A Billionaire in Disguise #2 : A Perfect Plan(17)

"Em, do you want to talk about it?" Mick thought for sure that Emily would have snapped out of whatever had brought her so much pain, but that wasn't the case.

""Mick, I really appreciate your concern and support. I know I've not been myself, but I just need time." The last thing she wanted to do was admit to anyone how stupid she'd been.

"I'm here for you if you need me." Mick kissed her cheek and ruffled her hair a little. "William Lovette called again today, Emily. Call him back, he's worried."

Emily returned the smile. As soon as Mick stepped out of the office, the smile went to a frown, the expression she normally wore nowadays. She'd seen the news about Davis Enterprises and wasn't happy that she was thrown right in the middle of it. Now she understood why she was kept away from everything. She knew that William had started the ball rolling, but he was just doing what she asked him to do, and now she was hounded by the press almost daily. She no longer trusted her own judgment. Emily walked to the phone, dreading the conversation.

"William, hello, it's Emily Carson."

"Where the heck have you been? I've been worried sick about you!"

"It's a long story. Do you think you could drop by my apartment this evening? I'm tied up at work at the moment, so I don't have very long to talk."


 

 

 

"Sure thing, Emily. I knew you moved because I went by your old place a few times. Give me the address and I'll swing by around seven if that's good for you."

Emily gave directions to William, and then hung up the phone feeling even more horrible. She was sure she'd caused the same hell in his life that she caused in her own. Emily was hoping that separating herself from New York would make her feel better, but the opposite was happening. The flowers that were sent to her office by Parker Davis went right in the trash. How was she supposed to know who they were really from? The phone calls went unanswered at the clinic or were quickly terminated. Luckily the Davis brothers didn't know her new number. What else could they possibly want from me? She wished the chase would end.



"Parker, go home. I put your television and computers back, so there's no need to be spending all your time here." Russell had never been able to stay upset with him.

"I'm okay, Russ. You can stop worrying about me."

"From the empty bottle of scotch, the dark circles under your eyes, your scruffy face, I beg to differ. So you screwed up. It's not like we've never mucked things up before. You need to put this behind you, Parker. I'm getting worried."

"Yeah but I really screwed up. Not just my life, but Emily's. I started to--"

"I know you did." Russell didn't need to hear the rest of the sentence. He knew his brother better than anyone. "How about a nice vacation? Take a few weeks off and go relax someplace. Things have slowed down some here, so it's perfect timing. I'll be out of town for a few days on the Texas project. Go find a nice resort...hell, go find a sexy, exotic woman. I don't care where you go, Parker, but you're living in your office, drinking your meals, and back to looking like shit. I expect you to be gone by the time I return." Russell gave Parker a brotherly hug and patted his back. It wasn't hard for him to tell that his twin had lost a few pounds. He hated to leave him in this condition, but Russell knew his wife would keep an eye on Parker. Hopefully Rhonda doesn't still want to kill him.

Emily had rented a little apartment closer to the clinic but drove out to the property whenever she had the chance. She tried to stay away but the last thing she was willing to give up was her childhood memories. Without her knowledge, Davis Enterprises had arranged for the removal of debris from her grandfather's property. She thought for sure that project would have been halted. She drove up one day to find a brand new Ford Explorer sitting in what was left of the driveway. She gladly donated it to a family who'd lost everything in the tornado. She was now the proud owner of a small, slightly used pickup truck. I was used. Emily tried hard to stay angry, but she was hurting inside like she never had before. 

The conversation with William went better than she thought it would go. The only thing she left out was the part about sleeping with the enemy. She tried to contain her broken heart that clearly showed on her face, but William picked it up pretty quickly. He agreed to run an article about the return of the property to Emily Carson, and help end the media circus. She was positive that that's why she was still hunted by the Davis brothers. Hopefully they'd be satisfied and leave her alone.

After William left, Emily sat in the dark and let the tears stream down her face. She knew her heart ached, but for whom? Who the hell was I falling for? She'd never heard of a broken heart over a mystery guy. In order to heal, she would have to discover the truth so she'd know exactly who to direct these emotions towards; who to bury on fifty thousand acres...

