Second Chance: A Military Football Romance

He was okay enough to look highly annoyed that I was even asking him that question in the first place. “I’m fine,” he said coolly. “How are you two?”

“Yeah, man,” Graham said, a concerned expression on his face. “You’re not looking so good. You been training too hard? Why don’t you give yourself a little break—I’m done with racing for the season, anyway.”

“Just met my dad down here for some lunch,” he said. “Then I’ll probably head home and take a little nap or something. I haven’t been sleeping well, is all.”

“A nap would be good then.” I glanced in the direction of the ladies’ room, hoping that Parker would leave before my mother returned. It was awkward enough having to stand here and talk with him, but I could only imagine how much more awkward it would be if she were here, especially if she mentioned the whole thing with my father.

“I’m gonna go sit down,” Parker said.

“All right, see ya, man.” Graham and I both had concerned looks on our faces as he walked off, but then I turned away because my mother was approaching.

“Is that Parker?” she asked.

“Yeah. He said he was meeting his father here.”

“Oh, yes, I see his father here quite often. I haven’t seen him today, though; he must not be here yet. Did you two have a chance to look at the menu?”

“Not yet.”

We sat down and I picked up one of the menus.

“I am so happy that the two of you were able to make it today,” my mother said. “And Graham, I feel I need to apologize for the way things were when you were at our house. And also apologize for the way my husband has been dealing with this. He’s a good man; this is just hard for him, is all.”

“It’s all right,” Graham said. “I just hope the both of you know that I’m not trying to cause any conflict or anything.”

“We know. At least, I know that; I’m hoping John will come around, too. It’s just—”

My mother was cut off by a sudden commotion near the bar; someone let out a shout. I turned in my chair and looked and saw the realtor guy that I had talked to that night of my parents’ party, hunched on the ground. Parker had collapsed, I realized, and his father was leaning over him, shaking his shoulder.

“Oh, shit, something happened to Parker,” I said, grabbing Graham by the arm. “I knew he didn’t look good when we saw him earlier ...”

“Call an ambulance!” Parker’s father shouted. “I don’t have my phone on me; someone needs to call an ambulance for my son!” Several people around us fumbled for their phones. I had left my own phone in the glove box in the car.

“I hope Parker’s okay,” I said, glancing at Graham.

But Graham didn’t say anything. He just stood there, with the strangest expression on his face.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Graham

“Did someone call an ambulance? My son has just collapsed!”

That was Craig Oliver shouting that, as he leaned over Parker.

“An ambulance is on its way!” someone shouted. Parker had already come to, and was trying to sit up, clearly disoriented.

“Stay down,” Craig said.

Craig. Of Ocean View Realty. My father, who was kneeling next to Parker, calling him his son.

Which would mean Parker was my brother.

Well, half-brother.

Either way, it meant Parker and I were related.

Everyone in the restaurant had stopped eating and was watching. I just stood there while the flurry of activity happened around me. The ambulance arrived less tha