“Should we get some popcorn? This might last a while,” Olivia teased, earning herself a gentle poke in the side from Callie and a wealth of laughter from the other girls.
**
“This is ridiculous,” Case said with a sigh. “We now have a not-so-subtle audience gaping at us.” Case jutted his chin in the direction of the first-floor library window. Although the women were trying to be discreet, they were failing miserably.
Fancy darted a glance over at the window. Suddenly, her lips began twitching. She ducked her head down, obviously attempting to hide her mirth.
“You think this is funny?” Case asked, feeling incredulous.
Fancy raised her head up. “Yes. Slightly. You need to lighten up a little bit. Our friends are spying on us. And they’re terrible at it.” Fancy covered her mouth with her hand. “I keep seeing the top of Hope’s head and Charlotte peeping past the curtain. They haven’t changed much since we were kids.”
He felt a smile tugging at his lips. “They haven’t, have they?” he asked, captivated by how laughter transformed Fancy’s beauty into utter radiance. She was as spectacular as the Savannah moonlight. “I guess we are who we are, give or take a few changes along the way.”
Fancy’s face fell. “I hope that’s not true. I’ve changed a lot in the last few years. I’m not as self-absorbed.” Her voice sounded sheepish, as if she’d been guilty of conceit. Personally, he’d never viewed her that way, although she had been a little bit focused on her looks. To her credit, she’d always been caring and thoughtful. So what if she’d had a confident air about her beauty. That was nothing to be ashamed of as far as he was concerned. It bugged him to hear her down herself.
“You’ve always had a kind heart, Fancy. That’s your best asset. I remember how fiercely you used to protect Charlotte when she was bullied in school for being meek. As her big brother, I always wanted to go in and protect her from the bullies, but it’s hard to face them all down. I’d deal with one, then another problem would pop up.”
“Charlotte was my friend. Of course I stuck up for her.” Fancy playfully held up her fists. “I was ready to duke it out for her.”
Case couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of Fancy with her fists up. She was the most feminine, prissy woman on earth. He couldn’t imagine her fighting, although he’d heard tales of her scrapping with Meryl at a birthday party when they were kids. He wished with all his heart he could have witnessed it for himself.
“I’m sorry,” he blurted out. Suddenly, he felt petty and small about withholding an apology. Fancy had done wrong, but she hadn’t been the only one. Sometimes he wished that he had been raised in a different manner. Lincoln Duvall had always taught his son that maintaining his pride was the most important thing. “It’s your job to carry on the Duvall name with pride and distinction.” If he had a dollar for every time his father had uttered those words, he’d be wealthy in his own right.
Fancy’s eyes widened. Her mouth hung open.
“Don’t act so surprised,” he said in a light voice. “I can apologize. I allowed my pride to dictate how I handled the situation with you and Marc.” He shrugged. “I’m not saying we could have successfully repaired the damage, but I know now that I wasn’t completely fair to you. It was hard for me to forgive you when I knew that all of Savannah was gossiping about us.”
“Where does this leave us?” she asked in a low voice. He saw a glimmer of hope sparkling in her eyes. Case wanted to be fair to her. After all the animosity that had been brewing between them, he wanted nothing other than calm. A measure of peace.
He blew out a huff of air. It felt like he was letting go of something that had been weighing him down for years. “I want us to be cordial. I don’t know if we can ever be friends again, but our history is too complex for us to just ignore each other. We inhabit the same world. We share the same group of friends. I don’t want it to be the way it was for us at Jax and Callie’s wedding.”
Fancy nodded. Her eyes looked misty. “That was hard,” she said in a strangled voice.“It was such a beautiful day, yet we were both stuck on opposite sides, barely making eye contact. All the while I couldn’t stop thinking of the irony. That day was in celebration of two people vowing to love each other for a lifetime. We would have been husband and wife by then, if things hadn’t crashed and burned.”
