Page 304 of Playing the Pucking Game
Casey and Alison picked Parker up from work earlier and have taken her out to a spa I booked for some pampering. As far as I know, both of them have kept the secret and are going to be delivering Parker here in a few minutes.
I lower the roller door so she can’t see in the second she arrives, before spinning on my heels and taking in the scene before me.
I really hope Rett is right and that she loves it.
Needing to keep busy, I tidy up again and shuffle a few things around, but before long, my cell buzzes with a message from Alison, letting me know that they’re two minutes out.
“Jesus Christ,” I breathe.
Get it together, Storm.
It’s just Parker.
That’s the thing, though. She’s never been just Parker.
She’s Parker.
She’s…everything.
Standing by the door, I wait with my heart in my throat, and it only gets worse when the rumble of an approaching engine hits my ears.
Three car doors slam next, and then soft, female voices float in the air.
“What the hell are we doing here?” Parker asks, confusion thick in her voice.
“It’s Kodie’s,” Casey lies. “He just wants me to pick something up.”
The door rattles as someone grabs the handle, and my mouth waters. Shit, I’m going to vomit right here and ruin everything.
“We’ll just be a minute,” Casey explains. “After you…”
The second Parker steps inside, I stop breathing.
She gasps, her movements freezing the moment she sees me.
“Linc, what?—”
“Okay, I’ll see you guys later. Have fun,” Casey calls as Parker continues to stare at me.
The door closes behind her, and silence falls.
Parker leans slightly, looking around me at everything.
“Linc, what have you done?”
“I promised you that I’d take care of everything,” I explain.
“B-but…behind you. That’s…that’s my apartment.”
“Yeah, babe. Well, some of it. Not everything could be salvaged.”
She moves closer, her eyes darting between me and her things.
“But…how. It was trashed.”
“I found a company to clean it all up.”
Tears flood her eyes, and she shakes her head in disbelief.
