Savannah Series Boxed Set: Four Full Novels and One Novella

by Jamie, Danielle

  Miranda excuses herself to the bar and I quickly find Kayden. He’s hanging out a few feet away from the bar at one of the outdoor tables with Dixon, Brooklyn and a few friends.

  “Hey babe, you’re parents outdid themselves with the party. Everyone seems to be having a blast.” Kayden says, before taking a sip from his beer.

  I glance over at Brooklyn giving her a worried glance. Kayden notices my demeanor is different compared to when he left me, and immediately asks me what is wrong.

  “I forgot to forewarn my mother not to invite your father.”

  Raking his fingers through his hair Kayden’s face swiftly changes from carefree to pissed off. “Fuck. So I take it they’re here?” He asks, trying his best to keep his voice low enough so no one hears our conversation.

  I’ve never been so happy to have a DJ in my life. People are too busy drinking and dancing to pay attention to our pow-wow over here in the corner.

  Of course, our photographer has impeccable timing and pops up, startling the crap out of me, “Everyone want to get together for a group photo?” He asks, eyeing Dixon, Brooklyn, Rebecca, Reagan, Kayden and I.

  “Sure.” I say, giving him a big fake smile as we all huddle together.

  “Well, I’m not feeding into my father’s game. He knew showing up would piss me off; so I’m just going to go on with my evening and pretend he’s not even here, or with her for that matter.” Kayden finally says, after the photographer makes his way around to the other guests.

  Chapter Twelve

  I thought since the last two hours have gone smoothly with no run-ins with Victor that we’d successfully make it through our engagement party drama free. That definitely hasn’t happened.

  Sitting down for the dinner, Kayden and I are seated with our friends. My mother and father are sitting with my Aunt Nicole, a few of my cousin’s and my grandparents. Victor and Luanne, who thankfully have kept their distance, are seated with some country artists my parents are friends with who are also signed by the label Victor works for.

  Not one to let anything go unnoticed, my mother immediately picked up on the tension between Victor and Kayden tonight. She wasted no time dragging me into her office to ask me what was going on between them. The last thing I wanted to do is have my mother upset and blaming herself for inviting him, when in reality, it’s our fault for not telling my parents that they are not on good terms.

  As diplomatic as I could be, I explained what happened and let her know Kayden is fine. I can’t go into all the details right now because Kayden doesn’t want to ruin the party she’s worked so hard to throw for us.

  “How long are you two staying in L.A.?” Rebecca asks, before taking a bite of her salad, snapping me out of my thoughts.

  Sipping my champagne, I glance at Kayden before looking back at Rebecca, “We’re flying out late tomorrow. He’s going golfing with my dad; my mom and I are doing a spa day with Brooklyn after going wedding dress shopping. But Kayden and I have been talking and since my parents are going to be in Europe for the next few months, we’re going to try to stay here one weekend a month so we can see y’all more.”

  Reagan looks from Kayden to me…smirking, “Admit it, you guys just miss me too much to stay away.”

  We both laugh at the same time, “Yes Reagan, we’re going to stay in L.A. just for you.” I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

  Being around our friends is helping to keep me distracted; it’s taking everything in me to not go rip into Victor and Luanne. How the hell they can walk around and pretend as if nothing’s happened, just baffles me. I don’t know how Kayden handles attending events with them, I’d go crazy.

  His father thinks he can throw some money at Kayden and give him half of the hotel business and it’s sufficient enough to make up for stealing his fiancée. It’s ridiculous. The only good thing that came out of that fucked up affair is I got Kayden.

  “I’d like to make a toast to my daughter.” My father’s thick Southern Drawl travels across the dining room full of guests, as he stands holding his champagne flute up in the air.

  Sliding my hand into Kayden’s, I smile up at my parents. I’m so happy that they love Kayden as much as I do. My father treats him as if he was his own son; he’s always wanted a boy. Their love of football definitely sealed the deal, along with seeing how deeply Kayden loves me.

  My mother is beaming with joy as she stands beside my father and holds her glass up too. We all raise our glasses as my father speaks.

