glanced back. “Collier, we’ll       be one second! Oh, damn, he’s coming in.”

“Now, now, Mother,” Parker       murmured. “Hi,” she said to the man. “I’m the daughter.” She was positive       the man had already been briefed on her blue blood, education, career and       fertility.

The man removed his sunglasses,       revealing very blue eyes. Nice. He smiled. “Hi. I’m Collier. I guess we’re       neighbors.”

“Parker Welles. This is my       friend, James Cahill.”

“Good to meet you, man,” Collier       said as they shook hands.

“He’s not her friend per se,” Althea       chirped. “He’s the help.”

Parker raised an eyebrow.       “Actually, he’s—”

“Darling,” Althea interrupted,       widening her tightened eyes with great effort. “Collier has been       so sweet! I       wandered up to the Pines, a little nostalgic, and there he was, and before I       knew it, he’d invited us to stay for a few days!”

Mmm-hmm. A little nostalgic, her       ass. It wasn’t surprising Althea had tracked down the town’s biggest       landowner. She had a nose like a drug-sniffing bloodhound when it came to       rich men.

“And he’s having a little dinner       party tonight for us. Isn’t that wonderful? So let’s go.” She gave Parker a       quick scan and apparently found her dress acceptable, though she unsubtly       tucked her finger into her own neckline and made a downward motion, sign       language for Show more boob and he’ll pop the       question faster.

“James, you free? You’re more       than welcome,” Collier said.

“Oh, I’m sure he had other       plans,” Althea said. “My ex-husband sent him to do a little work for Parker,       that’s all.”

Parker glanced back at James.       His hair was still damp from the shower. “Why don’t you come, James?” she       asked, suddenly quite aware that she really, really wanted his       company.