Keep Me Safe (11 page)

I walked across the street where Parker was leaning against his car door. There was not a cloud in the sky and the breeze felt perfect. Parker’s hair was blowing slightly with the wind despite the hair gel, the smile on his face warming my insides. He was wearing khaki pants and a dark gray polo shirt. She was right, he was hot. He was always on my mind, but my memories didn’t do him justice. He was gorgeous. I walked up to the car in front of him as he leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. I’m surprised I didn’t jump up and down from the excitement of seeing him.

“Hi,” I said softly with a smile. “What are you doing here? Not that it’s not a great surprise.”

“I had to go into work a little while ago and I just got finished, so I figured I’d come see you. I wanted you to be the first person to celebrate with me.” He walked me over to the other side of the car and opened the door for me.

“Celebrate what?” I asked when we were finally both in the car.

“I got a promotion. I applied for detective last month, but didn’t hear anything until last week. Then they told me it was still down to me and one other person. They called me this morning to tell me I got it, so I went down there to get some stuff worked out.”

“That’s so awesome, Parker! Congratulations!” I leaned over and hugged him, thankful for the fact that he wanted me to be the first person to know.

“Thanks. I’d been hoping for the spot for a while now, but I think I’m just as excited that my new schedule will let us see each other more often.” He reached over and held my hand that was in my lap.

“So you won’t be working nights anymore?”

“Well, not all the time. I still have to be available whenever a case comes up, but my normal schedule will be eight to four.”

“I’d say that’s a good thing,” I said teasingly.

“I’d say that’s a very good thing.” He pulled our hands up and kissed the back of mine as he smiled.
Swoon
.

We had only been driving for a couple of minutes when we pulled into a parking lot attached to a large field. I could see a playground a little ways off, a basketball court even farther. Parker turned the car off and walked around to open my door.

“I hope this is okay. I packed us a little lunch and figured we could sit outside at this park.”

“Aw, you made lunch for me?”

“Well, I told them what to put on it. I just got some subs from Publix. Is that okay?”

I just looked at him and smiled. His thoughtfulness seemed so natural.

“It’s perfect, Parker. I’ve never had anyone take so much time out of their life for me. It’s just…perfect.”

“Well if you’ve never had anyone treat you the way you should be, your ex and anyone else is a douchebag. Not to mention, a complete idiot. Their loss is definitely my gain.” He grabbed my hand and the backpack he was carrying and we walked over to a shady spot in the grass.

He opened his backpack and pulled out a small blanket and laid it in the grass. We sat down and he pulled out the sandwiches. We glanced at each other plenty, our eyes saying anything necessary, but the scenery of the park and the warmth of the sunshine made everything about this moment completely comfortable. I knew that even though we hadn’t known each other very long, there was nothing about him that didn’t put me at ease. He comforted me, cared for me, and wanted to make me happy. Did I really need anything else?

He smirked and then brought his thumb up to my face, wiping the corner of my mouth.

“You had a little mayonnaise right there,” he said as he wiped his thumb on the napkin sitting in front of him. “Hope you weren’t saving that for later.”

“Thanks,” I said a little embarrassed. “I’m glad you didn’t let me sit here with mayo on my face the whole time. I’d like to think I still have
some
dignity left in front of you.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about me. I don’t know that you could look any better from where I’m sitting.” I blushed not knowing what I could say in response to something like that.

After we finished our sandwiches, he took the garbage and threw it in his backpack. He put the backpack on the far side of the blanket and laid down with his head on it. He looked at me and motioned with his finger to come towards him.

“I know we don’t have too long, but just lay here with me for a minute.” And I did; my head fitting perfectly between his arm and chest, his thumb rubbing the skin of my shoulder.

It was so quiet that I didn’t realize I was moments from dozing off when I heard a car door in the parking lot. I sat up on my elbow and looked down at Parker who also had his eyes closed. A look at my phone told me I only have fifteen minutes to be back to school.

“As much as I hate to, we have to go,” I said and Parker sighed and looked over at me.

“Yeah I know. I was just hoping you’d forget.” He sat up and put his sunglasses back on. “It was just a tease to spend less than an hour together.”

“That’s true, but it looks like we will have more opportunities to spend more time together soon, right?”

“Yep. And if you’re going to get tired of me, you better tell me now because I plan to take full advantage of that.” He winked at me and helped me up.

It only took five minutes to get back to school. I felt myself dreading the rest of the day knowing how great the first half had been. I leaned over, looking him in the eyes before kissing him. I could kiss him all day. I was never big on only kissing, but he changed that in me. If all I ever did was kiss him for the rest of my life, my life would be better because of it. My heart was overflowing.

“Call me later,” I said getting out of the car. “Do you have to work tonight or does your schedule change already?”

“Nope, I still have to work my normal shift until Wednesday, so I have to work tonight.”

“Okay. Text me or call me when you get a break then?”

“Try and stop me.”

I waved and walked to the front doors of my classroom. He waited until the door closed behind me to leave. As soon as I walked into my office, Stephannie was sitting at her desk waiting for me.

“You should see your face right now!”

I realized I was grinning. “Shut up. I can’t help it! He’s freaking perfect, K. I’m
so
not used to this.”

“Not to mention hot. Yowsers. So, I thought about it after you left and you should invite him to dinner on Friday.”

“No, that’s your family birthday. I don’t want to impose by bringing him.”

“Well, since I just told you to bring him, it would be rude not to,” she said with a mischievous look on her face.

“Alright, I’ll ask him. But if I bring him, you have to promise not to embarrass me. You don’t always have the best filter.”

“Fine, I won’t embarrass you, but don’t be shy and shit. It’s time for you to put on your big girl panties and finish reeling this guy in.”

“He’s not a fish, Steph.”

