So why did my head nod?
He got up.
I followed. Ignoring Pia’s look. Ignoring my racing heart. Ignoring the warning bells blaring in my head, telling me to run back to the bar, back to safety.
Before I knew it, my feet stepped onto the wooden floor in front of the band, and I was in Parker’s arms.
12
PARKER
She belongs here.
Reminding myself Delaney was not interested in dating, I pushed the thought away. She might fit perfectly in my arms, and smell like the first spring breeze after a long winter, but this was nothing more than a dance between friends. Or so I’d keep telling myself.
I was thrilled to see Cole, but I also didn’t want the conversation with Delaney to end.
“On a lighter note,” I said as we danced, trying not to focus on how, with one tug toward me, our bodies would be flush together, “tell me about your family. Have they always lived in Cedar Falls?”
“My parents actually moved here right after they got married. They came on a wine-tasting trip with some friends and loved it. Dad is an engineer. Mom is a dentist. I have an older brother who moved to Syracuse after college, and that’s pretty much it.”
I almost said something about attracting dentists’ daughters, but thought better of it. We’d talked plenty about our exes already, and more importantly, Delaney wouldn’t take kindly to hearing about my attraction to her.
“And your career?”
“I always thought I’d follow in my mother’s footsteps, having spent so much time at her work when I was younger. I took biology and chem in college to prep for dental school, or maybe even med school, but changed my mind at some point. I graduated with a chemistry degree and no idea what I actually wanted to do for a living. My mother encouraged me to apply for a PharmD program, and when I got it, I figured it was as good as anything.”
“But you don’t love it.”
“I don’t. If it were up to me, I’d have done something in the arts. Maybe started my own business or something. I love to paint, and make jewelry… stuff like that. Very impractical stuff.”
“A lifetime is an awfully long time not to enjoy what you do.”
“True. But I also wonder if I’d love my artsy stuff… that’s what my parents call it… if I had to earn a living with it. That would be a lot of pressure and probably would take away the enjoyment of it.”
Although it sounded a lot like Delaney talking herself out of making a career from what she loved, I kept my mouth shut. We weren’t close enough for me to offer an opinion she hadn’t asked for, and I wasn’t one to talk when it came to pulling the trigger on starting a business.
“Your turn.”
Unfortunately, the song ended which meant I had to let her go. The second I did, I wanted to pull her back. Instead, we walked off the dance floor, but instead of heading back to the bar, Delaney stepped off to the side.
I did the same.
“Not a lot to tell. Was born and raised in Hamlin, New York. Met the guys freshman year at University of Rochester. Majored in business. I have two brothers who both work for my dad’s car dealership, but I had no interest in that so I followed Mason and Beck back to Cedar Falls, started working construction, which I’d done a lot of back home while I figured things out. And here we are.”
“Pia said you’re a big outdoorsy guy?”
“I am. Love to fish, hike, ski… played ice hockey in college. Stuff like that.”
“You’re obviously still in great shape. Do you go to a gym?”
I couldn’t resist. “How can you tell?”
Her eyes meandered down to my chest but immediately popped back up to my face. I’d have to remember to wear tighter shirts around Delaney.
“Are you fishing for a compliment, Parker?” she teased.
“Damn straight I am.”
