Challenge accepted.
Parker: I’ll see what I can do.
Me: That’s not a no.
I see the bubbles that she’s responding pop up and then disappear. Finally, her reply comes through.
Parker: It’s not a no.
I don’t reply, knowing she’s with her roommate, and I’ve pressed my luck pretty far today. I’m not going to keep texting and piss her off. I know I have to have limits when it comes to her, and that’s a struggle for me. I’m one of those people who knows what I want, and I don’t stop until I achieve it. Parker Monroe is on my list of wants. However, I think it might be more than that. Pushing that thought out of my head, I put my truck in drive and head home.
I’ve spent the past four hours in my room at my parents’ house on my laptop looking for my own place. The team offered to put me up in a condo, but I knew that would break my mother’s heart. So here I am in my childhood bedroom. Thankfully it has been redecorated. I love my parents, but I’m twenty-three, and I have a multimillion-dollar contract. I need my own place. It’s time to make that happen.
I’ve searched through a ton of listings and contacted a local real estate agent for showings. I’d like to be in my own place before we start off-season workouts in late January. I have about a month to make that happen.
There’s a knock on my door just as I’m closing my computer. “Come in,” I call out.
“Hey.” Mom smiles as she comes in carrying a plate. “I brought you some dinner.”
“Thank you. I would have come downstairs.”
“Meh, it was nothing. It’s just leftover pot roast from last night.”
“I’m starving,” I confess.
“What have you been doing locked away up here all evening?”
“House hunting,” I say, reaching for the bowl and taking a hearty bite. My mother is the best cook in the state of Tennessee. Hands down.
“You know you can stay here.”
“I know that. But I need my own space.” Thoughts of Parker flash through my mind. I want her, and I don’t want her in my childhood bedroom. Sure, that was always a fantasy, and I snuck girls up here in high school, but I’m going to need to take my time with Parker, and I want her screaming my name. Yeah, not here. Not her.
“A mom can dream.” She laughs.
“I’m local now. You’ll be seeing so much of me you’ll be sick of me.”
“That could never happen. Besides, once the season starts, we’ll never see you.”
“Yeah, but on my days off, we can visit, whereas we didn’t before. So regardless, you’re going to still be seeing a lot more of me.”
“Perfect.”
I smile and shake my head before taking another bite. Man, this is good. “Where’s Dad?”
“Asleep in the chair.” She smiles fondly, just like she always does when she’s talking about my dad or me. He does the same. My parents were high school sweethearts, and they’re still madly in love. I was lucky growing up. So many of my friends had parents who split up or, worse, fought all the time. Stephen and Ashley Bailey are the poster couple for a happy marriage.
“I wish you both would just let me take care of you and quit your jobs.”
“You know that’s not going to happen. That’s your money, Holden. We both love our jobs.”
“Come on, Mom. You wipe noses for a living.”
Her laughter rings out through the room. “I’m a teacher. Sure, I’m still reminding them to wipe their noses in third grade, but it’s more than that. I love my students.”
“I know you do.”
“And your dad, he’s been working at the feed mill since he was in high school. He’s running the show and loves every minute. He’s content, and so am I. We do well for ourselves. You don’t have to worry about us.”
She can ask me not to worry all she wants, but we both know it’s not going to happen. My parents busted their asses when I was growing up to provide for me. I played select baseball, and we traveled all over. They never once complained, and I always had the best equipment. Sure, I put in the hard work, but they got me involved when I was young and supported me every step of the way. I owe them my career.
“Houses,” Mom says, smiling. “You found some options?”
“I found a few. I messaged a real estate agent, and I’m going to look at them tomorrow.”
“Well, let us know if you want us to go with you.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Love you, Holden.”
“Love you too.” She smiles softly before turning and leaving the room.
I scarf down the rest of my dinner and set the empty bowl on the nightstand. Phone in hand, I pull up her contact and hit call.
“Hello.” I smile at the sound of her voice.
“Hey, sweet pea. What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Um, this feels like a setup.” She chuckles.
“You’d be right. I have three appointments to look at houses tomorrow, and I wanted to see if you’d come with me. I could pick you up, and we can go get breakfast before we have to be at the first showing.”
“That’s not very slow of you, Bailey,” she says. I can hear the humor in her voice.
“I’ll eat really slow and promise to drive under the speed limit,” I joke.
“You’re too much.” She laughs.
“What do you say? Breakfast and touring a couple of houses?” I’m keeping it light, but I really want her to go with me.
“I don’t know.”
“You can meet me at the restaurant. That way, I don’t get to find out where you live yet. You can leave your car there, and I’ll drop you back off when we’re done. Come on, Parker. You know you want to. How are you supposed to get to know me and see if the media is right unless you spend time with me?”
“We said slow. You’ve asked me to dinner and now inviting me to breakfast and house showings, and it’s been what, five hours?” she asks.
“Five hours is a long time,” I counter.
“I’m pretty picky about my breakfast.”
“Lucky for you, I have the perfect place.” She’s quiet, and I know she’s thinking. It’s time to seal this deal. “Come on, sweet pea, please?” I ask. My voice is soft. When she sighs, I know I have her.
“What time?”
“Nine. My first appointment is at ten thirty. That gives us plenty of time to eat and drive to the first showing.”
“No funny business, Bailey. I’m going as a friend. That’s it.”
“Friend. Got it.” I agree, keeping my fingers crossed. This girl is going to be more than just my friend. What exactly is yet to be determined, but I can feel it in my bones.
“Send me the address of where we’re meeting.”
“I’ll do it now.” Pulling my phone away from my face, I put the call on speakerphone and google the address. I copy the address and text it to her. “Done.”
“Momma’s Grill. I love that place.”
“Yeah?”
“You have good taste, Bailey.”
“Of course I do. I picked you, didn’t I?”