Page 10 of Parker

“What did you say to me?”

“—because that’s whatI’mimagining as I drink my delicious fucking beer,” he finishes, flicking his eyes at her dismissively, likeshe’sthe joke, not him.

The server returns, oblivious to the tension in the room as he places my Prosecco on the cocktail napkin in front of me.

“May I offer you some cocktail mix? We have nuts or pretzels.”

“Sure,” I murmur, my eyes glued to the drama in front of me.

“Both, then.” He hurries away to grab my snack.

“Did youactuallyjust call me a bitch?” Dog-Mommy shrieks.

“If the shoe fits…” mutters Quinn, finishing his ‘delicious fucking beer.’

The young woman lowers her dog to the floor and puts her hands on her hips. I note that the dog’s wearing a rhinestone collar with a matching rhinestone leash.Ridiculous.

“You know what, sir?” she says, her eyes wide with indignation. “You’re, like,super…fucking…rude.”

“I’m not the only one,” Quinn drawls, sliding his eyes slowly from her face to her feet. “Your dog’s taking a shit on the hotel floor. I’d saythat’spretty fucking rude, too.”

While they gasp again in surprise, scolding the little dog and trying to decide what to do about the small hill of steaming poop, I find myself chuckling softly. And that’s right about when I lift my eyes to Quinn, who’s staring back at me, his green eyes sparkling with shared amusement. He lifts his glass to me in a salute identical to the one he gave to the girls when they first entered the lounge.

I raise my own glass in solidarity, taking a slow sip of the icy cold bubbles and feeling—of all things!—a brief and rare moment of rapport with the most annoying stranger in the world.

***

“They upgraded me,” I tell my sister, lying on my bed in a bathrobe and complimentary slippers. “It’ssodeluxe, Reeve. Whirlpool. Mini bar. Floor-to-ceiling windows. You wouldn’t believe it.”

“You’re making me jealous. I wish I was there.”

“You should’ve come with me!”

“Granneverwould’ve allowed me to go to Vegas with you. Be so serious.”

“Good point.” I roll off the bed and walk to the windows, staring out at the glittering, multicolored lights of the strip. “What’s going on at home?”

“Hmm. Well. Sawyer cleared most of his stuff out of his cabin this morning and said I could have it. He moved in with Ivy.”

This doesn’t surprise me. My younger brother and his sometimes-summer-hook-up are finally a couple, and I bet he’s not letting her out of his sight for a while.

“What else?”

“Hunter and Isabella went back to Seattle this afternoon.”

My oldest brother and his fiancée live in Seattle from October to May and return to Skagway for Thanksgiving, New Year’s and in the summer to live and work. Originally, I wasn’t Isabella’s biggest fan, though she seems to be making Hunter very happy, and that means a lot to me. We may end up as friends yet.

“What’re Tan and Ken up to?”

“Canoodling,” says Reeve. “They’re gonna be pregnant by the spring, you mark my words.”

“Gross, Reeve. He’s our brother.”

“Noted. How about you? How’s Vegas?”

“Cold. Busy. Loud.”

“Did you set up your table yet?”

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