Chapter Three

 

Parker flipped through the magazine as Riley paced the floor. It never failed. Whenever his sister Aubrey visited, he became a nervous wreck. It was sweet how he went the extra mile to make her happy.

But he was still in denial about his sister dating Theo Popovich. When they visited California, it was plain to anyone willing to see it that Theo and Aubrey had grown closer. It was going to get worse when Aubrey arrived with her surprise. When Aubrey had called her and told her of her plans, she promised she’d do her best on her end to brace Riley for what was to come.

“Where is she?” Riley looked at his watch. “Maybe she got lost. I should have insisted on picking her up.”

“She said she may be taking a later flight and didn’t want to hold up your day.”

“Where’s my cell? I’m going to call her.”

“You sent her a text thirty minutes ago.” Parker put the magazine down and went over to him. “Calm down. Your little sister is quite capable of getting from the airport to here without ending up in Mexico.”

“I know, but I worry about her. It has always been my job to look after her.”

“You did a damn fine job. You spoil her, and she adores you. How about this?” She took his hand and led him over to the couch. “Why don’t you tell me what your plans are while she’s here?”

“I was going to leave the itinerary open. Whatever she wants to do is fine me. And I want you to join us, of course. But I was thinking of taking her shopping. Get her school supplies for the fall semester, and there’s a pottery class we could take together.”

“Are you going to finish it up with a trip to Six Flags?” She smiled. “Riley, you’re going to have to accept that Aubrey isn’t a child anymore. She’s a functioning adult. She’s dating.”

“She’s not dating. Spending time with that idiot Theo is a fluke. She can do a lot better than him. Look at the age difference.”

“It’s a few years, and Theo’s not the Big Bad Wolf. You know his family. Derek and Alex are nice people.”

“Yes, they are, but I don’t trust Theo. He’s going to break my sister’s heart, and then I’ll have to break his face.”

“Aren’t you being just a little hypocritical? Not so long ago you were the bad boy who broke hearts and sullied reputations.”

“True. That was a long time ago. I’m a changed man.” He kissed her. “I met the woman of my dreams.”

“Oh yeah?”

“She showed me the wisdom in giving up that wild, reckless lifestyle for something much better.” Riley trailed kisses down her neck.

“And you couldn’t be happier, right?”

“Ecstatic.” He pulled back. “As a matter of fact, sometimes I feel—”

The doorbell rang.

“Finally.” He sprang off the couch.

Parker followed but put her hand on the door handle when he reached for it. “Promise me you will keep an open mind and have a good visit with Aubrey.”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

As soon as Parker opened the door, Aubrey jumped into Riley’s arms.

“Riley!”

“Hey, Aub.” He gave his little sister a good squeeze. “How was your flight?”

“I feel like a movie star every time I fly on those private planes.” Aubrey turned to Parker and hugged her too. “Parker, always good to see you.”

“You too.” Parker hugged back.

Riley looked out into the hallway and retrieved three suitcases. “Where’s the rest of your luggage? You usually bring eight bags with you.”

“About that.” Aubrey bit her lip. “I won’t be staying as long this time around.”

“Why? Alex and Peyton need you to watch the kids?”

“No. I promised I’d meet Theo in Tennessee next month.”

“Why in the hell—”

Parker cleared her throat loudly.

Riley picked up the cue. “Why in the heck are you going to Tennessee to meet up with Theo?”

“Chance McGill is doing a hiking expedition. Theo and I are going, but it’s kind of a business meeting too. Austin and J.J. set it up for them to meet. Chance needs an investor, and Theo has tons of experience with extreme sports. It seems like it would be a good partnership.”

“You don’t know anything about camping. You hated sleeping in our backyard when we were kids.”

“Well.” Aubrey flipped her hair over her shoulder. “People change.”

“This isn’t a sleepover that you can just call and have someone pick you up. There are no toilets, takeout, or marathon showers.”

“So what? I can tough it out. I’ll be there to give Theo moral support anyway. This is a big opportunity for him.”

“I see the potential there,” Parker added. “Theo is adventurous, enterprising, and loves extreme sports. He could contribute a lot, in addition to money.”

