The Anchor (21 page)

“Yeah,” I murmur. “She was.”

“Sorry you had to see that, Parker,” Edie says, but I still can’t look at her.

“I’m sorry I interrupted. Think I’ll head back to bed now,” I mumble and grab Nikki’s arm, and limp with each step, leading her toward our temporary room. We need our own place.

As I pass John, he grumbles, “Fucking cock block.”

Once we’re back in the room I flop on the bed and cover my eyes with my hands. “I want to burn my retinas to remove that image.”

Nikki laughs as she stands at the end of the bed. “Poor you,” she teases. “You had to see a hot girl giving a hot guy a blow job.”

“You would’ve freaked out, too.”

She snorts. “You have no idea what living with them or near them entails. I catch them doing something dirty at least once a week.”

“Oh, God.”

“Yep.”

“I’m scarred for life.”

“You’ll get over it.”

“We need our own place . . . immediately.”

“I think I found a place. Maybe we can look at it this weekend.”

“Good,” I grumble as I rub my eyes again, trying to clear the image of Edie on her knees in front of my best friend. “The sooner the better. I don’t think I’ll survive witnessing something like that again. I mean it. I’ll never forget it.”

Nikki smiles as she lifts the large T-shirt she’s wearing over her head and tosses it aside. “I think maybe I can make you forget.” Her breasts are full as she bends down to slip her panties off. I want them in my mouth. My eyes pop open wider as she crawls up along my legs and tugs at my shorts. “Oh, yeah?”

“You just keep your eyes on me, Mr. Hayes. I’ll make you forget all about it.”

And damn. She does. She makes me forget about anything and everything but her and me.

“What time is your interview?” I ask Parker as I stand in front of the closet. After I did my best to help him clear his mind of what he considers the
most horrific event ever,
we slept a little longer. But now it’s time to get our day started.

“Around four this afternoon,” he answers. “I thought maybe you could go with me.”

“To your interview?”

“There are some shops nearby. I thought you could do some shopping until I finish, but afterward . . . I was thinking we could go to my parents’ house for dinner tonight. They live right there in Knightdale. We can tell them about us and the baby, together.”

I remain facing the closet, hoping my anxiety isn’t obvious. He wants to tell his parents. He wants
me
to meet his parents. “Are you sure you’re ready to tell them?”

Parker snorts a little laugh before climbing off the bed and coming behind me. “You’re right. We should wait until our kid graduates high school, and then we’ll tell them.”

“Okay, smart-ass,” I grumble. “Can you blame me for being a little nervous? It’s not like telling my father went so well.”

“Your father is a dick,” he sneers. “
My
parents will be shocked, but they won’t treat you like shit.” His tone is angry. I know he hates my father now. And my dad isn’t exactly my favorite person either, but he’s still my dad and it’s hard to hear someone talk about him like that. But I decide not to say anything.

Parker kisses my shoulder as his arms wrap around my waist and rests his hands on my belly. I’m still barely showing, but there is a noticeable firm bump now. “How are you feeling? I noticed you didn’t get sick this morning,” he points out.

“Yeah, the last week or so it’s been a lot better. I guess now that I’m getting out of the first trimester, it’s a little bit easier.”

“I think I’m going to miss you getting sick.”

I twist my neck so I can glance at him over my shoulder, giving him a
what the fuck?
look.

He chuckles. “When you get sick you’re so sweet and vulnerable. You let me take care of you. Normally, you’re all . . . cranky.”

I smack his arm. “Excuse me? No I’m not, asshole,” I argue.

He chuckles a little more. “I still can’t believe a little piece of you and me is growing inside of you. Seems kind of magical, doesn’t it?” Placing my hand over his, I smile. I love how enamored he is with this journey. Me, I’m not quite there yet and I know I’m a real dickhead because of it. But, every day, I feel a little better about it. Hopefully, that means something good. “No dresses today. Wear something comfortable. My folks are pretty low-key,” he announces.

“Okay,” I agree.

With that, he kisses my neck and backs away, smacking my ass as he goes. “Fucking beautiful.”

