Page 30 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
12
LINA
I forced myself to relax as I made a beeline across the gymnasium toward Kelli, who was still in the corner chatting up Jordan. My hands had balled into fists, and I consciously shook them out while taking slow, steadying breaths.
My heart pounded furiously, and my palms were sweaty. I’d become so angry so quickly that I couldn’t quite get a handle on it.
When I was halfway to Kelli, someone stepped in front of me. Someone with blond hair, a friendly smile, and a dark gray suit.
“David,” I said, stepping back.
He gave me a sheepish smile that was exactly the same as the one he always had playing on his lips when we were kids. “Hey there, Lina. It’s good to see you. How’ve you been?”
“Fine. Sorry. I need to get by you. I’m trying to get to Kelli.”
“Kelli’s here?”
“Yes. Do you mind?” I gestured for him to get out of my way.
David frowned. “Fifteen years and you’re already eager to get rid of me after just ten seconds.”
I sighed. “It’s not about you, David. I’m sorry. I just ran into Cal out in the hallway, and he and I haven’t seen each other since graduation night. And you know how that went. I just… I wasn’t ready to have that conversation tonight, and I just want to get out of here.”
“I get it,” David said. “For what it’s worth, the guy still talks about you all the time.”
I licked my lips. “I don’t care.”
“He’s not a bad guy like you think he is.”
“I don’t care about that, either. And I don’t need you standing up for him. What’s done is done. Now please, get out of my way so I can go home.”
David nodded and slid aside. “It was good to see you, Lina. I’m sorry your night didn’t go how you wanted it to.”
I slipped past him, gave him the best apologetic smile I could muster, and hurried over to Kelli, who had her eyes closed and was doubled over with laughter. Something Jordan had just said must have really gotten her going. There were tears in the corner of her eyes.
She straightened up and wiped her eyes gently with her thumbs so as not to mess up her makeup. “Jordan, you remember my best friend, Lina?”
Jordan turned his big brown eyes to me and nodded as a smile lit up his handsome face. “Lina Nelson. Of course, I remember you. How have you been?”
I gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I’ve been good, Jordan. Thanks for asking. How about you?”
“Great. I took over my Dad’s oil rig two years ago. I get to spend a lot of time out on the open water.”
“Exactly what he always wanted to do,” Kelli said, nodding. “Isn’t that cool? Not many of us can say we followed the path we wanted to when we were teenagers. I think it’s impressive.”
Jordan rubbed the back of his neck. He might have even been blushing when he said, “Family business. You know how it is. It’s hard to walk away from that sort of expectation.”
“But you do enjoy it?” Kelli asked.
“Sure do.” Jordan nodded. “Took me a good five or so years to find an appreciation for it. But the money is good, and so is my crew. And being the boss makes things a bit more tolerable. A guy can only work for his daddy for so long.”
Kelli giggled again.
I felt guilty tugging on her elbow. “Kelli, I’m sorry. I need to get out of here.”
Kelli turned to me. “Oh. Okay. Let’s go.”
Jordan blinked. “Already? But you ladies just got here. Mark’s band is going to play in fifteen minutes. You don’t want to stick around for that shit? I bet they’ll play the same songs they used to.”
