Page 25 of Scandalous Whispers (Alpha Billionaire #28)

HALEY

I stood near the door of Parker’s office, waiting for him to look up at me.

He had acknowledged that I walked in but was so buried in whatever work he was doing that it was like I’d called and been put on hold.

I checked the time on my phone, nearly twenty minutes after I was supposed to have left work.

I had plans with Rachel this evening and I didn’t want to be late, but Parker looked angry and I didn’t want to upset him, especially not after the way our trip went last week.

We still hadn’t spoken about it, only surface-level conversations about work.

When another five minutes passed without his looking up at me again, I cleared my throat, hoping he’d get the message.

His eyes popped up to take me in, and he scowled, then returned to his work.

I didn’t want to interrupt if something was really bothering him, but I had an important update for him and I just wanted to go home and relax a few minutes before heading out with Rachel.

“Parker, I just have?—”

“What!” His shout startled me, and he glowered at me. His forehead was wrinkled with emotion I hadn’t seen on him in weeks.

I stood stock-still, eyes wide. He’d never taken any tone with me in the time I’d worked here, though I’d seen him lash out at others.

And sometimes, our team meetings got a little heated with his rants, but I had never been at the receiving end of his temper.

I didn’t like it at all. I swallowed hard, wanting to avoid any negative interaction, but I could tell it was inevitable.

I resolved to remain calm before I started talking again, and Parker’s full attention was now on me.

“I needed to tell you about the source for the environmental story out of Ohio.” I was confident, not allowing his mood to affect my tone.

I wasn’t about to cower before him the way Mr. Green and David did at times.

I knew him. He had a softer side that he refused to show people, but I’d seen it.

I had been the one to get him to open up.

This was the result of his stress, not me. At least, I prayed it was.

“Well, spit it out. Can’t you see I’m busy?” The valley between his eyebrows deepened and he pursed his lips. I was hurt. He had never spoken to me like this before, and I didn’t like it at all. I wanted my kind, soft-spoken Parker back.

“We have a meeting with him next week on Tuesday. He will be in Chicago for the holiday visiting family and wants to stop in before he heads back to Ohio.” My feet hurt, and I shifted my weight from one to the other.

Parker flicked his hand in the air like he didn’t even care and looked back at his computer.

“He indicated that he was very interested in meeting with you directly, sir.”

“Look, Haley, I’ve had a really shitty day.

Just send me an email about it.” He didn’t even look up when he said the words, and I was hurt.

I felt like I’d gone from his intimate partner to just another staff member.

I began to wonder if the entire thing was an act—us building a relationship, the way he seemed so different around me.

This Parker Danvers was the one the entire office hated at times.

This was not my Parker. But did my Parker even exist?

I stood there for another minute watching him, but he absorbed himself in work again and I didn’t know what else to say.

After the way he treated me last weekend, and then he hadn’t even tried to call me or talk to me, I knew things were probably over.

This was just the final confirmation for me.

My shoulders dropped, and I turned and left his office.

If he couldn’t even be civil with me, we had nothing else to say to each other.

I headed home and got ready for drinks at the club with Rachel, then headed out, feeling really down.

It was supposed to be a night to let loose and have fun, but I knew it would be more of a sob fest. Instead of the club, we should have been going to a private little dive, where I could unload all my struggles and let Rachel comfort me in the way only a best friend can.

I drove to her house and picked her up, and she bubbled on about meeting cute guys and dancing.

I pretended to be interested, but my heart was sad.

She didn't seem to notice much until we got into the club.

The club was loud, as usual, and I had at least three drinks before Rachel finally sat me down and forced me to talk.

I wasn’t myself, not dancing or even being chatty.

Two guys had come to hit on us, and I hadn’t even looked up.

Not only did they have no appeal to me because I had feelings for Parker, but I was so upset, I had no interest in any man.

“What gives?” Rachel asked, her voice raised above the music.

The bass thumped, and I could feel it vibrating in my chest. I didn’t recognize the song, but it had a catchy beat.

Still, I was sullen and didn’t really want to be there.

I opened my mouth to speak, but I didn't feel like shouting so I just closed my lips.

I shrugged, not really knowing how to explain the weird situation.

Parker was hiding something from me. I deduced that he knew something about the job offer, but if he knew something, why hadn’t he tried to talk to me about it?

Mr. Green had offered me double my salary and the title of editor of national news—David would transition to specifically international, thus dividing the department and giving me another promotion.

I knew it was an attempt to keep me at The Vine .

If Parker’s management was doing this, he had to know about the job opportunity.

“Stop it. You are my best friend, Haley. Tell me what’s wrong.” Rachel shook me gently then picked up her drink and had a swig. I could smell the stench of the alcohol she was drinking on her breath and was thankful I had chosen to go easy on the drinks.

“It’s Parker… I think we broke up, but I’m not positive.

He isn’t really speaking to me. And today, he snapped at me at work.

He never does that.” I felt tipsy. I knew I probably shouldn’t drink anymore or I’d have to call a cab and leave my car sitting, but I really wanted to drink more—drown my sorrows in some mai tais.

“Gosh, that’s harsh. Did something happen?” She sucked her straw, making the slurping sound that indicated her drink was almost empty. She loved those fruity things and probably already had too many tonight.

