The Better Man

by Len Webster

  Evan stepped closer, and Savannah took Miller from her father. “Thank you for taking care of her, Sav. AJ is thankful, too.”

  “I promise everything will be okay. We’re going to have a great weekend, aren’t we, Miller?”

  Miller nodded, tears still running down her face as Evan grasped his suitcase handle. He kissed his daughter once more before he hugged Savannah. “Have a great weekend, you two. Bye, Miller.”

  “Bye, bye, Daddy.” Miller waved as Savannah wiped her tears from her cheeks.

  Evan waved before he entered the airport. Savannah waited by the curb until she couldn’t see him and then turned around. She glanced down to see Miller staring at her Einstein toy in her hand, her lip pushed out in a pout.

  “It’s okay, Miller,” Savannah assured her as she pulled on the door handle of Evan’s car. She opened the door and gently placed Miller in her car seat. “Daddy’s going to be back before you know it. Why don’t we go home and wait for him to call?”

  Miller nodded as Savannah strapped her in. Her sadness was heartbreaking but so precious. It was clear that Miller loved her father so much. Savannah was determined to make the next few days as enjoyable for Miller as possible.

  First, they had to endure the Boston traffic and get back to Cambridge.

  Once they arrived home, Savannah unbuckled Miller from the car seat, and they walked inside the house. Savannah helped Miller out of her jacket and then led her to the living room where she played with her toys. During the drive back from the airport, Alex had emailed Savannah a list of all the foods Miller liked to eat. As Savannah cut up the watermelon from the fridge, her phone rang on the bench. She wiped her hands on the dish towel hanging over the oven handle, then picked up the phone. To her relief, it wasn’t Walter. Instead, it was her boss. Savannah had called her earlier but had reached Monty’s voicemail.

  “Hey, Sav. I’m sorry I missed your call. I was having lunch with a client. How’s Massachusetts?” Monty was not just her boss but she was also one of Savannah’s friends. She never treated Savannah as if she were beneath her. In fact, Monty always treated Savannah with respect even when she was an intern.

  “It’s going great so far. I’m just cutting up some watermelon for Miller before we watch cartoons. I was calling to ask if I could take Monday off? Miller’s dad was just called in to do a presentation at a convention for MLB teams in Dallas,” Savannah explained.

  Monty hummed. “So the Red Sox need him?”

  Savannah nodded as she kept an eye on her goddaughter who was playing with her plush toys. “Yes. I know I have some sick days I haven’t used. With Alex in England, and Evan’s brother Kyle in Canada, there’s no one to look after her.”

  Suddenly, her boss laughed. “Sav, it’s fine. This is a family emergency. Take off Monday, and I’ll see you in the office on Tuesday. Our last client was exceptionally unreasonable and treated you awfully. You deserve a few extra days off after him. Just have your phone nearby in case I need you, okay?”

  “Okay, and thanks, Monty.”

  “Not a problem. Have a good weekend, Sav,” Monty said before she hung up.

  Savannah set her phone on the counter and put the watermelon in the bowl before she made her way to the living room. She set the bowl on the coffee table and then picked up a slice, handing it to Miller.

  The toddler smiled as she dropped her toy and held the piece of fruit in her small hand. As Miller took a bite, the doorbell rang. Sighing, Savannah stood and held out her hand.

  “Come on, Miller. Let’s go see who’s at the door.”

  Miller slid her sticky hand in Savannah’s, and they walked to the front door. Savannah picked up Miller—not wanting her to run away—and opened the door. She flinched in surprise, not expecting the visitor. The last time she saw him, he was cold and hardly held any emotion on his face. Now, months later, he wore a smile and had a glint in his warm brown eyes as he saw the little girl in Savannah’s arms.

  “Willy!” Miller squealed, leaning to him.

  William Lawrence, Alex’s older cousin and Miller’s second cousin, laughed as he took Miller in his arms. “Hello, Millie, how are you?”

  “Millie?” Savannah was confused. Miller’s name was so unique and suited her perfectly. His nickname—although sweet—cheapened how special her name was.

