Page 30 of To Hold and Protect

“Yes. I had a book fair and signing. Drove over Friday night.” Something flashed in his eyes, as if he liked hearing that. She couldn’t imagine why it mattered.

A large orange-and-white cat strolled in. “Well, hello. Who are you?”

“That’s Everly’s cat Jellybean.”

“Aren’t you a pretty thing. Girl or boy?”

“Boy. A very spoiled boy.”

The cat purred when she scratched around his ears. “Does he get along with Ember? Where is Ember, anyway?”

“They’re friends, and she’s in the studio with Ev. Speaking of, we should go out there before one impatient little girl comes searching for us.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing your studio.” And seeing for herself what kind of artist he was. She hoped he was good so she wouldn’t have to lie and say his paintings were great. “Before we go, I wanted to run something by you. Your daughter is unbelievably talented.”

“She is.”

“Her illustrations for the story we wrote are amazing, and I’d like to send the story and her illustrations to my agent.”

“No.”

“But—”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I have my reasons.” He walked out the back door.

All righty then. Grouchy Pants was back.

Chapter Fourteen

Why had he told her all that crap about his aunt? And what was she thinking, wanting to put a five-year-old child in the public’s view? Especially the daughter of Park C. That was a big fat no. Of course, she didn’t know he was Park C, but she would in a few minutes. Despite himself, he was curious to see her reaction when she learned who he was.

He’d never set out to be famous, had never dreamed it was possible. All he’d wanted was to be able to pay the bills with his art. He’d been discovered in France and had been making a name for himself when Simone had almost destroyed him. He’d lost any desire to paint. His mentor had encouraged him to put her betrayal behind him and to pick up a brush again.

“Son, you have too much talent to let that bitch take that away from you,” Benoit had said. But she had.

Benoit called once a week, even after Parker returned to America, begging him to paint. Then, because his baby girl had brought joy back into his life, the need to paint returned. He reinvented himself, and Park C had picked up a brush and painted. The day Parker told Benoit that he was painting again, the old man had been so happy that he’d cried.

Benoit had called a friend of his who owned an art gallery in New York City and raved about a new up-and-coming artist on the scene. As a favor to Benoit, the gallery owner asked to see some of Parker’s work. Next thing Parker knew, he had a New York show.

As for Simone, he’d made the best trade of his life. By his caving to her blackmail and agreeing not to prosecute her, she’d given him Everly. After handing their two-day-old baby over to him, she’d walked away without a backward glance. There was a constant worry he tried to keep buried that someday she’d show up and want to see her daughter. He prayed that never happened, and he didn’t know what he’d do if it did.

Simone and Everly were the reasons he’d never have a serious relationship again. Simone had taught him that he couldn’t trust his judgment when it came to women. As for Ev, if he brought a woman into their lives and it didn’t work out, she’d be crushed. He’d die before he’d allow his baby girl to be hurt.

He wanted to be in love, and that was the hardest thing to deal with, accepting that it would never happen for him. He was a one-woman man, always had been. As soon as he’d discovered the wonder of girls, he’d wanted that special one. Someone who loved him. Someone who looked at him as if he hung the moon for her. Because he would have.

Thanks to Everly, his brothers, and now their women, there were people in his life who cared about him. He was lonely, though. A minor problem he could live with. If a wild child with strawberry hair and freckles got his blood stirred up, he’d ignore the attraction he felt toward her. He was used to ignoring the things he longed for. When those longings threatened to overwhelm him, all he had to do was think of his daughter to remind himself the path he’d chosen for himself after she’d entered his life was the right one.

“So, this is your studio?” Willow said when he opened the door.

“Yep.” She was seconds from discovering who he was, and he almost slammed the door closed to keep her out. Until she’d seen his painting in the dining room and gushed over Park C, he hadn’t cared about showing her his studio. It hadn’t occurred to him that she’d know who Park C was. Would it change how she saw him? But why was he even wondering that, since he didn’t care what she thought of him. Okay, maybe he cared a little, he just didn’t want to.

“Miss Willow!” Everly shouted as soon as they walked in. “Come see my illustrations for our story.”

Willow’s gaze scanned the room, and Parker’s gaze was on her. Knowing he’d bring her in here, he’d locked up all his canvases except for the one he was working on, which was about half finished. Maybe she wouldn’t realize who he was. She saw his easel and took a step toward it.

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