Page 90 of The Moments You Were Mine

Fallon

WICKED GAME

Performed by Chris Isaak

SEVEN YEARS AGO

HIM: *** Link to “Wicked Game” by HIM ***

HIM: If you listen to that song and can still tell me metal can’t portray love, I’ll know you’re lying.

HER: Kermit, that song was written and first released by Chris Isaak nearly a decade before your band made it. Country for the win yet again.

PRESENT DAY

When everyone had left, I crossedmy arms on the table and rested my aching head on them. My body was screaming for rest. My soul was screaming for a respite.

Strong hands landed on my shoulders, fingers probing into my tense muscles.

I wanted to fall into it, but guilt and my new little secret held me stiff.

A moment later, a tiny palm landed on my arm. I opened my eyes to find Theo looking at me with sad eyes. “You have a bad owie.”

I sat up, but Parker didn’t remove his hands. He continued the massage, moving over my neck and down my shoulders. It was tantalizing in all the ways it shouldn’t be, especially not with a little kid staring up at me.

I was a hot mess.

“I’ll be okay,” I told Theo.

“Parker’s making us grilled cheese. It’s my favvv-or-ite thing in the whole world.”

“He is, is he?” I shifted so I could see Parker’s face, and it caused his hands to finally leave my body. “How are you doing that with no food in the house?”

“While you’re resting, Theo and I are running to the grocery store.”

Before I could protest, he swept me into his arms. Theo giggled.

“Put me down,” I said, but it had no real heat to it, not with the fatigue wearing me down.

As he strode toward my bedroom, I asked, “How many times are you going to do this?” He raised a brow in question. “Carry me like some fragile bride over the threshold?”

His lips twitched as Theo ran around us in circles, giggling.

“You’re a princess, Fallon! And Parker’s the prince. A fairy godmother is coming to protect you wif magic.” His voice was so high and excited that it screeched through me, shooting pain to my temple. I couldn’t stop my grimace.

“Remember how I said we needed to be quiet because of Fallon’s owie? Why don’t we start protecting her by you using your whisper voice,” Parker told him.

Theo’s eyes widened, and he shoved Dog against his mouth, mumbling from behind it, “Okay, Park. Sorry, Fallon.”

Parker dragged back the bedding, set me down, and then pulled the covers up to my chin. Theo ducked under Parker’s arm to sit next to me. He looked at his stuffed animal and then set it on my chest. “Dog isn’t magic, but he helps me when I’m sad. He can nap with you.”

A lump grew in my throat that made it hard to swallow. I ran a finger over the animal’s matted fur. “That’s really sweet of you to offer, Theo, but—”

“She’ll take good care of him while we’re at the store,” Parker said, sending me a warning look before putting a hand on the little boy’s head. “Go get your shoes on.”

Theo looked at the stuffed animal hesitantly, then at me, before his face turned determined. He ran out of the room.

“He should take Dog with him,” I said.