“Quiz time. No socks or socks with sandals?” Peyton asked.
“Either one is cause for elimination.” Savannah poured another glass of wine.
“What’s your stance on man flip-flops?” Peyton nibbled on her pizza.
“They should be outlawed. I’m talking about martial law level of expulsion.”
“Alex doesn’t do any of those things, thank goodness. Everything he wears is just so.”
“My ex, Levi, has a man crush on him.” Savannah rolled her eyes. “He wants to be just like him.”
“Levi is your ex?”
“Don’t hold it against me.”
“Alex complains about him all the time. He’s one of the hotshot residents who grates on his nerves. Alex says his ego is in danger of exceeding his abilities.”
“Levi ramps up the pretentiousness when he’s trying to impress. He would come home droning on every day about trying to get some face time with Alex. Your fiancé seems to be immune from it and that makes him want his respect even more.”
“Alex is very by-the-book at work, but at home he’s a teddy bear. He demands excellence and accountability from anyone in his charge. And outrageous egos are a big no-no.”
“Levi isn’t good with accountability. But maybe he’ll learn that before he wrecks his career.”
Peyton sipped her wine. “Do you mind if I ask what went wrong with you two?”
“We have entirely different views on love and happiness. He harped on my weight. He thought I wasn’t being ambitious enough like my mom, or pretty enough like my sister.”
“Your mom?”
“My mom is Clare Brewster, the talk show host.”
Peyton whistled. “Wow. She’s a national treasure. And I never would have guessed you were her daughter.”
“Go figure.”
“Yeah, you’re much more genuine and nice. No offense, but your mom has that Hollywood persona down pat.”
“None taken. My mom has a new reality show. They showed up on our attempted first date with a camera crew—my mom, my sister, and Levi.”
“Oh my word. Austin must have loved that.”
“He was a trooper. But until today, I’ve been worried my crazy family might have scared him off for good.”
“He’s not easily chased off when he sets his sights on something he wants. And as far as not being as pretty as your sister, that’s all bologna. Your sister’s gorgeous, but she also comes off as being vacuous.”
“I love her, but she is, for the most part.”
“You’re a beautiful, natural woman. I can see why Austin’s attracted to you.”
She gave Peyton a quizzical look. “Why is that?”
“I’ve known Austin a while, and he’s a salt-of-the-earth guy. He’s real, and he likes people who are true to themselves. He doesn’t like phonies, and he can’t stand women who prance about all the time. He likes confidence, intelligence, and spunk.”
Savannah was touched that Austin desired all those qualities…and seemed to find them in her. “I am really enjoying spending time with him. That ranch is wonderful. The first day I interviewed him, we had lunch near this pretty clearing. The sun was shining—”
“At the perfect angle near the grouping of trees?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Well, I’ve photographed every inch of that ranch. But that’s where I’m having my wedding. It’s the most romantic spot on the property.”
Savannah couldn’t breathe. Did Austin know where he was taking her when they ate lunch there? It was the perfect place to grab a bite and get to know someone. She’d thought about that day many times since.
“Besides the fact that you’re both named after major cities, which is totally adorable, I think you two have a lot in common.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. That’s why I knew Lucinda didn’t have a chance. She’s a budding trophy wife to some old coot. She’s not looking for anything authentic. You and Austin are a natural fit.”
“But she still has her sights set on Austin. Why? He’s not leading her on…”
“Not at all. But he’s handsome as all get out and rich. Lucinda may be many things but she’s not stupid.”
“I wish I could say she’s been attacking me because of him, but to tell you the truth, she’s done nothing but ignore me since I first arrived in town. After she couldn’t do that anymore, now we’re engaged in a spirited game of cheap shots.”
“She’s been the media darling around here for a while. When she got fired from her nationally syndicated show, she bounced around until she landed here to lick her wounds.”
“What happened? Why did she lose her show?”
“I think it had something to do with her sleeping with her boss, then it morphed into a ‘he said, she said’ thing about mistreatment after the breakup.”
“She certainly uses her media platform as a weapon and doesn’t care who she pummels.”
“Well, snarky is the new way to get viewers. She’s just capitalizing on the trend.” Peyton sighed. “If it were up to me, everyone in the world would paint, respect each other’s boundaries, and say nice things all day.”
Savannah held up her glass. “To rose-colored glasses.”
“And the sappy, gullible people like me who’d like to wear them.” Peyton clinked glasses with her. “I for one will have my optimism spectacles on for a happy ending with you and Austin.”
“And I wish you a long, happy life with Alex and the kids. And maybe a few more kids of your own.”
They continued to enjoy their ladies’ night together, but Savannah’s mind kept going back to the clearing on Austin’s property.
He’d been trying to tell her something since they met.
CHAPTER NINE
Austin flipped the steaks on the kitchen grill while his friend J.J. Blake paced back and forth while talking on the phone. The family grapevine was a wonderful thing sometimes. He’d learned from Megan that J.J. was in the area for a business meeting and was staying at Channing and Cassidy’s place in Georgetown. After attending the funeral today, he could use some downtime with an old friend. Reminiscing with his Navy SEAL buddies last night was cathartic. But the moving ceremony today had left his heart heavy, dumbfounded that his friend was taken away too soon.