“He’s in New Mexico right now, but he said he might be able to swing by and be my plus one for Wyatt and Avery’s engagement party.”

“Great. Can’t wait to see him again. Right, Riley?” She nudged him.

“If you say so,” Riley replied.

“Aubrey,” Parker said. “Why don’t you get settled and then we’ll go out to lunch?” Parker said.

“Great. Maybe by the time I unpack, my big brother will return.” Aubrey shot Riley a look as she continued through the living room and down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Parker lit into him.

“Wow. Why don’t you just wear a sign that says I hate Theo?”

“I don’t hate him.” He shrugged. “I just think he’s not right for Aubrey.”

“Look, I live with a rebellious college student, and I’ve learned a few things. Aubrey might be a little older than Bridgette, but the rules for young adults still apply. If you don’t like her life choices, she’ll turn up married to Theo by the end of the summer.”

“Over my dead body.” Riley squinted. “He’s all wrong for her.”

“I understand you love your sister. You have a great relationship, but she’s a grown up. Your criticism of Theo can be construed as smothering. Be mindful of that.”

“I guess you’re right.” He swiped at his jaw.

“I know I’m right.” She planted a kiss on his cheek. “Where do you want to go for lunch?”

“I’ll let Aubrey decide.” He patted his pocket. “Have you seen my wallet?”

“You left it on the kitchen counter.”

Parker watched as Riley stalked toward the kitchen. Learning Aubrey had cut her visit short in favor of spending time with Theo wasn’t what he was expecting to hear. When Aubrey was in California, it had been more conjecture than real. He wouldn’t be able to ignore it any longer, especially if Theo would be coming for the engagement party. It gave Parker a couple of weeks to help Riley come to terms with his sister growing up and making her own choices. It was going to be a rough couple of weeks.

 

* * *

 

Riley glanced over at Parker, who was holding onto the fruit salad that she’d made like it was a life preserver. She always got that way at Carson family gatherings. He’d wanted to spend the day with the two most important women in his life, but Aubrey decided to hang out with Bridgette instead. Sure, it was the nice that the college students connected. It was good she had someone her age to talk to. It beat her being on the phone with Theo all the time. Aubrey’s ear was constantly glued to her cell phone, chatting with Theo who was in New Mexico filming something or other for a documentary. To tell the truth, he’d tune out whenever she mentioned him. He tried not to feel rejected, but it was a punch to the gut that Aubrey didn’t seem to like hanging out with him anymore.

It had to be some weird, opposites attract kind of thing. Aubrey was wicked smart, had a good head on her shoulders, and was practical compared to most kids her age. Theo was all about chasing adventure. He probably had a string of girlfriends. Aubrey was so innocent and naïve, she wouldn’t be able to tell if Theo was playing the field. He gripped the wheel tighter. If that jerk did something to her, he’d pay dearly.

“Babe. Any reason you’re giving the fruit salad a bear hug?”

“I’m heading into the lion’s den.” She rolled her eyes. “And you’re one to talk. You’re about to rip the steering wheel off. I guess you’re thinking about Aubrey and Theo.”

He loosened his grip. “Just thinking about Aubrey. What is she thinking, going on a hiking expedition? She’s one of the most pampered women in the world.”

“When you like someone, you do wacky things like share their interests. She’ll be fine. Have you talked to your brother lately?”

“It’s been a couple of months.” He glanced over at her. He knew where this was headed. He was close to Aubrey but had the exact opposite relationship with his brother Dylan.

“Uh huh,” Parker said.

He didn’t want to talk about Dylan. “Back to you. Why are you so wound up? Are you worried about what they’re going to say about you being on television? I don’t think you being on Ultimate Champion is going to sully the Carson name.”

“They love to pick on me. My mother is going to nitpick about something.”

“It’s harmless ribbing, and you know it. Your family loves to give each other a hard time. And I think Deke getting filmed arresting that crooked mayor at that massage parlor last week is going to be the hot topic of the afternoon.”

“True.” She giggled. “They actually got him on camera saying ‘You won’t be getting a happy ending today.’ The funny part was that Deke said it with a straight face.”

