"Not tonight. Reece is closing. I'll be home by eight. And," he added, "Eli's staying over at a friend's."
Eva shot Megan a grin before turning back to her fiance. "That, Mr. Johnson, is some very interesting information."
He chuckled, then said goodbye to both of them, pausing beside Megan before heading out. He pressed a paternal hand to her shoulder. "I'm sorry about what happened with Parker. But looks like it all turned out okay, yeah?"
"Hmm? Oh. Yeah." She nodded. "Things ar
e totally squared away."
"Glad to hear it," Tyree said, then headed out of the office with one final kiss toward Eva.
She returned it, then cocked her head. "Squared away? Girl, I think that might be an understatement."
Megan stood up straighter. "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about," she said, but she couldn't maintain it. And within a minute, both she and Eva were laughing and comparing notes about the men in their lives.
An hour later, Megan was walking home, and since she was still thinking about the way she'd described Parker to Eva--funny, charming, and so sexy it should be a crime--she decided to go the long way to The Railyard so that she could pop in and surprise Parker at his condo. He'd told her he was going to spend Friday working from home, then would head over to her place for dinner.
Unless he'd left early to run an errand, she should be able to catch him and they could walk over to The Railyard together.
She was just turning south onto Congress Avenue when her cell phone rang. She snatched it out of her purse, assuming it would be Parker, then squealed with delight when she saw that it was Kasey.
"Finally! I text you to tell you I'm actually going out with Parker Manning, and it takes you this long to get back to me?"
"You wouldn't believe how busy I've been. I swear, I've stressed off at least five pounds. This new job is the best weight loss program ever."
Megan rolled her eyes but didn't ask. By the next time they talked, Kasey would have moved on to another best job ever.
"I can't believe you actually went out with Parker. How was it? Did you sleep with him? Is he amazing?"
Megan tried to get a word in, but luck wasn't with her. It rarely was where Kasey's chatter was concerned.
"But do me a fave, okay? Be. Careful."
"Careful?" Megan blurted the word, determined to squeeze the question in. "What are you talking about?"
"After you left, there were all these rumors about him."
She frowned. "What kind of rumors?"
"Nasty stuff. That he'd stalked this guy--or maybe it was a girl. I'm not sure. And that he was actually arrested. For assault!"
"No way."
Her body felt cold, her skin as prickly as if she'd jumped into a frozen pond. "That's ridiculous. Parker Manning? It would have made the papers. You would have seen something official. And I would have heard about it on social media."
"Dunno. Maybe. I mean, remember what town we're talking about. This is LA. Coverup city, right?"
"I don't believe it," she said stubbornly. But even as she spoke the words, she remembered what Parker himself had said about all the shit his brother pulled--and how all it had taken was Daddy's checkbook to keep it out of the papers and the courts.
"No," she said again, but this time more weakly.
"You're probably right. I mean, you know the rumor mill out here. Oh! That reminds me. I have not told anyone where you are. You know that, right? I mean, you trust me?"
"Of course. Why?"
"It's just that I can't believe Carlton would go there. I mean, it's been months. Why would he?"
"Yeah," Megan said, her voice full of trepidation. "Why would he? And why would you even think it's a possibility?"