Just hearing those words from Fancy made his chest tighten. It was all he had thought about on that blessed day for Callie and Jax. The wedding dress. The flowers. The solemnly recited wedding vows. The entire time he had imagined his own wedding to Fancy. The wedding that would never be. Although he had been overjoyed to celebrate Jax and Callie’s vows, it had been a struggle not to surrender to melancholy. He’d lost the love of his life. There was no way to make that better.
“I’m excited about the future of Savannah House. And I want us to move forward in a spirit of harmony. Does it mean we’re going to be best friends? Probably not,” Case said in a voice that sounded more certain than he felt. Establishing peace between himself and Fancy had been the right move. But it wouldn’t be easy. Frankly, ignoring her and treating her harshly hadn’t come naturally to him at all. It had bruised and battered his heart this entire time.
“Oh, Case. You have no idea how happy this makes me,” Fancy said, stepping toward him and throwing herself against his chest. He felt himself weakening at the feel of her body pressed against him. The smell of lilacs emanated from her hair. He had to stop himself from placing his arms around her and surrendering to a full-on embrace. It was an amazing test of his willpower. To be this close to Fancy and not surrender to the powerful feelings rushing through him like a raging river was a monumental task.
He closed his eyes and allowed himself to revel in the tender moment. If nothing else, at least the cold war between him and Fancy had come to a close. He frowned as the realization hit him that the thawing of their relationship presented a whole host of additional problems. How could he maintain such a cordial relationship with his ex-fiancée without surrendering to the heady impulse to kiss her senseless? Or to hold her hand in his? Or to tell her in the most heartfelt manner that he wasn’t over her…not by a long shot.
“There are only a few things in life worth fighting for. Peace. Justice. Your family. And love. Always fight for love.” Barrett Tolliver
Chapter Four
The reception for the opening of Savannah House was fast approaching. They had decided to host the event at Savannah House a few weeks before the official opening. It was a wonderful way to create buzz about the resort and to thank the community for their unwavering support.
For a multitude of reasons, Fancy hadn’t been focused at all on purchasing a gown for the event. She was the only one of her friends who hadn’t done so yet. Although she had an entire collection of dresses from New York designers, there wasn’t anything that Fancy viewed as special enough for this monumental moment in her life. The dresses were beautiful, but not dazzling. She wanted to razzle and dazzle at the reception. Although she tried to convince herself it wasn’t because of Case’s presence at the event, she was failing miserably.
When she least expected it, his handsome face always flashed before her eyes. Those magnetic gray-blue eyes. His dark blond hair and perfectly symmetrical features were swoon worthy. She let out a sigh. Shake it off, she instructed herself. “I refuse to moon over him,” she said, slamming her palm against the steering wheel as she hit a red light.
She pulled her car up in front of Petal’s Dress Shop. The establishment was owned by her dear friend, Lily Patterson. For a moment she sat and admired her friend’s one-of-a-kind boutique. With the pretty blue awning the color of a robin’s egg and the fancy script on the window, Lily’s establishment was a Savannah favorite. Although Lily had a flair for outfitting brides, she also had a nice collection of formal gowns for all occasions. Fancy prayed that she might stumble upon something unique and gorgeous.
The moment she stepped through the door, the h
eady fragrance of potpourri wafted toward her nostrils. Lily heard the ding of the bell above the door that heralded her arrived. Lily greeted her warmly as soon as she spotted her.
“Fancy! It’s so great to see you in here. You’re looking lovely as always,” Lily gushed. Lily was one of the sweetest and most encouraging people Fancy had ever met. She always made a point to frequent Lily’s dress shop whenever she needed a special gown.
Fancy placed a kiss on Lily’s cheek. “It’s great to see you too, my friend. I’ve been so busy with Savannah House that I practically feel like a hermit these days.” She placed her hand across her forehead in a dramatic gesture. “All work and no play is very dull.”
“You ladies are doing great work in renovating that place. It’s always been a favorite of mine ever since I was little. Everyone in Savannah is buzzing about what it means to this community to have it opening up again. I’ve heard a lot of talk from the brides who come in here too. I’m sure you’re getting swamped with calls.”
