Liars (Licking Thicket 2)

Suddenly, I knew what to do. I looked up and grinned at everyone. “Thanks. That helps a ton.”

After we finished hanging out with everyone and eating the lunch we’d packed, I got home and put a happy but exhausted Mari down for a nap. Then I pulled out my phone and got to work.

I pulled up to the Partridge Pit the following day and grabbed Marigold from her car seat. I’d dressed her in the butterfly romper Parrish had given her in hopes of helping sell him on my idea. Even if he could resist my bumbling efforts, I hoped he wouldn’t be able to resist spending the day with her.

When I walked in, Gil Hammersmith was all up in Parrish’s business with a flirty smile and his hand on Parrish’s upper arm. Parrish’s ears were pink, and his hands fidgeted nervously with a tablet and stylus. Petty jealousy rolled through me with a spike of heat and adrenaline.

The restaurant looked almost finished, and I wondered how much longer the contractor would need to be on-site.

Before I had a chance to call out to Parrish, Marigold spotted him and let out a happy shriek. Parrish’s face immediately lit up, enough to make my heart thunder in my chest.

He spun to face us, automatically pulling out of Gil’s grip. “There’s my sweet girl!” He seemed to realize what he’d said because he began backpedaling. “I mean not my girl. Obviously. I just meant—”

I strode forward and thrust her in his arms before leaning in and pressing my cheek to his in a kind of weird side hug. I wanted—no, needed—to touch him, to hold him. But I didn’t want to be too presumptuous after what had happened the other day.

“I missed you,” I breathed into his skin. “I’m sorry.”

I felt his entire body relax into mine, and his free arm came up to wrap around my waist. “I missed you too,” he whispered before turning to bury his face in my neck. I felt the tiniest of kisses against the skin there.

We stood like that for several beats, simply breathing each other in and pressing the reset button. Or, at least, I hoped we were. I had a lot to make up for, and all I could ask for was the chance to spend enough time with him to explain myself.

Gil cleared his throat. “Diesel. I take it you and Parrish know each other?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. After my experience at the splash park, I had a hard time believing Gil hadn’t heard about Parrish’s engagement.

“We do.” I tightened my arm around Parrish’s waist when he tried pulling away. “Parrish and I are…”

I couldn’t bring myself to say the word in case Parrish didn’t want anyone knowing, so I was floored when Parrish turned in my arms and leaned his head on my shoulder before saying it. “Married.”

Gil stared at us. “Married? To whom?”

Parrish smiled. “To each other. Diesel is my husband.”

“But… but… really? You don’t have a ring or anything.”

Parrish pressed a kiss under my jaw and stepped free of my hold so he could flap his free hand in the air while he still held Marigold on the other hip. “Diesel doesn’t wear one because of his work with machinery, and I left mine on the nightstand this morning. It got kind of…” If it was possible, he blushed a deeper pink. “Gunky last night.”

I bit my tongue to keep from dropping my jaw.

“Anyway,” Parrish said, moving across the space to grab his messenger bag, “We have a pediatrician appointment for Marigold today. She’s always a little sniffly after her vaccines, so I probably won’t be back in today. If you need anything, contact Debbie at the office.”

He grabbed his bag and then led me outside. Once we got into the truck, he blew out a noisy breath. “I’m sorry about that. You can just drop me at the B&B.”

“I came to ask you to spend the day with us,” I said, buckling Mari into the car seat. “We planned an apology surprise for you.”

“An apology surprise?”

“It’s like an apology casserole but with 100 percent less cream of mushroom soup.”

Parrish’s face softened. “You don’t need to apologize to me.”

“Actually I do.” I closed Marigold’s door and climbed into the driver’s seat before turning and reaching for Parrish’s hand. “I shouldn’t have left you the other night without at least a conversation first.”

“Maybe not. But I understand why you did.”

I nodded and started the truck. “I have some things I want to tell you, but I’d rather get out of here before Gil Hammersmith comes storming out of the Pit brandishing a nail gun at me.”

Parrish chuckled. “Sorry about all that. He just won’t take no for an answer. I hope you’re not mad about… about the marriage thing.”