Redeem Me (Kin #6)(36)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Chapter 24

Cameron

Married.

Parker wanted to marry me.

I think I always assumed that it would happen, but this fast, for all of the wrong reasons? Okay, maybe the reasons were justifiable, and assumedly the timing couldn’t be better. Respectively I could have looked at it with an optimistic perspective, instead of negative. It was hard to do when I’d been let down so many times.

Still, I couldn’t deny that my love for Parker, or the fact that I wanted us to be a family, even if there wasn’t a bunch of planning involved. The idea of being his wife allowed me to accept his proposal without second guessing consequences. Parker left me alone while I ate my soup. It had gotten cold during our discussion, but I was so hungry that I didn’t even mind.

A little later I walked downstairs to find the house empty. I headed to the front door and looked out to see the guys carrying a large sofa up the steep steps to the apartment. After grabbing a jacket, I took the walk across the field to check it out for myself. By the time I made it inside they’d already replaced it where the old one once sat. The old area rugs had been replaced with two new ones, and the place smelled fresh. Parker smiled when he spotted me standing in the doorway. “We were goin’ to surprise you.”

“It’s so different in here from earlier. You guys did all of this while I was resting?”

“The couch is from my mom and dad’s house. It’s been in the bonus room for years, and since us kids moved out nobody uses it. It’s got a mattress that is adjustable with air. We can get it set to how we like it and leave it set up.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“My mom just ran out to get us a couple things for the refrigerator. She’s also going to pick up stuff for the bathroom. I wasn’t sure what we’d need. If she forgets somethin’ we’ll run out later and grab it.”

I turned my attention to Parker’s dad. “Thanks for all of this. I’m really sorry we put all this on you, sir.”

He put his hand on my shoulder. “Sweetie, you’re family to us. If you need anything else you just let us know. You’ll get through this.”

I tried to smile to the best of my ability. It wasn’t like I had a ton of things to be thankful for. To feel like you’re a burden was difficult. It was also apparent that Parker and I needed them. We were running as if our lives were in danger, when in fact we were just hiding from my overbearing parents.

“I appreciate that.”

“I’ll let you two get settled. Son, get with me on the job situation.” His dad walked out leaving us all alone.

Parker threw his hands in the air. “So welcome home, for now of course.”

I walked over and sat down on the couch. “It’s great.”

“There’s plenty of room for the two of us, I think. I can set up a desk over there in the corner so we can both do our homework. I already have my uncle’s Wi-Fi password so we’re good on that. I think this will work, don’t you?” He sat down next to me, brushing the hair away from my face. It was little attentive details that made me appreciate how Parker cared for me.

“Now that it’s been cleaned I like it. At first I was a little leery about living in those kind of conditions being pregnant. I’m no medical expert, but I’m sure that mold spores aren’t good for anyone. Not that I don’t appreciate your family giving us this place to stay, because I most certainly do.”

Parker chuckled. He grabbed my hand and pulled it up to his lips. “You’re so cute. I knew what you were sayin’. Just so you know, my mom and aunt would never have let you spend the night in this place if they thought it wasn’t safe.”

“You’re right. I must sound like a spoiled brat.”

“Maybe a little.”

I smacked him, even though I knew he was teasing me. “Cam, if I thought you were a stuck up snob I never would have slept with you. Okay, maybe I would have at least once, but I probably wouldn’t have gone for the second or third time.”

We both laughed. Then the room got quiet. “I know we have to talk about what’s next for us, Parker.”

“I thought we already did.”

I shook my head and looked down at my hands. “No. I mean after the baby comes.”

He put his hand on my knee. “I know you’re a problem solver, and that you always have to have the right answer, but we’ve just gone through a shit ton of emotional stress. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to take a couple days to reflect on us bein’ safe, and then we can open that can of worms. Right now I need you to cooperate. The doctor said you need to take it easy, and he didn’t just mean physically. You’ve got to relax your mind, and let your body heal.”

“You’re saying that like you actually care about this baby,” I had tears forming in my eyes when I said it. I think in the back of my mind I was fearing that Parker was only being supportive for my benefit, no matter how many times he’d reiterated his feelings about us becoming parents. It wasn’t just Parker though. It was everything. Too much had transpired for me to be able to comfortably relax. I wasn’t wired to let things hover around without being resolved. I needed closure, like a case in the courtroom. Just thinking about it made me think of my parents. I was so angry that they treated me the way they had, but I still loved them. They were all I had as far as blood relatives. Sure, I had a couple aunts and uncles, but they’d used my parents for loans and get out of trouble free cards too many times. We hadn’t had contact with any of them since I was a kid. One set of grandparents were deceased, while my other two were placed in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s. The last time I’d been to visit, neither of them knew who I was.

Parker waited until I looked up into his eyes. “Babe, stop. I care about you, and that means that I care about our baby. I’m just tryin’ to get things figured out before we have to focus all of our attention on a newborn. Please trust me, we’re goin’ to figure it out, together.” He seemed like he was getting sick of reassuring me. I wondered if I sounded like a broken record. At any rate, Parker didn’t fuss about it. He was so caring, and his family was even surprising me. Whatever their problem was with Parker in the past, they’d obviously gotten over it, or at least pushed it to the side.

“Do you think they’re looking for me?”

He knew right away that I was speaking about my parents. “Yeah, I do. They want to find you and lock you up in a tower. Hopefully your hair will grow fast so you can throw it out the window and let me climb up to rescue you.”