Page 13 of Hers to Marry
Another way she was different than Parker, but she’d soon act the same way. Parker listened—at first. Then it had been too much for her, and she had begged him to see a therapist. And he had taken her advice. The guilt from having your best friend die because he took your place on a mission wasn’t something that wen away easily. Nor was it something he could keep putting on Parker.
“Don’t want to bore you.”
She shook her head. “Don’t do that. Don’t speak for me. I offered and it will continue to stand.” She dropped her arm.
They continued to walk along the trail until they came to a clearing overlooking a picturesque lake. Twilight had settled, and the purple and orange hues in the sky shimmered off the waters. “Oh, Drew… This is incredible. This view? I didn’t know this place was for sale.”
“It’s about an acre.”
She faced him. “Why Springfield?”
“Why not?”
Her shoulders rose and fell. “I guess my sisters couldn’t wait to leave—in large part because of our father—but…I don’t know.”
“You’re still here.”
“You’re right. I don’t have an argument for that. Except maybe because of Mom. And the bakery.” She inhaled and closed her eyes, her arms outstretched. “You can’t hear anything but nature out here.”
“Exactly. Which is why it’s absolutely perfect. And it smells amazing. Just clean and fresh. I’ll need help with it though.”
Her eyes opened. “What do you mean? Financial help?”
“No, I’ve got that covered. I’ve done a lot of flips in my time, and I’ve made some pretty good investments. The help I need is…”
“Ah. With Parker.”
“Yep.”
He blew a breath out between his lips, making a fluttering sound. This place was gorgeous. Neighbors on the opposite side of the lake, and one about a quarter mile away. Perfect location to raise a family. He had always enjoyed his time running in the fields with Kat and had hoped his kids would be able to do the same.
“She’s not going to like this place, Drew. I hate to say it, but Parker has always been a city girl. She hated when her parents moved here, and the first thing she wanted to do when she graduated high school was to go to college in a major city.”
He sighed. “I know.”
“Then how do you think you’ll convince her to settle down here?”
“I’m hoping when she sees this place, she’ll feel relaxed. She’s been stressed lately with a major project her company is doing, and it’s making her cranky and short. It’s part of the reason why she’s so focused on my weight.”
Kat made a face that said she didn’t buy his reason, but he let that slide.
“Anyway, she can do her job from anywhere. She knows I want to settle down, and she feels the same way.”
“She does?”
“Yeah. She told me she wants to have a family, and that’s what I want too.”
“Okay… Well, you have to get her to see that she’ll still be connected with people. She’s an extrovert. Being out here in the wild—”
“It’s not exactly the wild,” Drew said with a laugh.
“You know what I mean. Being away from people when she needs them to thrive. You get her to see she won’t miss any of the essential elements of the city, and then this place…” Her gaze roamed around, a smile lingering on her face. “This place will do all the work.”
He watched her take in the scenery with appreciation. “You really like it out here?”
“Drew, I love it. You know I do.”
That was true. Even after the years apart, he still knew his best friend.
