Read Parker for Free Online

a doctor visit.
    She sat and placed her fingers on her
keyboard to type in her password and winced. Her left forearm,
wrist and fingers hurt like nobody’s business.
    She wanted to cry.
    ****
    Liz would kill him if she found out he was
meeting with Tom Walker without her. He shouldn’t have mentioned
the meeting to his siblings. Damn, he hoped neither of them
mentioned it before he got back to the ranch.
    Technically, he and Liz were co-executors of
his father’s will. And officially , any decisions and
discussions with Tom should happen together. But Tom wanted to talk
with Parker alone, and for what reason, Parker wasn’t certain.
    He drummed his fingers on his thigh while he
waited in the attorney’s outer office.
    Tom kept Saturday morning hours because he
could reach more clients who worked during the week. The
receptionist, his wife Caroline, picked up her phone when it
buzzed. “Yes?” She glanced to Parker and stood. “Tom will see you
now. I think you know the way.”
    Parker rose, his hat in hand, and dipped his
head in a nod. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
    Tom’s office was all big wood and masculine,
with a desk so large that even Parker felt intimidated sitting
across from it. If he didn’t know Tom Walker so well—a friend of
his father’s since Parker was a kid—he might have been even more
intimidated. The distance between them was like a chasm. He
supposed that was a tactic of some sort. A lawyer thing, maybe.
    Or perhaps a Montana lawyer thing. Big sky,
big desk, big attitude….
    Tom Walker was all of that and more.
    But he rose and rounded the desk as Parker
entered, putting out his hand. “Hello, son. I sure do wish we were
meeting under different circumstances.”
    Parker agreed. “Yes. Me too.”
    “Have a seat.” Tom motioned to the chair and
then sat in his large, leather desk chair. “Hell, I’ll just get
right to the point, Parker.”
    Parker leaned forward. “Before you do, Tom.
Are you sure we shouldn’t have Liz here? I don’t want to do
anything to rock the boat.”
    Tom shook his head. “No. We’ll talk with Liz
soon. There is just one thing to discuss now. I know you are under
a lot of pressure, and maybe this will help.”
    Parker’s gut clutched a bit. What Tom said
sounded like good news but— “Go on, Tom.”
    “You know that all of you kids need to hang
around for another week or so. Your dad wanted you together to work
out any relationship issues that were going on.”
    “We do know that, and yes, I believe any
issues between us have been resolved.”
    “What about any issues with Liz?”
    “Liz?” Shit. What was this about?
    “Yes. I know that Callie has always had a
thing going on with Liz. How is that?”
    “Much better. They seem to be on the
mend.”
    “Good.” Tom studied him for a moment.
    “What else, Tom?”
    He paused, glancing to the file on his desk.
“How is your relationship with Liz, Parker? I know it’s
always been decent but… Your dad wanted to make sure it was solid
before he disclosed the contents of his will.”
    Parker’s back stiffened. “Solid? Liz and I
have always gotten along. Lately we’ve had some disagreements about
the dude ranch operation, and hell, yes, I’m a little worried that
whatever Dad had in his will is going to affect my livelihood. The
ranch. Our way of life. Liz and I don’t quite see eye to eye in
that respect. She wants to expand the dude ranch operation, and I’m
not interested in having any part of that. I run a working cattle
ranch. I don’t need vacationers in my way. I’m worried she’s talked
Dad into giving up some of the ranchland for her expansion
ideas.”
    Tom stared at him and exhaled. “You need to
resolve that soon. In your head. With her. However you do it, just
do it. I want it resolved before we go over the contents of the
will with the family on…” He looked down to his calendar and put
his finger on a date. “Before June 17. That’s two full weeks from
the date of your