“I think he’s pretty straight. I didn’t get any evasive vibes from him.”
“I could have told you that.” Savannah leaned on the arm of her chair, thinking about the message he’d left while she was in a meeting. He was going to see his family tonight, and she was so nervous for him that it might as well have been her who was going.
“He’s got it bad for you, by the way. I loved how attentive he was. And did you notice that he didn’t check me out at all? I mean, really, how did he maintain that?”
Savannah laughed. “He’s respectful. Not all men have no self-control.”
“I’ve never met a guy who didn’t at least check out the girls.” She looked down at her breasts. “I’d say he was gay, but by the freshly fucked look you’ve been sporting lately, that’s obviously not the case.” She rose to her feet. “Anyway, he seems like a good guy. I’m happy for you.” Aida began pacing.
“Have you heard from the magnificent lover from Greenberg’s office?”
“Yes, but I’m not going to see him again. Once you’ve been there, why go back? You know what he has to offer.”
Because it just keeps getting better and better. “How can you be like that? Don’t you ever want to settle down?”
Aida shrugged. “I never thought I did, but watching you all googly-eyed and happy almost makes me want to.”
“I almost forgot to tell you that Connor came by my apartment right as Jack was picking me up for dinner. He kissed me, and Jack basically pulled him off and scared the shit out of him.”
“What is up with him? First he cheats, then he shows up? Did he call? Did you know he was coming?”
“Nope. If he had called, I would have told him not to come. I don’t want to see him, and when he kissed me, I wanted to sock him in the nuts. Bastard. Who does he think he is?”
“So did Jack hurt him?” Aida asked with wide eyes.
Savannah saw the hope in her eyes and shook her head. “No, just scared the shit out of him. Connor brought roses with him when he showed up. He can be charming when he wants to be.”
“Don’t go down the Connor trail,” Aida warned.
“No, I’m not. I mean that seeing his smile and the roses, and of course, feeling his kiss, I can totally see why I was so drawn to him. When he was with me, it was easy to believe his lies and buy into the whole apology thing. Don’t get me wrong. I was definitely an idiot for buying into it for so long, but after seeing him again, I realized that probably most women would have done the same thing, so maybe I don’t have big issues after all.”
“Baby, if you think all of us don’t have huge issues, you’re wrong. We all have our shit. Hey, wanna grab dinner tonight, or are you going out with lover boy?”
“He’s meeting his family, trying to make amends. Sure. Let’s grab something.”
The speaker on her phone beeped and Catherine’s voice came through. “Savannah, Treat’s on the line for you. Shall I put him through?”
“Talk about lover boys. That brother of yours is hot, hot, hot.”
“And married,” Savannah said as Aida walked out the door. “Grab me at the end of the day.” She picked up the phone. “Sure, Catherine, put him through.”
She waited for the click of the line, then said, “Hey, Treat, what’s up?”
“Hi, Vanny. Max and I are coming into town for Hugh’s award ceremony. It looks like everyone’s coming now, even Rex. I’m trying to pull a family dinner together. Hugh’s taking off Sunday, so we’re thinking about right after the award ceremony. Sound okay?”
Savannah loved her brothers so much. She couldn’t imagine not being on good terms with them any length of time. Once again her mind shifted to Jack, and she hoped his family would welcome him back without putting him through a guilt trip. That man put enough guilt on himself to keep him warm in the North Pole.
“Of course. Where and when? Do you mind if I bring Jack?” She held her breath while she waited for his answer. She and Jack had been moving so fast that she knew her brothers would be tougher on him than Aida had been, but he’d already become such a big part of her life that she couldn’t imagine not including him in a family function.
“I’d love to meet him. I got the feeling last time we spoke that you weren’t done with him. That’s another reason I called instead of having Josh tell you about dinner. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“You’re such a good brother. I gave you shit for checking up on him, and you’re still making sure I’m all right?” Of course he was. Savannah knew that no matter what she did, Treat would never turn his back on her. And she had a feeling that Jack wouldn’t either.
