Parker
Itry to put myself back together after Lukas leaves, but it’s a losing battle. I look awful from my long, sleepless night and thoroughly rumpled from our tryst behind the stacks. My ponytail is in a sad state after being grabbed with rough, sexy hands, so I take it down and then wrap my hair in a messy bun. I keep trying to smooth the wrinkles out of my dress, but it’s beyond saving.
It’s quiet at the bookshop all morning, but my heart keeps fluttering, my blood rushing every time I think about Lukas. It’s nearly impossible to keep my mind on anything else for more than a minute at a time.
I wish more than once I could make a cup of tea, kicking myself for not bringing my mug from home. I’m trying to work up the courage to cross the street and get a cup of coffee from Olive, but I’m not sure I can face Lukas’ sisters yet. The looks on their faces when Lukas confronted me were, well… yikes.
Olive appeared surprised, but she had an arm out, holding back a livid, emotional Lilah. Julia was wearing her trademark smirk. And I can only imagine what they must think of me after I pulled him inside like that.
My stomach starts rumbling around noon. I haven’t eaten anything since the tacos last night, and right now I’m running on a single cup of coffee. I feel sick from lack of sleep and what I suspect is an adrenaline crash from my blowup and subsequent make-up with Lukas. I wrap my arms around my stomach, trying to forget my hunger for the time being, and put my head down on the counter.
The bell over the door chimes and I jolt upright. I don’t know how long I was asleep, but there is drool at the corner of my mouth that I try to wipe away discreetly while focusing on the figure coming in the door.
“Don’t bother trying to be sneaky. We could see you passed out from across the street,” Julia says, eyes sparkling with affectionate humor. “You’ve got a post-it stuck to your forehead, by the way.”
“Oh. Um… thanks.” Sheepishly, I remove the post-it and check to see if it’s anything important before tossing it in the trash. Olive and Lilah follow Julia inside, carrying brown paper bags and cups of coffee. Lilah hip-bumps the door, shutting it with a flourish.
“What are you guys doing?” I ask as they head to the couches and start pulling food out of the bags.
“We brought you lunch,” Lilah says. I think she sounds a little stiff, but she smiles at me just the same.
“And we had to check that you were still alive after the way you yanked Lukas in here this morning,” Julia adds with a smirk.
Olive elbows her in the side, “Ew. Stop.”
Julia shrugs, sipping her coffee and holding a travel cup out for me. I walk around the counter and take the offered cup. “Maybe it’s the nurse training, but I’m ok separating the fact that Lukas is our brother from the fact that Parker is finally getting deep-dicked like she deserves.”
Lilah chokes on her drink and Olive cackles as I blush so hard my face burns. Julia grins at me, patting the sofa next to her before grabbing my arm and pulling me down next to her when I don’t move fast enough.
“We talked about this before coming over,” she says, looking at her sisters as if to remind them, just as much to reassure me. “You’re our girl, Parker. No matter what.”
Olive nods and hands me a sandwich. “Julia is right. This changes nothing between us. Except, please don’t give me details. I’ll puke.”
“Deal,” I laugh, blinking back the grateful tears that are threatening to spill. “I’m sorry. I really wanted to tell you this morning, but things were weird between Lukas and me. We… had a misunderstanding.”
“And made up, from the looks of it,” Julia says, wiggling her eyebrows at me, making me laugh harder even as Olive pretends to gag.
Lilah sets down her coffee and opens her mouth like she wants to say something but purses her lips instead. I can tell that she’s not on board with this like her sisters and honestly, that really sucks. She and I have been close since the first day we met. She is the person I reach out to most often, the sister who seemed to get me the most.
“You might as well say whatever you’re thinking,” I tell her. “If you’re mad at me, I get it. If you don’t want me dating Lukas, I understand.” It won’t change my mind, but I don’t say that part out loud because it most certainly wouldn’t be helpful right now.
Lilah’s eyes widen with surprise and then narrow into an irritated expression. “It’s not you, Parker! For God’s sake. You can date anyone you want, family or otherwise, and I’ll be happy for you.”
I shake my head in confusion. “Then what—?”
“It’s Lukas!” Lilah interrupts. “You’re so sweet and he’s… well. He’s my brother, so I love him, but I don’t want to see you get hurt.” She looks at her sisters, appealing for them to see her side of it. “Does nobody remember what happened with Sadie?”
“Ok, but counterpoint, Sadie was the worst,” Julia argues.
“The total worst,” Olive confirms.
“But Lukas was terrible to her. It ruined our friendship and he really hurt her—”
My blood started heating the second Lilah brought up Sadie’s name. I told her I would understand, but that was when I thought she was suspicious of me, not him. And I can’t let her sit there, thinking the worst of him. I don’t know everything about his past, but I know enough to defend him. And even if he doesn’t think it’s worth bringing up, I do.
“Stop it,” I say firmly.
Lilah looks at me, shocked. Even Olive and Julia appear taken aback. Three sets of matching green eyes stare at me like I’ve just announced that I enjoy eating puppies with a side of kitten. To be fair, I’ve never spoken like that in front of them. Or anyone really, except for Lukas. But at least I have their attention.