Chapter Seven

“Dad,” Tamsen called out as she entered her father’s house. “You home? I brought dinner.”

Thomas Hayes popped his head out from the kitchen. “Pumpkin, I was going to cook.”

Precisely why she’d brought dinner. Tamsen loved her father. He was a great dad, wonderful person, but a horrible cook. One of the reasons she took the cooking elective offered in her middle school was so they could stop eating frozen pizzas for dinner every night.

“Ty sent me home with some extra orders of tonight’s special.” Working in a restaurant had its perks. Food always tasted better when someone else made it. As long as that someone wasn’t her dad.

“Well, bring it in here. I have something I want to talk to you about.”

That sounded ominous. The last time her father wanted to talk to her, it was to tell her about his engagement. An event he was happy about, but worried over how she would take it. She smiled at the memory. So silly. How could he ever think she’d be anything other than overjoyed that he’d found someone who made him happy? She’d been trying to get the stubborn man to date for years, but he’d refused, saying he needed to focus on her first.

Well, now she was out on her own. It was time for her father to see to his own happiness, and she was so glad that was happening. But the way he said they needed to talk…

It had an edge to it. Like he was dreading what he had to tell her.

Oh no!

Did something happen with Victoria? Worry filled her stomach. She hoped not. They both seemed so happy. What could have caused a rift? Her mind immediately jumped to Parker and her totally inappropriate attraction to him.

No. That couldn’t be it. First, she and Parker hadn’t done anything but some harmless flirting. Besides, how could her father or Victoria know about her silly crush? She was simply projecting. He probably just wanted to talk wedding stuff.

Then why did his voice sound all shaky and nervous just now? Like the time he had to talk to me about body changes and becoming a woman?

Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to find out standing in the entryway. Closing and locking the front door, she headed to the kitchen with the takeout. She placed the bag on the old wooden table full of nicks and marks from years of homework, art projects, and meals between her and her dad. She was pretty sure the table was older than she was, but it was solid. Her father had never been one to throw away something that still had use.

She hadn’t grown up with the amount of funds her dad’s future wife had, but she’d never gone hungry, and she’d always had a roof over her head and clothes on her back. There had been some tough times when his income had to cover everything from the mortgage to food to childcare, but they managed. And besides, Tamsen had always felt secure and loved, and that was way more important than wealth.

“What’s up, Dad?” she asked, taking the food out of the bag.

“Mmmmm.” Her father sniffed. “That smells delicious. What is it?”

He was stalling. “It’s lemon garlic chicken with roasted potatoes and dill carrots.”

His nose wrinkled. “Chicken? No steak?”

Removing the top from the takeout container, she slid his dinner over to him before opening her own. “No. Your doctor said you needed lean protein. You’re supposed to be cutting back on the red meat.”

He grunted. “Now you sound like Vikki.”

Good. She was glad his fiancée was also taking an active interest in his health. Tamsen’s approval of the woman jumped even higher.

“We both want you around for a lot more years, so stop griping and eat up or I won’t give you the chocolate lava cake I snuck in on my way out.”

That got her dad digging into his meal. They ate in silence for a while, enjoying the delicious food that the stellar cooks at 5280 Eats produced. Once her dad had gotten mostly through his meal, she pushed her empty plate away—she was always starving after a shift—and leaned forward.

“Okay, Dad. Spill it.”

“I’d rather eat it.” He lifted a forkful of chicken to his lips.

She groaned at his dad joke but pressed on. “I mean, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“Right, yes.” He cleared his throat, pushing his plate to the side as well. “Tamsen, as you know, Vikki and I are getting married in a few months.”

Oh, thank goodness. She let out a breath of relief. For a minute there, she’d been worried she’d have to use her art skills to spray paint “Victoria sucks” on the woman’s Lamborghini. If she had a Lamborghini. Honestly, Tamsen had no idea, but she did know if that woman ever hurt her father, there’d be hell to pay.

“And once we get married, that is, I’ve decided…I mean, Vikki and I have agreed that it’s best if we, being a married couple and planning on living together and all, take a new step together as we join our lives by…you see the thing is—”

“Dad, spit it out before the lava cake goes bad.” And people said she rambled when nervous. Wonder where she could have gotten that from?

“I’m going to sell the house.”

Tamsen sat back in shock. Her dad watched her with careful eyes. He was selling the house? The home she grew up in. Where she’d spent every birthday, every Christmas. The place she always felt safe and secure no matter what was going on in her chaotic life.

“Oh.”

His hand reached out to cover hers. “Are you okay, pumpkin?”

Was she? Logically, a part of her knew that he would eventually sell the house. The tiny three-bedroom bungalow with one bathroom and one car garage couldn’t be what Victoria was used to. She didn’t begrudge her father moving on with his new life. But her heart broke the tiniest bit knowing the place she’d always called home would belong to someone else.

Realizing she’d been silent too long, she pasted a bright smile on her face, waving her father’s concern away. “Of course I am. I’ll admit I’m a little bit sad, but I know Victoria probably has a much nicer home for you two to live in.”

“Actually, we’re going to buy a new place together. Start off fresh for both of us.”

Oh. That sounded…lovely. And it eased a small part of her hurt to know her father’s fiancée wasn’t expecting him to make all the changes. She wondered if Parker knew his mom was selling her home. Was it Parker’s childhood home? Would he feel the same loss she was feeling right now? She really didn’t know much about him. Except for the fact that he was a firefighter, a worthy trivia opponent, and made her panties go up in flames with a single glance.