He’d kept in touch with Savannah today. He’d called her in the morning before the services. It was good to hear her voice. She was excited that she’d finally turned in her article about him. It would be in the tomorrow’s edition of the paper. He laughed to himself that he’d initially resisted being interviewed. Turns out it was the best thing to ever happen to him. He missed her and intended on having that proper first date they’d been robbed of due her mother and sister’s surprise visit.
Satisfied with the grill marks and consistency, he removed the steaks and took the baked potatoes out of the oven. Listening to J.J. make plans with Jack, his oldest son, reminded him of the chats Alex had with Noah and Chloe. There was always homework to do or chores to be finished. But the two men also made sure they had a fun time with their kids, and he admired that. Listening to the two of them lifted his spirits a little after the heavy day attending the funeral.
“We’ll start as soon as I put my bags down,” J.J. said to Jack. “I promise. Tell your momma to call me after dinner. Make sure Gabe and Deacon eat all their veggies. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.” J.J. finished the call and put his cell phone on the kitchen table. “Sorry about that. I hate these unavoidable overnight business trips. Feels like I’m missing chunks of time with the kids. Anyway, Jack is excited about a model remote-controlled helicopter we’re going to build together. This model is a higher level of difficulty that he’s used to, so he thinks he’s grown up.”
“I can’t believe how big they’ve all gotten. I was holding Deacon in my arms a little while ago.”
“Now he’s sprinting around everywhere.” J.J. retrieved the plates from the cupboard. “I swear sometimes I blink and they’ve all gro
wn a foot.”
“How many kids on the ranch now? Forty?”
“Ha ha. When you and Logan make your contributions, maybe we can get it up to forty-four.”
“Logan may be adding to the bunch soon. He and Megan are mulling over living together.”
“Good for him. Who would have thought he or Tyler would settle down?”
“I had him pegged for an eternal bachelor. I’ve never been happier to be totally wrong.”
J.J. handed him a long neck out of the fridge. “I’m sorry to hear about your Navy buddy.”
“Yeah, it was sudden. I thought it would be a long time before I started going to any funerals.”
“Let’s face it. We’re at that point in our lives when we’ll start losing people.” J.J. sighed.
“I lost enough friends in active duty. I didn’t think I’d lose a fellow SEAL to a motorcycle accident.” Austin cut into his steak. “How are your folks?”
“They’re good. They’ve had dinner with your folks a few times. Momma says it looks like T.K. and Aurora are going to get back together.”
“Oh joy.”
“It’s not what you want?” J.J. furrowed his eyebrows.
Austin put his fork down. “I don’t know what’s going on with T.K.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s happy all the time.” Austin sighed. “He and my momma are getting along. Logan told me he’s been lamenting his legacy and that I might get a call from him asking me to work for him. I’m not going to do it, of course. But I want to be straight with him. But every time he calls, he wants to see how I’m doing, and he makes no mention of his legacy or me taking over that baseball team.”
J.J. chuckled. “Let me get this straight. You’re upset because T.K. is happy and hasn’t called to browbeat you about working for him.”
Well, when J.J. said it out loud, it sounded stupid. In his head it played like a suspense novel. “Come on. You know my daddy is crazy.”
“T.K. is a colorful character, but I can’t deny I’ve noticed the changes. He’s content. My daddy got the same way when we started getting married and babies started popping up on the ranch. It’s a signal to our parents that it’s time to shift gears and enjoy the simple things like their grandkids and everything they’ve amassed. They worked hard to build their empires. They deserve these golden years with family.”
“I want to say it’s all good that they’ve rekindled their old flame, but I was there for that first divorce. It was nasty. It left a mark on all of us. I don’t want anyone getting hurt again, especially Momma.”
“She seems happy. T.K.’s not the same man.”
“I don’t see how she can forgive him.” It was true. Deep down inside there was a part of him that felt his dad didn’t deserve forgiveness. “Maybe it’s me who doesn’t want to forgive.”
“The divorce did shape your life. Big time. You turned your back on your father’s business empire and joined the Navy.”
“Hey, I went into the military years after the divorce.”
“True, but up until that time you looked like you wanted to throttle T.K. whenever you were around him.”
“That man pushes my buttons.” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“And you push his right back.” J.J. nodded. “I went through my own thing with my dad. It wasn’t at the level of you and T.K., but I too felt the pressure of being the firstborn son of a titan. It’s a shadow you can’t outrun. But you learn how to deal with it.”
“I’ve just always wanted to be my own man.”
“I don’t know anyone else who’s walked his own path quite like you did. T.K. recognizes it and he’s proud. I hear him telling people all the time about what great sons he has. He’s proud of you and Logan.”
“Maybe he is.”
“I’d say it’s about time the Holbrook men are happy. Logan’s settling down. Your father is chasing after your mother. What about you?”
“What about me?”
“There’s a twinkle in your eye.” J.J. pointed at his face. “I saw it the minute you walked through the door.
