Читать книгу Reunion By The Sea - Jo Leigh - Страница 12

CHAPTER THREE

GINNY SLIPPED INTO the ladies’ room and splashed cold water on her face, trying to bring herself out of shock.

What was Parker doing here? Now—after all these years without a word, not knowing if he was dead or alive or living on the moon—he just shows up? She knew it must have to do with Meg. If the family had lost contact with her, just as Ginny had, Parker was probably hoping his sister would be at the reunion. Ginny knew his being here had nothing to do with her. And why that should hurt in the slightest was absurd. She wasn’t a starry-eyed kid anymore.

After Meg had gone missing, they’d found comfort in each other’s arms. That first time, Parker hadn’t even known Ginny was a virgin. He’d felt terrible, had come right out and told her that giving herself should have been something special...with someone she cared about and who cared for her.

Oh, how those words, spoken with heartfelt concern, had cut deep into her soul. Thankfully, she’d had the good sense not to admit that she’d fallen for him months before the night they’d made love. At eighteen, she’d known woefully little about the world beyond her narrow life, and even less about men.

Sadly, at thirty-two, she wasn’t much more enlightened. Being a young single mom who worked at home, Ginny had barely made it around the block. Tilda had kept her—

Tilda.

Ginny gripped the counter for support.

Parker couldn’t know about her. Even if he’d somehow stumbled onto Ginny’s Facebook page, he wouldn’t have seen anything incriminating. She’d been so careful about the meager information she’d posted over the years, including any pictures that would pinpoint Tilda’s age.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Ginny sighed. Luckily her mascara hadn’t smudged, but she looked pale. Before the girls started wondering if something was wrong, she reapplied some gloss, swept back her hair and left the restroom.

And ran straight into Parker.

Almost. He took a step back, saving them from a collision.

“Ginny...” He’d removed his sunglasses, his tanned face bringing out the striking blue of his eyes.

“Parker?”

His slow smile sent her heart into a tailspin. “I wasn’t sure you’d remember me.”

Gee, why would she? “You do look different,” she said, and went for the preemptive strike. “Is Meg with you? Is she here?” Ginny asked, forcing excitement into her voice and making a show of glancing around.

His expression barely changed. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“Oh. Well, now you know the answer to that.”

“My mom thought she might show up. I didn’t expect her to be here.”

That wasn’t completely true. Ginny could see in his eyes that he’d held on to some hope. She felt a twinge of guilt for using the ploy. “Did you check at the registration desk?” she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear for the again. So annoying. She’d quit that nervous habit ages ago. “You know, for the reunion, not the hotel’s.”

“I figured if anyone knew whether she was coming, it would be you.” He paused, studying her closely, clearly looking for something, but she didn’t know what. He had no reason to think she was lying. “When was the last time you saw her?”

Ginny shook her head, the sadness resting so heavily, her shoulders drooped. “Not since she disappeared.”

“Fifteen years ago.”

She nodded, without hesitation, aware that the truth was more complicated than a simple yes or no. “What about you?” she asked because he would expect her to. But she already knew the answer.

“The same.” His phone rang. Without so much as a glance he shut it off. “Meg must’ve contacted you at some point.”

“She did.”

“How?”

Ginny’s stomach lurched. She’d be honest with him, for as long as she could, but the questions were bound to get more difficult. “Through Facebook, mostly. Sometimes she called.”

“That’s more than my mom got,” he said with a snort of derision.

“Did Meg even know how to find any of you?”

Parker’s eyes narrowed. He had the audacity to look confused.

Ginny held her breath. Why on earth had she said that? And with that snarky tone of voice? Yes, he’d taken off without a word to her. Yes, it had hurt at the time. Fifteen years ago. She didn’t care anymore. But that’s not how it had just sounded.

She shot a look toward the bar, seeking an escape route, when she saw the exact moment he realized what she’d meant. Regret replaced confusion, which was so much worse.

“I’m here with friends and I need to get back.” Refusing to look up, she tried sidestepping him.

“Ginny.” He touched her arm. “Wait. Please.”

“Nice seeing you, by the way.” She drew her arm back and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. A group of inattentive golfers jabbering on about their scores had hemmed her in. “Excuse me, please,” she said to no avail.

“This way.” Parker took her by the arm and guided her around the oblivious foursome.

“Thanks,” she murmured, hoping he didn’t think that had earned him any points. “I’m sure you understand this is a busy weekend for me.”

“I do,” he said, “but I’m not going anywhere. If you find that you have some time to spare, how about we have a drink tomorrow?”

She stared blankly at him. What did he mean he wasn’t going anywhere? “How long will you be staying?”

“I haven’t decided yet. What about you?”

“Me?”

Parker smiled. “When do you leave?”