“Well, I didn’t think so. I think maybe he found out about the job, but why wouldn’t he just talk to me?”

“I mean today at work, you know, to make him upset.” She set the empty cup down and wiped her mouth.

I thought about it. I hadn’t seen anything go down except that when I returned from lunch, Tom was in Parker’s office getting yelled at.

Tom left looking pretty steamed, so maybe there was something that happened there.

I hadn’t thought to ask Parker whether he was okay.

I just reacted to his bad attitude. I felt bad for not being there for him when he was hurting.

“Yeah, I don’t really know.” I sighed. The past ten days had changed everything for me, and I just wanted to turn back the clock and make it go a different way.

“You look miserable.”

“I am,” I told her. The club held no appeal for me tonight. “I’d rather go home and watch chick flicks and get wasted. Wanna ditch?”

Rachel looked around the room. Lights flashed overhead.

The disco ball spun in a circle, reflecting them.

The DJ played her favorite song, and she tapped her foot in beat to the music.

I could see the desire in her eyes to remain there and dance, but I knew she would come with me. It’s what best friends are for.

“Alright…” She slapped a few dollars on the table and stood.

“Let’s go.” I rose and followed her toward the door, watching the skirt in front of me flounce with each of her steps.

I remembered the day we went shopping and bought that skirt and she had told me it was the skirt that would hook her a good man.

I sighed at the irony of how that skirt had been the one I was wearing on the day I met Parker for the first time when he interviewed me.

It was chilly for Memorial Day weekend. I hadn’t really dressed up, but Rachel wore a cute skirt.

When we stepped into the cool breeze, I felt instantly sobered up, the air temperature waking me.

Rachel shivered, wobbling on her heels. I had parked a few blocks away because after being delayed at work, we’d gotten to the club later than expected.

I felt bad and offered her my light sweater, but she insisted on freezing, so we picked up our pace a little.

We were almost to my car when I saw a group of people standing around.

They had camera phones out, taking pictures of my car and blocking my view of what was so interesting that they needed to memorialize it with photos.

I thought I recognized one woman’s voice, but I was more worried about why they had surrounded my car.

“Hey, get away from there!” Rachel’s annoyed shout drew a few glances. Three or four of the people standing around took off running, which troubled me. I could see under the streetlight that something was different about my car. “What the hell?” Rachel mumbled, stumbling closer to the car.

As a few more of the people backed away, I saw what they were staring at. Someone had splashed paint—a lot of it—all over the hood and side of my car. I covered my mouth as my jaw dropped and stared in horror, not even bothering to look up at who was standing around.

“Oh, my God, my car!” I rushed over to it, placing my hand gently on the paint, and when I pulled it away, it was covered in bright green paint.

The golden-colored paint job was ruined.

I felt tears welling up. I was furious. When I looked up, only one person was left standing, but I didn’t know them.

The rest of them had fled, and I could see their backs as they ran away. “Why did you do this!”

The man shook his head, wide-eyed and scared looking. “I—I didn’t do this.”

“Why did they?” I felt the tears brimming, and when I blinked, they cascaded down my cheeks. Rachel looked ready to vomit. This was ridiculous.

“I don’t know. Something about Parker Danvers.

” The man shrugged, but as I pulled my phone out and called the cops, he darted down the sidewalk after the others.

In the dim light, I’d hardly gotten a look at his face.

I closed my eyes and tried to memorize how he looked in case the police needed a description, and when the line rang through, I reported the crime to the dispatcher, who promised the police would be there soon.

“God, what am I going to do?” I stood there watching paint run down the side of my car and drip on the pavement beneath it, waiting for the police to show up.

Rachel sat on the curb, knees drawn to her chest. She had her head down.

She was no help at all. I could tell she’d drunk too much way too fast. When she didn’t reply to me, I sat down next to her and assumed the same posture, curling my legs up and putting my forehead to my knees.

I didn’t know what to do, but I needed encouragement.

This whole thing had been about Parker and me, somehow, probably due to Gretchen and Jack’s relationship or something. The problem was, unless there were security cameras around the neighborhood that caught the vandals on film, I had no way to identify the people who did this. I was distraught.

I pulled my phone back out and dialed Parker’s number.

He was a jerk earlier today, but I needed someone to talk to and he was the only other option I had.

It was too late to call my dad. The line rang and rang, and he never picked up.

I wasn’t surprised. He was probably out schmoozing some business associate or something.

I left him a message, but I didn’t suspect he’d even check his voicemail.

Somehow, I’d really upset him, and it was definitely over.

As a last resort, I called my dad, who answered immediately. “Haley? It’s late. Are you okay?” I knew calling this late would mean he’d panic, but I had no one else.

“I’m fine, Dad.” I sighed, not wanting to explain the whole thing over the phone. “Can I stay with you this weekend?” I didn’t even try to hide the sadness in my voice.

“Of course, baby. I’ll leave the key under the mat. Just let yourself in. You know where everything is. I’ll be up early.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” His concern made me tear up.

“I think so. I just wanted to feel at home tonight.”

“Well, come on over. I’ll leave the porch light on.” Dad hung up, and I locked my phone. The job in LA was looking more and more appealing, despite knowing it wasn’t really what I wanted anymore. If Dr. James pressured me, I’d take it. It might be the only way I could get Parker off my mind.