“Her name is Savannah,” he replied. “She’s amazing.”
“Glad to see you finally taking a few chances of your own. Kind of like T.K.”
“Don’t compare me to T.K.”
“We’re both like our fathers. Driven, ambitious, and dedicated to the people we love. I say you find someone special to hold on to and never let her go.”
Austin raised an eyebrow. “Since when did you become so wise?”
“Samantha Jane says I’ve become a big softie since the kids came along. And I agree. I’ve known you all your life. You’re a good man, Austin. You deserve happiness. You also deserve to be free of the past. Let your momma and daddy decide if love is for them a second time around. Wish them well and let it go.”
Perhaps J.J. was on to something. He wasn’t the angry little boy who hated that his parents split up. Now he was a confused adult who wondered why they were crazy enough to try again. But he knew the answer. Love made you do crazy things.
“Perhaps it’s time to let the adults be adults,” he said carefully.
“My momma says the ability to forgive builds character. It can also build stronger families too.” J.J. sipped his drink.
“Do you believe that?”
“It seems to have worked for Tate and Chance for the time being. They stopped sniping at each for the rest of Christmas Day.”
“What is it with little brothers? Alex has quite a time with Theo too.”
“I’ve heard. I think Chance and Theo have the same problem. Overachieving older brothers, and they act out in response. Chance needs an investor for his business, but he’d rather stab himself in the eye than get any help from Tate.”
“Theo refuses to take any of Alex’s advice. Theo’s looking for a new adventure to chase.”
“Somebody should introduce those two adrenaline junkies,” J.J. mused. “So. Tell me more about Savannah.”
Austin started talking about their first meeting and marveled how much he could effortlessly recount since meeting her. The attention to detail of every moment of their lives together further proved that his heart was open to the experience.
He wondered what she was thinking of right then. He wished he’d be there to glimpse her face when she saw her big article in the paper. While it was no surprise he missed her, he was amazed at how deeply he felt it. He could not wait to hold her in his arms again.
* * *
Savannah’s hands were trembling as she picked up the newspaper from her front porch. Ralph had given her the front page for her story on Austin. There he was, gorgeous as ever on the cover with the title “Profile in Courage: How Local Hero Austin Holbrook Won the Heart of Harper’s Grove.” Even though she’d authored it, she wanted to immerse herself in the story to get a feel for how the reader would view it. So she went into the kitchen and gave Blue his morning chow and fresh water, then brewed herself a cup a coffee, made some toast, sausage, and an egg. Her breakfast prepared, she sat on her stool and started reading.
She’d led with a recap of the fire and his brave rescue of Angela. She’d put in a small quip about how they’d met in the hospital to infuse some humor into the piece, but she did omit that she’d barged in on him in his boxer shorts.
She munched on her toast as she moved to the next paragraph covering what she’d learned about the man from the time she’d spent with him on the ranch. He was an accomplished rancher with strong Southern roots who’d had an extensive military career serving as a Navy SEAL, and was part of a tight-knit family. She’d conveyed how much Austin loved living in the sleepy small town. He loved the friendly people who looked out for each other. He never hesitated to help someone in need or volunteer for a good cause, but he was reluctant to draw attention to the good he did. He liked how the town quieted just before sunset and the nightlife began. Many people didn’t know that he was involved in a therapy program for special needs child
ren that were bussed to his ranch to ride the horses. These were things he kept to himself, but they were a few of the things that made him an awesome guy.
Being a hero was in his blood, but she’d taken care to emphasize how his humility wouldn’t allow him to admit it. She also noted that his passionate speech about Angela’s restaurant being a hub for romance, especially on Valentine’s Day, was what sparked her idea for the restaurant to have their annual meal in the school gym. The proceeds would go to Angela’s as reconstruction continued on her restaurant. She closed by saying the town had seen danger and setbacks because of the fire, but that same event had only made Harper’s Grove stronger because it reinforced what the town was all about. Community and caring. There was a sense of magic there that made everyone feel welcome.
She glanced at her dog, feeling pleased about how her article had turned out. “Blue, my boy, it’s going to be a busy day, and then your momma has a hot date tonight with Austin.” She patted him on the head. “You like him, right?”
She’d take the bark and excited wagging of his tail as a resounding yes. She’d never seen her dog so carefree as he was when she took him to that sprawling ranch.
She hopped off the stool and headed for the bedroom. She had a lot to do today. There was a writer’s meeting at the paper. She suspected she’d be getting a new assignment. Ralph had mentioned something about her covering county issues as well as her Harper’s Grove beat. But the best part about her day would be seeing Austin in the evening when he returned home. She missed him and it felt good to miss someone again.
* * *
The dark clouds looming in the air as if the sky were about to open up with heavy rain made Savannah’s stomach knot up. She was on her way to the Southern Comfort for her date with Austin and the weather looked like it didn’t want to cooperate with her romantic notions. The date they’d planned which included a horseback ride wasn’t going to happen today and she hoped it wasn’t a prelude for another bad date. But this time her mother and a camera crew weren’t lurking somewhere, waiting for the most inopportune moment to jump out.
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