  Will nodded. “Hello, Savannah.”

  Though Savannah had known for years who Will was, they barely knew each other. In fact, Savannah felt confident enough to say he disliked her. Though they were both Miller’s godparents, they were far from being friends.

  “Millie?” she repeated in disgust.

  “It rhymes with Willy.” Miller held up her watermelon for him. Without hesitation, Will took a bite, chewed the fruit, and swallowed it, before he said, “Yum.”

  Miller giggled as she took a bite of watermelon before she fed Will again. It was definitely a cute display. One Savannah was not expecting but who was she to judge. She was never in town when Will was, so she never saw them interact. The love in Miller’s eyes was genuine, and Savannah had no reason to doubt it. Alex and Evan wouldn’t have asked Will to be Miller’s godfather if they didn’t trust him.

  Then he looked at her. Those light brown eyes were beautiful. And that strong jaw of his … God, what was with him being attractive? She cursed him. And that smile he directed at Miller was worthy of melting her heart. It wasn’t that Savannah had been oblivious to William Lawrence’s attractiveness. He had always been good looking, but he never had life to his smiles until now, and Savannah didn’t know this version of Will.

  “Is Evan home? I’m in town for a few days for work and thought I’d catch up with him before he and Miller go to England to see my cousin,” Will explained.

  Savannah shook her head. “Actually, you just missed him. There was a Red Sox emergency in Texas he had to take care of.” She stepped back and allowed him into the house. “He’s gone for a few days.”

  Once inside, Will blinked at her as she closed the front door. “Who is looking after Miller? Are my aunt and uncle back from New York?” He looked around the hallway for signs of extra shoes and guests. “Is Kyle here?”

  She flinched, offended that he didn’t even consider that Savannah would be the one looking after their godchild. Kyle Gilmore was Miller’s famous professional baseball player uncle, but he was currently in Canada. The Red Sox would not be happy if their captain were to postpone his surgery. “I’m looking after Miller. She is my godchild.” Then she stepped forward and took the toddler from him. She didn’t say a word as she went down the hall and into the living room, hearing his footsteps behind her.

  When Savannah reached the rug where all Miller’s toys were, she set her down and reached over to grab another piece of watermelon. She gave Miller the piece of fruit before she stood and faced Will.

  “Did I say something wrong?” Will asked, the confusion bright on his face.

  Savannah sighed. There was no reason for her to feel so offended. It was a legitimate question. Factor in her emotional state and her ex-Duke fling, and Savannah was fragile. “No. I’m sorry. I took your question the wrong way. I offered to take care of Miller so Evan could impress all those MLB teams and their executives. It was important to him. Plus, I was already in Massachusetts for the weekend.”

  Will nodded, his lips pressed together as if he were thinking. “Do you mind if I stick around? As I said, I’m in town for a while so I’d like to hang out with you guys if that’s okay?”

  Savannah was not in the position to deny Miller spending time with her cousin and godfather. But she also had to respect Alex and Evan. “If it’s okay with Alex and Evan, it’s okay with me.”

  “Great. I’ll call Alex—”

  “Willy!” Miller said, getting their attention. She was standing, holding two pieces of watermelon she had gotten from the bowl on the coffee table. She walked over to Will and held her hand up. “Here, Willy.”

  Will took the fruit from her. “Thank
you, Millie. I’m starving.”

  Then Miller took Will’s free hand and pulled him to sit with her toys. Will took a bite of watermelon as Miller picked up Harvey the Harvard dog and set him in Will’s lap. Savannah laughed at how cute they were together. As Miller ate her fruit, Will reached into the bowl and picked up another piece of watermelon. Just when she thought he was going to hand it to Miller, he offered it to Savannah. She glanced at the fruit and then at the man who held it out to her, wondering where this change had come from.

  “Join us, Savannah.”

  There was no way she could turn down William Lawrence’s simple request or turn away from the sweet smile on his face. A smile she didn’t understand. A smile she knew was dangerous when you factored in the adorable little girl with them. So Savannah mentally prayed as she took the watermelon from him.

  Baby Jesus, let’s not, okay?

