Parker drove up to a black iron gate that looked medieval, with a tall brown house behind it, lined with huge floor-to-ceiling windows. It was a Modern Georgian-style home with paired chimneys and an elaborate round porch. I looked from the house to Parker. From the way he dressed, I never would’ve guessed he was well off. Parker pressed the button on the intercom, and shortly after, the gates opened, and he drove down the long driveway leading up to the house.
Outside stood two women in the chicest pant suits I’d ever seen. They looked like they walked straight out of Voguemagazine. The women shared warm, umber skin—one was tall, with her braids atop her head in a bun, while the other was short, with a blond pixie cut. Their copper-brown doe eyes mirrored Parker’s. Their round faces were lit with smiles.
“Your sisters?” I said, turning to Parker as he threw the car into park.
His face morphed into a smile as he watched them walk towards the car. “Yes, that’ll be Aja and Janae. If the stories weren’t enough, I must warn you. They can be a lot to handle.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, one of his sisters knocked on the car window and shouted, “Hey! Are you going to come out here and hug your favorite sister or what?” With a chuckle, Parker exited the car and threw his arms around both women and hugged them.
Feeling awkward, I stayed buckled in until they finished their hug. Figuring my time was up, I exited the car and rounded to the trunk to start unloading our things.
“Hi there, and who are you?” said the sister with the braided bun as she approached me with the same grin she had displayed for her brother. She seemed excited, and while I was happy for the warm welcome, I was wracked with nerves. The other twin popped up behind her, their mismatched frames huddled together as they waited for my response. Never having met twins before, I was surprised by how different they looked, even though they had the same face.
“Whoa there, Aja, give her some room,” Parker said as he dragged Aja a few paces back from where I stood. “This is my friend Willow.”
I was thankful for the introduction because I for sure would have blown my cover and given them my real name.
“This eager woman is Aja.” He pointed to the twin with the braided bun. Aja had a slender figure, her face was free from make-up, and she wore a collection of gold rings on her fingers.I noticed she wasn’t in heels and was still almost as tall as Parker in her violet suit. While Janae, I presume, matched my height. Janae sported a burnt rust-colored lipstick that complemented the taupe pantsuit she wore, which did all her curves justice.
This was the first time Parker had called me by my new name.Willow.It sounded strange coming from him. Parker had taken to calling me different variations of my name in the short period of time we’d been together. I was already getting used to it. I had even found that I didn’t mind being called Ev again, as long as he was saying it.
This new name would take getting used to. We finally made it to Oakland Ridge, and I could no longer be Evelyn Howard if I wanted to be safe.
“That’s a gorgeous name. Can I call you Lo?” said Janae from the other side of her.
“Umm, yes, I guess. Nice to meet you both. Thank you for letting me stay here.”
Aja and Janae both chuckled. “Oh, sweetie, we had nothing to do with it. You’ll have to thank our father. I’m sure Parker had to sell his soul to get him to agree,” Janae said while giving Parker a sympathetic pat on the back.
“Sell your soul? What do they mean by that?”
Parker was scratching the back of his neck. I quickly realized this was his nervous tic. “Don’t worry about it, Willow, and don’t listen to these troublemakers. Why don’t you two take Willow to the pool house and show her around? I’m going to find Dad.
Aja and Janae hooked an arm around each of my arms on either side, both speaking a mile a minute as they guided me into the large home.
Chapter 13
Parker
Ihastily head towards my father’s study. Security would have already notified him that we arrived, and I knew that if he wasn’t my first stop, then I'd never hear the end of it. I would try my best to get us off on the right foot, even though I knew that my father would poke at me until I finally gave him a reaction.
I approached the large wooden doors that led to my father’s study, my fist raised to knock. Just before my hand could land, the door opened to reveal my father dressed in a grey three-piece suit despite the Georgia heat. His face was already made up in a scowl, which deepened as his eyes traveled over my casual attire. I stood there wearing an NYFD t-shirt from last year's charity drive, along with a pair of basketball shorts and Nike Quest 6 on my feet.
I waited as he silently judged me before he stepped aside and made room for me to enter.
“Parker.”
“Dad,” I replied just as stiffly as my father rounded the corner of his desk to take a seat. I took a seat in the armchair before him.
There was a considerable pause as we both sat and stared at each other. All my life, people have commented that I am the spitting image of him. Sitting here before him, I noticed the changes in him, some small and subtle, others more pronounced. My father and I shared the same height and build – broad shoulders, towering at 6’3 over the rest of our family members. We shared the same rich mahogany complexion and copper-brown eyes. His hair had begun to grey around his hairline, and I noticed that he hadn’t missed an opportunity to enjoy Mama’s peach cobbler. He still looked younger than his 66 years. If anything, these changes gave him an air of distinction that could only be inherited through old age.
“You look well,” I said, breaking the silence.
My father scoffed, folding his hands and leaning back in his chair. “You look like you’ve just walked out of a frat house. I’m sure your mother has something more suitable for you in your room.”
“Not everyone wants to wear a three-piece suit in 100-degree weather, Dad,” I remarked before my father lifted his hand to silence me.
“Let us discuss why you’re here and the gala. This woman you’ve arrived with, she must be in grave danger if you’ve gone out of your way to rejoin your family.”
