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“Bonnie and my pa.”
“Shit!” she forced through tight lips. She scrambled out from underneath him like a worm crawling into the ground. On the floor then, she awkwardly dragged on her robe and scrambled to tie the belt. “What are you going to do?”
He rubbed his forehead. He cursed a blue streak under his breath.
“We’ll step out onto the porch and give you two a minute,” Bonnie called out, humor laced her tone. A second later the screen door creaked and slammed shut.
“Oh. My. Gosh.” Parker jumped to her feet. Her cheeks were red and her eyes wide.
Raven pushed up from the couch, adjusting his shirt, and the bulge behind his zipper. He wanted to say something, anything, to comfort her but decided it might be best for him to stay quiet.
“I’m going to go get dressed.”
He nodded.
She dashed down the hallway.
Raven strolled over to the screen door, now that he could walk, and opened it. “We didn’t have any clue you’d be back today.” He told the short, bubbly woman.
“Apparently.” Bonnie stepped inside, wearing a grin that belied what she just caught him doing. “I’d kiss you but I don’t know where that mouth has been.” In true Bonnie fashion, she didn’t mince her words.
John Ryder chuckled. “Sorry we didn’t call first, son.”
Raven should be mortified, but honestly, he wasn’t as humiliated as he should be he guessed. If he’d been caught with anyone else he might be. But he and Parker were adults—consenting adults. He did feel a bit sorry for Parker because no woman would want to meet a man’s father in this way.
“Seems like you’ve been taking good care of the place,” Bonnie said, setting her purse on a side table and stepped over to lovingly touch a framed picture of Bill.
“In many ways,” John said in a lowered voice.
“The full moon’s out tonight,” Bonnie added, snickering.
“Okay now you two. I can handle the teasing, but I’m sure Parker’s a different story,” Raven chastised.
Bonnie stood in the center of the room, craning her neck. “Do you think she’ll stay hidden or come out?”
As if on cue, Parker came from the hallway, now dressed in a T-shirt and jeans and her hair pulled back into a messy updo. Her cheeks were still pink and her lips swollen from his kisses. Raven could only imagine what they could be doing right now if they hadn’t been interrupted.
“Who’s your friend, Raven?” Bonnie asked. She smiled an entertained grin, but there was also curiosity in the grey depth of her eyes. She looked tired and had lost some weight.
“Hi, I’m Parker Manley. I’m sorry we had to meet this way.” Parker stuck out her hand.
“Honey, we don’t shake hands around here.” The older woman pulled Parker in and embraced her in a tight hug. When she released the hold, Bonnie said, “My niece didn’t tell me that she and Edgar wouldn’t be here themselves. Cowards.” She sniffed loudly. Her large bosom bounced when she laughed.
Raven could see the uncertainty in Parker’s expression. “I’m really sorry about...” She swung her gaze to the sofa.
“Hogwash. What’s done is done. I’m an old woman, dear. If I got myself in a bind over things like this,” she waved a bent and twisted hand toward the sofa, “I’d be sad and also an old woman. I know what kids your age do.”
“We didn’t…I mean, we hadn’t…” Parker clamped her lips tight, realizing she was beating a dead horse.
Raven came to the rescue. “Why are you not in the hospital?”
“Doc decided to let me go,” she said from where she searched for something in the desk clutter. “There comes a point when he’s not in control anymore. God has the wheel.”
“Actually,” John interceded, hooking his thumbs in his suspenders. “She demanded to be discharged or she’d walk out when the nurse had her back turned.”
“You could have called. I would have come to get you.” Raven kept his gaze on John who wore new clothes.Odd.
“Oh, I knew you were busy entertaining our guest. Ophelia told me. Aha! There they are.” She pushed glasses onto her face. “I haven’t been able to see a dang thing for days. I took a bite of peas and it was actually lima beans. Can’t stand lima beans.” She wrinkled her nose.
