Leaving the 99

3~The Lord determines our steps

Parker imagined a much different ending to this night.

Missy sniffed her disapproval and bestowed a haughty look at the waitress, before wrinkling her nose at the dish before her. "What. Is. This?"

Parker tensed, but Jessie gave her a genuine smile. "Strawberry Shortcake. It's delicious! You'll love it. Parker said it was your favorite." Jessie beamed.

"Parker?"

"Missy—"

"I told you never to call me that again," she snapped, throwing her napkin on the table. "My name is Melissa, and I told you never bring me to this godforsaken diner again! You obviously don't care about my feelings."

"Miss—Melissa, you love this diner. After our first date here, you told me and I quote, 'Jessie's Diner is my favorite!'"

"I said that to be nice." Her expression said he was clueless.

Not for the first time, since the Bluejay, Parker experienced doubts about them. That was normal, though, right? No one who'd dated as long as he and Missy was a hundred percent sure of their relationship all of the time.

They'd been together off and on since their junior year in college, which was almost three years. He'd met her at a fraternity party and her bubbly personality along with her supermodel looks drew him. They'd hooked up that first night, and when he'd woken up with Missy in his arms he knew she would play an important part in his future.

Sure it had been a rocky ride. They fought, broke up, and dated other people, but Parker and Missy had always found their way back to one another. That meant they were supposed to be end game. At least, that's how Missy had explained it and he knew she wanted a ring.

Diamond hunting was one of her favorite hobbies. She circled what she liked in bridal magazines and drug him into every jewelry store in the city to be certain he knew just what kind of diamond she preferred.

Up until their time on the island, he had resisted any attempts to commit long-term but Parker had changed. He wasn't the same guy who'd boarded the Bluejay. Facing death changed a man. In Parker's case, it made him one.

Ignoring the urge to forget his plan, he reached across the table and took Missy's hand. "C'mon, you love this dessert. It's your favorite."

Missy's hostility lessened and she glanced down at the plate, lifting her eyes to his. "It has a million calories."

She'd been silent, but now the waitress spoke. "No ma'am, it doesn't, and it really is amazing."

Missy waved a dismissive hand, and with one last encouraging look at Parker, Jessie turned away.

"Thanks, Jessie."

Jessie threw a smile over her shoulder that made his chest tighten. Had it not been for her, he wouldn't have been able to put this together. The fresh red roses on the table, Missy's favorite, were Jessie's idea and so were the candles. He'd thought it a nice idea, but Missy had remarked on how cheap the candles were.

Missy watched him with a shrewd glitter in her eyes. "Her name is Jessie?"

"She's the owner's daughter."

Missy glared with disdain at Jessie's retreating form. "Typical."

Something snapped in him, a rise of protectiveness where Jessie was concerned. She'd done her best to make tonight special, and Missy had been rude to her all evening.

Missy acted like she was better than most people, and up until now he'd accepted the way she was but something made him speak up tonight. "What is that supposed to mean?"

The question seemed to surprise Missy. "Typical low-life, trash. She'll probably work here the rest of her life."

"What do you care what she does?" It was the wrong thing to say, and he knew that as soon as the words left his mouth.

Fire kindled in her eyes and her forehead puckered in revulsion. "More importantly what do you care, Parker?"

"I don't. Look, tonight was supposed to be special."

"Then why bring me here?" Her nose wrinkled as if she smelled something foul.

Stifling anger and doubt, Parker committed to the plan and tried again. "Try the strawberry shortcake, Missy." Too bad he said it in the tone a flight attendant would use to tell passengers to put away their cell phone for the umpteenth time.

Her gaze dropped and she scowled, but something in his expression must have made her pause. One delicately arched brow lifted. Plucking the fork from the pile of cake, strawberries, and cream, she sank the prongs into the sugary confection and froze.

"What is this?" Frowning, she stabbed at the little blue box. Her gaze flew to his. What happened next was something Parker would replay in his mind later. She picked up the box, flipped it open, and her jaw dropped at the perfect diamond set in platinum. "It's gorgeous!" But the words were more an accusation than elation.

Parker sat still, waiting.

Emotion flickered across her features, conflicting and confusing, but he refused to look away. "It's everything I've ever dreamed about."

"Then what's the problem?" he asked carefully, already knowing the answer, and bracing for the impact.

"You."

He'd thought he was prepared, but the single word hit him like a physical blow. Her beautiful face was twisted in revulsion, which he didn't understand but she was quick to enlighten him.

"How could you do this to me?" Her words held venom. "You're taunting me with this ring, but you know I can't marry you!"

"Why not?"

"You dropped out of law school! You're working at some mom and pop business making less money than a fast-food manager!" Her eyes flashed fire. "Your future is in the toilet, and I'm not about to join you there!"

Conversations stopped around them and people stared. Missy seemed oblivious to the scene she'd caused or more likely she didn't care. She thought these people were beneath her.

Parker waited for the crushing pain to grip him, but to his surprise, he felt a rush of relief. Catching Jessie's sympathetic look, he offered a smile. She had gone through a lot of trouble for nothing.

Missy grew furious. "You're smiling?"

"I don't know what you want from me," he said calmly, gripping the back of his neck.

Her cold, hard gaze flew between him and Jessie. At first, he didn't understand, but slowly he did and it made him angry. "You take me here and have your girlfriend make a desert with a ring in it!"

Parker leashed his anger. Missy was wrong, and it was not fair to bring Jessie into their mess. Still, he attempted to diffuse the situation. "I thought you were my girlfriend."

Standing quickly enough to knock over her chair, she grabbed her purse and the shortcake, stormed over to Jessie, and smeared the cake in Jessie's face. Then she spun and walked out of the diner and Parker's life forever.