“See, you Carsons love to one-up each other with outrageous behavior. If you tell them about the competition, I’m sure Solomon will say he’s going to the moon next week.” Now seemed like a good time to broach the subject of her new car. “What have you decided about getting a new car? Anything catch your eye?”

“No. Still in denial, but I’m working through it.”

“I can always help you look.” He smiled. He’d hoped she’d be getting more receptive to a car search. The dealer sent him an update yesterday. They were almost finished with the extras he’d requested for her car.

Parker’s cell phone pinged. She looked at her phone. “It’s a text from Aubrey. She says she’s having a great time with Bridgette and for you not to worry.”

“Who’s worried?”

“You looked like she was going off to join the military when she said she’d made plans with Bridgette.”

“OK. It was a knee-jerk reaction. But I thought when my sister came to town to see me, I’d actually see her.”

“She’s getting busier. I’m just glad she and Bridgette hit it off. Aubrey could be a good influence on her.”

They pulled into the driveway where most of the family was waiting for them. It seemed a little odd they wouldn’t be in the house or in the backyard.

“What’s going on?” Parker squinted. “Deke has that plotting look on his face.”

“Only one way to find out.” Riley got out of his sports car, rounded the back, and opened the door for Parker.

Dani Carson put her hands on her hips. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

She was tall, just like her daughters, and had long brunette hair that she almost always kept in a ponytail. Once a tough prosecutor who dedicated her career to putting bad guys away, she now spent her days spending time with her grandkids and being part of their town’s council.

“We’re not that late, Mom.” Parker looked at her watch. “I don’t recall you saying there would be a pre-cookout meeting in the driveway. Here’s the fruit salad. It has everything. Watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe.”

“Thank you, P.J.” Dani took the bowl and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then turned to Riley and gave him peck too. “Hey, handsome.”

“Hi, Dani.” Riley kissed her back on the cheek.

“Where’s Sam and Leigh?”

“They’re in the back with the kids,” Dani replied.

“Riley, glad you’re here,” Deke said. “You’re coming with us.”

The men ventured forward. Riley bit back a smile when Parker instinctively stood in front of him.

“Where are you taking him?” Parker folded her arms across her chest.

“What are you going to do to stop me? Run me over with a car?” Deke raised an eyebrow. “It’s how you’ve been doing all your crime-solving these days.”

“Have any good sound bites this week?” Parker countered. “I didn’t know Rangers provided commentary when they made their arrests.”

Solomon smirked. “Hold your horses, Half-Pint, we’re not kidnapping your boyfriend. He’s going to the hardware store with us. The grill died.”

“Oh.” She squinted. “Try to get something with a decent-sized propane tank.”

“I was thinking of a grill pit. I’m tired of gas grilling.” Dani waved a hand. “The boys are going to build one.”

“Dani liked the barbecue pit at the ranch so much, she wanted one.” J.J. held up blueprints. “Tyler drew a nice schematic of a good-size pit. I think we can knock this thing out in one day.”

“But we will get her another gas grill too as a backup for those days she doesn’t feel like building a fire,” Deke added.

The pit the Blakes built for Sunday cooking was enormous and was fitting for a lodge or a social club. It could grill fifty whole chickens, one hundred racks of ribs, and a host of other meats and vegetables.

“But we’re burning daylight,” Rafe added. “We can get this thing finished if we move it.”

“If it’s OK with you, we’d like to get going.” Deke folded his arms across his chest.

Riley rubbed his hands together. “An impromptu grill pit. I like it.”

“Wait!” Parker held up her hand. “Before you leave, I might as well tell you my news. That way you can get the comments out of your system by the time you come back.”

Riley put his hand on her back. It was better that she get it over with. She looked like she would burst.

Deke frowned. “Are you pregnant? I need to factor that into our plans because it will take longer to get back from the store on account of these woods I’m going to show Riley.”

“Exactly.” Solomon scowled. “Riley, do you know what a shotgun wedding is?”

“No!” Riley said. “She’s not pregnant.”

“Let her finish,” Dani said.

“I am not pregnant.” Parker rolled her eyes. “Although, if I were, your reaction is antiquated to say the least, and we’ll talk about that later.”

“Who’s pregnant?” Sam said as she and Leigh rounded the house, coming from the backyard. “You and Riley are pregnant?”

