Page 137 of Mother Parker
“You want someone people don’t know, right? To look into this guy that sent the message and find out if he’s telling the truth. No one knows me yet. I can do it,” Joey said with the same smug expression he always had.
Even before what he did, he’d had the same smug face. How could we not have seen he was bad news?
“It’s not like I’m plastered across the island,” Ash huffed.
Wyatt looked around the room and nodded.
“Fowler’s got a point. We’ll let him scope it out, and then we’ll reconvene.”
“You can’t be serious!” I told Wyatt.
“What’s your problem with me?” Fowler asked.
“Are you seriously asking us that?” Ash asked.
“Enough,” Wyatt snapped. “I made up my mind, and that’s the end of the conversation. Autumn, message him back to set up a meeting. The rest of you, get out of my kitchen.”
We all did, and naturally, when we came out, Maddox and Hwan were asking questions.
“What’s wrong?” Hwan asked.
“The old man is going cuckoo. That’s what’s wrong,” Ash mumbled and walked away with a tray, almost dropping all the glasses on it.
Hwan looked from Ash to me with wide, curious eyes, and even though I was frustrated, I settled on the barstool and rubbed his back.
He’d already been through so much stress and worry. I didn’t need to add to that. He needed a break from everything.”
“I’ll tell you later,” I told him. “Let’s just try and enjoy our night out for now, huh?”
Hwan narrowed his eyes but relented, especially when the burgers came out looking huge and more mouthwatering than they had any right to look.
And the fuckers weren’t even burned.
Fucking Joey Fowler!
TWENTY-NINE
PARKER
“Aww, they’re so cute,” Hwan said, draped over me, hand over my heart, head on my chest, as we watched the Golden Girls reunite.
Sophia was still hopping around a lot, afraid to use her now-healed wing, but Blanche and Rose showered her with affection, cleaning her feathers, rubbing their heads on her like cats, and being extremely chatty.
Then, after spending enough time fussing over her, they hopped on the balcony rail and Sophia followed.
Hwan clutched my shirt when she followed the others and jumped off the ledge, and he didn’t let go until he saw all three soar through the sky, flying over the calm waters of Mayberry Holm.
Who would have thought that not only would this island be the Promised Land, but I would find everything I’d ever hoped for right here?
After so many losses, so much heartbreak and defeat, this place had given me a purpose again.
This place—particularly the bubble tea shop and its kind, sweet owner—had given me love again. Allowed me to believe in it and handed it to me on a platter.
This was the stuff of fiction, but it wasn’t. This was real. As real as my feelings for Hwan.
“I’m so happy she’s all healed and back to normal. I was scared she wouldn’t fly again,” he said, and I squeezed him tighter in my arms.
“You know who else is all healed?” I asked, my voice dripping with suggestion.