Rhonda walked into Parker's office to find him, once again, staring blankly out the window. She noticed the stack of papers she'd given him to sign still sitting where she laid them. On more than a few occasions, she knew he'd slept in the office. The calm, cool, and collected Parker was falling apart before her very eyes. She still wanted to choke him, but looking at Parker was like looking at her husband. The puppy dog eyes got to her every single time.

"Parker, you have to snap out of it. The reporters are giving up since the article appeared about the Carson property, and it's time you get on with your life."

"Rhonda, I'm really sorry for the mess I caused. The last thing I wanted to do was fall in love with Emily Carson."

"You what?!" They looked at each other for what seemed like minutes instead of seconds. "You can't be serious..." Rhonda laughed and shook her head.

"Let it rest, Rhonda." Parker hadn't even pinpointed those feelings for himself yet. He certainly didn't mean to voice them out loud, especially to Rhonda.

"Look, I'm pretty pissed at you for making such turmoil in our lives and turning work into a living hell. But you're family, Parker, and whatever you need I'm here for you." Rhonda walked over and patted Parker's face, then hugged him.

"What am I supposed to do? Emily hates my guts and she doesn't even believe anything I told her."

"Do you blame her? You and my husband pulled a pretty big pile of crap over her world, now you want her to forgive and forget?"

"I'd love to explain things to Emily, but she won't even talk to me."

"Go to Colorado, Parker. I can't stand looking at you like this anymore. If I thought it'd help, I'd talk to her for you, but it's not going to happen."

Parker quickly rose to his feet. "Rhonda, if you talk to her, she'll listen! I'll do anything you ask of me for the rest of my life!"

"So you want me to go to Colorado?" Rhonda laughed hard.

"No, just call her for me. The only place you can reach her is the clinic where she works. When I call, I get hung up on by the staff."

"Sorry, Parker, but you're on your own." Rhonda walked back out of the office.

Parker ran to the door behind her. "Fine, get the jet ready. I'll be gone before Russell gets out of his meeting, so tell him to cover."

"As long as he doesn't have to pretend to be sleeping with another woman, I'm sure he'll oblige. Pull that shit again and I'll haunt you." Rhonda smiled, turned her back, and walked to her desk. She'd never been more serious. "And, Parker? Forget the jet. Take that big ass RV with you..."

"Yeah, sorry about that, too..." This gave him a wonderful idea. He hurried home as fast as he could.



Parker had stopped his maid service. Looking over at the messed up bedding was something he wasn't willing to erase. After showering and shaving, he quickly packed. It felt good to finally have some hope of seeing Emily. He had to do whatever it took to make up for all he'd done. But getting Emily Carson to believe him was going to take a miracle.


 

 

 

He let himself in at Russell and Rhonda's house. The girls were busy doing art work with their nanny. Anita was fifty years old, and the girls loved her dearly.

"Good to see you, Mr. Davis." Anita walked into the kitchen when she heard the door open. The girls came running as soon as they heard Parker's voice. He lifted and hugged each one. They were growing up so quickly.

"Anita, do you know where the keys are for the RV?"

"Yes, and Mrs. Davis wanted me to give you a message. Girls, please say goodbye to Uncle Parker." The girls did as they were told, then took off for more fun projects.

"What message?"

"Forgive my language, please. 'Give Parker the keys to the RV if he should stop by, and tell him if he ever has one of these delivered to our house again, I'll personally run his ass over'. I'm sorry, Mr. Davis, I think she means it."

Parker laughed and then reassured Anita. "It's okay, it'll be out of here in a few minutes." He didn't have to think about it, Parker knew that Rhonda was serious.



Mick approached Emily the following morning at the clinic. "You don't look like you've slept a wink."

"I didn't. Too much coffee I think." Emily smiled but Mick didn't believe it for a second.

"We have another veterinarian interested in working here. I think he'll be a good fit. Jerry Moore interned with us a couple of years ago. Remember him?"