“I don’t need it! I can’t believe you two haven’t noticed anything different about me.”
“OMG, are you serious?” Jasmine shrieked jumping up and down.
“Lawd, it finally happened,” Erika said, throwing up her hands. “I can die a happy woman.”
“Who was it?” Jasmine asked gleefully.
“What do you mean, who was it? It was Parker!” I exclaimed.
“I need all the details,” Erika said, dragging me to the couch. “Spill.”
Jasmine jumped up and ran out of the room then came back with a bottle of champagne as I gave my friends the play-by-play recap.
“Wait, he has a swanky condo in town and he lives with his brothers?” Erika said.
“He’s family oriented. He grew up in a cult with his brothers. Their mothers abandoned them, and Parker wants to be there for his younger brothers. They’re so cute! Parker’s really good with them, and he’s going to make a great father.”
“Oh no,” Erika said, shaking her head.
“No?”
“No.Non.Nein. Nope. You cannot get attached to him,” my friend insisted.
“I’m not attached,” I scoffed, taking a long sip of champagne. The bubbles made me sneeze. “I’m totally not attached.”
Erika looked at me suspiciously. “Good. Because let me promise you, Parker is not attached to you. I know you—you’re Marie Kondo’s worst nightmare. You are way too sentimental about things and people.”
“I’m a good friend,” I protested.
“You are,” Jasmine agreed. “But you cannot fall in love with Parker. Look what happened with your father,” she said gently. “You should have gone to the police immediately when he took out those loans in your name. But you didn’t because he was family, and you thought he would see how much he’d hurt you and would make it right. But that never happened, and now your credit is ruined and the state attorney’s office is garnishing your paychecks.”
I buried my head in my hands. “I know,” I said sadly. “But maybe Parker and I are going to have a great love story.”
Erika and Jasmine exchanged a look that said,Oh, our poor, pitiful little friend.
Jasmine said, grabbing my hands, “Besides, Parker was kind of a jerk. He didn’t believe you about the chat messages.”
“But hedidn’tactually send them. It was his brothers. We’re fine now.”
Erika looked at me in pity and sighed.
“So maybe he’s not in love with me,” I said in a small voice. “But maybe he’ll fall in love with me?”
“You said yourself he’s one hundred percent family oriented,” Jasmine said gently. “What happens when he finds out about all your debt and your father? You think he’s going to love you then?”
I didn’t have an answer.
45
Parker
My father knew about Sadie. I jumped into my car and started driving. I didn’t know where I was going. Maybe I was looking for Leif.
“Just ignore him,” I said, my breath clouding up the windshield.
But I couldn’t—my father knew about Sadie. This was serious.Tell Garrett.
“No. Calm down,” I ordered myself. It was going to be fine. My father wouldn’t try anything in Harrogate. He probably just wanted money. I could handle a request for money. That was what had happened when our mother and her sister wife had showed up last year. It had all been a big song and dance for money.
