Page 44 of Playing Cowboy
Parker grins and doffs his hat.“Fellas,” he says in that fake voice he uses when he wants to show off for a new lady friend.“Meet Cherry Cola!”
“Cherry,” I offer, struggling not to snicker.
“Ms.Cola,” Chet beams as Parker shoves his big, size thirteen boot across my sneakers.“So nice to finally meet you.”
“Finally?”Cherry, or Ms.Cola, or whatever her name is, twirls bright red hair around one finger.
“Oh yes,” Chet insists as Parker glares at him from under his cowboy hat.“Parker’s told us so much about you!”
“You dog you.”Cherry beams, slugging him on the shoulder before teetering off on towering heels to get in the selfie line and pose with Nash’s life-size replica.
“Jesus, Parker,” I huff.
“Look who’s talking,” he wheezes, giggling as Cherry poses with a local reporter as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.“I’m surprised you two horn dogs came up for air long enough to show up to this little shindig today.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”Chet beams, slugging me on the shoulder the way Cherry had Parker.“Would we, babe?”
I blush but nod enthusiastically.“Wouldn’t and ...contractually?Couldn’t.”
“Oh right.”Chet chuckles.
Parker rolls his eyes, nodding at the entrance.“Ain’t you two coming in?”
“What?”I tease, offering two-finger pointing hand pistols cheesily.“And show you up at the shooting gallery?”
“Fat chance.”He snickers, pausing as Cherry Cola finally gets her shot at a selfie with cardboard Nash.His eyes dance from me to Chet and back again.“And now?What’s next for you two?”
I wink as Chet drags me playfully away.“Wouldn’t you like to know?”I tease.
Chet’s a few feet away, tummy rumbling and eager for something other than the kid’s meal at the Cracked Egg Café.“I saw the contract on your desk,” Parker whispers, winking before I turn to follow.“I already know what’s next.”
“Then that makes two of us.”I beam, hardly surprised.
“When are you going to tell him?”Parker asks, waving innocently as Chet turns around, making his pouty, baby, impatient face.Funny,I think to myself, already blushing.It looks so different with his clothes on.“On the way to the airport?”
“Nothing that dramatic.”I sigh.“I mean, after all, he’s changed his ticket to fly out on Monday, so I’ve got all weekend to convince him what a great idea it is.”
“Don’t make the boy wait,” Parker warns with a wink as Cherry Cola begs him to join her on the red carpet.“After all, haven’tyouwaited long enough?”
His words are still ringing in my ears as I race to catch up with Chet, the crowd behind us fading even as others race to join in the festive weekday fun.“What was that all about?”he asks, taking my hand as I glance around for witnesses.Then I realize: why?
“Nothing much,” I hedge as we walk, hand in hand, toward our favorite breakfast joint.
“It wouldn’t be about that spiffy new contract sitting on your desk now, would it?”Chet teases knowingly.
“What?”I tug him to a standstill, turning him to face me in the middle of the street.“When did you see that?”
“This morning when I asked you where the tape was,” he insists.“And you said ...on your desk.”
“Shit!”I literally smack my head.“So ...you read it?”He nods.“All of it?”Another nod.“And ...you’re thinking of signing it?”
“Already did,” he insists, turning to walk away with a sudden pep in his already jaunty step.This time?I join him.
“Seriously.”
“Why not?”He sighs.“I read the terms.Carefully, I might add.”
“And?”