  And I know you know what I mean by “let’s not.”

  As she took a bite of the sweet fruit, it almost tasted forbidden. And forbidden fruit was just as venomous as the snake that offered it. Because if he could make her question him, she was worried what else he was capable of. She just hoped Baby Jesus gave her the strength to endure the next few days with William Lawrence in town.

  Four

  Will

  Savannah Peters was as beautiful as he last remembered. The last time he saw her was when he was in Boston to celebrate his cousin Sebastian’s, Alexandra’s brother, second birthday, but that was months ago. Her curly blond hair was in a high ponytail, and her blue eyes shimmered with every laugh and smile. William Lawrence had always known his cousin’s best friend was beautiful—from the moment he met her at Duke on the rare visit to see Alexandra—but he never acted on his attraction. In fact, he never really got to know Savannah.

  He saw the way she talked and looked at other men, and it was clear that she didn’t find him the least bit interesting to talk to, so Will stayed away. Eventually, he started dating his ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Sawyer, at Berkley. That attraction toward Savannah faded, and she became a name his cousin would say.

  Will wasn’t a blind man.

  Savannah was beautiful.

  Add her sweet Southern accent, and she was a weakness.

  However, the moment he saw her with Evan’s best friend, Hunter Jamison, at his cousin’s engagement party, laughing carefree, he knew he would never be able to compete. Hunter was the starting batter for the LA Dodgers. There was no way a washed-up track runner could ever compete with a Major League star.

  So he didn’t.

  When Will arrived at Evan and Alexandra’s house this afternoon, she was the last person he expected to see. He should have called Evan and asked if it was okay to come over. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to see Savannah Peters, and it appeared that she didn’t expect to see him either. It was as if they were meeting for the first time. Will hadn’t meant to upset her and insinuate that she couldn’t look after Miller. So he offered her a slice of watermelon as a peace offering, hoping to start over. To his relief, she had taken it.

  After they sat and ate watermelon with Miller, Savannah stood, grabbed a dish cloth, and cleaned up their godchild. Will had offered to help, but Savannah declined, telling him she was fine. So Will stepped out into the backyard to call his cousin and make sure it was okay that he spent time with her daughter while she was away.

  Pulling his phone from his black dress pants pocket, he let out a low exhale and called Alexandra. It didn’t take long before she picked up.

  “Hey, Will. This is a surprise.”

  He laughed. It had been a few weeks since their last call. Growing up, they were close, but now that Alexandra was a mom, a wife, a published researcher, a Harvard TA, and a summer teacher at Oxford, she was always busy. Some days, he wondered how she even remembered to eat or sleep. All he knew was that she was happy and that made him happy. She was more his sister than cousin, and he had spent years always making sure she was supported and loved. She eventually found that support and love in Evan Gilmore, the best friend who was oblivious to his love for her. But after many years of wrongs, they eventually got it right.

  “Hey, Alexandra. I’m not calling at a bad time, am I?” he asked, worried that it was too late in the evening.

  She let out a light laugh. “You’re fine. I just got back to my flat after a meeting with a few professors, and I’m putting away some groceries now. What’s up?”

  A sudden wave of nerves rippled through him. Nerves he wasn’t sure he could explain. He was in town to see her daughter and spend time with his goddaughter. “I’m in Boston.”

  “Oh,” she said, surprised. “You just missed Evan. His flight to Dallas just took off.”

  “I know.”

  “You do?”

  Will spun around to find Miller in Savannah’s arms as they danced along to the cartoon on the TV. He smiled when he saw Miller giggle from the kisses Savannah planted on her chubby cheeks. His heart twitched in his chest, feeling that familiar flutter he first felt when he met Savannah all those years ago when she was a freshman and he was a junior visiting Duke. She had sat at one of the outdoor tables at the coffee shop where she worked, waiting for him and Alexandra with a sweet smile on her face.

  “Will, are you still there?”

  He cleared his throat and tore his eyes from Savannah dancing with Miller. “Yeah, sorry. I’m still here. I, uh, stopped by your house. I didn’t know Evan had left for Dallas. Savannah told me she’s taking care of Millie.”

