Second Chance Seduction

by Monica Richardson

  “Damn, you are serious.” She finally got it, stood, an inquisitive look on her face. Grabbed her glass of wine and slammed it. She headed for the front door, opened it.

  He waited until he heard the door shut before he exhaled. He immediately pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He needed to reach out to Savannah, explain and apologize profusely. The phone didn’t ring. Instead he got her voice mail, and anxiety got the best of him.

  He needed to get to her, plead his case. Right the wrongs that Quinn had created. She must’ve thought him to be a terrible liar and a cheat. He needed her back in the States, so that he could tell her how much he loved her and needed her in his life. He needed to make her his wife and give her the ring that once belonged to her. He was going crazy! A million thoughts rushed through his head.

  Chapter 22

  Savannah forced her eyes open and glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. It took her a moment to remember where she was, but she still hadn’t quite grasped why she was hearing loud, argumentative voices. She sat straight up in her bed, flipped on the lamp.

  “I need you to leave!” a male voice yelled.

  Savannah stood, grabbed her robe and wrapped it around her body. She cracked the door a bit and listened.

  “I don’t have anywhere to go,” she heard Nyle say.

  “That isn’t my problem, now is it?”

  “Godfrey! Let me explain.”

  “I don’t need your bloody explanation!”

  Savannah crept out of the room, down the hall and into the living room. Xander was standing there in his powder-blue boxer shorts and a white T-shirt that barely covered his large, hairy stomach. A fitted sheet covered Nyle’s naked body. Godfrey quickly moved the shotgun from Xander and pointed it at Savannah.

  “Hey!” Nyle yelled. “That’s my daughter.”

  Savannah held her hands high in the air. Godfrey moved the gun back to Xander. “Out!” He told him.

  Xander reached for his trousers.

  “No!” said Godfrey. “Leave them.”

  “I need my bloody trousers!” Xander complained.

  Godfrey cocked the shotgun. “I said leave them!”

  Xander rushed toward the front door of the flat and went out into the darkness, half naked.

  Godfrey lowered the gun. “I’m leaving. And when I return, I expect you to be packed and gone,” he told Nyle.

  Within seconds, he was gone. Savannah stared at Nyle. Her eyes begged for an explanation.

  “It’s okay. No problem,” said Nyle.

  “What do you mean, no problem?” Savannah asked. “It’s after one o’clock in the morning and we’re being thrown out on the street?”

  “We’ll go to Aunt Frances’s for the night. Once Godfrey calms down...”

  “He doesn’t look like he’s going to calm down!” Savannah said.

  “He will,” Nyle explained. “He loves me. He’s just really, really mad right now.”

  “You were sleeping with another man in his home! How will he recover from that?”

  “He will.” Nyle dropped the sheet, revealing her naked fiftysomething-year-old body that looked more thirtysomething. She began to retrieve her clothing from the floor. “Let’s pack an overnight bag.”

  “I’m packing everything,” Savannah said in a huff, and returned to her room.

  * * *

  The pair caught a taxi to Whetstone and pulled up in front of a two-story brick terraced house. They stepped out of the car, bags in tow, and walked up to the door. Before they could knock, the door swung open. An elderly woman stood in the doorway, bent over just a bit, an apron tied around her waist. Her gray hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her olive face was much like Nyle’s.

  “Why am I not surprised by your shenanigans?” she asked.

  “I don’t need your judgment. Just a place to rest my head for the night,” Nyle said. “And for my daughter.”

  “Just for the night, and not a moment longer,” said Aunt Frances. “You must be Savannah. You’re much prettier in person.”

  “Thank you.” Savannah gave her a half smile. She was still appalled by the events that had led her to this woman’s doorstep. “And thank you for letting us stay for the night.”

  “Come inside. Are you hungry?” She directed her question to Savannah only.

  “No, ma’am. Just tired.”

  “Fine. I’ll show you where you’ll sleep.”

  Savannah followed Aunt Frances through the cluttered space with dull hardwood floors and an old brown sofa in the living room. They reached a small bedroom toward the back of the house, and Aunt Frances motioned toward the twin-size bed in the corner.

  “Here you are, dear.”

  “Thank you,” Savannah responded and dropped her bags onto the floor. She felt defeated.

  “There’s a powder room just down the hall.”

  Savannah nodded her head yes, and within a few seconds Aunt Frances was closing the door behind her. Savannah slipped into a pair of pajamas and then tucked herself beneath fresh-smelling sheets. She wanted to check her Facebook page to see if there were any new postings from Edward. She wanted to talk to him and tell him about everything that had gone on, but her phone had long since died and she hadn’t packed her charger. The first chance she got, she needed to find a store that sold mobile phone accessories.

  Savannah stared at the ceiling. Wondered how she’d ended up in this chaos called Nyle. She was still quite angry, but giggled at the thought of Xander leaving the flat wearing nothing more than his powder-blue boxers—at gunpoint, nonetheless. She exhaled and before long, sleep captured her and she gave in to it.

