Liars (Licking Thicket 2)

“Talk to me,” he said softly. “What’s going on? You’ve been in a funk since I got to your house.”

I cared about him so much. I wanted him with me forever. It was as clear as the crisp Tennessee sky on a glorious day in September, but I couldn’t tell him that.

“Sorry,” I breathed instead. “Dunno, I guess.”

He pressed a kiss against the side of my cheek. “I don’t believe you. Do you want to go home?”

I shook my head. “No, you’re having fun, and I like watching you talk to everyone.”

“What would make you happy right now?” He searched my eyes for the answer as if he wasn’t going to believe the words themselves. So I vowed to be honest with him.

“You. I just want to be with you.” For as long as I could get, even if it was only days.

Parrish’s face softened. “Then let’s get our girl and go home.”

It was a fairy tale. But for the time being, it was mine.

13

Parrish

“Thanks a bunch, Terry,” I said as I finished stirring up a big pan of fried rice on the stove. “’Preciate you taking the time to work this out on a weekend.”

“Not exactly my choice, Parrish,” Terry said wryly. His voice sounded tinny and faraway through the phone. “The combined powers of Merchant, Greene, and Chandler, even when Chandler is calling from the labor and delivery ward, are more than my boss or I can resist. At least not if we wanna keep our jobs, which I do.”

I winced. This was maybe the dark side of having Uncle Beau’s sharky attorneys on the case, but I honestly couldn’t bring myself to feel that bad. I looked out the window over the sink at Marigold and Diesel, sitting on a blanket in the scrub grass, watching the chickens peck. Or more like Mari was sitting, while Diesel lay flat on his back staring up at the sky, one arm wrapped protectively around the baby’s waist. They’d been sitting out there for nearly an hour, ever since we got back from the impromptu engagement party.

He looked worried and maybe a little lost, and I felt immediately protective.

“It’s really in the baby’s best interest not to be taken away for another visit so soon,” I informed Terry. I tucked the phone between my ear and shoulder and searched Diesel’s cabinets for a serving bowl. I happened to find Miss Sara’s casserole dish, so I rolled my eyes and picked that. “Marigold hardly knows the Kensingtons, and the whole visit was traumatic. She hasn’t slept more than three hours at a stretch since she’s been home with us, and she’d been going for eight hours regularly before that.”

“I know, I read the reports. I’m glad it worked out.” Terry hesitated. “And for what it’s worth, I think the Kensingtons are mostly okay with it. As I understand it, she had a pretty rough night over there. I think they’re willing to wait until things are permanently decided.”

“Yeah? That’s great news.” I scraped the rice into the dish and put the pan in the sink. “I’m really relieved, and I know Diesel will be too.” I was pretty sure Diesel hadn’t been sleeping at night the last couple of days either, even when Mari was sleeping.

I covered the dish of rice with foil and set it in the oven to keep warm as Terry and I said our goodbyes. Then I stood and looked at the homey little kitchen with its small table and chairs.

I wanted to do something special for Diesel, something to make him feel appreciated, especially after the week we’d had. Unfortunately, the contents of his fridge hadn’t lent themselves to much of anything besides a vegetable fried rice, but I’d found an old tablecloth while poking around in the cabinets, so I spread that out, along with matching cloth napkins, to liven up the usual plates and cutlery. There were a couple of unscented candles in jars tucked in a cabinet too, and I got as far as picking it up before firmly putting it back.

Candles on the tables were too romantic, and the last thing I wanted was to make Diesel uncomfortable by pushing too hard or making him worry that I had expectations. He had enough people who expected things from him; I just wanted to give him something back.

I made my way out into the yard, and Marigold started babbling at me as soon as I got close to the blanket. Diesel sat up and gave me a lopsided smile that made my heartbeat stutter.

“Guess she missed you,” he said with a wink. “She’s catching you up on the chickens’ antics.”

“And I wanna hear every detail, Miss Thing,” I assured her.

I knelt down behind Diesel and hugged his back. He hummed contentedly as I rested my chin on his shoulder and listened to the baby talk for a minute.