“Congrats.” Leigh beamed. “I called it. I knew you two would have a baby before Avery and Wyatt.”

Rafe shook his head at Leigh.

“Really Sam? You heard that all the way from the back of the house? Where are my nephews? Who’s watching them while you hone in on this conversation?”

“Please.” Sam waved a hand. “Jack’s old enough to babysit.”

Riley looked at the boisterous clan as everyone became louder. The Carsons often talked to each other like this, hence creating a lot of misunderstandings. Each one of them loved to assert their opinions but didn’t fully listen to the other. The saving grace was by the end of high octane discussions like this, they’d all forget it happened. Mom Dani said it made for lively chatter at the dinner table. Which would be amusing and fanciful if all of them didn’t also carry guns.

Riley cleared his throat loudly. “Everyone. Can you please give Parker a chance to tell her news?”

They finally quieted down.

“I auditioned for that show Ultimate Champion when they were looking for people at the mall, and I got a spot,” Parker announced. “It’s already taped, and it’s going to air on Monday night.”

Solomon’s facial features relaxed. “I like that show.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Deke rubbed his chin. “I come over and watch it with Momma sometimes.”

“The boys love it too,” J.J. said. “It will be great to cheer for someone in the family.”

“It’s one of our favorite shows,” Leigh chimed in. “Well, right after the Bigfoot Files.”

“That’s great.” Dani beamed. “I’m sure you ran circles around the other contestants. The Carsons are a naturally athletic group of people.”

Parker smiled. “I think I did well and I’ll tell everyone about it over lunch.”

“Right. Let’s go men.” Deke headed to one of the trucks.

Riley gave her a look. “See? I told you they would be supportive.”

“Watch yourself. They got pretty riled up when they thought we were having a baby.” She giggled. “Can you imagine us married in a shotgun wedding with a kid on the way?”

“Yeah. Imagine that.” Riley kissed her, then hopped into Deke’s truck.

Riley watched as Parker went inside with the ladies. The smile on Parker’s face meant she was finally relaxing after a morning of fearing getting made fun of by her siblings. He’d come to the conclusion that most of her anxiety about being the baby in the family was left over internalized childhood trauma. Losing her dad had had a profound effect on her that manifested in different ways. Sam even alluded to him one time, saying that their father dying during Parker’s formative years had left her sister feeling incomplete in a way. The more he paid attention, the more he could see it.

Like her determined spirit. She pushed ahead even when a more cautious approach would be better. Like storming off to get that stolen jersey and risking her life and losing her car. Or cornering that guy who’d been dodging child support for over a year in that fast-food restaurant. Things turned out OK, but a little patience could have saved her from putting herself in harm’s way. She always argued that her siblings wouldn’t have waited for back up, but he didn’t buy that either. She had something to prove, and he was terrified she’d end up gravely injured trying to make that point. Or worse.

Deke’s gruff voice brought him out of his brooding thoughts.

“You don’t know how happy I am that I don’t have to dump your lifeless body somewhere in the woods.” Deke stared at him in the rearview mirror.

“Me too.” Riley tugged on his shirt collar. “You know Parker and I have been good, really good. Aside from that flirting-with-danger thing she likes to do.”

“It’s family flaw.” J.J. sighed. “Samantha Jane still has the same affliction, but she doesn’t see as much action these days. Well, when she isn’t getting into bar fights with Rafe.”

Everyone in the truck cab looked at Rafe.

“That was a one-off.” Rafe protested. “I went to Tennessee to settle things with Leigh’s ex. I didn’t intend to get into a bar fight.”

“Really?” Riley mused. “When Parker called me from the plane, she seemed really excited about going to kick that guy’s ass.”

“Things got away from us quickly. If it’s any consolation, those ladies can hold their own.”

“Yeah, Dad used to say kicking ass was in the Carson DNA,” Solomon said with pride in his voice.

“I’ll forgive you for that road trip,” J.J. added. “You were just protecting your woman and the most important thing is that you got the creep out of Leigh’s life.”

“Leigh’s not so bad herself. She was on-duty at the Bright Star when this guy tried to flirt with her and touch her butt when she delivered his drinks to the table, and she used this move on him that would have made Bruce Lee proud.”