  Daylight crept through the window and jarred her awake much too soon. Savannah opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling for a moment, tried to grasp where she was. She grabbed her purse and searched inside, found the business card that she’d received from the handsome stranger on the plane—Rolf. She grabbed her robe and wrapped it around her body. Tiptoed out of the room, her bare feet touching the cool floor. Aunt Frances sat at the kitchen table, a newspaper in front of her, reading glasses at the tip of her nose.

  “Good morning,” she said without even looking up.

  “Good morning,” said Savannah.

  “Coffee is over there.” Aunt Frances pointed at the coffeepot on the countertop. “Cups are in cupboard.”

  “Thanks,” Savannah said. “Is there a phone I can use?”

  Aunt Frances pointed toward the cordless phone in the corner of the room. “No long-distance calls.”

  “This is local.” Savannah gave her a smile and reached for the phone.

  “I mean it. No long distance,” Aunt Frances reiterated.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Savannah simply said and then retreated to her room, dialed Rolf’s phone number.

  “Yeah,” his husky voice answered.

  “Rolf?”

  “You’ve got it!”

  “We met on the flight from Atlanta to London. Sat next to each other on the plane.”

  “Savannah,” he stated emphatically.

  “Yes. You remember.”

  “Yes, of course,” he said. “How’s your stay been so far?”

  “Well...not so good. Which is why I’m calling. I’d like to see if that flat of yours is still available?”

  “Absolutely! When would you like to see it?”

  “Right away. Today,” she said.

  “Fantastic. I can meet you there this afternoon. Say around two?”

  “Okay.”

  “Great. Grab a pen and write down the addy.”

  She did. Found a pen in the top drawer of the antique chest. She wrote down the address of Rolf’s rental property.

  “Okay, I got it,” she said.

>   “Take the Tube to the South Kensington station. It’s a short stroll from there. The weather is mild, so you should be okay.”

  “I’ll be there at two. Thank you.”

  Savannah returned the phone to its place in the kitchen.

  “If you want breakfast, you’ll have to cook it yourself,” Aunt Frances said. She hadn’t moved from her spot at the table, and she continued to stare at the newspaper. “There’s eggs in the refrigerator. Meat. Bread.”

  “Thank you, but I usually skip breakfast.”

  “What’s your angle here, dear?”

  “My angle?”

  “Did you come here expecting a happily-ever-after with your mother? Because you certainly won’t get it,” said Aunt Frances. “She’s not capable of doing anything normal. There’s not much hope for her, you know?”

  Savannah glanced into the living area and noticed that Nyle was on the other side of the wall, listening. She felt sorry for her mother at that moment, and wondered if what Aunt Frances said was true. She wondered if there was any hope for Nyle. After all, she wasn’t getting any younger. Savannah averted her eyes as Nyle stepped into the kitchen.

  “Morning, ladies,” she said and went to the cupboard, grabbed a mug. She poured a cup of coffee.

  “Good morning,” said Savannah.

  Aunt Frances glared at Nyle over the top of her glasses.

  Savannah escaped from the kitchen and rushed back down the hall to her temporary quarters. She gathered her underwear and toiletries and retreated to the powder room for a shower. The pipes squealed as she turned on the water. She glanced at herself in the faded mirror and wondered how she’d ended up in this place.

  Savannah stepped from the underground train and onto the platform at the South Kensington station. She walked the few short blocks to Rolf’s flat, stood outside and waited for him. She was happy to see the black sedan pull up and park in front of the white brick property.

  “Been waiting long?” Ray-Ban shades covered Rolf’s face.

  “Just got here.”

  “Well, let’s go inside.”

  Shiny hardwood adorned the elegant Victorian flat. A beautiful tan leather sofa and matching chair, glass tables, and stainless appliances made the space look spectacular.

  “I’m sure I can’t afford this,” she stated. “It’s already furnished.”

  “No worries. I’ll work with you.”

  “You do realize I don’t have a job, right?” she asked. “I have a couple of months rent, but no job.”

  “I’ll tell you what... I might be able to help. I know that your background is fashion, but I think I might have something that can get you by for a bit.” He pulled his wallet from the inside pocket of his blazer. Handed her another business card. “Drop by here. Dr. Abbott. Tell him I sent you. Wear business attire.”

  She studied the card. “What type of work?”

  “It’s a receptionist position. It’s quite busy, so you’ll need to keep up.”

  “Answering phones?”

  “And arranging appointments for a busy doctor. Billing. Things of that nature,” he said. “It’s a paycheck, right?”

  She smiled. “Right.”

  “I’ll take a deposit, but won’t charge you rent until you get your first paycheck from Dr. Abbott. However, you’re free to move in today if you’d like.”

  She studied his face. “You’re serious.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re too kind.”

  “No smoking and no pets,” he warned. “The place rents for nine hundred fifty pounds, but for you rent is six fifty, due on the first, but no later than the fifth.”

  “How much is that in US dollars?”

  “About a thousand US dollars per month.”

  “I think I can handle that.” She grinned.

  “I’ll draw up a contract,” he said. “Is your deposit in cash?”

  “Yes. I can switch the currency if you need me to.”

