Page 66 of Dear Mr. Brody

I nodded, my tongue like sandpaper in my mouth as I opened the door. Parker smiled at me, and for a second, I forgot I was in the middle of a panic attack. God, he looked good. He had on a tight white t-shirt that stretched over his wide chest, and dark-fitted jeans. His cheeks were sun-kissed like he’d been outside all day, and he’d gotten his hair cut since the other night. The sides had been cleaned up, but he’d left what little length he had on the top. If I could have, I would have kissed him right there on my front porch, rubbed my fingers over the shaved sides of his head. But his eyes widened, his smile faltering as Lanie came up beside me.

“Hey,” I said and let out a shaky breath. “I, uh—”

“Hi there.” Lanie waved at him, totally oblivious. For someone who practiced energy work, she sure couldn’t read a room. “I was on my way out.” She glanced at me and back at Parker, when neither of us said anything, she laughed. “Well, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

Parker’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as I tried to speak past my fat tongue. “Sorry… um… this—”

“Parker.” He fixed his smile. “It’s nice to meet you…”

“Lanie... the ex-wife.” She fucking giggled. I guess I wasn’t the only one here who found Parker attractive. “Do you work with Van?”

He said yes at the same time I said no. Lanie’s flirty smile faltered.

“I should say I’m hoping to work with him.” Parker chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m a writer.”

It wasn’t a complete fabrication.

“One of the best writers I’ve ever read,” I said, finally finding the courage to speak as I held his stare. “I think he could have an amazing career ahead of him.”

“I didn’t mean to ruin your dinner plans… I’m sorry,” she said. “It was nice to meet you, Parker. But I have to run. Thanks again, Van. You’re a lifesaver.”

Parker stepped to the side as she moved past him, and instead of inviting him in, I looked over my shoulder. Anne hadn’t moved an inch.

“Shit, I’m so sorry,” I said and shut the door behind me. I watched as Lanie backed out of my driveway and pulled away. “She literally just showed up.”

Parker ran his thumb over my lips, moving closer he spoke in a low voice I felt down to my toes. “It’s okay… she’s gone now.”

With Anne only a few feet away inside, I should have stopped him. But my heart was all over the place, the adrenaline in my system overriding my common sense. He cupped the back of my neck, his firm fingers releasing all my anxiety as his lips tasted mine. I fisted my hand in his t-shirt, closing the space between us, and he backed me into the door, smiling against my mouth when I groaned.

“Hi,” he whispered before pulling my bottom lip through his teeth. “As much as I love a good public display of affection, are you going to invite me in sometime tonight?”

I rested my forehead against his. “My daughter is here.”

“No shit?” He dropped his hands from my waist and nearly fell off the porch as he tried to put as much space between us as possible.

“Lanie tried to call me, but I was in the shower, and I didn’t check my phone.” I raked a hand through my hair. “She has to work, and her parents are sick. I didn’t know what to do, and I wanted to call you, but—”

“Breathe,” he said, his lips lifting into a lopsided smile. “It’s not the end of the world.”

“You’re right… We can have dinner another time.”

But now that he was here, I didn’t want him to leave. Why did my life have to be this goddamn complicated?

“Oh… sure, yeah… another time,” he said, shoving his hands into his back pockets.

“Wait… do you want to stay?”

“Why would I want to leave?” he asked, his smile playful. “I’m capable of keeping my hands to myself long enough to have dinner with you and your daughter. I’m not a total heathen.”

“I thought…” I stuttered. “Isn’t it too soon?”

“To meet Anne? That’s up to you.” He exhaled, his hands falling to his sides. “I can’t make that decision.”

When Lanie and I had separated, I worried Anne would get attached to her mother’s boyfriends. Not in a jealous way either. I didn’t want a revolving door of people coming in and out of her life while Lanie and I tried to live our own lives. But Anne didn’t have to know the specifics of my relationship with Parker. She was ten. And as long as Parker and I were appropriate, she’d think he was one of my friends.

“I’m not ready to come out to Anne,” I said. “But, if you’re okay with being in the friend zone while she’s here, I’d love for you to meet her.”

“I can handle that.” Parker took the bottom hem of my shirt between his thumb and forefinger, his candid blue eyes searched mine. “Can I be honest?”

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