“Yes, sir. It is.” I placed my hand on the small of her back. “Her name is Parker, and we both truly appreciate you agreeing to help us.”
“Why don’t you both go collect your things, and I’ll show you inside to your room.”
“Sure thing.”
Parker waited on the front steps with Billy while I ran to the truck to grab our things. While I couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying, I could hear them talking back and forth like long lost friends. By the time I made it back up to the porch, Parker was smiling, and Billy was smiling right along with her—which was something I hadn’t expected from either one of them. When they noticed I was standing there next to them, they both immediately stopped talking and looked at me like I’d just interrupted some in-depth discussion. I lifted the bags and said, “All set.”
“Great.” Billy opened the door and motioned us to follow. “Come on in.”
We followed him through the front door, past the living room, and down the hall, and I had to say, I was a little thrown by what I saw. Everything in the place was white—the walls, the sofa, the chairs, and the rugs. Hell, even the paintings on the walls were shades of white with a black or gray background, and the white theme continued throughout the entire house with the kitchen cabinets, countertops, and all the bedding included. It was all nice stuff, really nice stuff, but it was odd—like an OCD, off-the-charts kind of odd. Billy opened one of the doors and motioned us inside, then said, “This is it. Not much to it, but the bed’s comfortable. I think you both will be pleased.”
“Wait, Menace and I both will be staying in here?”
“Is that going to be a problem?”
Before Parker could respond, I stepped between them. “Not at all. This will do just fine.”
“You sure?” Doubt riddled his voice. “I’d offer my daughter’s room, but there’s a chance she might—”
“That’s not necessary, Billy.” I didn’t even know the man had a daughter, but then again, I didn’t know anything about him except the fact that he was the club’s cleaner. “This is perfect. I appreciate you putting us up.”
“No problem. Glad to help you and the brothers any way I can.” Billy looked down at our bags, then said, “I’ll give you two some time to get settled, and then we can have something to eat and discuss what we’re going to do about your friend here.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
“I’ll be in the kitchen preparing dinner. You can just meet me in there when you’re done.”
“Will do.”
Once Billy left the room, Parker took her bags and started putting away her things into the closet and adjoining bathroom while I simply shoved mine in the corner next to the dresser. I’d just lain down across the bed when she appeared in the bathroom doorway and whispered, “Hey, how well do you know this Billy fella?”
“Not that well. Why?”
“I don’t know... He’s not what I was expecting.”
“Um-kay. So, what exactly were you expecting?”
“I don’t know, but I wasn’t expecting Mr. Prim and Proper, and I certainly wasn’t expecting him to live in a place like this.” Her brows furrowed as she whispered, “Is it just me or does it seem like he has a thing for white?”
“It’s not just you.”
“It’s weird, right?”
“Maybe a little.”
“A little?” Parker smiled and almost laughed as she whispered a little louder, “Come on, Menace. Work with me here! The guy is a little off his rocker, don’t ya think?”
She was saying exactly what I’d been thinking, but I wasn’t going to let her know that. I sat up on the bed and looked at her. “You can’t judge a book its cover.”
“I don’t know, man. I think this time we can.” She teased. “I feel like we just stepped into that movie, Sleeping with the Enemy. Next thing you know, he’ll be telling us we gotta line up the hand towels in just the right way. Oh! And I bet the cans in his cabinets are lined in perfect little rows with all the labels facing forward.”
“I think you might be getting a little carried away here.”
“Nooope! I’m just getting started.”
She smiled one of her smiles, and it got me right in the gut. Damn, this woman never ceased to amaze me. Parker’s life was in danger and she was in a place she never dreamed she’d be but could still find a way to laugh. I hated to put a damper on her fun, but I didn’t have a choice. “Well, you’re gonna have to give it a break for now.” I got up from the bed and nodded my head towards the door. “He’s waiting for us.”
“Okay, if I must.”
She giggled quietly as she followed me out the room and down the hall to the kitchen. When we walked in, Billy was standing at the counter chopping vegetables. There were several pots boiling on the stove and something cooking in the oven. Even though he’d been busy preparing a big meal for us, everything was in perfect order. As Parker approached the counter, she smiled and said, “Wow, it smells wonderful. Is there anything we can do to help?”