“Oh, no. I’m not—I live here.” She wanted to take the words back. He looked shocked, but of course he wouldn’t know anything about the unexpected twist her life had taken. If she’d stopped to think for two seconds, she would’ve left his misconception blessedly intact.

Questions swirled in his eyes. “You did go on to Juilliard, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” At least she didn’t have to lie about that. She spotted Connor Foley, the pompous boor most of her classmates, including she, tried to avoid. “Connor?” She waved, catching his attention. “I’m sorry, would you excuse me for a moment,” she said to Parker.

She’d taken only a few steps before Connor thwarted her escape by approaching at a fast clip.

“Ginny,” Connor said, his arms open. “Ginny Landry. How wonderful to see you.”

Ordering herself not to gag, she let him wrap her in a big hug. He smelled awful. Undoubtedly his cologne was expensive; everything he owned was top-of-the-line. His family was loaded. But Connor had always been short on class and good sense. She gave him a discreet hint that it was time to release her, and when he didn’t, she wiggled away from him.

When Connor caught her by her upper arms, she thought she saw Parker step closer. She didn’t resist, pretended everything was just fine. Maybe she was wrong and Parker wouldn’t have intervened, but she couldn’t risk him causing a fuss.

Connor leaned back and swept a gaze over her. “You look fantastic. I heard Alexandra and the rest of her gang are green with envy that you haven’t aged.” He frowned slightly. “Perhaps some Botox wouldn’t hurt. Just a touch between your brows. But that’s all.”

Ginny blinked, then burst out laughing.

Connor’s puzzled expression didn’t help, but at least he’d released her.

“Thanks for the advice,” she said, doing her absolute best to control herself. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. Well, it was nice seeing you.”

“Wait.” Connor stepped forward, trying to regain the distance she was putting between them. “Are you here with anyone?”

She backed right into Parker.

This time it was his hands closing around her upper arms, drawing her closer. Her back met his hard chest. “Careful, sweetheart,” he said, his voice pitched low and intimate. But not so low Connor wouldn’t hear. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

For a second she couldn’t make her mouth work. The heat coming from Parker’s body seemed to envelop her, lull her into a relaxed state. His work-roughened palms slid down her bare arms. It was entirely possible the late-afternoon sun flooding the lobby was making her feel flushed, but she didn’t think so.

Just as Ginny was about to make the introductions, she realized Connor had walked away. Good grief, how long had she spaced out for?

She didn’t exactly push Parker away but she definitely made a point as she jerked back and turned to him. “Why did you say that?”

“Say what?”

“That I’m here with you.”

His eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t.”

“You implied it.”

“Sorry.” He shrugged. “I didn’t realize you liked him pawing you.”

She could still feel his warmth slipping down her spine, as if she hadn’t broken contact. Her skin tingled from the roughness of his palms. Hugging herself, she rubbed her arms, trying to erase the feel of him.

“We haven’t seen each other for a long time, and we were awfully young, so I can understand why you might make such a ridiculous comment,” she said, irritated by the smile lurking at the corners of his mouth. “However, let me assure you, I can take care of myself just fine.”

“Don’t doubt it for a second,” he said, folding his arms across his chest.

Why did he have to have so many muscles? More important, why was she reacting to them...to him? A man’s intellect was of far greater interest to her. Not that she didn’t appreciate a good-looking man.

She realized she was staring. “I really do have to go.”

“Let me give you my number.”

“Your— Why?”

“In case you have time for a drink. Unless you prefer to give me yours.”

Ginny shook her head, perhaps a bit too quickly. No, let him think she was brushing him off. Maybe then he wouldn’t stick around. But to be safe, she would make a point of getting Cricket alone to ask her about potential parental rights. She rifled through her handbag. The pen wasn’t in its usual place.

“I can put it in your phone, if you like.”

Looking up, she met his eyes. Something glinting from them sent a little shiver through her body. Her fingers brushed the pen. She pulled it out along with a credit card receipt that was blank on the back. “I’m ready,” she said, the pen poised to write.

He recited the number.

She repeated it to him and then stuck the receipt in an inside pocket. Feeling a bit more in control, she shook her hair back just as something troubling occurred to her. “Are you staying here at the resort?”

“Nope. They’re booked.”

“Right.” She tried to hide her relief. “Well, again, it was nice seeing you, Parker. Good luck finding Meg.”

His penetrating gaze made her feel completely transparent. Naked. Too vulnerable. “You have no intention of calling me, do you?”

“Would you blame me if I didn’t?” She tried to bite back the words but it was too late.

Regret flickered in his eyes. Not that Ginny cared. He knew exactly what she meant. A week after Meg’s disappearance, he and his mom had pulled their own vanishing act. Overnight their home had been stripped of everything personal. The whole community had been stunned. Rumors had spread like wildfire. That they were in witness protection had been the most popular.

All Ginny knew for certain was that her heart had shattered into too many pieces to count.