"And where exactly are we?", I asked.
"You'll see. C'mon in.", Blaire invited. I shrugged and followed them inside.
A bell dinged as we opened the door. Soon a little girl came running in from the back door and Blaire crouched to her level to hug her.
"How was school today?", Blaire asked.
"It was great!", the girl started rambling about her adventure, as she called it, in school.
"You seem pretty enthusiastic about school, which is pretty rare.", Parker chipped in.
"Parker!!", she screamed as they walked towards the counter and I followed looking polite.
"How's the one and only?", he asked.
"I'm fine.", she said and turned to me. "Hello. I'm Cheryl.", she said.
"And hello to you too. I'm Riley.", I said. She seemed bubbly.
"Is Parker your friend?", she asked.
"Yes. He is my very good friend."
"Very good friend, does that mean he's your boyfriend?", she asked and I smiled.
"No that means that I'm like his sister.", I explained.
"Phew.", she said putting her hand over her chest. "Because no one should take away the chance Aunt Blaire has with him.", she said and my eyebrows shot up.
"Woah! What did I tell you about talking too much? C'mon. Go get them something.", Blaire said and she left. "Mischievous little thing, my brother's daughter.", she said with a nervous laugh. I gave her a cautious look.
Blaire went behind the counter and a man with grey hair came out from the back door.
"Blaire, you're back early today."
"Hi Dad.", she said and pecked his cheek.
"Hey Parker.", the man said.
"Hello, Mr Callin. We got a ride from our friend here. Mr Callin, this is Riley, Riley this is Mr Callin, Blaire's dad.", Parker introduced.
"Nice to meet you sir.", I said extending my hand to shake him. He shook my hand but there was some flour on it.
"Pardon me, I just came out from the kitchen.", he said and turned to Blaire. "Would you at least not offer them something or are you and Parker playing another game.", she said and Blaire laughed, but I noticed the small blush that crept up her cheek.
She liked Parker.
I turned to Parker and he was too busy laughing with Cheryl, he didn't notice.
"Make yourselves comfortable.", he said to us and left.
I stood and went to start looking at the pictures. There was one of all of them together in front of the diner, probably the day they opened it.
"My family diner. Though not everyone's around now. But Parker has met all of them.", she said.
He has even met her family!
"Right now, it's my dad and Cheryl. Her mum abandoned her when she was born.", she whispered.
"Why?"
"She has dyslexia. But she's pretty enthusiastic about learning, though it's always hard for her. She's currently going to a special needs school, you know even the disabled are enrolled there.", she said.
"That's really nice of you all.", I said and looked at a picture. It was one of Blaire and a man who was holding a baby. "Is that your husband?", I asked pointing to the man in the picture.
"Oh no, that's my brother, and Cheryl in his hands. That's my sister.", she said pointing to a girl in the large photo.
"She looks so much like you.", I said.
"Yeah, she's a doctor. She's also our family doctor."
"Lucky. You don't get to pay her.", I said and we both laughed.
She talked more about the others as we went around the pictures.
"But you just resumed last week.", I said.
"Yeah and we just....hit it off I guess.", she said and looked at him. She looked at him in a way I knew Ansel looked at me.
"You like him.", I said and she looked at me.
"It's pretty obvious, right? I know, he had a...a fling or so with Paloma, and I don't want to be on her bad side but ever since I and Parker became close, she's seen me like an enemy or something. I am very confused cause Parker said she told him that she didn't like him anymore.", she said and sighed.
Then she continued as we sat at a table.
"I don't know if he likes me but I feel a special way whenever I'm with him. I don't want to rush into things and end up being rejected.", she said and we both looked at him. And as if he knew we were looking he turned to look at us, or mostly Blaire.
Cheryl whispered something in his ear and he laughed and they continued their discussion.
"Trust me he's not going to reject you.", I muttered.
"What'd you say?", she asked.
"Oh nothing, I mean, they are very happy."
"Yeah he's her new best friend.", she said.
"Blaire, you just don't worry, and keep being friendly. It's good to be his very close friend first, and if things look up for you guys maybe he would feel the same way.", I said.
"Thank you."
I know I shouldn't be advising her, but I also think he likes her and if it's two ways then why shouldn't I tell her to go ahead?
But my investigation didn't stop there. After a while, we decided to head back. Blaire was staying back so it was just me and Parker.
Apparently, his house wasn't far from the diner so the ride was going to be shorter this time.
"So, I heard you know all her family members.", I said.
"Yeah, I do. I'm even surprised myself. It took me weeks to get to know my way around the office, but in less than a week I already know all her family members.", he laughed.
"Less than a week huh?"
"What do you mean?", he asked.
"You guys seem pretty close for people who have known each other for just one week.", I said and he hesitated before he spoke.
"Okay, we lied. But what I'm about to tell you, no one must know.", he said. "Not even Paloma.", he added.