“You were all tangled in knots when I saw you. I knew you were struggling to figure things out, and I worry about you. Besides, Josh said you spent a lot of time with Danica at the concert, and I put two and two together. A little free therapy goes a long way.”
She heard his smile. “I love her. She always makes me see things clearer.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re okay. Is he treating you well?”
“Of course. But you’ll get a kick out of this. He calls me angel.” She walked to the window and looked out over the busy streets, remembering how it felt to walk beside Jack the other evening and how she couldn’t wait to do it again.
“I have no doubt that you are his angel, Savannah.”
“Really? You’re not gonna tease me? I’ve never been particularly angelic.” Her hand drifted to cover her heart. Why did Treat seem to understand so much more than most people when it came to love? She wondered if it was because he’d known their mother best. Maybe the rest of them had missed out on more than just having a mother around, but having learned life lessons from her, too.
“Savannah, you are angelic. You’re tough and you’re brilliant and competitive, but you’ve always put yourself out there for others, and you have the biggest heart of almost any woman I’ve ever met. With the exception of Max, of course. You’re the girl who stayed up all night for a week with your college roommate to convince her that she wasn’t anything like all those horrible things that douche bag said she was. Remember? And still you aced your classes.”
She imagined his thoughtful dark eyes and wished he were right there in the room with her so she could give him a hug. She wondered if Treat saw her more clearly than she saw herself.
“I had almost forgotten about that. I guess when I think of angelic, I think of purity and sweetness, and when I think of myself, I think of…” She hadn’t really put words to her thoughts, and now, as she grasped for them, she could only reiterate Treat’s. “Strong and stubborn.”
“There’s only one thing I can say to that. Thank goodness you’ve found a man who sees the real you, Savannah. Look at me. Look at Rex and Dane. Hell, walk down the street and look at Josh. It takes the right person—a special person—to see through our defenses. Just like you’ve seen through his. Don’t you see why he calls you his angel?”
She leaned against the windowsill and smiled. “I guess I do. It has nothing to do with purity or sweetness and everything to do with seeing him for who he is on the inside. The man he’s been protecting with the anger and guilt.” She let out a loud breath. “Thanks, Treat. I didn’t even know I needed to hear that, but I guess I did.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
JACK LEANED AGAINST the side of Siena’s building with his cell phone pressed to his ear, talking to Savannah. Music from the café where she and Aida were having dinner played in the background.
“I just wanted to hear your voice before I went upstairs. I’m a little more nervous than I expected to be,” Jack admitted, though he downplayed just how nervous he was. Savannah didn’t need to know that he’d spent the hour driving into the city contemplating every word he’d say that evening.
“I would be, too. But you’ll be fine, Jack. They’re your family. Just remember that. They might be hurt and angry and tell you exactly how they feel—at least my brothers would—but you can handle that. Besi
des, it’s not like you haven’t seen them in two years. You just haven’t seen them often.”
“Thanks, Savannah. Are you having a good time with Aida?” He looked up just as his brothers Dex and Sage walked past the connecting street. God, they look great. They didn’t see him, and he wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed. There was a time when walking into a room full of Remingtons meant slaps on the back and jokes about how things were hanging. Now he didn’t know what to expect, but a jovial atmosphere was so far off the radar screen that he almost laughed. Lost in thought, he missed half of Savannah’s answer.
“…I hope Aida means it. I’d like to see her date someone for more than a night or two.”
He assumed he’d missed something about Aida’s last date, so he answered in a way that he thought might be appropriate. “I’m sure she’ll come around. Are you free later?” He hated giving up his evening with Savannah, but in a way the steps he was taking were for both of them and their future. Our future. If anyone had told him a year ago that he’d be in a relationship now, he’d have denied it until the cows came home. Hell, if they would have asked him six months ago, or even two months ago, he’d have done the same. Although in the weeks before meeting Savannah, he had begun to think about making his way back to the family he loved. Maybe fate did have a hand in their lives after all.
