Beckett and Aiden started to lightly squabble, but Parker tuned it out as Kit was tugging on her arm, looking like a lost puppy begging for scraps.Parker nodded.“We can stay, but only because I still need to do this week’s shopping.”She looked over at the group and smiled apologetically.“Is it okay with you guys if we crash your breakfast?”
“Of course it is,” Nolan said.He walked out onto the porch followed by his wife, Nate, Felix and Autumn, and finally Travis.When his eyes met her, a knowing smile came over his face.“You are welcome anytime you like.”
Parker nodded, her eyes never leaving Travis.“Thank you.”Travis walked up to her and gently placed his hand at her lower back.“Do you think we can talk later?”she whispered to him.He looked slightly alarmed, so she tried to smile reassuringly.“About us.About the future.”
Travis nodded and leaned over to kiss her cheek.Parker blushed knowing his whole family witnessed it as well as her daughter, but when she gazed over at the table, no one looked the tiniest bit surprised, not even Kit.“Later.”
Parker nodded and took her seat in between Travis and Kit, feeling very much like she was in the place she belonged with the people she belonged to.A bright future that looked remarkably similar to the present she was experiencing in that moment flashed before her eyes and she smiled, hoping to make that future a reality as quickly as possible.
Chapter Twenty-One
Travis
Having Parker and Kit at breakfast with his entire family had Travis’s heart feeling fuller than Kit’s distended stomach.The little girl had put away quite a lot of food for someone so small, giving him and his brothers a run for their money when it came to slices of French toast eaten in one sitting.Travis had demolished four thick slices, and that was on top of eggs and bacon as well.Beckett went one slice further, but even he looked a little sick to his stomach.Aiden, Felix, and Nate hadn’t even tried keeping up with Kit who took down six slices of toast drenched in maple syrup, a side of eggs, two glasses of orange juice and enough bacon to clog even a marathon runner’s arteries.
Parker went a bit lighter on her meal, but Travis was still pleased when she took seconds without waiting for everyone else to go first.It was good to see her feeling so at home there with all of them, with him especially.All during breakfast they held hands under the table, their feet touching each other’s lightly every now and then as they shot looks at one another that held the promise of more time together later.Leaving her that morning had been the hardest thing he had to do, and now that he knew she wanted to talk about a future together later on, he planned on putting forward an idea that had been simmering in his mind ever since he first started falling for her.
The sound of Kit’s loud burp and the chorus of laughter that followed derailed his thought train.He looked over to see Kit holding her swollen belly and looking up at her mom with an expression that could only be described as regretful.“I think I ate too much,” she said, her voice wobbly.
Parker nodded and scooted out of her chair, helping Kit up as well.“It certainly wouldn’t be the first time your eyes were bigger than your belly.”With a smile to everyone at the table, she wrapped her hands over Kit’s shoulders.“I think I’ll take this one up to her room.It was nice seeing you all.”
After a round of quick goodbyes, Parker and Kit started to walk home.Chasing after them, Travis pulled Parker aside.“Want me to go to the store, get any medicine or ginger ale?”The only home remedy his mom had ever used when he had a stomach ache was belly rubs, something he was sure Parker already had the market cornered on.
Parker leaned up and kissed his cheek.“Thank you, and I’ll let you know, but I think she just needs to make a little more room if you know what I mean.”
Kit groaned, though it obviously wasn’t from her bellyache.“Mom!Can you not tell everyone when I have to poop?”
Travis chuckled and ruffled Kit’s hair.“Don’t worry, Giggles.Secret’s safe with me.”Looking up at Parker, he licked his lips and raised his brow.“Still on to talk later?”
The blush on her cheeks was something he vowed to make happen as often as possible because it made her look absolutely beautiful.“Definitely.”With a nod and a gentle brush of his fingers against hers, Travis watched Parker take her daughter to their apartment.The invisible thread that seemed to tie them together tugged at him, his body leaning in their direction until long after they were out of sight.
“Damn.”Travis turned to the side to see his brother Nate standing there, a shit-eating grin on his face.“You’ve got it bad my friend.”
Travis chuckled, not denying it because he did have it bad.Against all odds, he’d managed to fall in love, and the thought of that love had him smiling so wide his cheeks hurt.“That I do,” he grunted.Looking back at the porch and seeing that almost everyone was making their way into the house or over to their cars, Travis looked back at Nate, surprised to find that he wasn’t typing away on his phone.“S’up with you?”
Nate pulled back, looking offended.“What do you mean?Nothing’s up with me.”Nate looked around the backyard, looking more uneasy with each second that Travis spent inspecting him.Finally, after at least a full minute of silence, Nate threw up his hands in a huff.“Fine.I’m tired of working my ass off trying to improve this town and getting nowhere.No one on the city council or any of the shop owners downtown want to accept the changes needed to make this place great.”He blew out a long exhale, his hands on his hips.“And I can’t find my apples.”
