Page 38 of Parker

“No, but…it’s complicated?”

“What’s with you, man?” I take a step toward him, into his personal space. “I, literally, just met you. Can you back off?”

“Whoa.” He holds up his palms in a quasi-submissive gesture, but that annoying, smart-ass smirk is still in place. “I’m just curious.”

“She stares at him like they’re exes,” offers Skylar, who’s standing behind her table, within earshot of us. “I can vouch for that.” She looks at me. “And I’d say there’s unfinished business on his side, too.”

“Whatever,” I mutter, walking around my table and busying myself with getting my laptop set up.

Rick gives up on talking to me and tells Skylar he’ll go get them some fresh coffee. I’m glad when he leaves, but it bugs me that he’s having lunch with Parker later. I don’t trust that guy as far as I can throw him, and I feel a responsibility to keep Parker safe. Maybe later, when they head to lunch, I’ll follow them from a distance and just make sure that Rick’s behaving himself. That’s the least I can do for Sawyer, right?

With fifteen minutes before the convention center doors open and nothing left to do, I sit down in the chair behind my table and pretend to look at my phone, but my eyes don’t focus on the screen. My finger scrolls like I’m catching up on social media, but all I’m really doing is thinking about the last three days with Parker.

On the plane, as we were landing in Seattle, she asked that we be strangers to each other, and once I got over feeling hurt by that request, I took it as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf with her. If we regressed our relationship to the point of strangers, maybe we’d have a chance to clean the slate. And if the slate was clean, maybe I’d have a chance to be new to her. And against all odds, that plan seems to have worked. So far, so good. So great. So amazing, in fact. Over the last few days, I’ve felt a giant shift in our relationship. When I stopped teasing her, she started softening toward me. When I genuinely apologized for past wrongs, she graciously forgave me. And I do believe that these steps could open a door for us—maybe only a crack for now—but a door into something new. To peace, for sure. To mutual attraction, I’m almost positive. And though I hesitate toeven hope for it—after longing for it all my life—maybe even to affection.

No matter what, I need to stay the course. This new development, of Parker having lunch with Rick Jones, isn’t the time to act like a jealous boyfriend or lunatic child. If I revert to my old ways of teasing her in a bid to divert her attention from Rick, all I’ll really be doing is pushing her full force into Rick’s arms.

“Hey!”

I look up to see Skylar standing in front of my table.

“Yeah?” I ask. I’m feeling a little more cautious of her after this morning. I feel like she sold me out a little when she told Rick that Parker and I had ‘unfinished business.’ “What’s up?”

“So,they’vegot a date for lunch…what’reyoudoing?”

I shrug. “I’ll just grab something.”

“Are you sure? My brother just texted me that he made a reservation for the four of us for lunch. Should I tell him to cancel or…?”

“No!” I say. “No. Lunch sounds good.”

“Just kidding,” says Skylar, pocketing her phone. “Rick didn’t text me. I made that up to see if you’d jump at the chance to go to lunch with your ex.”

I narrow my eyes at her, remembering Parker’s warning about Skylar from yesterday. I guess giving Skylar the benefit of the doubt wasn’t a smart move after all.

“Parker’snotmy ex.”

“Yeah, right,” says Skylar. “She’s yoursomething. That’s for sure.”

Yes.Sheismy something, I think, but I don’t owe Skylar Jones any explanations.

“Fine,” she chirps, smiling broadly before going back to her table. “You do you, Quinn Morgan.”

Just then, I catch Parker walking back down the aisle, dressed in a fresh aqua polo shirt. I try to make eye contact, but she breezes past me like she can’t be bothered to acknowledge I’m alive.Strangers again. Great.Across the aisle, Skylar makes an exaggerated frowny-face, then pretends to whimper like an ignored puppy. When I roll my eyes, she cackles with laughter.

I’m really startingnotto like her.

“Five minutes, vendors! Five minutes until the doors open!”

I plunk back down in my chair, glancing in Parker’s direction before picking up my phone again to find I have a message waiting. It’s from a number I don’t recognize, but has an Alaska area code. I click on it.

907-555-1623:

Hi, Quinn. Can I give you some advice?

I stare at the message for a minute, then look up at Skylar, to find her chatting on the phone with someone. Looking down the aisle at Parker, I find her busy straightening out her brochures.It isn’t one of them. Huh. Who is it?

I look down at my phone again, typing out a message.

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