  “We’re all here today to celebrate the engagement of my wonderful daughter Savannah Elizabeth, and her fiancé Kayden. As a father you hate seeing your little girl grow up. It still feels like yesterday when Savannah was running around this house in cowgirl boots and hat, strumming on her lil’ guitar.” The smile my father gives me blended with his words sends butterflies fluttering in my belly and tears well up in my eyes.

  “After everything she’s been through, I’ve wanted nothing more than to see my lil’ country princess get her happily ever after, and with Kayden I know she’ll get just that. The way they look at one another is the same way I still look at Paisley. I wish you two all the happiness in the world.” Taking a deep breath, I see my father, the strongest, toughest man I know, try to keep his composure. It warms me to the core and makes my heart swell with love. Clearing his throat, he focuses on Kayden and an impish grin stretches across his face, revealing the strong Maverick Livingston we all know and love, “Just remember Kayden, I am a hell of a shot, so ya better think twice before you even think about breakin’ my baby girl’s heart.”

  The entire room erupts in laughter and shouts “To Savannah and Kayden”, before taking a drink from their glasses.

  “Don’t worry; I’ll never break her heart.” Kayden chuckles, as his eyes lock with mine; I can see the happiness and love in them as he looks at me. “Anyways,” he says, turning his eyes back to my father, “I’m more scared of her. This girl has the best shot of anyone I know.” Kayden jokes, before wrapping his arm around my waist and giving my cheek a quick peck.

  Slapping his leg, I let out a nervous laugh. I’ve loved shootin’ my entire life, there’s nothing more exciting than target practice out back of our house in Memphis. My cousin’s and I would spend an entire day shootin’ whatever we could get our hands on, but now since everything that has happened with Jacob and Zak, the thought of holding a gun makes me sick to my stomach.

  I go into a full-on panic attack as I see Victor standing to make a toast. This cannot be happening.

  Clearing his throat and holding his glass in the air, “I would just like to wish you both the best, I’m happy for ya son.” Victor says, before emptying the contents of his glass.

  Kayden nods his head at his father, but that’s the only acknowledgement that he gives him.

  “Well, that was unexpected.” Brooklyn blurts out, the one too many glasses of champagne are giving her a loose tongue.

  Tossing his napkin onto the table, Kayden stands abruptly, “If y’all will excuse me, I’m going to get some air.”

  Before he can walk away from the table, I reach for his arm, “Do you want me to come with you?” I ask, because I’m not quite sure what else to do.

  Kayden’s face is expressionless; for the first time in our relationship, I cannot see what he’s feeling. “No. Stay here with our friends; I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  He glances one more time towards his father and Luanne before exiting the dining room, and heading outside.

  “You sure you shouldn’t go after him?” Rebecca asks, glancing at the doors Kayden just exited out of and back to me as she bites nervously on her fingernail.

  Shaking his head no, Reagan tells me, “Stay here baby girl; he just needs some space. Having his father and her here,” Reagan says, tilting his head towards their direction, “It’s fucked up. Kayden probably just needs a moment to clear his head; I know I would.”

  Looking over my shoulder, I stare at the French doors. Even though
everything in me is screaming to go after him, I agree and stay put.

  “Uhhh.” I sigh, slouching in the chair, “I guess you’re right. I so wanted today to be perfect. I knew the moment they walked through the door, this party was going straight to hell.”

  Brooklyn moves a seat over and sits in Kayden’s now vacant seat, “Here, have another…you look like you need it.” She hands me another glass of champagne and gives me a sympathetic smile.

  “Thanks girl, but I think I’m going to need about ten more to get through this party.” I laugh.

