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Ellie laughs and pulls me in for a hug as I meet her at the large wooden worktable that we had found on one of our antique treasure shopping sprees.
I know I don’t look my best, but I’m not exactly a hot mess either. My long hair is tied back into a ponytail and I’m wearing a pair of my favorite skinny jeans with a clean white t-shirt. I did what I could with my concealer to hide my tired eyes this morning and added a pop of color to my lips to brighten my face.
“I didn’t mean it. You’re always beautiful, but you do look like you have a lot more on your mind than you need. Want to talk?”
“Honestly, not really. I thought a lot about what you said last night and while I do appreciate your advice, I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to see Parker. I can’t, Ellie.” I bite my lip, hoping she will leave it alone.
“Olivia, I’m not going to push you. I said what I wanted to say last night and ultimately, it’s your decision. You are a smart girl and perfectly capable of doing what’s best for you. I’m dropping it.”
I adjust my ponytail and smile, silently thanking Ellie for not pushing the subject. She can be feisty, so I realize that I dodged a bullet with this.
“There is something I want to talk to you about though, Liv and then we can drop the heavy topics and get to work. We talked a lot about Parker last night, but I know you have a lot going on right now with your dad as well. How’s everyone holding up?”
She is right. As much as I try not to let it bother me, my Dad’s return is consuming my mind just as much as Parker is right now. I know I need to have a talk with my mom about it sooner or later.
“I’ve been avoiding the subject at all costs with my mom. It’s hard. You know she and I don’t exactly see eye to eye when it comes to my dad. That hasn’t changed, and it may never will.”
“My mother has been waiting for this day to come and naively believes it will be just like it used to be. One big happy family. I, on the other hand, just can’t get there. I still blame my father for ruining my life. There is so much hurt in my heart, Ellie. “
I run the tips of my fingers along the grain of the wood table, going back in time in my head.
We had lost our home. My mother had to sell our house to cover legal bills and the fine my dad was ordered to pay. So we moved to a new city forty-five minutes away, to a smaller, older home we could afford. I was forced into a whole new life, one I never asked for.
I lost trust in people, mostly in my father, and that spilled over into other relationships. I spent more time with my mother as most of the time she was barely able to function, not getting out of bed for days at a time, leaving me to do the cooking and the cleaning. Someone had to take care of Kate, so I assumed that responsibility, too, making sure she went to school every day on time, had clean clothes and did her homework. There was a huge void in my life all of a sudden when my dad left too. I was emotional and on edge a lot of the time. Then there were the stares and the talk and the whispers that were directed my way daily. I was that girl. I hated being that girl.
“I’m sorry, Olivia. You didn’t deserve any of it and it wasn’t fair. You know what you need? I’m not taking no for an answer. You need a night out with just us girls. I’ll call Kate and make a reso, and we can have dinner and drinks and dance the night away. It will be so much fun.”
“I actually think that sounds like a great idea. Let’s do it.” I’m not going to argue with her because I know she’s right. I could use a night out.
Ellie beams. “I’m happy you said yes and made my life easy. I was fully prepared to harass you all day long if I had to. Just be warned: I will do what it takes to get you to come out and have a good time. Physical force, getting you drunk- you name it, and I will get the job done!”
I laugh and shake my head. “Seems a little excessive but I believe it. If I remember right, that’s exactly how you talked me into that truly embarrassing karaoke performance the last time we had a girls’ night out.”
“Not even a bit too excessive. And for the record, nobody does Mariah like you do.”
I exhale with a shake of my head and throw up my hands, making my way to the desk. I need to check on our orders for the day and make sure they have all been filled. Meanwhile Ellie makes her way to the coolers to check stock for next week.
It’s Sunday, so it’s a short workday and I’m hoping to sneak in a nap before we head out tonight. We close the shop at three o’clock so I should have plenty of time to go home, nap, shower and change for the night.
The bell above the door chimes, signalling we have a customer. I call out to Ellie from the back room letting her know I will just be a second as I make my way to the front of the shop. My eyes catch Ellie’s.
“Ummm… I think he’s here for you.” Ellie stammers, looking towards the door.
I turn my head in the direction of her gaze and we lock eyes.
Oh My God. What is he doing here?
“Parker?”
I swallow hard, stopping dead in my tracks. My eyes not leaving his because they can’t when he looks at me that way. His eyes warm and a slow smile curves his lips. I first notice his hands in the pockets of his fitted jeans and my eyes move up his body to his short sleeve t-shirt stretched across his hard chest. He is the kind of guy that girls fantasize about.
He catches me eyeing him and my cheeks turn a shade of pink that must match the tulips on the display next to me. I’m sure he can hear my heart beating through my chest from where he’s standing. He shifts his gaze down towards my mouth and a shiver shoots down my spine, remembering his lips on mine and how good it felt. No one else has kissed me with such heat and passion.
“Hi Livy. I hope it’s okay that I’m here. I didn’t know how else to reach you.” Parker searches my eyes. He looks nervous, waiting to see how I will react.
“I think this is a good time for me to do that delivery,” Ellie interrupts, although I think we had both forgotten she was in the room with us.
“Parker, what are you doing here?” I ask, the question comes out sounding sharper than I’d intended. I didn’t mean to come off as rude, but his presence makes me anxious.
