Addicted to Mr Parks (The Parks Series #2)(96)

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure to welcome you all here tonight to raise awareness and support for Children of Addicts. I want to seize this opportunity to thank you all for your generous donations. My gratitude is endless to you, and to those who work at the heart of my charity.” Her expression fell a little grave as she clasped her hands. “As you know, COA was foundered by myself and my marvellous team four years ago. We work tirelessly to help those children who have been, or are being, affected by parental drug and alcohol abuse.” Parks didn’t look at me, but he gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

“The mentors and the supporters of this charity have all experienced first-hand how it feels growing up with a parent who is an addict. We want those children to know they are not alone.”

My head dipped, and I was suddenly staring at my feet. Watching Harriet on stage looking heartbroken but extremely passionate about her charity was one of the most heart-warming things I’d ever seen.

“All children deserve a warm, safe place to call home. All children deserve the right to feel loved, feel wanted. Protected. It is not only the using who feel repercussions from the use of a substance, it effects everybody around them. Some children are so deeply affected by their parents’ habits that they continue to feel the physical effects straight through to adulthood.”

Harriet’s words were cutting into me, making old and new wounds split open again and pour out the hurt I’ve always felt. But what also spiked my attention was the way Parks was reacting. His expressions were only slight—shaking his head or scoffing briefly—but it was like he wasn’t buying into what his mother was preaching. It made me wonder.

Harriet went on. “COA are here to listen to those thousands of children that have to endure the everyday struggle of living with an addict.”

“I think your mother is exceptional,” I whispered. “Has she ever lived with an addict?”

His eyes narrowed as he briefly flicked his gaze from my eyes to his mother on stage. “Yes.”

Harriet was almost done, so I waited to ask more. “To end on a high note, I thank you all considerably for coming out tonight. Let us all continue to build that support and friendship and find another way for the victims, for the children.”

The room erupted in loud applause, everybody rising from their seats to give Harriet, rightly so, a standing ovation.

Soon after, a quarter of the guests returned to their seats while some hit the dance floor and others conversed.

“So—” I took back my seat at the table, “—your mother grew up with an addict?”

Parks’s hand stiffened around his glass. “Not exactly.”

“Oh my dear grandson, please introduce this pretty young lady to your gran.”

Parks and I glanced up to see a beautiful, petite old lady standing over us. She had soft, flushed, pink cheeks and warm, kind, brown eyes that were tenderly glancing at us both. Her short, brown hairstyle framed a gracefully aged face, and her neck dressed in stunning pears set off her black dress elegantly. She was just about to bend down to kiss her grandson, but Parks pushed up from his chair immediately and welcomed his grandmother with open arms.

“Gran. Where’s Grandad?”

“He’s left. It’s too much excitement for him.” She chuckled, kissing Parks’s cheeks once more, then she moved him out of the way. “Now, please make an old woman happy and tell me that my grandson has finally gone and found himself a beautiful lady?”

“He has.” I smiled, biting the side of my lip a little nervously. I never get bloody nervous.

“Oh.” She held her palm against her heart, her eyes a little teary. “I’m almost eighty-six years old and never thought I’d see the day.” She cupped my cheek, smiling adoringly.

“Gran, this is Evelyn. Evelyn, my grandmother, Judith.”


“It’s so nice to meet you.” I smiled. “I would say Wade has told me so much about you, but—”

She flapped a hand. “I know my grandson, sweet child. He talks very little. Works extremely hard but does very little else.” She winked.

“Thanks, Gran,” Parks teased.

In the background, Frank Sinatra began to play, which sparked Judith’s attention. “Oh, my sweet Frank.” She began swaying. “Excuse me while I go give it some wiggle.”

Some wiggle? I started laughing and more so when she took Parks’s hand.

“Come on, Wade. Dance with your gran.”

Parks held out his hand. “Lead the way.” Then he glanced to me. “I’ll be right back.”

“You go.” I smiled, bending into the kiss he pressed upon my cheek.

Watching Parks dancing perfectly with his grandmother was a beautiful sight. I even got my phone out to take a couple of photos. Any fool could see how much he adored her, and I wished I could say he looked at his mother the same way, but he didn’t.

I drank back the rest of my orange juice and was suddenly hit by the presence of David, Parks’s PA. What the hell did he want?

“Evey, good evening.” He nodded as he greeted me and lowered himself into the seat where Parks was originally sitting. He looked good in black tux, but he had his greying hair in a ridiculous comb-over, trying to make himself look ten yours younger.

“Dave,” I acknowledged him and couldn’t help smirk at the way his left eye twitched just because he hated me calling him Dave.