  “She is. Miller loves and idolizes Sav. If you’re calling to tell me it’s a bad idea, please don’t. I trust my best friend. I wouldn’t have chosen her to be my daughter’s godmother if I didn’t think she was capable of taking care of her.”

  “I’m not, Alexandra,” he assured. Peeking up, he could still see them dancing through the glass panels of the door. “Savannah is doing amazing with Millie.”

  “I knew she would,” Alexandra said with pride thick in her voice. “Will, this call is probably costing you a fortune.”

  He laughed. “Don’t worry about it. I was calling to see if it was okay if I hung out with Millie while I’m in town. I wanted to spend some time with her before they fly out to see you.”

  “Of course it’s all right. You’re her godfather, Will. Plus, it might be good to have you around in case Miller acts out or something. I don’t think she will but just in case. Since you’re in Boston, you can stay at my parents’ place. They won’t mind since they’re in New York visiting your parents and sister. My car’s in the garage if you need to use it during your stay.”

  Will was not surprised by his cousin’s generosity. She had always been kind. “Work got me a room at the Boston Harbor Hotel.”

  “Oh, fancy,” Alexandra teased.

  He rolled his eyes. “So it’s okay to hang out with Millie?”

  “So long as it’s okay with Sav. She’s in charge, Will. This is her weekend with Miller.”

  “I won’t get in the way,” he promised.

  “Good …” She paused and then sighed. “Hey, can I call you back? My Oxford advisor is calling.”

  “Sure, Alexandra.”

  “Great. I’ll call you later. Give Miller a big kiss for me. Love you.”

  Will smiled. “I love you, too.” Then he hung up and slid his phone into his jacket pocket. He walked over to the glass door, opened it, and stepped inside. The moment he closed the door, Miller ran up to him.

  “Willy?” She yanked on his suit jacket.

  “Yes, Millie?” he asked as he got on one knee so that she could see him better.

  “Come to the park!”

  He laughed at the excitement on her face as Savannah stood next to them, holding Miller’s jacket. “I would love to, but Willy has to go back to work for a bit. But if it’s okay with Savannah, I’ll be back for dinner.”

  Miller looked up at her godmother. “Savvy?”

  Nodding, Savannah crouched down and helped Miller w
ith her jacket. “Of course. So it’s okay with Alex?”

  “It is,” Will announced. “Which park are you taking her to?”

  “The one at Cambridge Common on Waterhouse Street. It’s a nice day for a walk.”

  “It is. Do you mind if I walk with you? I can get a cab near Harvard pretty quickly.”

  Savannah stood once she buttoned Miller’s jacket. “I don’t mind. I’ll go get her stroller. Miller, stay with Will while I get your bag and then we can go to the swings.”

  “Okay, Savvy.” The moment Savannah left the living room, Miller wrapped her hands around his arm and tugged.

  “Yes, Millie?”

  Her smile was soft and entwined with her sadness. “I miss Mummy and Daddy.”

  A pinching sensation took over his chest as he scooped Miller into his arms and stood. “I know. Your daddy will be back soon. And your mommy misses you, too. She told me to give you a present.”

  Miller’s green eyes widened. “She did?”

  Will nodded. “She did. Are you ready?”

  “Ready!”

  Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss on Miller’s chubby cheek. She erupted into a fit of giggles as he peppered more kisses all over her face. “Mommy misses you a lot. She can’t wait to see you.”

  “Y’all ready?” Savannah asked as she pushed the stroller into the living room. “Miller, would you like to walk with Will to the park?”

  Miller glanced down at him. “Yes!”

  “Well,” Will said as he set her down on the floor and held out his hand. The little girl placed her hand in his. “Let’s go to the park.”

  When Will was in high school, he had tried out for the football team. Everyone had told him that he would get drafted, and he had the potential to make it to the NFL. But when a serious shoulder injury ruled out football, he tried out for the track team. He had always been a runner. He usually spent the summer running and training for the marathons his father participated in. His father might be fifty, but he was more fit than half the people Will knew.