Tattooed HeartsA Secret Baby Second Chance Romance

by Melissa Devenport

  “I’m leaving, Mike. I don’t know what happened here, but I need time to think. Please just let me go.”

  He finally backed up, though it nearly killed him to do it. His heart felt like it had been ripped out of his chest and torn to shreds. He couldn’t lose her again. Not like this. Not over something that wasn’t even his fault. He couldn’t lose his son.

  “I love you, Savannah Fiacco. And I love my son. You can leave, but you need to hear that and you need to believe that, no matter what.”

  With shaking hands she fitted the key to the ignition. The car roared to life and she carefully put it in gear. He moved out of the way, letting her go. As she backed out of the driveway, the outside lights from the garage illuminated the silvery lines tracking down her cheeks. She was crying. He felt like breaking down himself and sobbing right there in the middle of the damn driveway, for the entire world to see.

  He knew she’d heard him when he told her that he loved her and Carter. Whether she believed him or not, that was another story.

  Chapter 20

  A New Friend

  Savannah

  “Thanks for meeting me. You don’t know how much this means.” Savannah raised tired eyes from the cup of tea Katelyn served her. Her eyes swept over the huge living room, barely taking in all the designer furniture and expensive touches. There wasn’t a toy in sight. Everything was so neat and put together. She blinked and the room swam behind unshed tears.

  I can’t cry again. All I do is cry.

  She’d spent a miserable night and by morning, she knew she needed a friend. She’d texted Katelyn and she’d been happy to move her schedule around. She said it was one of the perks of running her own design business was that she set her own hours.

  “We have lots of time,” Katelyn said gently from beside her on the couch. She sipped at her tea, something minty scented, probably because she wasn’t feeling well again. “Isabella is at preschool and Kian is at the shop. No one is going to disturb us.”

  “Thanks,” Savannah mumbled. She raised her tea to her lips and sipped without tasting anything. It was hot, but not hot enough to scald her mouth. Her eyes blurred again and she sniffed. She wished she had the token box of tissues in front of her on the coffee table.

  Katelyn set her mug down and stared at Katelyn, worry evident on her face. She was dressed nice, as though she was just about to step out to an appointment. Her hair was beautiful, naturally light. It was twirled into a loose bun at the back of her head with tendrils that hung down to frame her face.

  “Are you alright?” Katelyn asked the question with uncertainty. She leaned forward, her entire body a picture of motherly concern. She’d do just fine when she had her baby.

  “I don’t even know,” Savannah answered, too honestly.

  “What happened? Was it something with Mike?”

  “Did Kian say something?”

  Katelyn blinked in confusion. “No. Why?”

  Savannah inhaled deeply, but the sound wavered, somewhere between a sob and a hiccup. It was pretty obvious that it could only be something with Mike. She nodded.

  “I… I went over to his house last night. It was supposed to be the first night he had Carter by himself. I was so excited for it. I spent all day getting ready, I mean, packing up Carter’s diaper bag and toys and making sure he slept so he wouldn’t be grouchy. When I got there, it was weird. There was a woman there. They were talking outside on the doorstep. I just got a bad feeling about it right away. I saw her kiss him.”

  “What?” Shock rippled over Katelyn’s face.

  “Yes. She was there and then she leaned in and kissed him. He made a big production about pushing her away and coming to talk to me, since I was right there. It was just so weird. I didn’t know what to do so I got in the car and left.”

  “He didn’t say anything?”

  “He said it wasn’t what it looked like or something stupid. Clearly of course it was what it looked like. People don’t just come up to you and kiss you for no reason. He knew I was there. They both did and they did it anyway, like they wanted to hurt me.”

  Katelyn sighed. She reached for her tea, but didn’t drink it. “I don’t know Mike well, but I do know Kian likes and trusts him. They’re good friends and that’s a big thing for Kian. He doesn’t trust people easily or lightly.”

  Savannah knew it was true. Kian had a hard past. One she didn’t fully know about, but she knew enough to know that what Katelyn said hit the mark dead on.

