Leave the Lights On Read Online Free PDF Page A

quickly as it came, leaving a trail of emptiness in its wake. He never wanted me. Not that way.
    Sighing, she got out of bed and headed to the kitchen to get a drink. The cool water settled the flushed feeling that had her unsettled. Her gaze drifted across the yard to Parker’s house. Not a light shone from any window. At least one of us is getting some sleep tonight. The two days until the food show seemed like an eternity. Maybe it’s time to make that casserole.

Chapter Five
    Parker awoke in a cold sweat, heart racing, unable to catch his breath. Shadows of trees waved deep gray lines across the blue walls of the room. His pulse slowed as he realized he was home.
    “Jesus,” he said, raking his hands through his hair, focusing on breathing. Will they ever stop? Nightmares had plagued him since the accident. Always different but variations on the same theme. Pain. Fear. Confusion. Helplessness. All his least favorite things magnified and rolled into one.
    The hot, stuffy air of his bedroom did nothing to stop his shivering as the sweat evaporated off his bare skin. He yanked on a T-shirt and boxers. The first step out of bed reminded him that he had to go see Tanya. A jolt of pain shot down his right thigh. As he walked down the stairs, he felt the stiffness in his legs begin to loosen as the tension ebbed.
    Only the hint of a sunrise warmed the sky, leaving the kitchen dark. He flipped on the small light above the stove, and his eyes were immediately drawn to the cake platter. His stomach rumbled as he cut a thick slice and placed it on a plate. The first forkful filled his mouth with creamy sweetness, bringing his thoughts straight to Sophie.
    Even when he’d been dating Chrissie, his main regret had been what their relationship had done to his friendship with Sophie.
    “I don’t think Chrissie likes you hanging out with me,” she’d said to him on more than one occasion.
    “Well, she’ll need to get over that,” Parker had always answered. They’d continued to spend time together, but it had never been quite the same. They’d even double dated when Sophie had a boyfriend, but then Parker was the one who was uncomfortable. Feeling protective of Sophie came as naturally as breathing, and he’d never liked the guys she dated.
    “You’re worse than a big brother,” she’d told him.
    “I worry about you, that’s all.” He was never sure if that argument was to convince her or himself, because he knew all along that it was more than that. He’d felt jealous even though he knew he’d had no right to.
    Joey had called him on it a bunch of times. “Shit, she’s not your girlfriend. Take a pill. Does Chrissie know you’ve got a boner for your best friend?”
    “I don’t want her to get hurt.”
    Joey had laughed. “Yeah, okay. Just tell me one thing—you use your right hand or your left while you’re coming up with these rationalizations?”
    It all seemed foolish in retrospect. In spite of all the time he’d spent feeling guilty about his closeness with Sophie, he’d never once cheated on Chrissie—with anyone. He’d been faithful. Loyal. And what did it get me? He took another forkful of cake. What’s done is done. This time I’m going after what I want. And what he wanted was Sophie. More than he’d ever wanted anything.
    Parker spent the day in the home office, going through contracts. As a kid he’d hated working on projects for the family business, but while he was recovering, he’d appreciated having something to focus on and had grown to like it. The financial end came easily—he’d always had a head for numbers—but the design end came as a pleasant surprise.
    The digital programs had taken some time to learn, but once he had, he found that he liked drawing up virtual plans for landscapes. He had a knack for listening to what people wanted and turning their ideas into designs that worked. And he certainly didn’t mind that every contract he’d signed lately was for over