No Place Like Home, page 21
He kept his gaze on Bree, and she couldn’t breathe. She was torn between hope and fear.
“Like everyone else in this room, I’ve done some stupid things in my life.” Parker gave her an almost imperceptible nod. “But this went beyond stupid. This was thoughtless and cruel. Once I realized what I’d done, I arranged for all of you to be here tonight so I could tell you that I don’t care what you think of me or Bree.”
Murmurs spread through the crowd. Bree covered her mouth with her hand, feeling both terrified and exhilarated.
“I’m not going to tell you about Bree’s past. That’s her business, and I won’t break her confidence. But if she marries me, sooner or later it will come out. I needed you all to know that Bree is more important to me than my expeditions. I hope you’ll all stick with me, but if you feel you can’t, I understand. If marrying the woman I love costs me your support, so be it.”
Parker took a deep breath. “Once again, thanks for coming tonight. Help yourself to the hors d’oeuvres and drinks. I’m going to be busy.”
Laughter rippled through the room, and she knew everyone was staring at her. Wondering. Her palms were sweating.
Shelley and Jack Horton appeared next to her, one on either side. “We don’t care what you’ve done, honey,” Shelley said, hugging her. “That man loves you, and that’s good enough for us.”
Bree stared at her. “You’re going to continue supporting Parker?”
“Of course. He’s doing important work. And we like you a lot. We don’t care what you did years ago. What difference does it make?”
“You don’t know what it was,” Bree muttered.
“No one is perfect.” Shelley said gently. “If we judged people by their mistakes, we’d have to condemn everyone.” She patted Bree’s hand. “Parker told us what he did to you. He’s a knucklehead, but he knows he made a mistake, Bree. Can you forgive him?”
“I can handle this myself, Shelley.” Parker stood behind Bree, close enough that she could feel his breath on her neck. Close enough to feel the energy pouring off him. He didn’t touch her, but her skin prickled.
“My two minutes are up, Bree,” he said. “Are you leaving or staying?”
Her heart pounding, her stomach jumping, she turned to face him. “Why did you do this, Parker?”
“Would you have believed me if I came to you and said it didn’t matter? That I didn’t care if my donors left me?” When she didn’t answer, he said, “I didn’t think so. I’m desperate, Bree.”
She looked around, and saw that no one was interested in the hors d’oeuvres. No one stood at the bar. Everyone in the room was watching them. “Do we have to do this in public?”
“If that’s what it takes. Personally, I’d rather have the rest of this conversation in private. But if you want me to get down on one knee in front of everyone, I’ll do it happily. As long as you say yes.”
“No,” she said. He flinched as if she’d struck him. “I mean, no, I don’t want to stay here. Everyone’s watching us.”
Without another word, he hurried her out of the room. There was no one else in the elevator, and she couldn’t help remembering the last time they’d taken an elevator up to a hotel room. Parker had to be thinking about it, too, because his hand tightened on hers.
They walked down a quiet, softly lit corridor, and he slipped his key card in a slot. When she’d stepped into his room, the door closed behind her with a solid clunk.
He was staying in a suite, with a sitting room and a separate bedroom. He led her to the sitting room, and began pacing. “I don’t know where to begin, Bree. You were right. I was a jerk and a fool. It didn’t take me long to realize what a mistake I’d made, but then Charlie got hurt. Waiting these three weeks while he recovered has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Parker took her hand and brushed his lips across her palm, and she shivered. His mouth lingered and then he twined their fingers tightly together.
“All this time, I thought it was just sex for you,” she said. “That’s all you ever promised.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you. That I let you think that. And it turns out I was wrong.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Or are you saying I was your boy toy? That you were just using me?”
“You know I wasn’t.”
“Thank God.” He drew her closer. “Although I’ve always wanted to be someone’s boy toy. Are you sure?”
“Very sure.”
“That’s good, because I love you, Bree. It took me too damn long to figure it out, but I do. Completely. Nothing is more important than you.”
She wanted to fall into his arms, to tell him that she loved him, too, but she couldn’t. Not yet. “I’m part of a package deal,” she said. “We’re not just talking about the two of us. I have a son. I have two sisters and a brother-in-law.” Her mouth curved. “A niece or nephew in eight months. Families can be difficult. I saw how uncomfortable complications made you.”
“Because I was afraid of being left behind again. Afraid of letting myself care, then losing everybody. If no one was important, no one could hurt me. But I want to take the chance. I want the whole package. Charlie. Sisters and brothers-in-law. Nieces and nephews.” He drew her closer. “I want to be part of a family. With you at the center.
“You’re the most important thing in my world. Nothing else matters without you. I don’t give a damn about going on my expeditions if I can’t have you in my life. I’ve had plenty of time to think recently, and I know what I want. Will you forgive me? Will you marry me?”
He’d said in the ballroom he was going to ask her to marry him. But she still couldn’t quite believe it. “You want to get married?”
“Isn’t that what you do when you can’t imagine life without the person you love? When nothing matters but her? I want to wake up with you every morning for the rest of my life. I want to make love with you, fight with you, make a family with you. You’re everything to me, Bree.”
