Chapter Six
Parker
The smell of pancakes fresh off the griddle still hung in the air despite the meal she and Kit had shared with the three other adults at the table nearing its end.Like her daughter before her, Parker had taken an immediate liking to Nolan and Cora Kemp.The older couple were easily the most affable people she had ever met, insisting that she and Kit take as much food as they liked, keeping their questions polite and not probing too deeply as to make either of them uncomfortable.
Parker smiled as Kit regaled the pair with tales from her morning adventure.Apparently after waking and finding her mom still asleep, Kit ran through the trees looking for animal friends of any kind to occupy her time like some animated princess when she’d run into Nolan.The fact that she was found by a kind, responsible adult and not someone else was a blessing Parker would be forever grateful for.
As Kit continued to gush repeatedly about how cool it was that they lived on such a large farm, Parker found her eyes wandering over to the man who’d spent most of the meal sitting silently as he ate his breakfast.Travis, the name she would learn was his after proper introductions had been made, seemed less bothered by their presence at the table than he had by their camping on the property.Maybe he’d realized that theirs was an innocent mistake, but Parker thought it was far more likely that his mom had been more explicit about their situation.Cora was a lovely woman, but there had been no hiding her empathetic looks as she took in the state of Parker and Kit, their circumstances obvious.
Parker knew that their clothes were old and tattered, that they didn’t fit right and that neither she nor Kit had showered properly for at least two days and probably looked it, but instead of feeling defensive or prickly about being exposed as helpless and without a place to stay, she tried to just be grateful for the warm meal and good company.There weren’t many people who were openly welcoming of strangers, and the Kemps had been that and more.
Still, the longer they sat at the table and the more Parker felt Travis’s eyes focusing on her, the more uncomfortable she became.The feelings of gratitude gave way to grief.Her being unable to provide that kind of friendly, stable, safe environment for her own daughter weighed heavily on her and caused the little food she was able to put down to sink like a rock in her gut.
Clearing her throat, Parker smiled at the Kemps before pulling her daughter into a side hug.“We really appreciate you letting us crash your meal, and for not being too upset about the camping.”
Her eyes flicked to Travis’s to find the deep pools the color of Bermuda grass already fixed on her.They were beautiful eyes set in a handsome face.Even with the thick beard and shaggy hair, Parker could tell that he was a good looking man.As she continued to look, he shifted in his seat and crossed his arms, the large biceps stretching the cotton of his shirt so tightly that she thought he might pop some sewing stitches.
Dragging her eyes away from the very attractive but very irritable man, Parker gave her daughter the look she knew all too well.“We should get back on the road.Get out of your hair.”
Kit opened her mouth to protest, but as she stared at Parker, her expression became resigned.“Yeah.Back on the road,” she mumbled.There were a lot of things Parker could deal with unfazed.Fifteen hour shifts with grabby customers and a lack of self-care were all things she was used to, but as often as she’d seen it, Kit looking like the last puppy at the adoption center who no one would take home always hit her like an arrow to the chest.“Thank you for breakfast.I didn’t know chocolate chips could go in pancakes.”
Parker swallowed the thick lump in her throat and blinked away tears.“Well, we learn something new every day now, don’t we?”Trying for a reassuring smile, she pushed the leftover pancakes from her own plate onto Kit’s.“Why don’t you load up now while I use the bathroom?”
Kit beamed at her and Parker held onto her smile long enough to find out where the bathroom was before darting toward it as quickly as possible.Once she was inside and the door was closed, she braced herself against the counter and stared into the mirror.Her curls were a frizzy, tangled bird’s nest and her face looked so sallow you’d think she had liver failure.She was a mess, had made a mess of her life, and now that same mess was spilling onto her daughter.
Sniffing, she wiped away a rogue tear and washed up.As far as she could tell, they were a few hours outside of Seattle.She didn’t love the idea of being in the big city again, but there was guaranteed work there and she needed to do whatever it took to give Kit some stability.Maybe this city would be safer than the last.
