Parker

Parker’s head hung in his hands. He was sitting in the ER waiting room silently berating himself. This was all his fault. He never should’ve told Beth how he felt. She wouldn’t be in a hospital right now if he’d just kept his mouth shut. Sure, she’d still be dating that ass hat, Jared, but anything was better than this. Better than Beth being hurt or . . . He couldn’t even bring himself to think it.

He was sick with grief, but Parker couldn’t sit still for another minute. He got up to pace the waiting room again. He still couldn’t really believe he was here. An hour ago Beth had been in his arms, kissing him and talking about waking up in the same bed with him. He’d been so close to everything he wanted. But as he looked down at the soot and bloodstains on his shirt and tie, he knew this was real.

It was karma for what he’d done. He was just as bad as Jared. Parker had kissed Beth, knowing she was still with Jared. It didn’t matter that Jared was wrong for Beth, or that she’d decided to break up with him. Parker should’ve waited. Or should’ve been satisfied with just being Beth’s friend. He’d been selfish telling her that he wanted more.

Parker couldn’t imagine not having Beth in his life. The feeling was enough to make his knees weak. He stopped pacing and braced his arms against the wall, trying to take slow, deep breaths to chase away the dizzying black dots dancing in his vision.

The outside doors rolled open and Mrs. Bennett came dashing into the waiting room. She saw Parker immediately and he rushed to her side.

“Parker, have you heard anything new?”

He shook his head, feeling his face crumble.

Beth’s mother pulled Parker into her arms and held him with a warmth and tightness only a mother’s embrace could achieve. It was his undoing. He’d been holding it together by a thread, but in Barbara Bennett’s comforting arms, Parker fell apart. He shook as violent sobs racked his body. “I’m so, so sorry,” he cried. “She has to be okay. I need her to be okay.”

“Shhh,” Barbara soothed, stroking Parker’s hair. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re okay.”

“No I’m not. This is all my fault.”

Barbara pulled away to look at him. “Parker, this was a car accident. It wasn’t your fault.”

“But she wouldn’t have been in the car if it wasn’t for me.”

Barbara gave him a concerned look registering the bruises Jared’s beating had surly left on his face. “Sweetheart, are you hurt?”

Parker shook his head. “I wasn’t in the car with her.”

Barbara frowned obviously confused.

Parker took another shaky breath on the verge of losing it.

“Come sit down, sweetheart,” Barbara coaxed, leading Parker back towards the chairs.

After Beth had been taken away on the stretcher, one of the nurses had asked Parker if there was anyone they could call. He immediately called Beth’s mother, only telling her that Beth had been in a car accident and he’d gotten her to the hospital. But now that Barbara was here, Parker knew he had to tell her the truth and it terrified him, because he knew in doing so, he might lose two people he loved today.

Once they were seated, Barbara took Parker’s hands in hers. “Sweetheart, tell me what happened.”

“Beth and I got in a fight. She was angry and took off in a car she found at the valet. I chased after her in another car. That’s how I found her. She’d already wrecked by the time I got there. I pulled her out of the wreck and got her here as fast as I could.”

Barbara was squeezing Parker’s hands, tears welling in her eyes—eyes that looked so much like Beth’s that it nearly killed him to look at her. Barbara reached up to stroke Parker’s cheek. “Thank God you were there, Parker. We’re so lucky to have you in our lives. You’ve always been such a good friend to Beth.”

Parker shuddered. “No I haven’t, Mrs. Bennett. I’m in love with Beth. I have been for a really long time.”

Barbara sighed. Instead of pulling away from Parker like he’d expected, she put a warm hand on his shoulder and said, “I suspected as much.”

He lifted his head. “You did?”

Barbara was smiling painfully. “I always thought she had feelings for you as well, but you both guard your hearts so fiercely. I wasn’t sure if anything would come of it.”

Parker’s throat was tight. “I wish it hadn’t,” he whispered.

“Parker . . .” Barbara started. “What happened between you two?”

“I told Beth I loved her.” He looked down shamefully. “We kissed.”

“And that made her run away?”

“No. She feels the same way about me, too. Or at least she did. But then Jared showed up begging her to take him back, and—”

“Jared’s here?”

“He flew in from Aspen to try to get Beth to take him back. They broke up last night because, well because he’s an idiot. But Jared and I got into it and Beth was put in the middle. That’s why she took off.”

Barbara was silent, her mouth in a tight line. Parker was pretty sure she didn’t know that Beth and Jared were officially dating. Beth was always careful to say they were just friends, but there was no way for Parker to explain what happened without telling Barbara about Jared and Beth. He hated to betray Beth’s trust again, but it’s not like her mother could be mad about her having a boyfriend when she was lying in the hospital.

Barbara looked like she wanted to say something, but just then the ER doors swung open. Parker and Barbara were both on their feet as the doctor walked toward them. Chills of déjà vu erupted on Parker’s scalp slithering all the way down his spine. Suddenly, he was four years old again, holding his father’s hand as the doctor delivered the news that his mother had passed.

This was too close to home. Parker had lost his mother in a car accident. This couldn’t be how he lost Beth too. He gripped Barbara’s hand like a lifeline as the doctor spoke.

“Beth sustained a mild head injury. She had smoke in her lungs and required a few stitches in her scalp. She’s got a minor concussion, so we’ll be keeping her for observation, but she’s going to be just fine.” The doctor reached out and shook Parker’s hand. “She was lucky you were there, son. You did a good thing getting her here so quickly.”

The doctor pulled Barbara aside to talk to her further about insurance and medications. Parker sunk back down into his chair. He didn’t think his legs could support him a moment longer. Beth was going to be okay. The words whirled around his head until they sank in. Parker was shaking with tears of relief when Barbara walked back over. She sat down and took his hands.

“Can we see her yet?” Parker asked.

“Not yet. They’re moving her to a private room soon. She’s still sedated, but once she’s situated they said we can visit her.”

Parker nodded.

“Parker,” Barbara started. “I hope you know how grateful I am to you.”

His head popped up. “Me?”

“You were there for Beth when it counted. You’ve always been there for her. And no matter what happens between you two, I’ll always consider you part of our family.”

Barbara’s words made him start sobbing all over again. She pulled him into a hug and rubbed soothing circles into his back. “Everything’s going to be fine, sweetheart. I have a feeling things will work out with you two.”

“I don’t see how,” Parker replied.

Barbara lifted his chin. “You have to think positive.”

“I’ve been trying to, but it’s like everything is set on pulling us apart. First Jared, and in a few months we’ll be going to separate colleges. It’s why I never said anything to her before . . .”

“Ah yes, college,” Barbara said, calmly. “Can I ask you something, Parker? Do you want to go to Cornell?”

He shook his head.

“Have you talked to your father about any of this?”

He shook his head again.

She smiled warmly. “I know I’m not your mother, but I think of you like a son. And if you don’t mind me saying so, I’d like to give you a piece of motherly advice. You have some big questions to ask yourself regarding your future. The best advice I can give you is to follow your heart and do what you know will make you happy. That’s all any parent really wants; for their children to be happy.”

Barbara’s words washed over Parker, filling his heart with hope. How many times had Beth told him the same thing? And he didn’t have to ask himself any hard questions. He knew what he wanted. He wanted Beth. He wanted Harvard. But what did it matter now? Beth would never forgive him for not coming to her about Jared and Caroline when he’d had the chance. He’d seen the pain in her eyes. Parker couldn’t forgive himself for hurting her—so how could he ask Beth to?