Page 152 of Best Friends for Never

“Gran!” I say, looking over at her as she walks through the theater doors.

She grins up at me. “Bub. Why didn’t you come see me last night, hmm?” She lifts her stark-white brows at me, and I feel like a kid getting reprimanded all over again.

I point at Parker. “It was her fault.”

“Hey!” My girlfriend smacks my hand away. “It was not!”

But it so was. We both know it.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here now.” Gran opens her arms, and I fall into them effortlessly, hugging her tightly and inhaling the aloe vera she always smells like.

“I missed you,” I tell her.

“You just saw me a month ago,” she says, pulling away, but I know she missed me too. She steps up to Parker, taking her face between her wrinkled hands. “You, my sweet girl, have done an outstanding job, and I am so, so proud of you.”

Parker’s eyes well with tears instantly, and she wraps Gran in a tight hug.

I never told her about Gran being the anonymous donor. Not that I think Gran would mind if she knew, but I like that it’s a little secret she and I have for now.

“Parker!” Fran yells, skidding into the room. “There you are!”

“Fran? What’s wrong?” Parker asks.

“Have you been outside lately?”

“No.” Parker shakes her head. “I’ve been here for hours, making sure everything is perfect before we open at five. Why?” She pulls her brows together. “What’s wrong?”

“You just ... You have to see this. Come on.”

Fran grabs Parker’s hand, tugging her from the room.

She looks back at me over her shoulder, her eyes full of worry, but I just shrug.

I look to Gran, but she waves at me, silently telling me to follow Parker.

The girls make their way to the front of the theater, and I trail behind.

Parker pushes open the door, and her mouth drops.

“Peter?” I ask. “Everything okay?”

She nods but doesn’t look away from whatever has her in shock.

I sneak up behind her, looking over her head, and my jaw slackens along with hers.

When I pitched the idea of premieringOne Nighthere, Parker was a little wary that we’d never get anyone to come out who’s not local, especially with it being so far from the airport. But two minutes after tickets went live, they were sold out. So we added another show, and that sold out too.

It’s one thing to sell out a theater, but seeing the crowd in person is another.

There’s a line wrapped around the building, so long it bleeds onto Borgen, and all I can think is,Take that, Figgins.

I couldn’t stand all the shit he pulled with Parker, so to stick it to him and all the other gossipmongers at theGazette, I bought it just because I could. I fired Leonard Figgins first, then the rest of the staff who were stirring up trouble, and I rebuilt it with honest and unbiased journalists. It took a few months to get it off the ground, especially with my travel and filming schedule, but now it’s doing better than it ever has and even has an online version that I get sent to my inbox daily to keep up with the happenings of Emerald Grove while I’m away. It’s been a real blessing for all of us.

“Holy ... crackers! This is ... Wow! I don’t know what to say.” Parker shakes her head in disbelief. “I ... I never expected this.”

“Really? I sure as hell did.”

Parker turns to me, letting the door close behind her. “You did not.”

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