Page 62 of Lovers at Seaside
“No, it was killing me. But if the results are positive, then you have a family, Parker. You have agrandmother.”
She stopped cold and turned a lethal gaze on him. “I trusted you,” she seethed. “I told you I didn’t want this.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner. I should have gotten your permission.” In his head, he had done it for all the right reasons. Couldn’t she see that? “I hoped to find a family connection. Maybe I went about it the wrong way.”
“Maybe?” She scoffed and grabbed her phone from the patio table. “You should havetold mesooner? I can’t deal with this right now. I need space. Time. You’re…” She shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Unbelievable?” Anger and confusion whirled inside him. This couldn’t be happening. He had to stop this fight, to make her understand, but he could tell she was way past understanding. He’d done this to them—to her. Something inside him snapped, and he was powerless to stop the words from coming out.
“Come on, Parker! I get that I messed up. I love youtoomuch to cause you the anguish of false hope—and I love youtoomuch to let go of the remote possibility of finding your family. It was wrong. I broke your trust. But I stand behind it, because I love you. I want to give you everything, but I couldn’t with you standing in my way. I had to go around you. Can’t you see that?”
She lifted her chin and drew her shoulders back, gaining composure in the righting of her spine and the unfurling of her fingers. “You won’t have to go around me anymore.” She punched a few numbers on her phone and lifted it to her ear.
“Parker…? What are you saying? I’m taking you to the airport.”
“No, you’re not. Goodbye, Grayson.”
THE CAR SERVICE showed up late and Parker missed her flight out of Boston. She was too upset to sit around an airport for hours and did what she’d sworn she would never do, and she didn’t care who saw her. A few phone calls later, she and Christmas were on a private jet, flying across the country toward the land of beautiful people and scenic beaches. To her secluded home in Malibu, her life, and back-to-back meetings beginning tomorrow morning. She had the airliner to herself, having told the stewards not to bother her, which was perfect, because she didn’t know how much longer she could keep up the act of diva actress.
Not very long, it turned out. As Boston faded away in the distance, tears tumbled down her cheeks. Christmas put his front paws on her legs and licked her tears away.
Perfect.
Flipping perfect.
She was right back where she’d started a month ago.
Only worse.
Now she knew what it felt like to be in love, and whether she liked it or not, she was truly, deeply in love with Grayson. He’d taught her that it was okay to be herself and to honor her sadness and grief without feeling bad about it. He’d respected her worries about her reputation, and he’d done his best to protect her.I’ll be your bodyguard.He’d brought her into his circle of friends and family, and he’d supported her in every single thing she’d gone through. Even Abe. And Sarah.
And he loved her dog as much as she did.
Christmas whimpered and rested his chin on her legs, looking up at her like he was missing Grayson, too.
“Stop it. We can’t miss him. We can’t trust him. He hurt us.”
Christmas lifted his head, and she knew he was waiting for more tears, but she refused to let them fall.
Unfortunately, Grayson had taught her how to move on, too.
This is my real life now.
Chapter Twenty-Five
PARKER LOOKED AT her watch for the fifth time, wondering where Luce was. They were supposed to meet more than an hour ago, and Parker needed her support today more than ever. Not as a public-relations rep but as a friend. Today was her big audition for the lead role in the romantic comedy. Every time Parker auditioned for a role, her stomach knotted, her chest constricted, and she worried she’d wet her pants, throw up, or pass out—or maybe all of the above. Bert used to tell her that was because she cared so much about being great at her job. It was true she cared about excelling as an actress, and she always gave one hundred and ten percent to every audition and, subsequently, to every role. But that wasn’t what was causing her such panic. It was the feeling that at any moment someone would out her for being someone she wasn’t, which was silly, she knew. She wasacting. She wassupposedto be someone she wasn’t. That was the very thing she adored about her job, becoming someone else—and she was darn good at it.
But auditions had always felt different, like those first few days in a foster home. When the pressure was on to learn how to act, how to fit in,andhow to go unnoticed.
“I’m here! Sorry I’m late.” Luce flew into the waiting room, her blond hair pulled back in a clip at the base of her neck, her usual enormous tote over her right shoulder. She eyed Parker as she fell into the seat beside her. “You sure you want to do this?”
“Yes. Why are you so late? You’re never late.” She was barely holding herself together. She’d spent the last two days going in and out of meetings, doing her best impression of a happy actress. She wasn’t just good at it; she was one of the best. Then again, not giving herself time to think had always worked in the past, and it was doing a fair job of keeping her distracted now. Or at least it had been, until last night, when she’d realized it had beentwo daysand she hadn’t heard from Grayson. Not a text. Not an email. Not a phone call.
“Sorry. I got an urgent call from a client who was in trouble, and I had to sort a few things out. You look like death warmed over. You sure you want to do this? We can put it off.”
Parker rolled her eyes. Luce pulled a makeup bag out of her tote and dragged Parker into the ladies’ room. She could always count on Luce to be blatantly honest and prepared.
“I already did my makeup,” Parker complained.