  “No worries. US dollars are fine.”

  “Thank you, Rolf. Thank you so much.”

  “My pleasure.” He pulled a single key out of his pocket. Handed it to Savannah. “Welcome home.”

  In only a few days, she’d snagged her own flat and a new job. Things were quickly looking up.

  Chapter 23

  Savannah lit a scented candle and found some nice music on the stereo. She’d spent her Saturday morning picking up a few items at a yard sale that she found just a few blocks away. The space couldn’t be more perfect, and she tried to make it feel warm, but it felt nothing like home. She missed her house that she and Chloe shared in West Palm Beach. She missed her daughter and their strolls along the beach. She missed picking her up from school and arguing over what to prepare for dinner and helping with homework. She even missed Edward, even though she told herself that she didn’t.

  She placed an arrangement of fresh flowers in the center of the wooden table and tacked secondhand curtains on the windows. She unpacked her clothes and hung them in the closet, placed her underwear in drawers. She enjoyed her time alone before Nyle returned from picking up groceries. Nyle had settled in, too. She’d claimed the bedroom at the end of the hallway—the one closest to the bathroom. Savannah was reluctant to cohabitate with her again, but knew that her mother had nowhere else to go. She was her only hope. That didn’t stop Savannah from reading her the rights—no smoking, no pets and no scandalous behavior, she warned.

  It wasn’t long before Nyle was banging on the door, her arms filled with bags of food. Savannah let her in and then grabbed the bags, placed them in the kitchen on the counter.

  “You bought a lot of stuff.”

  “Storm’s coming,” said Nyle. “I want to make sure we have the things that we need.”

  “That was thoughtful.”

  “Savannah, I cannot tell you how sorry I am...about all that has gone on,” Nyle said. “I promise to make it up to you.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” said Savannah. “But I don’t want to come home and find you in bed with some random man. I have a five-year-old daughter who will be here soon.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that.” Nyle pulled out one of her herbal cigarettes.

  “And I said no smoking,” Savannah reminded her.

  “They’re herbal. Not a drop of nicotine in them.”

  Savannah shook her head no, and Nyle put the cigarette away. In a huff, she started to unpack the groceries. “I’ll get dinner started.”

  Savannah began to help put groceries away in the cupboards and refrigerator. She hoped that she and Nyle could start over again, pretend that nothing ever happened. She wanted this thing to work out, but the truth was, she was afraid to shut her eyes around the woman. She could barely be trusted.

  “I almost forgot.” Nyle had changed into a pair of the shortest of shorts and a cropped top. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. “I picked up a charger for your phone.”

  Savannah exhaled. “Thank you! Thank you very much.”

  “I know it’s been torture for you, not being able to check in with your little girl.”

  “I’ve been going crazy!” Savannah rushed into the bedroom and retrieved her phone, plugged the charger into the wall behind the sofa in the living room.

  “You’re a good mother. I can tell,” Nyle said out of the blue. “A lot better mother than I ever was.”

  “I made it my business to be in Chloe’s life. It’s always been my goal.”

  “You must really trust your ex-husband, to leave your daughter with him.”

  “I do. He’s good with her. He loves her just as much as I do.”

  “I know you don’t like talking about him,” said Nyle. “But what went wrong with you two?”

  Savannah s
ighed. Nyle insisted on knowing about Edward, and she wanted to keep her at bay. But then realized that the only way that the two of them would ever get to know each other was to talk about things—things that might be uncomfortable.

  “Edward was married to his career. When I was pregnant with Chloe, he was running for mayor. He was never home, always on the campaign trail, and always with his beautiful campaign manager. He barely made it for Chloe’s birth.”

  “Hmmm, another woman,” said Nyle. “I bet she wasn’t as beautiful as you.”

  “He claimed that they were just friends. And that nothing ever happened between them.”

  “But you don’t believe it.”

  “I didn’t know what to believe. All I knew was that he hadn’t made our marriage a priority. So I rushed to Daddy’s house. Hired a lawyer and divorced him.”

  “Did he fight for you?”

  “I think his fight was more about saving face. He was a political figure, and he didn’t want the embarrassment of a divorce.”

  “But over the years, you two have become friends.”

  “More like co-parents,” said Savannah. “We both have a lot of love for our daughter. We’ve agreed to be civilized for that reason.”

  “How does he feel about you moving his daughter to London? How will you pull that off?”

  “It wasn’t easy, convincing him that this was the right thing to do.”

  “Is it? The right thing? Because I have to tell you...you don’t seem very happy here at all.”

  Savannah looked at her mother’s eyes. Tears threatened to fill hers. Had she been that transparent?

  “I know that I’ve been a terrible mother, Savannah. And I know that you’re here looking for all those things that I deprived you of. I know that I left a horrible void in your life. And I’m sorry,” Nyle said. “I’m just a rotten person. And I don’t know if that will ever change.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t expect too much from me. I’m too old to change.” Nyle chuckled. “Don’t destroy what you have, the beautiful life that you have, looking for something that might never be.”

  “What are you saying? It was a mistake to come here?”