Loving Parker

Chapter 9: One Hell Of A Ride

He looks deep into my eyes searching for something and I don't know what it is exactly.

"Why did you pretend like you didn't know me the first time we met here?"

"I was shocked to see you that's all. I didn't think I'll ever see you again."

"But you pretended like you have never met me before!"

"I don't want any of my employees finding out about us"

"Is there even an us?"

His eyes drop

"I'll be leaving now Mr Parker. Is there anything else you want?"

The cook comes in and breaks the tension in the room

"No thank you Roberta. That'll be all"

"Good night Mr Parker, good night miss."

"Good night Roberta."

"Good night"

"OK I guess this topic is uncomfortable for you so I'm just going to change it."

I look at him and his shoulders droop like I'd just lifted a weight from it. I wonder what he's really afraid of.

"What's your favourite colour?"

"Red...anything red! What's yours?"

"Mine is blue."

He laughs. How I've missed the sound of his laughter.

"What's funny?"

"I thought it would be pink"

"What? Why? Do I look like a girl who favours the pink colour?"

"It's just that almost every girl loves pink and I don't really know why because the colour isn't so amazing as it seems."

"Well I'm not every girl...I'm a woman and I love blue. Not that I don't like pink but it's too girly for me."

He laughs again

"Okay...if you say so"

"So why did pick red as your favourite?"

"Red signifies so many powerful things. It holds so much power you know and I love the colour so much that I even named my hotel after it."

"Yeah that's right! I didn't get a chance to ask about that. What is it?"

"Crimson...Crimson Hotels"

"Crimson?"

"Yes. It's like you knew my love for red and used red drapes in the reception"

"I never knew...it was coincidental"

"Yeah...thanks for it anyway."

"But what's so special about the colour?"

"Red is the colour of blood and it also means danger and you see it on every stop sign"

"Is that why you love it?"

"Not exactly but it just has so much power in it."

"Red has beautiful meanings too"

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"For starters it's the colour of Love"

"Love is overrated!"

I look at him and for a brief moment I thought I saw a flash of hurt in his eyes but I guess it's my imagination.

"It is also the colour of Valentine's day and our hearts and whenever you see the shape of a heart, it's painted red. Red has a beautiful side too and not only the dark and the mysterious way you paint it to be."