dash, just under the air vent. This surprised her, because both her dad and brother babied their vehicles and they weren’t even half as nice as this one. They’d have an absolute panic attack if anyone stuck something to theirs.
Parker climbed in the driver’s side. His radio blasted as he cranked the engine. “Sorry ‘bout that.” He reached for the knob, the volume faded. “So, you’re going to have to navigate …”
“Yep. I assumed you weren’t psychic.” She tilted her head with a smirk, trying to seem calm, but she was tense like she was on a date. She had to remind herself that it wasn’t a date. It was for Bree and a thank you for his help.
They weren’t attracted to each other. They couldn’t be. After he visited with his sister and exchanged emails, cell phone numbers, and followed one another on Twitter he’d be gone. Carly would never see him again. Why was she even thinking this? It wasn’t like she was looking for a relationship. Not after Colten.
“Okay … where do I go?” Parker sat at the intersection waiting for Carly as she daydreamed about … what was it again?
“Um, left.” She nibbled on her bottom lip.
Parker’s thumbs drummed on the steering wheel even though he’d turned the music so low they couldn’t hear it over the air rushing through the Jeep. She loved the feel of the wind whipping against her like she was flying.
Parker stopped at the only stoplight in town.
She stared at him, his shoulders were rigid, his jaw clenched, and knuckles pale.
“Bree’s really cool,” Carly offered. It was like she’d woken him from sleep, he jerked and looked at her. The edges of his mouth slid up just enough to call it a smile.
“Thanks.” His voice was a scratchy whisper. And he didn’t look away from her, nor did he say anything else. A small flutter was in her chest and warmth spread through her.
The horn blasting from the impatient car behind them made them both jump.
“I’m going!” Parker shouted over his shoulder, before belting out laughter with Carly and traveling under the green light.
*****
Parker’s breathing increased when he shut off the Jeep, sitting in the gravel driveway of the little yellow ranch home, his eyes on the front porch and he didn’t say a word.
“C’mon, chicken.” She pushed on his shoulder. “Or I mean Super-Chicken-Geek.”
He hesitated before climbing out, staring at the house like it was haunted. Carly was already on her way around the Jeep before his feet hit the ground. The rocks crunched under his shoes.
She continued to walk across the yard and toward the front door. “Hurry up,” she waved an arm to the house, “before Bree wonders who the creeper is with me.”
He caught up to her before she stepped on the porch. They stood at the door and Carly knocked.
Parker’s bouncing leg made the porch rattle a little. He was breathing heavy and his hand brushed against hers. She slipped her palm under his. His hand was damp and warm and she curled her fingers around it.
He squeezed, and his shoulders relaxed at their contact. She smiled, though didn’t look his way.
The door swung open, and it wasn’t Bree like she’d expected. It was Nate. Carly felt a little weird thinking of him as a foster parent when he was only in his mid-twenties.
“Carly,” he said a little too chipper for her. Why was he always happy? His blond hair was combed into a funky point and he wore a tee shirt for what she knew had to be a Christian rock band.
His eyes darted from Carly to Parker, then at their connected hands.
Great, just what she needed, Nate thinking she was bringing random flings around.
She hated to do it, but she slipped her hand out of Parker’s.
“Bree said she’d be home.” Carly wrung her hands together.
“Yep, she’s here,” Nate looked at Parker again. Carly realized she should introduce him.
“This is Parker,” she said. “Parker,
Parker climbed in the driver’s side. His radio blasted as he cranked the engine. “Sorry ‘bout that.” He reached for the knob, the volume faded. “So, you’re going to have to navigate …”
“Yep. I assumed you weren’t psychic.” She tilted her head with a smirk, trying to seem calm, but she was tense like she was on a date. She had to remind herself that it wasn’t a date. It was for Bree and a thank you for his help.
They weren’t attracted to each other. They couldn’t be. After he visited with his sister and exchanged emails, cell phone numbers, and followed one another on Twitter he’d be gone. Carly would never see him again. Why was she even thinking this? It wasn’t like she was looking for a relationship. Not after Colten.
“Okay … where do I go?” Parker sat at the intersection waiting for Carly as she daydreamed about … what was it again?
“Um, left.” She nibbled on her bottom lip.
Parker’s thumbs drummed on the steering wheel even though he’d turned the music so low they couldn’t hear it over the air rushing through the Jeep. She loved the feel of the wind whipping against her like she was flying.
Parker stopped at the only stoplight in town.
She stared at him, his shoulders were rigid, his jaw clenched, and knuckles pale.
“Bree’s really cool,” Carly offered. It was like she’d woken him from sleep, he jerked and looked at her. The edges of his mouth slid up just enough to call it a smile.
“Thanks.” His voice was a scratchy whisper. And he didn’t look away from her, nor did he say anything else. A small flutter was in her chest and warmth spread through her.
The horn blasting from the impatient car behind them made them both jump.
“I’m going!” Parker shouted over his shoulder, before belting out laughter with Carly and traveling under the green light.
*****
Parker’s breathing increased when he shut off the Jeep, sitting in the gravel driveway of the little yellow ranch home, his eyes on the front porch and he didn’t say a word.
“C’mon, chicken.” She pushed on his shoulder. “Or I mean Super-Chicken-Geek.”
He hesitated before climbing out, staring at the house like it was haunted. Carly was already on her way around the Jeep before his feet hit the ground. The rocks crunched under his shoes.
She continued to walk across the yard and toward the front door. “Hurry up,” she waved an arm to the house, “before Bree wonders who the creeper is with me.”
He caught up to her before she stepped on the porch. They stood at the door and Carly knocked.
Parker’s bouncing leg made the porch rattle a little. He was breathing heavy and his hand brushed against hers. She slipped her palm under his. His hand was damp and warm and she curled her fingers around it.
He squeezed, and his shoulders relaxed at their contact. She smiled, though didn’t look his way.
The door swung open, and it wasn’t Bree like she’d expected. It was Nate. Carly felt a little weird thinking of him as a foster parent when he was only in his mid-twenties.
“Carly,” he said a little too chipper for her. Why was he always happy? His blond hair was combed into a funky point and he wore a tee shirt for what she knew had to be a Christian rock band.
His eyes darted from Carly to Parker, then at their connected hands.
Great, just what she needed, Nate thinking she was bringing random flings around.
She hated to do it, but she slipped her hand out of Parker’s.
“Bree said she’d be home.” Carly wrung her hands together.
“Yep, she’s here,” Nate looked at Parker again. Carly realized she should introduce him.
“This is Parker,” she said. “Parker,
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