“Well, he sure as hell seems like a good catch.”

I rolled my eyes at her and the bell rang. We laughed and waved to each other, going our separate ways to our classrooms. I just needed to get through the rest of the day actually focusing on my work for another two classes.

Twelve

School dragged, as I knew it would. I’d never had to deal with daydreaming about someone else while trying to get my work done. Brent and I had been well past that stage in our relationship by the time I started teaching. Not that I was complaining though. I loved every second that my mind wandered to Parker. Whether it was something he did or said, or the fact that he was so damn easy on the eyes.

I left school at 3:50 and texted him knowing that his shift was starting in ten minutes and I might not hear from him for a while.

Just left school, have something to ask you. Call me when you can?

I got a reply almost immediately.

As long as I’m not in trouble ;) Call you in 20.

Right, like he could ever get in trouble with me. He might as well be wearing a damn halo over his head.

I was about five minutes from my house when Parker called.

“Hello?”

“Hey you. Sorry, it took me a few minutes longer than I thought it would. Our squad meeting ran over a little bit.” I could hear him getting in his car, the chiming of the door being open still.

“Oh, it’s fine. I’m still driving home anyway.”

“Oh, okay. So what’s up? You want me to call in sick and come spend some more time in that comfortable bed of yours?” I felt myself blush. I must’ve been silent long enough that he started to laugh. “I’m just teasing you. What did you want to ask me?”

“Well, Stephannie’s birthday is this weekend. We always go out to dinner with her family and I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me.”

“Is she the one that was ogling me from the window inside your classroom?”

“Yep, that would be her. She can’t help herself.” We both laughed simultaneously.

“I’d love to. What time should I pick you up?”

“Dinner is at six, so probably around 5:45 or so?”

“Friday at 5:45, it’s a date. Any chance I get to see you before then?”

“If you want to,” I said shyly. “Since you don’t have to work Thursday night, you could come over then? I could rent a movie from the Redbox or something.”

“That sounds perfect. How about I pick up dinner and a movie and I’ll be at your house at seven on Thursday?”

“I’d love that. That feels so far away, doesn’t it?” I said in a pouty voice.

“It always feels like forever when I don’t get to see you. I miss the hell out of you when you’re gone. Someone might revoke my man card for saying that out loud, so don’t tell anyone.” He laughed. “I’m supposed to help Matt with his car again Wednesday before work. Maybe I can sneak over and say hi?”

“If you’re next door, you
better
come and say hi.” By then I had reached my house and was getting out of the car. I shut the door and looked over at Beth’s house, wishing Parker was in Matt’s garage right now. I wasn’t sure how I felt about my constant need to see him, but there was no way to avoid it. I was smitten.

“Like I’d be able to hang out over there and think of anything but you now. So,” he paused, “what did you say about me to Stephannie?”

“You mean once she stopped telling me how hot you were? I explained everything that happened this past weekend. She knows what happened between Brent and I, so when I told her about the letter, she threatened to chop his balls off. Aside from that, I told her how sweet you were, how great you are, and how nice it is to be around you.”
Stop rambling, dummy
.

“Did you tell her I was your
boyfriend
?” He emphasized the word in a teasing voice.

“Um, that depends. Is that what I should be calling you?”

“Well, I hope you’d call me that. I was certainly hoping I could call you my girlfriend. Aaaannnd,” he drew out the word, “I definitely just sounded like I was in high school.” I giggled and instantly regretted it.

“That’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.” He chuckled.

“Whatever,
that
sounded like a girl in high school.”

As soon as he started to answer me, I heard his radio go off.

“Hang on just a minute.” I heard him respond to the dispatcher on his radio. “I have to go. They’re sending me to a call. I’ll text ya later babe.”

“Alright, be safe. Talk to ya then.” We said goodbye and hung up. I realized I was standing on my front porch this whole time.

I went inside and finished all of the things that I needed to do before bed. I cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed, went for a run, and ate some dinner. After I got upstairs and got undressed to take a shower, my phone beeped. A text from Parker?

Thinking about Thursday night…why don’t you come to my house instead? You haven’t seen it yet.

I hesitated for a second before replying. That put me out of my element, out of my comfort zone, but I decided it was no big deal. I didn’t have any reason to doubt my ability to be comfortable around him.

I can do that. Just remember to give me your address whenever you call me again. How’s work?

Parker –

The usual, so glad I only have two more nights of this. Been super busy. If I don’t talk to you before you go to bed, sweet dreams darlin.

I couldn’t wait until our schedules synced a little better. I had gotten pretty used to living alone, doing my own thing. The fact that I wasn’t going to be spending as much time alone was fine by me though. I’d come to learn a lot about myself in the time since my divorce. Given the shitty situation I found myself in then, I had come to the conclusion that I was pretty lucky. A lot of people would probably disagree if they knew what had happened, but some people didn’t come out so “unharmed”. I was around to say I survived it. To me, that made me lucky.

After my shower, I went downstairs to watch TV. I fell asleep at some point, waking up to total darkness in my house. I looked over at the clock on my kitchen counter and realized it was already three in the morning. I traipsed upstairs and finished the last two and a half hours of sleep before it was time to get up and do it all over again.

When my alarm went off at 5:30, I was not ready to get out of bed. My concert band students had chair placement tests and my AP Theory students had a big test on chords, both of which were very time consuming for me. Two more days until I saw Parker, I just had to keep reminding myself of that. I stretched and smiled, smiling even bigger when I realized how much I loved thinking about him first thing in the morning.

I dragged my ass out of bed and did my usual routine, thinking about being at Parker’s house on Thursday night. He was sweet and gentlemanly. There was no doubting that. But what he did to my insides…I realized I had goose bumps just thinking about the way he kissed me that night in my bed.