  “It just doesn’t make sense. We were doing so good. We hadn’t talked about the future, really, but it felt like we didn’t need to. I just wanted to feel everything and try not to be afraid. The first time we were together, I knew I loved Mike and that scared me so badly that I left. I wanted this time to be different. I know it’s different. It’s been… uh- amazing between us, but I always thought that meant we were exclusive.”

  “It just seems really strange. You said they both knew you were there. Do you think that woman could have been someone from his past, someone who didn’t like how things ended? Someone who was jealous or- I don’t know. She could have showed up there with the plan to cause a scene, just to make you upset.”

  “Why would someone do that?”

  “I have no idea. It’s possible though, because it’s just too weird. Does Mike seem like the kind of person who would stand outside kissing someone? Just in general?”

  “No. Not really. He’s shy. He’s not showy either. He saves that stuff for when no one else is around.”

  “Okay, well it seems more likely that this person showed up when she knew you’d be there, just to cause a problem between you and Mike, maybe even to try and break you up.”

  “We- we haven’t even talked about being together really. I was just so worried that maybe he had someone on the side since I came out of nowhere. He said he’s always thought about me and I believed him, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t with someone else.”

  “Does that seem like Mike?”

  “No,” Savannah admitted. “He’s not a cheater, which is also why it doesn’t make sense.”

  “Has he tried to call you?”

  “Yes. A hundred times. I turned my phone off finally. It’s not the kind of conversation I want to have over the phone. I’m scared he’ll try coming to the house. I haven’t told my parents what happened. They don’t even know Mike and I don’t want them to think badly of him.”

  “That’s very kind of you considering you’re upset.” Katelyn crossed and uncrossed her legs. Her dress pants didn’t lose their perfect ironed look. “So, what are you going to do? If he wants to talk and tell you what happened, would you believe him?”

  “I don’t know. I guess it depends. I can tell when he’s lying to me.”

  “Has he ever really lied to you?”

  “No. But that’s why I could tell. I don’t think he’s been anything but honest with me. He’s told me things about his past that I didn’t even know. Things that were… painful for him to talk about and he trusted me.”

  “I just think this whole thing is a misunderstanding meant to hurt you both. It certainly seems like someone was acting vindictive and maybe even a little crazy, if that’s the right word.”

  “I don’t know. I guess whatever happens, I’ve just been trying to remember that we have Carter now and I’ve always promised myself that whatever happens between us, that he comes first. I don’t want him to grow up with parents who hate each other or parents who are always fighting. If Mike wants a relationship with Carter, then I want him to have one. He’s still his son even if we aren’t together. I want to be that person that takes the high road and tries to forgive Mike, even if I’m still angry and hurt. I know when you have a child there isn’t any room for error. None of this is Carter’s fault and I don’t want to do something that will make him feel like he has to pay for it.”

  Katelyn clutched her hands in front of her lap. She stared at them for a long while before she turned to look at
Savannah again. “That’s very wise. I think you’ve already figured everything out.”

  She laughed a little and Katelyn smiled. “I don’t know. I don’t feel like I have anything figured out.”

  “You do. You just have to trust yourself. You’ve sat here and instead of saying the hundred bad things I know you could say, you’ve said only things that are very perceptive and very true. I can tell just how much Mike means to you because even now, when you’re angry and when you’re hurt, you’re still trying to protect him in a way.”

  “Am I?” Savannah hadn’t realized that’s what she’d been doing. “I’m just trying to be fair.”

  “And that, I think, is the best thing you can be. You have every right to be upset and say all sorts of things you don’t mean or might regret later, but you haven’t. That to me, speaks volumes. I think you need to talk to Mike. Hear him out. I’m sure there is an explanation for what happened.”

  “Honestly, I would be way more unfair at the moment, but I just can’t stop thinking about the way he looked when he was pleading with me not to leave. He wanted me to believe him. God, the look in his eyes was heartbreaking.”

  “I don’t think Mike would do anything to hurt you and Carter. Like I said, I don’t know him, but Kian does and I trust my husband.”

