“You were beyond jealous. I knew then that you were still in love with that woman.”
“What?” Edward denied Jack’s claims. “I’m not in love with her. I do love her in a family sort of way...kind of like I love my sisters.”
“Yeah, I don’t think you love Savannah like you love your sisters.” Jack laughed. “But if that’s your story...”
“That’s my story.” Edward laughed, too. “And I’m sticking with it.”
“Maybe you should just move to London, too,” Jack said.
“Go to hell!” said Edward.
“I’m only kidding, bro. I know this is a serious situation for you.” Jack wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. “Let me see what we can work out. Perhaps we won’t have to go to court at all.”
“That would be great.”
Savannah had surprised him with the divorce. She’d claimed that she needed to get away and had gone to Georgia for a lengthy visit with her father. After several long weeks, instead of returning to their home in Florida as Edward had anticipated, Savannah had decided to stay in Georgia with her father. Soon she’d had Edward served and completely caught him off guard. And if divorcing him wasn’t enough, she asked for alimony and child support. She wanted the family home and asked that he continue to pay the mortgage until she was gainfully employed. He wouldn’t be blindsided by her again.
In fact, when he was done reading Savannah her rights, she wouldn’t know what hit her.
Savannah was young when she married Edward. Her pregnancy had been difficult, and Edward had insisted that she stay home with Chloe for her first two years.
“I’ll take care of us,” he’d said.
“What about my career? My goals?” she’d argued. “I have dreams, too.”
“Give me time. When I’m mayor, you can go back to work.”
It was too much for Savannah. She’d become invisible to him. He’d stopped coming home at a decent hour. She was alone more times than not, and she’d become lonely. She’d even suspected that Edward and his campaign manager, Quinn, were more than friends. She’d cried too many tears. Begged Edward for a reprieve.
“I can’t focus when you’re on my back all the time,” he’d complained.
Finally, her father convinced her to come to Georgia for a visit. “You and the baby,” he’d said. “That way you can figure things out.”
Savannah, Georgia, had been her home for most of her life. She was named after the city with cobblestone streets and Spanish moss hanging from ancient trees. Her father, a decorated officer in the military, had retired there—it was his home. He’d met Savannah’s mother while stationed in Germany. Nyle Carrington had taken the train from London to Germany for a weekend getaway with girlfriends, and returned to her home in London engaged to a US soldier. They dated for a short time, and soon, Frank Carrington’s wife-to-be was pregnant with their new bundle of joy. When Savannah was two, her father’s tour of duty was over, and the couple moved to his home in Georgia. Nyle found life difficult in the States, and soon returned to London, leaving Frank behind to raise their toddler alone. She sent cards and gifts for birthdays and Christmas, and occasionally she returned for short visits. Each visit, she’d promise to stay. She’d fill Savannah’s head with stories of her home in London and promises that the next time she came, she’d take Savannah back to London with her. Instead, Savannah would awaken the next morning or return from school, only to find her mother gone again. By the time Savannah reached puberty, she’d given up any hope of having a normal relationship with her mother. She’d resolved that Nyle would never be a part of her life. And once she was an adult, she’d cut off all communication with her.
Until now.
Nyle was aging and needed Savannah in her life. She was remorseful and admitted that she hadn’t been the best mother. She wanted to meet her only grandchild and realized the importance of having Savannah and Chloe in her life now. Savannah by all rights could’ve turned her back on the woman who’d abandoned her, but the truth was, she needed Nyle, too. Her life had been incomplete for so long, and she was ready to be a whole person. She wanted Chloe to know her grandmother and to learn about the history and her family in London. She needed to give their relationship a chance.
Conversations with her mother had become more frequent. They talked every day the way mothers and daughters were supposed to. They experienced moments that Savannah had only dreamed of in the past. They talked about Savannah and Chloe coming for a long visit—maybe even permanently. With Savannah’s company downsizing, it seemed like the opportune time.
Nyle invited her to share her flat until she found her own place. Savannah would leave Chloe in Florida with Edward until the school year ended. She’d go there and get settled before coming back for her daughter. She was an experienced designer and already had an interview lined up with a prominent company. Her plans seemed perfect, flawless. And the anticipation of reuniting with her mother was all that mattered now. It was important to her, and she couldn’t see why Edward didn’t understand. He knew the history of her relationship with Nyle. They’d had plenty of conversations about it. She’d cried on his shoulder more times than she cared to remember, and he’d comforted her, given her encouragement. Loved her all the more. She expected him to be the one person who understood this burning desire. But instead, he was the one giving her grief.
“Have you had lunch?” Jarrod walked into her office as he often did, without knocking, and plopped his medium frame down in the chair opposite her desk. He studied her with those light brown eyes and gave her that bright smile that she loved so much. He was nicely built with dark curly hair and a strong physique that he worked for at the gym too many times a week, in her opinion. He was always sharply dressed.
“No time,” she said.
“You have to eat,” said Jarrod. “Why don’t we go grab a bite?”
“I can’t. I have a ton of work to finish up here.”
“I’m giving you permission to take a lunch break.” Jarrod laughed. “I’m the boss. And frankly, you’re a workaholic.”
“I have a meeting with a buyer this afternoon, and I want to be prepared.”
“I appreciate your commitment to this company, Savannah. Even in the wake of my selling it.”
“I love my job.”
“And you’re damn good at it.” He smiled. “Which reminds me. I just got off the phone with an old colleague of mine, Herman Mason. His company specializes in women’s fashion. One of the largest in England. I got you an interview.”
“Are you kidding? Herman Mason?”
“I told him you were my best fashion designer, and he’s very interested in meeting with you when you arrive in London,” he said.
“Jarrod! I don’t know what to say.”
“Say that you won’t embarrass me. Show him what you got.” He smiled. “It’s the least I can do, considering I can’t keep you around here.”
“I appreciate it. More than you know.”
Jarrod became more comfortable in his seat. “I heard the commotion that went on...earlier...with your ex. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine.”
“You need me to rough him up a little bit? Teach him a lesson?” Jarrod grinned at his own joke.
Savannah laughed inside. She knew that Jarrod could never stand up to Edward. Not physically. Not otherwise. The two were very different. When she met Jarrod, she wanted something so different