  Brooklyn lets out a small chuckle, “It ain’t a party unless there’s some drama!”

  ~~~

  Kayden

  I’ve been sitting outside for over half an hour; I can’t bring myself to go back in there just yet. It’s taken every ounce of strength in me to not rip my father a new one. I don’t know what he’s thinking he’ll accomplish coming here, but if it’s a reconciliation he’s after, he sure as hell ain’t getting one.

  To top it off, he shows up with Luanne? Like I want my ex fuckin’ fiancée at my engagement party? Fuck no!

  He’s lucky I didn’t knock the God damn champagne glass outta his hand while he did that pathetic frickin’ toast in there; nothing like puttin’ on a good show for everyone. I’ve gone eight fuckin’ years with keeping what he did to me out of the public eye. That is the only reason I’ve kept my cool here all night, because no one here knows Luanne was my fiancée at one point in time, but then decided fuckin’ my father was way better. They just forgot to fill me in on that little fuckin’ tidbit, so I had to find out by walking in on dear ‘ol Dad pounding her on his desk, in our family home for Christ’s sake…after my sisters fuckin’ funeral, no less.

  I feel bad. Savannah’s probably in there freaking out because I’ve been out here so long. I know dinner’s over, because the back yard is slowly filling up with guests coming out to dance.

  I’m sitting between the guest house and the shrubs, in a chair I stole from the patio. I don’t feel like socializing with anyone right now, and knew hanging out on the patio I would be forced to do just that.

  The sound of footsteps in the grass startles me; I snap my head to my right thinking its Savannah. I automatically respond to the footsteps, “Sorry I’ve been MIA so long baby, I just needed to get the hell outta there for a bit.”

  The footsteps stop abruptly and my eyes connect with the person approaching me…Luanne.

  “Umm, Savannah’s inside with your guests. You’ve been gone for a while, so…” She says, nervously glancing at me then back down to her black toenails peeking out of her heels.

  Raking my fingers through my hair, I let out an exasperated sigh, and burn my eyes into hers, “What the fuck are you doing, Lulu?”

  She flinches at my words; her piercing blue eyes look pained as she stares at me, “I just wanted to see if you were all right. Your father was only tryin’ to be nice Kayden.”

  “He wanted to be nice?” A chuckle escapes me, as I take in the words she’s saying.

  “What would’ve been nice, are you two staying in Nashville where you fuckin’ belong.”

  Resting her hands on her hips, she glares at me with her long, inky black hair dancing in the breeze. It’s hard to believe I used to love this woman; now seeing her makes my blood boil. I let out a frustrated groan and stare at the ground.

  “It’s been eight years Kayden. Don’t you think it’s about time you forgave us? All Victor wants is a relationship with you.”

  I will never forgive them for betraying me. She’s living in a fuckin’ fantasy world if she thinks I ever will.

  Leaning back in the chair, I rest my head against the side of the house. The last thing I fuckin’ want is a relationship with my father. I wouldn’t put it past him to slither his way back into my life just to fuckin’ destroy it again. What’s to say he doesn’t get tired of Luanne, and decide he wants to go after Savannah? No. Fuckin’. Way. In. Hell!

  “He doesn’t have a son, he lost me the day we buried Melody. He should’ve thought about how much he wanted a relationship with his son before he chose to fuck my fiancée.” Luanne’s eyes begin to fill with tears as my words hit her, but I don’t care if what I have to say hurts her. She brought this on herself, “Both of you should’ve thought about what your affair would cost you, and of all days that you couldn’t keep your legs together, it had to be the day of my sister’s, his daughter’s burial!?”

  Luanne takes a few more steps, inching her way closer to me, “Kayden…please…” Her words are filled with desperation.

  Before I know it, she’s standing right beside me and rests her hand on my shoulder. I jump out of the chair putting some distance between us, “Don’t fuckin’ touch me!” I hiss through clenched teeth, “I want you and Victor to get the hell out of here and never speak to me again. I’ll tolerate him for working purposes only, other than that, I don’t want to see or hear from either of you.”

  Taking a step back, Luanne stares at me with a look of shock consuming her face, “I did love you Kayden. I’m sorry we hurt you; it was never our intention.” She drops her gaze to the ground and lets out a slow breath before sliding her eyes back up to mine, “Seeing you here with Savannah tonight…I now know how you felt when you saw your father and I together. Even after all of this time, it’s painful seeing you with someone else.”