“When was this?” Rafe’s head whipped around. “She didn’t tell me about this.”

Oops. He guessed Leigh hadn’t told him about it. Parker was going to have to tell him which stories he shouldn’t repeat. When Leigh recounted the story to Parker while at the apartment last week, it seemed harmless enough, and she was proud of being able to handle herself. “I think it was a couple of weeks ago. She reacted before Cal or any of the staff could get to the table and grab him by the short hairs. She had backup but didn’t need it.”

“She’s been taking Sam’s self-defense classes.” Rafe tapped lightly on the window. “And she carries a stun gun in her purse.”

“Leigh is gorgeous,” Solomon said. “It’s only natural she’d get hit on a lot. Someone hitting on her at the Bright Star is the dumbest move in the world. But you should be happy she can deal with some rowdy cowboy.”

“You should see Dani Carson get riled up. She decked someone at a council meeting one time.” Solomon laughed. “Dad had to do a lot of long talking to smooth that over.”

“Samantha Jane and I have a deal,” J.J. said. “She comes home to her family in one piece every night, and I try to keep my lectures to a minimum. I don’t like it, but I for one sleep a little better knowing that.”

“Let’s face it,” Deke said. “The women in our lives are strong and able. I don’t like the idea of Parker facing down some lunatic, but she’s been stubborn all her life.”

“All you have to do is let Parker know that part of being in a relationship is coming home in one piece every night. I had to promise the same thing to Leigh. The Ultimate Champion show may be a great way to get some of that restless energy out of her system.” Rafe gave him a warm smile that morphed into a mischievous chin. “Did you tell the guys about the present you got for Parker?”

“I got her a new car. She doesn’t know about it. When it’s finished being custom-fitted with a few extras I hope will help protect her, I’m going to give it to her.”

Everyone went silent.

“That certainly is brave of you. She might kick your butt for buying her a car.” Deke looked at him in the rearview mirror.

“That’s a strong possibility. But I won’t apologize for wanting to do something nice for her. I have a right to give her a gift that would make her happy.”

“What kind of car did you get her?”

“Corvette.”

Solomon whistled. “If she doesn’t want it, you can give it to me.”

“The specs on that car came across my desk,” Rafe said. “You’ve outfitted that car so well with security features even Parker would have a hard time destroying it.”

“You think she’ll like it? I know it’s not Blue Steel, but it’s a nice car. She’s always saying she doesn’t like fancy things.” Riley wanted to gauge the temperature in the truck. These guys would know if she’d be receptive to his gift.

“I think she’ll appreciate that you cared enough to go through the trouble,” J.J. assured him. “A Corvette is just her speed.”

Solomon smiled at him. “It’s a nice surprise. She’ll be happy about it.”

The chatter in the truck turned to the supplies they were picking up at the hardware store, and Riley turned back to his thoughts and to what J.J. had said. Riley worried because he wanted a future with Parker. He intended on talking to her about how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, in whatever capacity that meant. But her ironic, amused response about them being married with kids wasn’t encouraging. What did she want? Was it too soon? He’d never felt this deeply for anyone before, so this was all new for him.

Funny, the idea of marriage and kids didn’t seem that ridiculous to him.

 

* * *

 

Parker looked out the kitchen window over at her mother’s garden. The vegetables were coming in nicely, and she'd added a few things.

“P.J. can you put on the tea kettle?”

“Sure, Mom.” Parker checked the level of water in the kettle, then turned on the burner.

“I thought Aubrey was coming with you.”

“She and Bridgette are hanging out, and frankly, Riley could use the reprieve.”

“What’s going on?”

“Aubrey’s cutting her visit short to meet up with Theo in Tennessee. Needless to say, Riley’s about pop a blood vessel. He doesn’t like the idea of her having a boyfriend.”

“Poor dear. I know his pain.” Dani shook her head.

“What pain?”

“When you realize the person you love is a grown up. I hope he doesn’t push too hard.”

“Me too.” Parker put her hands on her hips. “I’m hungry. What are we going to eat if we can’t fire up the grill? This fruit salad isn’t going to cut it.”

“We can order out.” Dani went into the drawer and pulled out a handful of takeout menus. “What do you think the boys will want to eat?”

