Page 133 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
She smiled and ran her glove over her dark hair. "Your sister is kicking our ass at this."
I turned and glanced up the large snowy hill to watch Natalie make her way down with ease. "She is, isn't she?" I smiled. "I'm glad to see her enjoying herself."
My sister made her stop a few feet from us and reached up to pull her goggles off. "I got a massage appointment for two today. I figured one of you would go with me."
"Did you get two appointments or one?" I lifted my eyebrow.
"A couple’s massage, but you can take a friend or sibling or whatever. They don't care."
I didn't want to ask where she got the money. She'd been struggling since her divorce, so I didn't. I just made a mental note to go take care of the bill.
Adam skidded to a stop beside us, spraying me with snow. He pulled off his face mask and smiled. "Parker is still on the bunny slopes."
Rebecca laughed and shook her head. "He's just doing that to meet girls."
"Typical." Nat laughed. "So... who's going with me?"
Becca lifted her hand. "I would love to unless you wanted some time with your brother."
"Nope. I was hoping you would." Nat stuck out her tongue at me before skiing off.
I turned to face my girl. "You sure? I don't mind going with her."
"A massage in a warm room with soothing music and someone to talk to that knows your deepest, darkest secrets? Are you shitting me? I'm so there." She moved close and pulled me to her awkwardly for a quick kiss before leaving me standing there.
"Girls. I swear, I'll never understand them." Adam pulled his mask back on. "We going to save Parker or hit the hill again?"
"The hill. Parker is right where he wants to be. On the bunny slopes looking for a playgirl with a furry tail."
"Oh." Adam's eyes widened a little. "In that case... I should be there too. You know, in case he needs me."
"You do that." I laughed and moved in behind him to make my way back to the lift. It was a beautiful day, and I wanted a little bit of time to myself.
I had a decision to make. Buy the ring or not. Hit my knee or not. Ask my girl to marry me...
Or not.
CHAPTER 15
REBECCA
"Thank you for inviting me to this. I needed it more than I realized." I turned my face toward Natalie and tried to keep my eyes open. After my long night with Jason, I was sore in all the right places, but I was beyond exhausted. I'd have to take a nap or get to bed early. Racing down the side of a mountain and trying not to bust my ass didn't help with my energy levels much.
"Of course." She yawned and closed her eyes. "I love these things, though I haven't had one in forever."
"Too busy?" I studied her pretty face. She looked a lot like Jason, but far more feminine. It left me wondering what her mother looked like.
Her eyes opened slowly. "No. I just went through a nasty divorce. Married the wrong man and he stole everything I had, including my heart."
"Oh. Shit. I'm so sorry." I felt like crap for asking. It was time to backtrack, but it felt trivial to do it with her. We would be family one day. I needed to start treating her like it then.
"Don't be. Jason warned me against marrying Bill. I just felt alive when I was around him." She let out a soft sigh. "When Mom died I'd just graduated high school. I changed everything about me so I could try and not think of her."
Her reasoning didn't make much sense to me, but I'd lost a parent. I knew the depth of pain associated with going through that type of trauma. Nothing made sense for a while and any relief, no matter where it came from, was much needed.
"I get that." I nodded and smiled as she opened her eyes again.
"You do?"
