Addicted to Mr Parks (The Parks Series #2)(44)

“Me?” I suspected. She worried too much. I loved her for it, I really did, but I wish she’d stop. I didn’t need anyone to worry about me.

She looked up from her knees. “I’m always f*cking worrying about you.”

“I’m not that bad, am I?” I did a light chuckle at the end of my sentence, but it only made Steph worse. She pushed to her feet and threw a pointed finger in my face.

“My parents and I have been looking after you since you were sixteen, Evey. We took you into our home only for you to f*ck us over again and again, so don’t you dare make this a joke.” My mouth was parted, waiting to explain, but Steph wouldn’t let me talk. “I saw you constantly drunk or on drugs, watched you waste every last part of your inheritance. You have been floating through life, drinking, back and forth between my parents’ and your aunts’ for years.”

“I know, but—”

“You’re twenty-five years old, Evey, and you still don’t have your shit together. I took you in and tried to get you better, and you still shit on me. How the f*ck am I meant to feel?” She turned her back to me as she wrapped her small body in her arms.

“Steph.” I sighed, looking into my lap. “I can’t express how grateful I am for what you and your family have done for me. And I can’t express my apology enough, but I’m trying now, I really am.”

She turned to me. “I’ve heard it all before. Why is this time different?” I couldn’t give her a definitive answer, so she groaned with her head tilted back and narrowed her eyes at me. “Where the hell have you been staying?”

I picked at her homemade bedspread. “My parents…at first.” I quickly put my hand up to stop her yelling. “I know, I’m crazy.”

“And now?”

I took a deep breath, not sure whether I was more frightened of telling her I’d stayed at my parents’ flat for a while or telling her I was staying with Parks. “I’m living with Parks. Wade,” I corrected myself.

She stared at me. Wide-eyed. Open-mouthed. “No. Way.”

“Yes. Way,” I humoured her, but she didn’t find it funny.

“How? When? Why?” Her words fell out in bewilderment as she blinked in disbelief.

God, I knew it was going to be tough trying to explain to Steph how Parks and I fitted so good together that it was a crime to deny it. Telling her that he was my mantra and trying to explain how he kept my mind sane and entranced was never going to go down well, because if I couldn’t understand it, how was anyone else meant to?

“I know how crazy it sounds, but we’re working on things. He’s helping me a lot.”

“You’re accepting help from him? But you shove mine in my face?” She was hurt and felt pushed out, I knew that, but that wasn’t the case. I never did shove her help back in her face, I just lost control again, and the same person that made me lose it was the same person who was getting me back on track.

“It’s not like that. It’s just when I’m around him, I feel like I don’t want to drink because he calms me. You know all the crazy habits I get myself into? Puzzles. Board games. Building things out of f*cking lollipop sticks. Swimming. I just need to be around Parks and he soothes me.”

“How is that even possible? You don’t even know him.” The way she was looking at me made me feel even crazier than I already did.

“I don’t know. But it is. And I need that. He’s my sanity. Even though he drives me f*cking insane.”

She shook her head in utter bafflement, so I reached over and took her hand. “But I also need you. There can’t be an Evey without a Steph.”

“Looks like there can. Because now it’s Wade and Evey.”

I slapped her knee playfully. “Are you jealous, Stephanie?”

She shot me down with a hurtful remark. “There also can’t be an Evey without drink.”

I bowed my head, exasperated. “Listen, I’m a work in progress. And Parks is getting me through it.”

“But he’s no doctor, Evey. You need real help for the long-term. Wade is just something else that occupies your mind, and when you get bored and start feeling empty again, you will suppress the ache with drink. I know you too well.”

“No. It’s not like that with Wade. I’ve told him more than I’ve ever told anyone. I’ve even…”


“You’ve what?” She frowned.

“I’ve shown him my scars.”

Steph’s face relaxed, but she was dubious. “You have? Wow. That’s…so brave of you. I know how self-conscious you are of them. He must really have made an impact.”

“He has,” I agreed.

“Then why the sigh?”

“Because whenever something is going good in my life, I always f*ck it up. So I’m just waiting to see what I can do to f*ck up this happiness.”

Finally, Steph softened and accepted my invitation for her to sit next to me. “Don’t think like that. Stay positive.”

“But I’m still unbalanced, Steph. I need you in my life. I really do. Please let me show you I can do this.”

While Steph thought for a second, I had a text on my phone. It was Tabby.



Tabby: Are you still coming?