Page 30 of Wild Tonic
“You’ve stepped it up a level this time.” Her voice was flat and empty.
“What are you talking about?”
“You were the topic of conversation tonight. All the others were asking if I was alright and if I needed anything.” Poppy fiddled with the handle of her coffee mug. “I had no idea what they were on about.”
“Neither do I. Poppy, tell me what’s happened?” Parker wondered whether there was something the matter with India. There was no sign of the babysitter.
“Hitting the Daily Mail sidebar of shame is really something, Parker. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Parker’s eyebrows knotted together. He had no clue what she was going on about. Why on earth would he appear in a gossip column? That was more Lexi’s style and something he definitely shied away from.
Lexi.
It had to be her. Oh God, had Tommy gone through with his threats?
A cold hand clasped his heart.
“Are you leaving me to go back to Lexi?” Poppy’s voice cracked. “If you are, just tell me and we can get it over and done with.”
“Why would you think that?”
“There are pictures of the two of you together at a hotel. You went up to her room. Then you left separately.”
Suddenly, it all fell into place. It must have been when Lexi first told him about the blackmail. The stupid meeting in that hotel where she had been all about the secrecy. Now it wasn’t so secret. “Oh, that was ages ago.”
“So, it’s been going on for ages, has it?” Poppy ran a hand through her red hair, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I knew there was something going on. The way you were always so secretive when your phone went, hiding things from me.”
“Poppy, there isn’t anything going on.” Parker sat down beside her and reached for her hand. He had to tell her the truth, even if it meant breaking Lexi’s confidence. “You have to believe me. You know what these gossip columns can be like.”
Poppy’s hand lay unresponsive in his. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him. If he thought about it from her point of view, those photographs were pretty incriminating so why should she?
“I saw the pictures, Parker.”
“And you know they can lie. I can assure you, I’m not seeing Lexi.”
“Then what were you doing in a hotel with her? Is the boring, family life not for you any longer? You need the excitement and glamour of the showbiz world?”
“I get enough of that with the band.” Parker winced as soon as he’d said the words. Bringing Nate into the conversation probably wasn’t the best idea.
She snatched her hand away. “I bet you do. And I bet Nate was encouraging you all the way when he heard you were having an affair.” She stood up, her stool crashing to the floor. “I thought you were different. What is it about me that makes men want to cheat on me?”
“I’m not cheating on you!” Parker yelled. A burst of heat rumbled in his chest. Why wouldn’t she let him explain? “I wouldn’t do that.” He lowered his voice and inhaled deeply. “I don’t feel right telling you about this, but if it’s the only way to get you to believe me, then I have to do it. Sit down.”
A frown flitted across Poppy’s face as she did as he requested. Parker took both of her hands in his.
“Lexi asked me to meet her because she was in trouble. She needed money to get her out of a situation and thought I would be able to help her.” He watched her expression soften a little.
“Money? Isn’t she loaded?”
The corner of Parker’s mouth quirked. “Let’s just say that Lexi’s not very practical with money. She may have a million pairs of Jimmy Choos or whatever, but there’s not much in the way of a fall back.”
“Oh.” Poppy wrinkled her nose. “What did she need the money for? More shoes?”
Parker shook his head. He paused and breathed in hard. Breaking a confidence wasn’t something he did lightly. She had to know though, otherwise the future of their own relationship was in doubt.
“She’s being blackmailed.”
“What?”