He swept her hair away from her face. “I’ve been doing a lot of talking here, but you haven’t said much. I thought you loved me. Was I wrong?” He gripped her shoulders. “Did I blow it? Have you decided you don’t love me after all?”
“I love you, Parker. I’ve been calling myself all kinds of a fool for the past few weeks, but I couldn’t get you out of my heart.”
“Okay. Decision time. Will you marry me?”
“I want to marry you.” Reality elbowed happiness out of the way. “But it’s not that easy. What about your expeditions? You’re gone for half the year. I don’t want a part-time marriage. Or a part-time husband.”
“Neither do I, sweetheart, so I have a plan.” He skimmed his hands down her arms, then up to her shoulders. “First, tell me again that you love me, Bree.”
“I do love you,” she said, finally allowing herself to wrap her arms around him. “Completely. I’ve been so sad these past weeks.”
“I’ve been the most miserable human being on the face of the earth. We’ve gone through two assistants since you left. Chuck Boehmer has threatened to banish me to the basement of the science building if I don’t get you back.”
She clung to Parker, unable to let him go. “So what’s your plan?”
“I’ll tell you the details later. Right now there’s something much more important to talk about. Like boy toys,” he said, drawing a finger lightly down the center of her chest. “And dancing lessons.”
Desire hummed along her nerves and raced through her blood. “What are a boy toy’s duties?”
“Hmm. I have a few ideas about that.” He slid his hands beneath her silk jacket and spread his palms on her bare back.
“What about Charlie and Zoe?” she said.
“We have two hours before they’ll be back.”
“You planned this to the last detail, didn’t you?” she asked, locking her arms around his neck and pulling him close.
“You bet I did. I wasn’t leaving anything to chance.”
She smiled. “I like a man who pays attention to details.”
THEY MANAGED TO MAKE IT to the hotel lobby, clothing on right side out, just as Charlie and Zoe were walking in.
“How was the movie?” Bree asked brightly.
“Awesome.” Charlie looked from her to Parker. “Hey, Professor. What are you doing here?”
He was just a little too casual, a little too innocent, and Bree narrowed her eyes. “I know that tone of voice, bud. Were you in on this, too?”
Charlie spread his hands and widened his eyes. “Geez, Mom, why are you so suspicious?”
“Because I know my kid.” She turned to Parker. “Did you plan this with Charlie, behind my back?”
He spread his hands just like Charlie had done. “Geez, Bree, why are you so suspicious?”
Biting her lip to keep from laughing, she said, “So. A conspiracy in my own family.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Charlie grin and give Parker a double thumbs-up, despite the green cast he was wearing. Parker clapped him on the back. “We have stuff to talk about, kid. You want to come up to my room for a while?”
Zoe hugged her sister. “I’m beat, Bree. I’m going to bed.”
“Thanks, Zo,” Bree whispered as she hugged her back.
“What do we need to talk about?” Charlie asked as soon as they got off the elevator.
“Hold your pants on,” Parker said as he ushered them into his suite. They’d made the bed in the other room, and Bree had tugged the door closed before they’d gone down to the lobby.
Parker slipped into the bedroom now, rummaged in his suitcase and returned with a paper grocery sack, which he handed to Charlie. “Here you go.”
Parker sat down beside Bree, who leaned against him. “What’s going on?” she murmured.
“Are you always this impatient?” he whispered. “Oh, wait. You are.” He nuzzled her neck. “But I’m not complaining.”
“That’s the kind of attitude I like in my boy toys.”
He tightened his grip on her waist. “You better watch it, or Charlie’s going to get a show.”
Ignoring the adults, Charlie opened the bag and pulled out a book and a small square box with a picture of a light on it.
“Reptiles of South America,” he read, then looked at Parker, a question in his eyes.
“I figure you’re going to need a reference book next summer. When we all go down to South America for my annual expedition.”
“We’re going with you?” He looked from Parker to Bree.
“We are?” she asked.
“You don’t think I’m leaving you two behind, do you?” Parker shook his head. “Not a chance. I didn’t think Charlie would want to miss school, so I thought we could spend our summers in South America.”
“Sweet!” Charlie exclaimed.
“Parker and I are getting married, Charlie,” Bree told him. But Charlie wasn’t paying attention, he was flipping the pages of his new reptile book. Parker was, though.
“Finally I get a yes out of you,” he murmured into her ear.
“You got more than one yes out of me a little while ago,” she whispered, grinning.
Charlie looked up from the book. “You’re getting married? Cool.” He set the book on the couch and opened the box, taking out a round, red light attached to a piece of Velcro. “What’s this for?”
“That’s to wrap around your arm when you’re running. It flashes, even in bright daylight. You need a keeper when you run, Charlie. In case I can’t go with you, you can use the light.”
“Awesome.” He wrapped the strap around his arm and fiddled with the switch. Bree watched, amazed at how easily he’d accepted the news.
Parker put his arm around her shoulder. “You look pretty tired, Charlie. Why don’t you head on down to your room? Your mom is going to stay up here for a while longer.” He dropped a kiss on her head. “She’s teaching me to dance, and it looks like I’m going to need a lot of lessons.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2570-5
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Copyright © 2008 by Margaret Watson.
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*The McInnes Triplets
Margaret Watson, No Place Like Home