With a sigh, Parker opened the door and ran smack into a wall.Bracing her hands against it, she pushed back, her eyes widening as she discovered that the wall she’d run into was made of hard muscle and sun-kissed skin covered in soft cotton.Not able to help herself, Parker pressed her fingertips lightly into Travis’s chest, her core aching when there was very little give.He looked strong, stronger than anyone else she’d ever laid eyes on, and she’d just confirmed he felt it too.
When she’d first popped her head out of the tent and taken in his barrel chest, massive arms, and thick thighs encased in denim, Parker had two thoughts.The first was that the man was hotter than sin and she wanted to climb him like a tree, but the glower on his face had the second thought popping up.This man was intimidating as hell and could easily hurt her.Now that she’d spent a little more time around him and seen flashes of kindness in his eyes, she doubted very much he would ever do that, but she’d been wrong about men before.
Either way, Travis was a virtual stranger and here she was feeling him up.“S-sorry,” she stuttered.
Backing up a step, Parker brushed her hands down her jeans just to have something to do with them other than grabbing his body again.It felt really good and after a dry spell that was closing in on nine years, Parker could use a little more of feeling good with another person.Beyond her obvious desire to take a tumble out in the trees with Travis, she also wanted him to pull her close and hold her in his arms all night long so she could allow herself to feel a moment’s peace.
Travis coughed into his fist.“No worries.”He nodded toward the wooden door that led out onto the porch.“Wanted to talk to you about something.Thought it best to do without the little one ‘round.”
A sense of foreboding settled over her.Was he going to do something about the trespassing anyway?His parents seemed to think the matter was already settled, but if he was the proprietor and they just lived with him, ultimately it was up to Travis whether he pressed charges.
“If it’s about the camping, I really am sorry.”She walked outside, the air making her sweat more than she already was as nervous moths took flight in her belly.“I don’t have any money to offer as payment, but maybe we can trade or barter or something.”Parker took a mental inventory of her and Kit’s belongings and winced.They had nothing of value other than the food they’d been storing up, and even that was nearly past expiration.
Travis looked at her like she was crazy.“Not what I meant.”He gestured to two white rocking chairs and she took one.The swaying motion had her feeling even more off kilter as she stared at the man across from her, willing him to speak so she would know what the hell he was getting at.For his part, Travis seemed in no rush, his eyes wandering the orchard for a good two minutes before he finally spoke.“Where you two headed?”
Parker sighed.She wasn’t sure why Travis wanted to know or cared, but at least he wasn’t going to get her in trouble.Trying to think of a way to tell him they had no real plans beyond her finding a job and place to stay, she ultimately abandoned the idea of skirting the truth.Their situation was pretty obvious, and she was too tired to worry about her own wounded pride.
“Well, we didn’t have a specific destination in mind.I lost my job in Idaho and I thought that maybe I would find something out this way.”She leaned back into the chair, allowing herself the small luxury of letting something other than herself keep her propped up while she had access to it.“I haven’t had much luck so far and was thinking of heading to Seattle.”
Parker must have pulled a face because Travis was chuckling at her.The sound of his voice was gravelly, as if it didn’t get much use, but she liked it.“Don’t seem to like that idea much.”The low timber went straight to her core and she crossed her legs to try and ease the ache that had formed there.
Parker smiled, bobbing a shoulder once her need faded enough for his words to sink in.“I hate big cities.Always have,” she admitted.Sighing again, she let her eyes wander out into the apple orchard just as Travis’s had moments ago.“But jobs in small towns don’t exactly, forgive the pun, grow on trees.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Parker saw him nod thoughtfully.“What’d you do before?”
Parker’s chest heaved as she thought over all the jobs she’d held in her life.“Immediately before this I was waiting tables, but I’ve also worked retail, a cash register.”A wry smile pulled across her face as she remembered her very first job.“As a teen, I even did a stint at a telemarketing place that I am ninety-nine percent certain was a front for organized crime.”
Travis barked a laugh, brushing the longer hair on top of his head away from his face, giving her an unobstructed look at it.Kind eyes, a strong nose, and pink lips were all fixtures there, but what really got her attention was the sheer amount of freckles covering every inch of his skin.Her eyes moved to his arms and she saw they existed there as well.
Before she could get too distracted wondering where else on his body they were, he spoke up again.“And you kept working there?”