All very important facts.

“You’re really not upset about me selling the house?”

Now it was her turn to place a hand on her father’s. “Really. I figured you’d sell it someday. I’m happy to know it’s because you found someone you love and not because you’re retiring to Florida.”

He laughed. “With all those bugs and the humidity? Not in this lifetime. You know I get cranky when it’s hot out.”

She laughed. Her dad was such a snowdog. He’d be as excited as a kid on their birthday with the first snow of every season. Come wintertime, it was hard to drag the man inside. He was like Frosty the Snowman come to life.

She served up the chocolate lava cake. It was one big piece, so she cut it in half and split it with her dad like always, wondering if she’d need to get two pieces to bring over when her dad and Victoria got married. Or if she’d even need to bring him dinner anymore.

Probably not. A bittersweet melancholy filled her. She was happy her dad had someone to love him and keep him company, but it was going to be strange not being the most important woman in her dad’s life anymore.

“I also have a favor to ask.”

She scooped up a giant bite of the cake and pointed her spoon at him. “Need help packing up? Sure.”

“No.” Her father shook his head. “I mean, yes, I’ll probably ask you to come by and sift through some things when the time comes. See if there’s anything you’d like to keep.”

Keep? Was he planning on getting rid of a lot of stuff? Her dad? It stood to reason. He was getting a new wife, a new house, practically a new life. Of course he’d want new stuff to go with it. It just wasn’t something she was used to from her frugal father.

“Vikki asked if you’d be willing to ask Parker something. Artist to artist.”

“Parker is an artist?” She thought he was a firefighter.

Silly, she was an artist and a waitress. Stood to reason Parker could be both an artist and a firefighter. Most artists had day jobs, though she assumed with Parker’s family money he didn’t need an extra income.

“Does she want us to paint something for the wedding?” More time with Parker, exactly what she didn’t need.

Her father shook his head. “No, Parker isn’t a visual artist. According to Vikki, he’s a musician.”

Cool. She loved musicians. She often put on music when she painted. It spoke to her soul and she often found her art reflecting the mood of the playlist.

Of course he’d be a musician, too. She sighed, shoving down her growing sexual frustrations. A hero firefighter, funny, sexy, and he had a creative soul? Why? Why was the universe doing this to her? Why couldn’t Parker have one freakin’ flaw she could point out to stop making the unattainable man so damn tempting?

It just wasn’t fair.

“Or he was a musician. He hasn’t…” Her dad hesitated. “She said he hasn’t played his guitar in years, and she misses it. She desperately wants him to pick it back up. According to Vikki, it always made him smile, and she would love it if he performed at the wedding. As a gift, for her.”

“For both of you.” Because she knew making his future wife smile would make her dad happy.

“Yes, both of us.” Her dad nodded.

“I can try.” Though how she was going to convince him when his own mother couldn’t was a mystery to her. “Maybe I can appeal to him. One artist to another.”

“Thank you, pumpkin. We really appreciate it. It’s very kind of you to help your brother.”

“Ew, Dad, no.” She pushed her half-eaten cake away. “He’s not my brother.”

“Okay, I know it’s not like you two will bond like real siblings, like me and your uncle Ray, but I’m hoping you can be friends.”

Friends. Yes, that’s exactly what she wanted to be with a man she was intensely attracted to.

“I’m sure we can. Parker seems like a great guy.” A great, hot, sexy, funny, smart, untouchable guy.

“Well, we already know he’s hero material.”

He motioned to her, referencing the cast incident she wished she could forget. Parker has seen my boobs! It would haunt her for years.

“And Vikki thinks the world of him.”

As most mothers did with their children. Tamsen thought a lot of him, too.

Mostly naked.

While she painted him.

With her tongue.

Her pulse started to race. Oh boy, she really had to stop thinking of Parker like that. Especially around her dad.

They spent the rest of the evening talking about her dad’s job at the library, the new manager position she was up for at the restaurant, and the theme of the gallery showcase she was working on presenting to her boss at the gallery she interned at.

And that brought her right back around to thinking about Parker.

Hmmmm, she wondered if she could add his human form to her show.

No. Bad. That’s a naughty, naughty Tamsen.

She drove back to her apartment, trying to focus on all the plates she was juggling instead of what Parker would look like naked. But as she sat down to work on some sketches, she found all her hands wanted to do was draw the man in question. His strong jawline, his full lips, the tiny crinkle at the corner of his eyes when he smiled, the tilt of his head and slight amusement that curled the corner of his lips when she went off on one of her tangents.

By the time she was ready to hit the sack, she had page after page of Parker staring up at her from her sketchpad.

“Dammit, brain. We. Can. Not. Have. Him.”

She flopped down on her bed with a sigh.

No, she couldn’t sleep with Parker, but there was nothing saying she couldn’t draw him. Maybe even do a small painting? And there was certainly nothing she could do if her subconscious decided to have wild, naked, sexy-time dreams about him. She couldn’t control what her brain did when she was sleeping.

Figuring she’d let whatever happen while she slept happen, she got ready for bed and turned out the lights. Tomorrow she’d see about getting in touch with Parker, and somehow, she’d find a way to plan a party for their parents without ripping his clothes off and jumping his bones.

As for tonight…

She smiled, sighing softly as her eyes closed and visions of Parker laying on a chaise lounge with nothing but a silk sheet covering his good bits while she stood across the room capturing his raw beauty with her brush filled her mind.

What happened in dreamland, stayed in dreamland.