Page 53 of Someday You Learn

Chapter nine

Cashlynn

“Wasn’t your dad supposed to be here by now?” Parker asks as he stirs the pasta boiling on the stove.

I glance at the microwave clock. “Yes. Do you think he got lost?” Before he can answer, the doorbell rings. My stomach twists, nerves surging. “Guess not,” I mutter.

Parker and I rehearsed our story last night and again this afternoon as soon as he got home from the animal hospital. While he was at work, I moved my things into his bedroom so that if Dad wants a tour of the house, it looks like we share a room. Parker didn’t seem too thrilled about it, but agreed it was a smart move.

“Just breathe.” Parker’s calm, steady voice cuts through the my building nerves. He gives me a reassuring smile. “Let’s go answer the door together.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

With his hand on the small of my back—a move I’m becoming a big fan of—we head for the front door. We open it to find my father leaning on his cane, a bottle of wine in his other hand.

“Hi, Dad.” I step forward and wrap my arms around him, even though his hands are full.

He kisses me on the temple instead of returning my hug. “Hi there, June Bug.” When he stands tall again, he glances over at Parker. “Parker.”

Parker reaches for the wine. “Robert. Thanks for coming over.”

“Well, I guess I should get used to visiting since this is my daughter’s home now too.” He walks through the front door and shuffles toward the dining room.

“I’m sorry,” I say to Parker under my breath.

“What are you apologizing for now?”

“His attitude. I just—”

Parker leans forward and presses a kiss to my forehead. His lips barely graze my skin, but it’s enough to short-circuit my brain. “I can handle your father,” he says. “I’ve been working with him for the past six years, remember?”

“Yeah, but you weren’t always fake engaged to me.”

Parker’s expression hardens slightly. “No, but if he’s going to have that big of an attitude about it, I can give it right back.”

“You’re supposed to be buttering him up, remember? The practice? That’s why you agreed to this.”

“Not if it means standing by while he doesn’t support you.” He takes my hand and leads me toward the kitchen, my heart thrashing in my chest from his words.

As the days pass and I inch closer to opening my gallery, I’m starting to feel like Parker genuinely believes in me, and I’m not sure why.

Maybe Hazel is right. Maybe there are feelings there that even he’s oblivious to.

“Smells good. What are you making, June Bug?”

“Actually, Parker’s cooking tonight,” I say, retrieving the wine opener from a drawer as Parker moves back to the stove.

“You cook, Parker?”

“I do. My mother always made my brothers and me help in the kitchen when we were young. She said she refused to raise boys that didn’t know how to fend for themselves or impress a woman.”

I glance back at him and he winks at me over his shoulder.

“Parker’s cooking is one of the biggest perks of living together,” I say, loving when he gives me glimpses of the man beyond the exterior.

“I imagine it’s hard to do much of that when you’re in a long-distance relationship, huh?” My father says, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

I pour three glasses of the red wine my father bought, handing one to Parker before taking the other two to the dining room table. Placing one in front of Dad, I take the seat next to him.

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