“Yes. Please come by,” she said. “Do you have your bag, or do you need to go back home first?”
He smiled, knowing he’d been presumptuous when he’d packed his leather backpack before leaving home. “What do you think?”
“That’s what I’d hoped.”
JACK HEARD SIENA’S excited squeal from behind the closed door. The door swung open, and he didn’t have time to say hello before she had her arms wrapped around his neck. Siena was Savannah’s height and pencil thin, but when she plowed into him unexpectedly and lifted her feet off the ground, Jack had to take a step backward to keep from tumbling over.
“You’re here! You’re really, really here. God, I’ve missed you.”
Jack embraced her with a laugh. He’d forgotten how enthusiastic she was. “Hi, honey. I’ve missed you, too.”
She dropped back down to her feet and flipped her long dark hair out of her face with a quick snap of her chin. “God, Jack, you look great. Come on in.” She took his hand and led him into her expansive loft. The track lighting on the high ceilings reflected off of the pristine light wood floors. Siena had never liked curtains, and Jack could see that nothing had changed. The four enormous windows set in the brick walls on either side of the loft were bare. Jack scanned the room for his brothers and spotted them behind the bar that separated the kitchen from the rest of the living room. He swallowed the pang of worry that would normally cause him to dip into his anger reserves and hide behind them. He wasn’t going there again. And certainly not now. He rubbed a knot that had formed at the base of his neck and followed Siena to the kitchen.
“Look who’s here.” She flashed her bright white smile over her shoulder at Jack and waved her hands like she was presenting a gift.
Dex and Kurt came out of the kitchen with bottles of beer in their hands and wide smiles. Sage followed with a brooding stare and a bottle of beer in each hand.
“Dude.” Dex embraced Jack. Even as a toddler he’d had a deep voice, and it had only gotten deeper. At six two, he was just a few inches shorter than Jack. His muscles strained beneath his tight gamer T-shirt. He and Siena were fraternal twins, and while Siena’s hair was shiny and straight, Dex’s was coarse and wavy and a shade or two darker. He wore it long, just touching his collar, and when he brushed the fringe from his forehead, he revealed eyes as dark blue as Jack’s. “How long are you back for?”
“For good, pretty much,” Jack answered.
“Righteous. It’s about time.” Dex took a swig of his beer. “Don’t let me forget to tell you about this rad new game I developed.”
Right after graduating from college with a degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics, Dex had created a video game that went viral. Now a millionaire and having developed several games since, he lived the life that many young people dreamed of. Jack, however, felt a world apart from the gaming community and its lingo, but he adored his brother and was happy that he’d found success doing something he loved.
“I can’t wait to hear about it.” Jack’s heart raced with the warm welcome from Dex. Kurt had always been more reserved than the rest of his siblings, and now he stood with his beer in one hand and his other hand in his pocket. He smiled at Jack and took a slow drink of his beer.
“How’s it going, Jack?” Kurt had written a number of bestsellers, and although he was very well off and fans knew him by sight, people seeing him on the street would never be able to tell that he was someone notable. Kurt was six three with electric blue eyes, short dark hair, and chiseled features, and tonight he looked comfortably casual in his khaki pants and polo shirt.
“Better. Much better. How’s your writing?” Jack wondered if Kurt was as nervous as he was. Where Jack wore his emotions on his sleeve, Kurt kept his close to his chest.
Kurt lifted his bottle. “Good. You know, bringing life to the voices in my head.” He grinned.
Jack took a step forward and opened his arms. Kurt stepped in, patting Jack on the back. “Good to see you, Kurt.”
“You too, bro. You too.” As they drew apart, Kurt touched Jack’s arm. “Are you doing okay? I mean, really okay?”
Jack took a deep breath. “Yeah. For the first time in what seems like forever, I really am. I wanted to get from here…” He fanned the space in front of him. “To there.” He looked around the room at his siblings. “But I couldn’t figure out how. Are you pissed at me?”