I glanced at him, what did he want to tell me? "Okay.", I said slowly.
"Riley you have to promise me."
"Okay I promise.", I said.
"Blaire said I shouldn't tell anyone but as you already know, you're like a sister to me.", he paused. "We met at the diner. Like a month ago when I and Paloma had just broken up.", he started.
Flashback.......Parker's POV
I couldn't believe this. I was so frustrated. Paloma had just broken up with me and it was over what, a silly argument. I was so pissed when I entered my apartment.
She had been here like twice and things got pretty heated up, she even spent the night here, once.
I couldn't think straight, nor could I stay here and be reminded of her. I turned around and left the apartment. I was walking down and I don't know for how long I did, but I saw a diner. I was hungry so I walked in.
I sat down at a table and wiped the sweat off my forehead. I was contemplating texting Paloma when someone cleared their throat. I looked up and saw a young lady wearing her apron, with her hair in a messy bun. She tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear.
She was pretty, but not as pretty as Paloma.
"Yes?", I asked.
"Oh yes, menu.", I said and picked it up. After scanning through it, I ordered simple fries with ketchup. I was hungry, but Paloma was still on my mind.
She left and later came back with my order and that was when I realised Paloma liked this, anytime I would order it she would finish hers quickly and then be stealing mine one by one.
"I'm sorry if I'm prying but is everything alright.", she said and I looked at her thinking whether she would be able to listen.
"You can talk to me.", she said and sat down on the seat in front of me so she was directly facing me.
"Yeah, I'm just....going through a breakup.", I said.
"Breakup, oh thank goodness.", she said and I looked at her wide-eyed. "Oh not thank goodness but, yeah, no. I....", she sighed to recollect herself.
"I'm sorry, it's just I thought your wife or someone important had died.", she said.
"Okay first, I'm not married and second do I really look that miserable? ", I asked.
"Actually, no I'm here partly 'cause I don't want to see my brother's face right now, he's being annoying and my dad's kinda on his side."
"Oh so you're not actually concerned about me.", I said and she gave me a flat look.
"I said partly.", she said. "Anyways whoever broke up with you, isn't worth it. Plus, you seem like a chill dude so why fret over whoever she is.", she said. "It's a she right?", she said like she was mortified if it was not.
"Lemme put you out of your misery. It's a she.", I said.
"Oh thank goodness, 'cause most times it's the fine ones like you that aren't straight.", she said and I laughed lightly. It was the first since, and it was nice to smile again.
"Hmm. It's nice to smile right.", she said.
"Yeah.", I agreed.
"Well I'm glad I was the one who put it there.", she said sincerely and I looked at her, I truly looked at her.
She had hazelnut eyes and a pointed nose. Much more, she just talked a kinda heart to heart with a stranger. She was gonna be a good friend.
She stood and turned to leave, but I called her back. "Can I...what's your name?"
"Blaire, Blaire Callin."
"I'm Parker West. Can I have your number.", I said. "You know, so we can talk and I can get more of your, you know, pep talks.", I said and she smiled.
"Sounds like some cheeky romance novel.", she said and cut out a sheet of paper, wrote something on it and dropped it.
"Glad I could help.", she said and left.
Present Day
RILEY'S POV
"Aww. It's like the start of a cheeky romance novel.", I said and we both laughed.
"You know that's exactly what she said."
"Really."
"From then we started talking online and imagine my shock when she came to the office one day.", she said and laughed again.
The car was quiet for a while then I asked, "So she's what to you."
"A very good friend.", he said.
"What do you mean?", he asked looking at me.
"You know, like you have feelings for her.", I said.
"Riley, I don't know about that. I mean I like her, she's nice and all and a very good friend but I don't want to lose that friendship.", he said looking out the window.
We were getting close to his house.
"You can be her friend and still be her boyfriend."
"And if we break up it'll end like the way it did with Paloma.", he said.
"And Paloma?", I asked.
"What about her?", he asked.
"So you guys are cool now."
"Yeah, she's still mean though, but I'm over it. Thanks to Blaire."
"So you're over her?", I asked.
"Yeah.", he said silently. I didn't ask further.
He looked broken. Now I know I'm Paloma's best friend but what she did was wrong and Cheryl was right I guess. No one should take away Blaire's chance with Parker, especially if that person didn't take her chance seriously.
Plus it's Paloma she'd find another guy and probably do the same thing. Parker was not the first or second guy she had done this to.
I pulled up in the driveway of his house.
"Parker, see this as your second chance.", I said and he looked at me. "At love.", I said and he shook his head.
"Oh no I'm not going through that again.", he said. "Thanks for the ride.", he said and opened the door but I held his hand.
"Listen to your heart and not your head, 'cause you know they both say different things", I said and without a second glance, he left and closed the door.
I am trying to shorten my chapters and I hope this chapter wasn't so long. Let me know how it is.
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The Sparkling Authoress
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