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“But,” she breathes as I drop my towel and my phone on top of it, followed by the sheet she’s got wrapped around her body.
“But if you’re feeling guilty, I know a way you can make it up to me…”
“Oh yeah?” Summer’s chuckle is a soft rasp as she wraps her arms around my shoulders, and I pepper her face with kisses before taking her back to the bedroom and starting our day together the way it was meant to. With me inside her.
11
SUMMER
Easton is sitting in the living room playing with the collection of toys Parker brought over to amuse him. He’s such a good kid—at that age, I would have been running around causing carnage, no doubt.
Parker’s sorting out some lunch for us all and seems out of sorts. His shoulders are tense, and his posture is stiff. He’s unusually quiet, and he looks like he has the weight of the whole world on his shoulders.
“Are you worried about tomorrow?” I ask, moving to wrap my arms around him from behind.
He stiffens at my question, but I feel him relax as I wrap myself around his back, listening to his soft heartbeat.
“About Heather’s release from rehab?” I nod against his back, inhaling his addictive scent. “No. I’m more pissed that it’ll overshadow Easton’s birthday. I’ve been so wrapped up in what happens once she’s out that I haven’t even planned a party or anything for East.”
Pulling him away from the counter, I meet his eyes. They’re full of regret and sorrow. It tears me up inside.
“Hey. He’ll be two. He doesn’t want a party. Just you and a big cake. Don’t worry about Easton.” I run my hand through his hair, trying to soothe him. He leans into my touch, and my heart breaks for him.
“I just feel like I’m proving Ellen’s point. Failing as a father and not putting him first.” He sighs and looks over at Easton, who’s giggling away at his toy dinosaurs. The way his face transforms when he looks at his son turns my insides to mush. Easton is his world.
“You are not failing. You’re an incredible father, and that boy worships the ground you walk on. Don’t stress about tomorrow. We can always take him back to the zoo or something. He loves the zoo, right?”
Parker nods with a small smile, one of the honest ones that graces his face whenever he talks about Easton and does funny things to my ovaries.
“Yeah, he does. That’s a good idea. We can ask if Seb and Kate want to tag along with Lou. Make a day of it.” The smile on his face lights it up, his tension dissipating. Leaning up, I place a swift kiss on his lips.
Parker leans his forehead against mine, content, before he picks up his phone to call Seb. Before he dials, it rings in his hand, and he frowns. Turning the screen toward me, I see Ellen, and I mirror his disappointment.
I want to throw it across the room. The evil witch drives me insane. I was just getting through to him, and now I can see the shutters falling again, tension wrapping its tentacles around his body, squeezing the contentment out of him.
“Hello.”
Parker’s such an open book. His emotions flash across his expressive face. Stress, then anger. Then disbelief. I hate that they have that power over him, that they can make him feel so angry, sad, and powerless all at the same time.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Ellen. She’s checking herself out early. How can I trust her when she won’t even stick to the agreement? Besides, we already have plans for his birthday.” He looks toward me, and I offer him a reassuring nod. We’re a team now, and I’ve got his back. Always.
Ellen clearly doesn’t approve of this answer as her high-pitched voice echoes through the phone, though not clear enough to hear what she’s saying.
“Then she should have acted like a mother and not neglected him for an easy fix!” he hisses, livid yet still trying to hold it together for his son.
Glancing over at Easton, I’m relieved to see him still blissfully unaware and playing.
“Yeah, well, I’m sick and so over this conversation. Easton’s my son, not yours. It doesn’t matter what you think because it’s my decision.”
His face turns red, and his voice booms, causing me to jump.
“Are you serious?” I’ve never seen Parker lose his temper before. The outburst gets Easton’s attention, so I head over to him before he gets upset.
“Hey, little man, how about you and I go outside?” I offer my hand, and he’s quick to grab it, and we venture out to the yard, leaving Parker to deal with Ellen.
Taking off both of our shoes, we paddle in the shallow end of the pool, and East squeals with delight when the cool water washes over his feet. He thinks it’s the best game in the world, and his happiness is contagious.
Before long, we’re both laughing like crazy people and having a blast. Splashing each other with our feet, we dance around giggling.