“Pissed?” Kurt opened his eyes a little wider. “Do I ever get pissed at anything?”
Jack laughed. Kurt had always been the most evenly keeled of his siblings.
“You didn’t abandon us, Jack. You just couldn’t take it. I get it. Besides, it made great fodder for my upcoming novel, Bonds of Steel.”
“Bonds of Steel? Really? Sounds like a bad bondage porno.” Jack glanced at Sage, his most complex brother. Sage was the epitome of an artist, from his contemplative eyes that were so dark blue they appeared almost black, to his wavy dark hair that usually hung in front of his eyes and always looked windblown. Tattoos climbed his arms, and one could never tell if his brooding stare was meditative, calculating, or ruminating. When he was young, Jack worried that he lived in a constant state of unhappiness, but as he aged and began to share his thoughts, Jack realized that he simply saw life in a completely different way than Jack ever had. To Sage, everything in life, whether it was living or inanimate, held some deeper meaning than what met the eye.
“I hear you had a gallery opening in Washington,” Jack said as he approached Sage. He and Sage had spent many hours together out in the woods around their parents’ house. Sage liked to hike and chill, while Jack was always looking for an adventure. They’d made a great exploration team with Jack pointing out the larger discoveries like animal tracks and paths made by other hikers and Sage teaching Jack to appreciate the sound of the creek or the flight patterns of the hawks. Jack wondered if at twenty-eight Sage still found beauty in all things living, or if life had kicked his ass. He hoped for the former.
Sage nodded. “Good to see you, too, Jack.” He handed him a beer, and when Jack took it, Sage pulled him into a hug and held him longer than the others had. “What took you so long?”
“Lost my compass.”
“Shoulda called me. I would have brought you one.” Sage embraced him again. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Jack’s heart was so full, he felt as if his chest might explode. Could he possibly get this lucky? He’d been so worried about finding his way back and being turned away. Could it really be this easy?
Siena sailed out of the kitchen with a tray of cheese, crackers, and fruit in her hands and an unopened bottle of wine under
her arm. Jack took the tray and set it on the long barn wood table. The loft was spacious and bright, with one bar separating the kitchen and just beyond and down a short hallway, a comfortable master bedroom and bathroom. Siena had been modeling for years, and while she’d graduated with a degree in biology, they all knew that was just to appease their father. Every woman needs a career to fall back on. Siena was one of the most sought after models in New York, and as Jack watched her teasing their brothers and gracefully moving from the kitchen to the table as she set out plates and silverware, he could see why. She had a natural beauty that radiated through to her eyes. A sparkle that most women didn’t possess—although he’d seen the same beauty in Savannah, who he wished was by his side at that very moment.
“Mom and Dad are on their way,” Siena said. “They had to stop and pick something up.”
“What can I do to help, sis?” Dex asked. “Napkins? Condiments?”
“I’ll open the wine,” Kurt offered. “Although we all have beer. Do we need the wine?”
“Mom and Dad prefer it,” Siena answered.
“Right, of course.” Kurt retrieved the corkscrew.
Sage sidled up to Jack. “You sure you’re ready for this?”
Jack lifted the right side of his mouth in a half smile. “God only knows, but I want to be.” He felt Sage’s hand on his back.
“I envied you, you know. As much as I hated not seeing you, I was envious of all that time alone, just you and nature. Man, what I wouldn’t give to escape the rat race for a while.”
His voice was so serious that Jack had to turn and look at him. “You okay, Sage?” He searched his eyes for hidden trouble, but they hadn’t changed. They held the same unreadable look as they always had.
“Yeah. Sure. Anyway, I’m glad you’re back. We’ve all missed you.”
Jack leaned in close and said, “Not all of you.”
“Right. Well, you know Rush can be a dick. Give him time. He’s just pissed that you took off. He’ll get over it.” Sage patted him on the back and went to answer a knock at the door.
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