“The big boys or the little boys?” Parker asked.

“Does it really matter? The little ones eat almost as much as the big ones.”

Sam came into the kitchen with photo albums in her arms.

“Oh no.” Parker wrinkled her nose as Sam spread them out on the table. “What possessed you to dig up old albums?”

Sam put her hands on her hips. “I need some photos for the Blake family tree project. It’s a labor of love, but I have some spare time and thought I’d get back to it.”

“You found them.” Dani clapped. “How on earth did you dig these out of that storage room?”

“Jack, Gabe, and Deacon are like bloodhounds. They’re showing excellent signs of being good investigators.” Sam laughed. “I told them to look through the boxes for the film reels too.”

“Family photos.” Leigh beamed. “I love looking at old photo albums.”

“Here you go.” Dani handed her an old, red book marked Wedding Album. “Start here. It’s one of our early books.”

Parker retrieved a bottle of apple juice out of the fridge. “My mother has been obsessive about capturing the Carson family moments. We have slides and video cassettes around here somewhere too.”

“Yes, excuse me for wanting to chronicle the most important people in my life.” Dani put on the glasses on a chain around her neck and opened another album. “Your father always looked good in a cowboy hat.”

“Mr. Carson was a very handsome man.” Leigh leaned in to get a closer look at one of the photos.

“Honey that was when a man was a man. They didn’t manscape and preen in the mirror. They showered, put on a clean pair of underwear, and were out of the door.” Dani laughed.

Sam shook her head. “And used deodorant if we were lucky.”

“No need for deodorant.” Parker raised a finger. “Daddy said if you didn’t come home stinking, you didn’t put in a hard day’s work.”

“I was OK with that sentiment until Deke and Solomon started emitting that manly musk they call hormones and stunk up the house with their marginal grooming habits.” Dani sighed.

“Boys will be boys. Soon Sam will be chasing after the boys with a stick of deodorant, begging them to use it.” Parker laughed.

“Yeah, they get a kick out of how sweaty and stinky their uncles get.” Sam sighed. “What I wouldn’t give for a polite, sweet-smelling little girl around the house.”

The ladies looked at her. It was the first time Sam had lamented about wanting a girl.

“Does that mean you’re thinking about giving it another go for a girl?” Leigh asked playfully.

Sam shook her head. “When I want to feel all cute and frilly I go spend time with Mackenzie. When she’s not socking someone in the eye at school for calling her Red, she throws a mean tea party.”

The ladies all laughed.

“She basically gave Avery her requirements for being a flower girl,” Parker replied. “She’s one little girl who knows what she wants and doesn’t take any crap.”

“She’s smart and feisty.” Dani glanced at her. “How are Wyatt and Avery? Did they set up a gift registry yet? I want to give them an engagement present.”

“It should have been listed on the invitation I sent you.”

“You know our mother is a skimmer. A weird quality for an attorney.” Sam took a photo out of the album for closer inspection.

“She never skimmed when she was reviewing our report cards,” Parker said.

“True,” Sam agreed. “I saw a really nice photo frame. I was thinking of doing a collage for them from the time they met until now. If there were ever two people who were suited for each other. The Blake men almost flipped a collective lid when Wyatt set his sights on Avery. It was obvious he was smitten the day he laid eyes on her.” Sam got up and retrieved mugs from the cupboard. “Sort of like you and Riley when you first met.”

Leigh smiled. “I’ve never heard the Parker-Riley origin story. Do tell.”

“Riley and I met while he was chasing Avery,” Parker said.

“Excuse me?” Leigh said.

“Riley had a thing for Avery. He was trying his best to woo her, but her heart belonged to Wyatt.”

“Let me add some details because Parker’s leaving everything out.” Sam turned off the whistling kettle. “Riley was a bad boy in every sense of the word at that time and thought it would be an excellent idea to poke the bear and date Seth’s niece to piss him off.”

“Ah, the old she’s off limits taboo,” Leigh said. “My brother Chance doesn’t date a woman unless at least three people are going to be pissed off about it.”

Sam nodded. “Riley’s even said that once he checked his libido, he knew it wasn’t about Avery. It was about having something good in his life like Seth.”