  “Yah…” Savannah reached for her tea and gulped it down. “I should get going. Thank you for having me. I really needed to talk to someone, even if it was just getting my own thoughts out of my head. Since I had Carter, I don’t have a lot of friends.” Her face heated, but Katelyn looked on with kindness.

  “I know what you mean. Sometimes it’s hard to make friends, or at least, real ones. I went through some hard stuff in my own life and there was a time when I felt absolutely alone. I’m glad that you and I are friends. I’m glad that you thought of me.”

  “Thank you for rearranging your whole day just to hear me out. It means a lot.”

  Katelyn waved a hand in the air as though it was nothing. “No problem. I really hope everything works out for you.”

  “Yah… me too.”

  “Just stick to what you told me. Try and remember that no matter what happens, Mike is still someone who is going to be in your life.”

  Savannah nodded. She rose and Katelyn saw her out. She gave her a tight hug which actually did make Savannah feel better.

  Back in her car, she pulled out her phone and sent Mike a text. All she had to do was wait for him to respond. She hoped that what she said was true, that he would still be in her life in some way. She wanted to lie to herself and say it was just for Carter, because he needed a father, but she knew better. She needed Mike. She always had.

  Chapter 21

  Forgiveness

  Mike

  After what felt like a hundred calls and unanswered texts, Mike didn’t actually expect his phone to go off. He heard the text come in long before he saw it. He’d called in sick to work, something he never did. He let Heather have the joy of rescheduling his three clients in his already jam packed schedule. It should have mattered to him, but it didn’t. He didn’t feel anything at all.

  He’d spent a sleepless night tossing and turning. Sometime in the early morning hours he’d moved to the couch. He’d stared at the lifeless TV screen for hours, until he finally dozed off. He drifted in and out of sleep, but the same nightmare, the playing over of the whole incident, always woke him. Finally he’d called work. He’d drifted off over and over, into the afternoon. He realized the sun was high in the sky and it was getting late and he still hadn’t moved from the couch.

  He reached for his phone, his movements uncoordinated and jerky. He fumbled with the device, nearly dropping it off the couch. He finally made his thumb and index finger function together and turned it on. He fully expected the text to be from anyone else. Probably Kian telling him to get his ass into work and to stop causing problems.

  It was from Savannah.

  Mike nearly jumped off the couch. He’d tried to reach her so many times he’d given up on hearing back from her. He figured whatever was happening between them was pretty much over. Christine had seen to that.

  Why didn’t I see it coming? Why didn’t I just go in and call the cops right when she showed up and refused to leave? At least she wouldn’t have been out there. She might have made a fuss, but at least she wouldn’t have been able to kiss him. It still stung, seeing the devastation on Savannah’s face. God, it broke his heart.

  Hindsight was twenty-twenty, or so they said. He’d done the best he could since last night. He’d called the cops and he’d filed a report. He was on his way to filing a restraining order. So what if it wasn’t exactly manly, as Christina had said the night before? Whatever she was doing needed to be stopped. She’d hurt Savannah and Mike would do anything in the world to take that pain out of Savannah’s eyes.

  CAN YOU COME OVER?

  He read her text, hardly able to believe it. Did she want to talk? Was she finally ready to listen? Could he make her believe him? Could he fix things? He didn’t have any answers. He just knew he had to try. He couldn’t live without Savannah in his life again. And Carter… he loved that little boy already. He knew he had to fix things.

  He fired off a quick response. He actually had to ask for her address, since he had never been to her parent’s house before. After she sent him the house number and street name, he confirmed he’d be there in an hour.

  There was nothing more he wanted to do than rush right over to the house and beg for a second chance, or was it a third? He knew he couldn’t go looking like a rumpled mess.

  After a cold shower and a fresh change of clothes, Mike got in his car. He took the few pieces of paper with him that he could to back himself up.

  The ride wasn’t exactly long, but it seemed to take all day. Mike’s nerves were frayed, the edges raw. If his heart hammered any harder in his chest, he figured it might smash right through his ribs.