“We truly are,” Fancy admitted. “We’re so blessed that people are supporting us. And we have Miss Hattie looking out for us from heaven. Without her, none of this would have been possible.”
Lily grinned, showcasing a perfect set of dimples. “Miss Hattie was a remarkable woman. And some of my fondest childhood memories involve Savannah House. My mother used to bring fresh flower deliveries over there every week. Miss Hattie was one of her best customers. And I was fortunate enough to see her in action. She treated every guest like a visiting dignitary. Such class and elegance.”
“They broke the mold when they made her. That’s for certain,” Fancy said with a sigh. One of her major worries about Savannah House was that they wouldn’t be able to replicate Miss Hattie’s gentility, graciousness and charm.
“So, what brings you here today? Just browsing or are you on the hunt for something special?” Lily asked.
Excitement trickled through Fancy. There was nothing more momentous than the opening reception for Savannah House. It was the culmination of blood, sweat, tears…and dreams.
“I’m looking for something to wear to the reception for Savannah House. You did get your invitation in the mail, didn’t you?”
Lily clapped her hands together. “Yes, and it was gorgeous. The cream and gold invitation was so striking. I’m so excited about it. It’s been far too long since Savannah House has been operational. Miss Hattie—bless her soul. She was an incredible force of nature.”
“She was,” Fancy said in a wistful voice. How she wished Miss Hattie was still alive to join in on the revelry. If she closed her eyes she could picture her unforgettable friend kicking up her heels and celebrating more joyfully than anyone else. “Her legacy inspires me each and every day.”
“Well, let’s look at some gowns. All of you ladies need to look breathtaking at the reception.” Lily beckoned her into the next room where countless dresses were hanging from a rack. “We can start here. These are new deliveries. Straight from Milan and Paris and New York.”
Fancy began combing the racks. The dresses were stunning. Crimson. Pink. Blush. Ivory. The colors were magnificent. All of sudden she spotted a flash of gold and ice blue. She pulled the dress from the rack, letting out a gasp as the utter radiance of the gown washed over her. It was spectacular!
“Fancy, you have to try that one on,” Lily instructed her. “It has the wow factor.”
“I’m not even going to argue with you,” Fancy said as she took the dress and rushed into the dressing room.
“Let me know when you’re ready for a second opinion,” Lily called after her.
Fancy stripped off her clothes and gently stepped into the dress. The fabric was so delicate she felt nervous about messing it up. “Lily, can you come zip me up?” she called out.
Within seconds Lily had entered the room and quickly went about the business of zipping her up. “Come look in the mirror,” Lily said, her eyes twinkling with appreciation.
Fancy moved toward the three-way mirror and let out a huge sigh as her reflection looked back at her from the mirror. The dress skimmed over her hips and cinched in at the waist. It fit her figure to perfection. The colors were perfect against her skin and hair. Even though she was used to wearing designer dresses for photo shoots, there had never been a gown like this one. It felt as if she was meant to wear this dress.
“It’s glorious,” Fancy gushed. “I can’t believe how perfect it is.”
“Wow. You look like a princess,” Lily said. “It’s almost as if that dress was made for you.”
Fancy twirled around in front of the mirror. She threw her head back and laughed. She really did feel like a princess. It had been ages since she’d felt this way. The last time had been at her engagement party when all of Savannah had feted her and Case. She had felt like she was the luckiest woman on the face of the earth. Being loved and cherished by Case had been God’s gift to her, and through immaturity and foolishness she’d allowed it all to slip through her fingers.
“So, shall I wrap the dress up for you?” Lily asked, a huge grin plastered on her face.
Fancy reached down and checked out the price tag. She’d gotten so carried away that she hadn’t even looked to see the cost. She blinked once, then twice to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Ouch! The dress was out of this world expensive. Way out of her price range.
“Is it too much?” Lily asked, a look of sadness creeping over her face.