Parker’s ears perked up. She’d never heard that from Riley. “When did he tell you that?”

“Riley and I talk all the time.” Sam poured the hot water into the mugs.

“Oh really?” Parker put the sugar dish, spoons and cream on the table…maybe with a little more force than was absolutely necessary.

Dani snapped her fingers. “He told me that was the most honest he’d ever been with himself. I have that photo that photographer took of them for the team’s newsletter the day they met. I put it in their photo album.”

“Wait? What? Why are you two talking to Riley?”

“Look!” Sam honed in on a page her mom had turned to while talking. “Look at you, Half-Pint. Remember that rag doll you used to tote around everywhere? It’s like Deacon and that stuffed lion he loves.”

“And was fiercely protective of it. Wouldn’t let anyone go near it,” her mother chimed in.

“Yeah, sort of like how she jumped in front of Riley when she thought the guys were going to do something to him.”

“I did not.” Parker bit her lip.

“You were in your ready-to-kick-ass stance. I don’t know if you knew it, but you were going to do battle over your boyfriend.”

Parker took a look at her younger self in the picture. She had a death grip on that doll. She remembered she never went anywhere without it. It was a comfortable friend and her security blanket. She didn’t want anyone to take it away. It was sort of how she felt about Riley. She was scared someone was always out to hurt him, and it drove her nuts. Why couldn’t she keep everything she loved locked away so it wouldn’t be harmed? Because that would be the end of Riley’s career. Like it or not, he was a public figure, and he handled it well. She was the one who was afraid to step into the spotlight for many reasons that seemed to be rearing their ugly heads lately.

Fear of losing him. Bouts of insecurity about all of the women who wanted him. He was gorgeous and sought after. Part of her Regency duties was scrutinizing the incoming Tomcats fan mail to flag potential threats. Most of the correspondence was for Riley, and for every veiled threat, there was also some suggestive note for him. Women sent him their photos, emailed videos, posted inappropriate messages on his social media pages, and found other creative ways to try to get his attention.

Every once in a while, she’d think about what it would be like to be married. Sure, they were together and lived in close proximity, but she knew marriage was a much stronger commitment. There were married couples all around her. Her best friend was getting married. It was a delicate dance of compromise, respect, compassion, and trust. She and Riley had all those things, but how could they put that to practical use and move forward? How could she entertain daydreaming about a future with him when there were a million scenarios in which she could lose him?

The startling part was how all of this emotion made her think of her dad. There was still a part of her that was raw from losing her father, and somehow being with Riley had exposed an emotional nerve that desperately needed healing.

She didn’t want to talk about it, so she opened an album and started flipping through it, then stopped on a picture of Sam. “Look. Here’s a picture of Sam. I think she was born a diva.”

Leigh touched her hand. “I think I know how that feels. You finally found the person who makes you aware that there’s something to lose.”

“Ah. Like the lyrics in your song ‘Tender Heart.’” Sam smiled.

“How did you hear that?”

“Rafe plays your music in his office,” Sam replied.

Leigh got teary-eyed. “He’s been so great, wonderful in fact. He’s my biggest fan.”

“I want plenty of photos of you and Rafe for your photo album,” her mother said.

Leigh gave her a quizzical look. “Our photo album?”

“Mom started a book for Rafe when he became part of the family.” Sam smiled.

“And it’s about time my boy started filling it. I want plenty of photos of your upcoming trip to California when you visit your record label.” Dani gave Leigh’s cheek a good squeeze. “I can’t wait until those babies start coming.”

Rafe was part of their family. When he and Sam partnered at Regency, it was a natural fit in her professional life, but it also spilled over and blossomed into her personal one. From the first time Sam had brought him home for dinner, Parker remembered her mother saying that they weren’t potential romantic partners but she felt like she’d gotten another son. They were having such a lovely chat about Rafe coming into the family fold that she almost forgot about how her mom and sister had been talking to Riley without her knowing about it. Sam was a no-brainer; they saw each other often. But her mom?

Parker interrupted the conversation. “Mom, when did you talk to Riley?”

“Which time?”

This was getting worse. “What do you mean ‘which time’?”