  Tipping my head back I stare up at the sky that now has dark clouds rolling in, it looks how I feel: dark, angry, and sad…I let a deep laugh rumble out of me. I can’t believe this is happening right now. Shaking my head left to right, I continue to laugh, but it slows down to a slow dark husky chuckle.

  “You don’t know what love is Lulu, you never did, and I bet you never fuckin’ will. Love is what Savannah and I have; the kind of love where you don’t see anyone but that one person even in a crowd of millions. You love money, and status. That’s it!” With every word that pours out of my mouth, Luanne’s eyes grow wider, and her mouth hangs open, looking like she’s trying to form a word, but nothing comes out. “Don’t ever try to tell me you understand how I felt, because darlin’ you sure as hell can’t compare you sleeping with my father while you were engaged to me, to you seeing me happy and moving-the-fuck-on with my life.”

  “What the hell is going on here?” I hear the all too familiar voice of my father booming behind Luanne. Savannah comes running up behind him, coming to a stop a few feet away.

  Rolling my eyes, I run my fingers through my hair again, this time fisting it and letting out a loud groan. “Seriously! What the fuck is this?” I ask, waving my hands between her and my father. “You two think that showing up to my engagement party and wishing us a happy life would make all the shit from our past just fuckin’ disappear?”

  Stalking towards me, my father stops a few inches away and stands beside Lulu. “What is this? This is us trying to move on and stop living in the past, but you seem to want to drag this out forever. What do we have to do to get past this?” He shouts at me, his veins in his neck pulsate with every word.

  I let out a puff of air before speaking, “We will never get past this, but you can’t seem to get that through your fuckin’ heads. I have Lulu over here telling me how painful it is to see me happy, well guess the fuck what? I’m happy that seeing me with Savannah is painful. You deserve any suffering you endure. I don’t want anything to do with either of you, so do me a favor and go back to Nashville.”

  My father shifts his eyes from me to Lulu as he processes everything I’ve just said. I’m done with this whole fucked up situation, pushing past my father I take long strides towards Savannah.

  “Come on baby, we have guests to attend to.” Taking her hand we start to make our way back up to the party.

  My father’s hand gripping my arm falters my steps. His tone is ice cold as he tells me, “We’re not finished here Kayden. I’ve given you space, and half of my God damn company for Christ’s sake! I allowed you to treat me like shit for ye
ars. It. Ends. Today!”

  Is he fuckin’ serious?

  Savannah’s face is beet red, and she looks like it’s taking everything in her to not tell my father what she really thinks. “This really isn’t the time or place to be doing this; we have guests we should really be getting back to.”

  Even when I’m pissed the fuck off, she can turn me on, seeing her here beside me, willing to face any demons that comes my way, even when I don’t want or need her to; it makes me love her even more.

  Looking to Savannah, Luanne snaps, eyes burning with anger “This has nothing to do with you, so I suggest you butt out, and allow us to discuss this!”

  Savannah’s mouth falls open momentarily before snapping shut and she fires back at Lulu, “Excuse me? I think this has everything to do with me since you seem to think my engagement party is the time and place to try and hash all this shit out?!”

  Ignoring Savannah, Lulu rolls her eyes, and turns her focus back onto me, “There’s never going to be a good time to deal with this Kayden. So we might as well do it now and get it over with. It’s no secret that a part of me will always love you, your father knows this, and accepts it, because he knows my heart is his! So don’t try to throw in his face what I said to you in an attempt to cause a rift between us, because it won’t work.”

  Stepping in front of me, Savannah stands directly in front of Lulu poking her in the chest with her index finger, “Don’t you ever speak to me or Kayden like that again. You’re nothing but a trashy, gold-digging skank. You should be grateful I didn’t cause a scene and toss your asses out the moment you stepped onto my property. Kayden has nothing to say to either of you. I’m telling you one time and one time only, get the fuck off of my property or I will have your sorry asses removed by force!”

  There’s the feisty Savannah I know and love. She’s been MIA since everything with Zak and Jacob, but little by little she’s returning.