“Yes, Lily. It’s a bit out of my league at the moment. I’m still trying to pay off some debt from living in New York. My credit cards are maxed out.” Fancy stood up straight. She sucked in a fortifying breath. “There’ll be other beautiful dresses.”
And she shouldn’t be focusing so much on her looks. That was the old Fancy, the young woman who had been taught that beauty was her only value. The new and improved version of herself wanted to be noticed for something other than her outward appearance. She had other attributes that were noteworthy.
“Are you sure? I can take off another fifteen percent.” Lily asked. “It looks ethereal on you. I can’t imagine another person doing this dress justice.” She wrinkled her nose. “Meryl came in to try it on, but it was all wrong for her.”
“I’m going to have to pass on the dress,” Fancy said, barely choking out the words. The sound of Meryl’s name sounded like nails on a chalkboard to Fancy. She made a face. “I haven’t seen her since I’ve been back in town and I’d like to keep it that way,” Fancy drawled. Even though her conflict with Meryl had been years ago, Meryl’s behavior still rubbed her the wrong way. She couldn’t imagine that she’d changed much over the years.
“I can only imagine, considering she’s dating Case,” Lily blurted out.
Fancy felt as if Lily had smacked her in the face with a hard object. She couldn’t seem to get a breath. Meryl and Case! Dating? No! It wasn’t possible. Why would Case stoop so low as to date nasty Meryl? This couldn’t actually be true. It had to be a fake rumor.
Lily let out a gasp. She raised her hands to cover her mouth. “Oh, Fancy, I’m so sorry. I’m such a big mouth. I had no idea that you didn’t know.” She slapped her palm on her forehead. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”
Fancy reached out and grabbed Lily’s hand. “Stop, Lily. Don’t fret about it. I was bound to find out sooner or later. I’d much rather a friend give me the information than to run into the two of them somewhere out and about. Now at least I’m prepared.”
Dear Lord. Please allow me to accept the things I cannot change. And give me the wisdom to know that I cannot continue to hold on to someone who no longer holds me in his heart. I love Case with all of my heart, but being loved by someone is a gift. Only Case can decide if he wants to love me, and he’s made that decision. I have to let him go. It’s time to put my big girl pants on.
She took in a big, fortifying breath as she stepped outside into the crispy Fall air. Put one foot in front of the other. Baby steps. Healing from a broken heart was serious
business. Even after two years, it still felt as if a ton of bricks had fallen on her. And now that she’d discovered Meryl was dating Case, her emotions were even more jumbled. Was Meryl the reason behind Case’s sudden desire for peace between them? Did he want to smooth everything over so that he could have a fresh romantic start with Meryl?
The very thought of Case caring for another woman so deeply—particularly Meryl—burned her insides like acid. Although she knew that she had no right to weigh in on Case’s dating life, she resisted the impulse to call him up and give him a piece of her mind for dating someone so cold and ruthless. Men were so stupid sometimes! She fumed. They couldn’t see what was right in front of their faces.
All she could do at the moment was continue to pray for closure.
There wasn’t a manual for how to deal with a broken heart. It was one of those things, she supposed, that a person just had to wade through in their own way and in their own time. And her jealous feelings about Case moving on with another woman had to be stuffed way down inside her.
“Maybe by the time I’m ninety I’ll get over him,” she muttered as she slid into the driver’s seat of her car and cast a last look at Lily’s shop window. The beautiful gown would have been a nice pick me up, but even a one-of-a-kind dress wouldn’t have been enough to soothe the ache in her soul. It sat there like an anchor, weighing her down and serving as a reminder that she had single-handedly been the instrument of her own destruction.
**
“I heard that it looked amazing on you. You should have just bit the bullet and bought it.” Case instantly recognized the light and airy quality of his sister’s voice through the slight crack in the door.
“It was too much.” His heart skittered as he heard Fancy’s reply. The slight lilt of her southern accent had always brought a smile to his face. He would know the sound of her voice anywhere.
The Last Kiss (Secrets of Savannah Book 3) Page 7