The interview went well. Very fucking well. But the pay is far less then what I’ll make if I pass the New York State Bar and remain at my current office. Of course, I have to weigh in that living expenses are far less in North Carolina than they are in New York. I was told they’d be in touch. Now I wait.

We’re pulling into the driveway at my parents’ house and I can feel Nikki’s nervousness rolling off of her. My parents live in a humble home, nothing special. My dad is no landscaper so the grass is always butchered short and filled with weeds. I park the car and cut the engine and turn to face Nikki, placing my hands on each of her cheeks.

Leaning forward, I rest my forehead against hers and breathe her in. “Don’t be nervous, baby. They’re going to love you.” I want to comfort her. I want her to feel like my family is her family. All the way here I tried to tell her about my parents, my childhood memories, and so on. She listened and laughed when the stories called for it, but maybe it’s just something she’s going to have to see for herself.

“I just . . . want them to like me. I know what they mean to you.” Pulling back, I smile softly as I brush a stray strand from her face.

“They’re going to love you.”

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. Smirking at me, she nods once and opens her door. Yeah, that’s my girl. I lead her inside the house, hand in hand, the smell of fried chicken hitting me immediately. My mother is the best damn cook in the South, bar none.

“Damn, something smells good,” Nikki whispers to me.

“Wait until you taste it,” I whisper back.

“Parker!” my mother squeals as we round the entry to the kitchen. She practically flies toward me and wraps her arms around my neck. I lift and spin her. She smells like a mixture of the best foods on the planet.

“Hey, Mama,” I laugh as I place her back on her feet and kiss her cheek. “You look great.”

My mother beams a bashful smile at me as she fusses with her hair. My mother isn’t a beauty queen but she is pretty. She has a real look to her. She’s natural and down-to-earth. She’s wearing her usual jeans and a V-neck shirt, an apron tied around her waist. “And you must be Nikki,” she practically sings as she focuses on Nikki who stands to my left.

“That’s me.” Nikki smiles and I almost laugh, but stop myself. I know no matter how confident Nikki seems, there are times she’s nervous and unsure as hell. But she’s always managed to hide it behind a confident—I’m scared of nothing—façade. Right now, however, as my mother tackles her in a hug that Nikki awkwardly returns, she looks nervous as hell.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Hayes,” Nikki says, politely, as my mother releases her death grip on her.

“And you, too. My, she is beautiful, Parker.” My mother sighs happily as she looks from Nikki to me, concurring with what I’d told her on the phone two days ago.

“Inside and out, Mama,” I agree.

Nikki gives me a look that says,
God, you’re an asshole because you’re so awesome.
“Thank you.” Nikki nods once. “You have a lovely home.”

My mother chuckles. “Well, it’s not much, but it is home.”

Before anyone can say anything else, I’m grabbed in strong, rough arms from behind and lifted off the ground. “How’s my boy?” My father’s deep voice laughs as he shakes me. When he puts me back on my feet, I spin around and hug him.

“Doing well, Pop. It’s good to see you.” When we pull away, he gives my shoulder a hard squeeze. “Pop . . . this is Nikki.”

Pop looks at Nikki, his brows rising before he looks back at me, his eyes saying one thing: Well done, son. I want to laugh, but I nod and he looks back to Nikki.

“It’s lovely to meet you. Nikki, is it? My name’s Allen.” My father smiles as he reaches his hand out to shake hers.

“It’s short for Nicole, but everyone calls me Nikki,” she replies.

“I’m the only one allowed to call her Nicole,” I throw in. Nikki’s cheeks flame pink and her eyes widen as she glances at me.

“Nikki it is then,” Pops chuckles.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“You kids come sit down. Dinner is ready,” my mother chimes in, and my father follows her into the kitchen.

“I’m going to kill you slowly and mercilessly as soon as we leave here,” Nikki whispers as we head toward the kitchen.

“Oh, baby. I love when you talk dirty to me.”

She gives my side a hard pinch and I hiss as she scurries away from me into the kitchen. Damn, I’m crazy about this woman.