“Murphy, you’re the best, but I really need to get going,” I said, hugging her. “It is only going to get harder to leave.”
“Sit for one minute and open my gifts first,” Murphy said. “I want to talk to you privately too.”
“Sure, Murphy, of course.” I smiled as much as I could, barely holding on to my emotions.
Murphy pulled me into the other room.
“So, it’s really interesting to see Parker fall all over himself around you.” Murphy grinned. “I’ve known him for his whole life, and I have never seen him like this. You sure do put a spark in that boy.”
“Fall over himself?” I asked, puzzled.
Where is this going?
“My wonderful brother has always been Mr. Calm, Cool, and Collected,” Murphy said. “That is not the case with you. I think he is in love. I think you are too”
“He is not in love with me. I’m practically a married woman. He can’t be. I can’t be,” I said, although I knew I sounded ridiculous. “I have to get out of here, Murphy.”
“Okay, please, come open my gift,” Murphy begged. “Besides, you and I both know Parker is the guy you were bought to marry.”
Murphy and I had gone to sit by the fireplace. I was opening her gift when the front door slammed against the wall. Paintings rattled.
“Mother, where is she?” Parker demanded, storming into the living room, all eyes on him. “I want to speak to her myself and make sure she knows I am releasing her of this deal.”
“Well, Merry Christmas to you, too, big brother,” August said, grabbing him into a bear hug and whispering in his ear. “Calm yourself down or we will have a problem. It’s Christmas morning.”
Mia watched as Parker pulled away from his younger brother.
“Where, Mother?” Parker demanded. “You said I would get my gift from you on Christmas day. So where? Because I am ending this now.”
“What the hell is happening?” Trey asked, casually throwing his arm across Parker’s shoulders.
“Ask our mother.” Parker shrugged off Trey and walked farther into the room, looking around for his bride “She has been busy being a matchmaker.”
All eyes turned to Victoria.
“I didn’t mean any harm, Parker,” Victoria said, finishing her drink. “I’ve been worried that you work too much and I know you never take time for yourself. I thought maybe you needed a companion. So when I heard about this elite agency for mail order brides I checked it out and you know the rest.”
“Mother, you didn’t,” Trey stated, stepping closer to Parker. “Okay, wait. Actually I do believe that you did. You have always had a soft spot for love stories and matchmaking.”
“I did, Trey,” Victoria said with a half smile. “I did it out of love, though. All of you boys don’t realize what you are missing in your lives without a partner. Parker, just meet her. Date her at the very least.”
How the hell could he even date another woman? How could another woman even measure up to the way Mia made him feel? She understands me, challenges me. She is perfect.
“Is she here? In the house, right now?” Asher asked astonished. “I love this. Let the show begin.”
Parker stormed out of the room, only to have Asher and August block him.
“Parker, settle down,” Asher said, stepping into Parker’s space. “Mother may have been misguided with this one, but she doesn’t deserve this anger.”
“I do not want this gift, Mother,” Parker said, softer this time. “I understand why you did it and I love you for the effort, but you need to understand I do not want her. Is she here?”
Mia and Murphy quietly entered the living room. Parker didn’t hear us behind him. An unsettling silence engulfed the room.
“Yes, Parker, she is here, but not for much longer,” I said from the doorway. “You don’t have to worry. You’re not wanting me has been heard loud and clear.”
Parker froze, then slowly turned to me.
“It’s you?” Parker asked incredulously. “All this time, it was you, and you said nothing.”