him this was real. That and the woman in his arms. “Patch, Daisy, I said stay.”
The dogs sat back to wait for his next command.
“That’s better.” Having settled his overly protective dogs, he centered his attention on the woman who’d just fallen with him. She smelled like spring and looked as though she’d been tossed by a strong breeze. He covered his joy and surprise with a glib reaction. “Let me guess? You were just in the neighborhood?”
“I did try calling you,” she replied as she pushed up and sank back on the floor to stare at him. “And I did try to buzz myself in.” Then she shot the dogs a wary eye. “Is it safe?”
Parker followed her gaze to the two dogs. “They’re pretty harmless. Unless I tell them otherwise.”
“Are you going to do that?” she challenged, that soft Kate smile on her face. “Since you obviously don’t want me here.”
“Depends.” He got up, ignoring his throbbing right leg, then offered her his hand. “Do you come in peace?”
Kate took his hand only long enough to get herself up and steady, then she stood back, straightening the lightweight navy hoodie she was wearing over a T-shirt and jeans. “I only came here because you didn’t return my calls.” Then she watched as he managed to pick up his cane. “Oh, are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just peachy.” Parker couldn’t believe she’d gone to so much trouble, but he didn’t let on that he was impressed. “Did you stop to think maybe I chose not to return your calls?”
She circled him, her gaze sweeping over the long Queen Anne table and twelve matching chairs in the formal dining room just off the hall. “Yes, I thought that. But then, I also thought that even if you and I haven’t seen much of each other since college, I still consider you a friend. And friends help each other out. Or are you too far above helping a friend now?”
Parker stood back, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at her. “I have a lot of so-called friends these days, which means I have to be careful.”
She pulled the elastic band off her hair, then tugged it onto her wrist, allowing all that pretty hair to fall free around her face and shoulders. “So you don’t trust anyone, not even me? Is that it? Is that why you’ve been ignoring me?”
“I have to pick and choose,” he replied, wondering how he could explain this without looking like a pompous snob. “I don’t like to waste time and I especially don’t like interruptions. And lately, with all the media attention about Josie’s murder, well, as I said, I just have to be careful.” Then he shrugged. “I didn’t hear the buzzer earlier because I was out in the storage shed with a deliveryman.”
“Right.”
She didn’t believe him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t let you in.”
“Well, as you said, we’re all being careful these days.” She moved around the hallway, her gaze taking in the antique walnut hall tree and the Chippendale secretary. Then she whirled around, disbelief and doubt evident in her bright eyes. “Look, Parker, everyone in town knows you’re rich and famous now, so why don’t you just get over yourself and let me explain why I’m here.”
He leaned back against the secretary, a slight grin forming on his face. No one did self-righteous indignation better than Kate. “So you’re not overly impressed with my success?”
“Oh, I’m impressed,” she said, waving a hand in the air. “I mean, who wouldn’t be? This place is like something out of a Hollywood movie set. But I just never figured you’d go all cold and uppity to the point that you wouldn’t even return a phone call. This isn’t the press—this is me, Kate. I thought we were friends. Honestly, why’d you come back here if you don’t want to associate with anyone?”
He wanted to tell her that he’d picked up the phone several times, longing to hear her voice, wanting to find out what she needed. But he’d never dialed her number. Not because he was too uppity, but because he couldn’t risk getting too close again. So instead, he said, “I liked the house.” It was his standard answer when people got too personal.
She nodded, pushed her hair off her shoulder. “So you like your house, but not your friends? I thought we reconnected at the reunion and then…nothing. Not a word from my old buddy Parker. How rude is that?” She wagged a finger in his face. “I think you like being able to lord it over all of us.”
“I might,” he said, smiling at last. “So, is that why you broke into my home, to let me have it for being so rude?”
She held up a finger again. “I didn’t break in. The gate was open. I kind of walked right in.”
He nodded. “I see. All you had to do was announce yourself.”
“I did, several times. I mean, I buzzed that contraption. Aren’t you listening?”
“I told you, I was occupied outside. The pool shed doesn’t have an intercom. But I’ll certainly have to remedy that.”
“I figured you were just giving me the big brush-off. You don’t want to be my friend anymore for some reason.”
She’d probably figured right. Why was he so scared of this? Maybe because he couldn’t stomach the thought of having her near, then losing her altogether? Which he was sure would happen.
He stared over at her, thinking that at least she had the guts to be honest with him. That was refreshing.
“What do you want?” he said, his tone brusque enough to hide his curiosity. She looked unsure and worried, and that was his undoing. “Kate, just tell me. If you really need something—”
“I need a favor,” she repeated, her voice low. “Can we just talk for a few minutes?”
He nodded, turned toward the back of the house, then held out a hand to let her pass. “C’mon, I’ll get us something to drink.”
“That sounds good,” she said, her sneakers squeaking on the hardwood floors. “Wow, this house is incredible.”
Parker whistled to the dogs to follow, then watched her face, seeing his home through her eyes for the first time. He’d often wondered what Kate would think of his house. Would she like it? Or would she think he was being pretentious and overblown? How could he explain to her that it had been important to make this old house shine again? That he did believe in tradition and family, in spite of not having those things himself? This place had been broken and abandoned, crippled much in the same way he felt at times.
Healing this house had helped heal him. A little bit at least.
She turned as they reached his office, bending down to pet the dogs. “What are their names?”
“Patch and Daisy. They’ve been with me since I came back.”
“Watchdogs?”
He nodded. “Sort of. And for companionship.” At her raised brow, he added, “They’re loyal and unassuming. They don’t expect much from me. And they rarely talk back when I’m musing out loud.”
She mumbled sweet