  Finally he pulled up in front of a quaint bungalow. It wasn’t fancy, as he figured it would be. It was nice, but it wasn’t large by any means. There were flowers planted in two beds in front of the house, just to the left of the concrete driveway and the garage. The grass was green and immaculately cut. A tree, something that was more shrub than an actual tree, stood off in a landscaped circle in the middle of the lawn. It was cut into a triangle shape, the leaves groomed with as much care as the rest of the yard.

  He stopped just short of the driveway. He would have taken more of the house in, but at the moment, the door opened, as though Savannah had been watching for him. Which she probably had. She likely wanted to intercept him before he rang the doorbell.

  Were her parents home? Did she really not want them to meet him that badly?

  He watched as she approached the car. He figured he was near enough to the sidewalk to consider it a parking spot. He put the car in park and killed the ignition.

  Savannah looked immaculate. She didn’t look at all disturbed. She looked like she’d had the perfect night’s sleep. Her hair was brushed out and shimmered with health. Her eyes didn’t have black smudges under them like he had. There weren’t lines turning down the corners of her mouth. No, she was a vision as she always was. She wore a simple yellow sundress, which was short, but not indecently. It revealed long, shapely bronzed legs.

  She didn’t hesitate to open the passenger door and slide into the car next to him. Her scent filled up the small space and Mike’s lungs ached as he took a breath. She didn’t smell like perfume. He knew she didn’t wear any, since she was afraid the scent would bother Carter. She smelled like shampoo and god, he didn’t even know. Sunlight?

  He blinked, unable to look at her. He stared at his hands which still uselessly clutched the wheel. He wanted to say something, anything, beg her to listen to him, but he couldn’t even form a single word.

  “Are you okay?” Her question was quiet, spoken into the near silence in the car. He wondered if she could actually hear how violently his heart was poun
ding in his chest.

  “No.” He turned bloodshot eyes her way. “Are you?”

  “I’m trying to get there.” Her small smile wasn’t at all what he expected. He’d come, expecting rage, anger, hurt. He knew he deserved all three, if that’s how she chose to react. He expected an argument. He expected to have to defend himself. It surprised him that she wasn’t in the mood for a fight given how angry and hurt she’d been the night before.

  “How? How can you sit here and be so calm?”

  She actually laughed softly. It startled him, the sound flooding the car and swirling around him. He thought of them in that car, that night they’d looked up at the stars. It hurt, the way they’d been so connected, so happy, so he forced his mind back to the present.

  “I don’t know,” she responded. “I guess because I’ve had a lot of time to think. I talked to Katelyn too.”

  “What?”

  “Yah. I hope that’s okay.”

  “I have no idea.” He shook his head. His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. “I guess it depends on where we go from here. If you decide never to speak to me again, I’m definitely not ever going to be alright again.”

  “Mike…” There was something about the way she said his name, so infinitely tender, that gave him hope. “I want you to tell me what happened. If you lie to me, I’m going to know, so please, just tell me the truth.”

  He blew out a breath. He didn’t have to look at her to know this was his one shot. She was going to give him an honest chance to tell her the truth. She’d hear him out.

  “That woman at my house was an ex. I didn’t know when I was with her that she was so… unsettled. I never thought she’d stalk me after I broke up with her. After I thought about it though, that must be what she was doing. Watching the house. I swear she had that whole thing planned. She showed up right before you got there. I opened the door thinking it was you and saw her. I wanted her to leave. She said she wanted closure, but that’s not what she wanted. I broke up with her before I ever found out about Carter and certainly before you came back into my life. My heart was never in it. I don’t doubt that I hurt her. The truth is, I never loved anyone but you. After you left, I was a mess. I was stumbling around, trying to figure out how to get my life back together and she… I wasn’t with her for the right reasons. I guess I felt like I owed her an apology. I thought if I gave her one and was sincere, that she’d leave. She didn’t. I even threatened to call the cops to get her out of there. Before I could, you pulled up and she took advantage of the moment. She kissed me, knowing you were watching it all. I’m not proud of it, but on a drunk night, I told her that I loved you. You can imagine how that would set someone off… we broke up a short while later, but god, I guess she wasn’t over it.”