Page 24 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
“Yeah. Sorry, man. That was a stupid thing to say. I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s all right,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder.
“How’ve you been, since, you know?” His eyebrows waggled to help him avoid using more words.
“I’m hanging in there.”
“And how’s Asher doing?”
I smiled. “Asher is a little champ. He’s bounced back. Having my dad basically living with us has been a huge help. He’s in first grade and loving it. His favorite place is the zoo. He loves all living things so much that he won’t eat meat. So that’s been fun to navigate.”
David snickered. “You making lots of Buddha bowls at home?”
I scowled at him. “No.”
“Liar.”
“I’ve made a few,” I admitted. “And they’re not as bad as you think. They’re actually really good and fresh. You’d like them.”
David held up his hand. “Yeah, yeah. Save your tree-hugging speech for the next guy, will you? I will never say no to a sirloin steak smothered in peppercorn sauce.”
“Neither will I,” I said. “But my son will. And he watches you eat it with this disapproving look. It makes you remember what you’re actually swallowing. If I eat meat, I do it when he’s not around.”
“Kids.” David chuckled. Then his eyes shifted to something over my right shoulder. His lips parted, and he sucked in a sharp breath. “Holy fucking shit.”
“What?” I asked, turning on the spot and following the direction he was looking.
I figured out what he was looking at right away.
Lina Nelson had just walked in.
Good lord.
She was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her hair was incredibly long and gently curled, hanging in shimmering waves down to the middle of her back. She was wearing a floor-length dark purple dress that flowed around her legs with each step she took. A glittery pendant sat on a chain at her throat and matched the jewelry flashing on her left wrist.
She walked like a goddess, moving between bodies of people as she and the girl she was with made their way into the gymnasium. I realized the other girl was Kelli Rollins. Of course.
“Wow, they look amazing,” David said. “I can’t believe Lina is actually here. Did you know her modeling career took off? She’s been in shoots for—Cal? Hey, Cal. Where are you going? Dude, I don’t think that’s a good idea!”
David’s voice faded away behind me as I moved through the crowd to the girl I’d been head over heels in love with in high school, the only girl I’d ever loved besides Claire.
She didn’t see me coming until I was almost upon her. And by then, it was too late. She had to look me in the eye.
Her gaze was as bright and wondrous as I remembered. And green. So fucking green. Her glossy lips parted in surprise, and she took a half a step backward into Kelli, who sucked in a breath and said, “Oh no.”
10
LINA
I ran my hands down my hips, smoothing out the silky fabric of my royal purple dress. As we walked up to the front doors of the high school, my stomach wrapped itself into a tight little knot, and I nervously fidgeted with the straps of my dress, wishing I had held my ground and told Kelli I wouldn’t be coming to this stupid reunion.
I would have much preferred to be at the house, sipping tea, and catching up with Judy.
“Stop fidgeting,” Kelli scolded, slapping my hand away from my strap. “You look beautiful, as always.”
“I’m just nervous.”
“Why? We’re grown-ass women. There’s nothing to be nervous about.”