“Well, we’ve had lunch at the stadium a couple of times. We went shopping together to get you that crystal snow globe last Christmas that you loved. Then there was that time we went out to dinner when you went out of town to track down leads for that embezzlement case.”

Riley had said he’d had an uneventful week when she’d gone out of town. She hadn’t really believed him but thought she was being overly suspicious. Little did she know, he was going out on dates with her mom.

“I like Riley.” Dani stirred her tea. “He’s charming and funny. Not to mention real easy on the eyes. And before you ask, I wanted to get to know the man who’d stolen my baby daughter’s heart. You’ve always been dismissive about men. I knew this time it was different.”

“Hence their first meeting being pure fireworks despite Riley thinking he liked Avery,” Sam chimed in. “Riley, in his heart, knew he needed some feisty to give him a challenge. Avery being off limits was just a confirmation of what he really needed in a relationship.”

“Exactly.” Dani pointed at Sam. “I think it’s funny how you and Sam claim to be nothing alike, but you both chose the same type of man. Athletic, assertive and successful.”

“You’re right mom.” Sam laughed.

“Uh huh,” Parker said.

“OK, ladies.” Dani went over to the menus. “We need to decide on what we’re going to eat. I have snacks for the little boys, but I think they’re going to tire of fruit salad real quick.”

“Italian, Mexican, or Chinese, but barbecue is the old standby,” Parker added. Her taste buds were all over the place, much like her emotions. She’d underestimated how closely everyone in her life had been observing her and Riley’s relationship. It was a little unnerving.

“Let’s order a little bit of everything,” Sam said.

“Sounds like a great idea,” Leigh replied.

The doorbell rang.

“Who could that be?” her mom said.

“I forgot to mention I invited Hunter over.” Sam stood. “I wasn’t sure if he’d come. He’s kind of a loner, and I thought he’d like to mingle out of the office.”

“What’s his deal?” Parker asked.

“As far as I know he’s single, no kids. He’s nice, but he keeps everything close to the vest,” Sam replied as scampered out of the kitchen.

“Sounds like he’s had his heart broken bad,” Dani replied. “He just needs to get back on the dating horse. A few of the women on my bowling team have single daughters.”

“Well, let’s get him in here and find out the dirt before the men come back and whisk him into hard labor,” Leigh replied.

“Don’t any of you ever get tired of matchmaking?” Parker huffed. “Maybe Hunter likes being single.”

“Nonsense, P.J.” Her mother patted her cheek. “I think everyone deserves to be happy like you and Riley. Now go make sure the boys haven’t opened every box and made a fort.”

Leigh and her mom pored over the menus, writing things down on a notepad while Parker headed into the storage room to see what the boys were up to. It was never a good thing when they got too quiet. When she turned the corner and continued down the hall, she could see the door was closed.

“OK, Trio of Trouble, what are you doing in there?” She put her hand on the knob.

“Nothing!”

She opened the door prepared for anything. If it was too bad, she could threaten to punish, but that was always laughable. They all knew their Aunt Parker was a soft touch. The boys at least hesitated when Riley gave them a command while trying to suppress a smile. The kids adored him. It took all the energy he could muster to be stern. He’d totally be the disciplinarian out of the two of them but in a playful way. Would she be a good parent? Sam told her once that she was terrified that she wouldn’t be a good mom before the kids came, which was ludicrous. She was awesome. She’d just followed the instincts that kicked in where the kids were concerned. She and J.J. were great partners and shared the responsibility of parenting equally. Parker admired them. Not that she’d admit it to Sam anytime soon.

Parker opened the door and, low and behold, the boys had emptied the boxes and made a fort. “Yikes. Boys where are you?”

She heard giggles coming from behind a stack of boxes in the corner.

“Too bad I can’t find you. I’ll never know what you want for lunch. We’re ordering out.”

The kids burst through the boxes and came forward yelling their food preferences. She knew that would get their attention. They were exhausting most of the time, but it was always wonderful to be with them. She loved being Aunt Parker. She marched them out of the room and toward the kitchen.

Raising kids would take teamwork, but she was sure she and Riley would nail it. Just like they did with anything they undertook. They were great wingmen to each other. Maybe having a kid together wouldn’t be so bad…