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“The place is beautiful. I had no idea this old barn had so much potential.” His mother suddenly appeared beside him, dabbing the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. “Your Savannah is a genius.”
“She isn’t my Savannah, Mother. She’s very much her own woman.” Blake wasn’t being evasive or ambiguous. He’d spent the past month trying to convince Savannah to formalize their affair. He cared deeply for her, but he was tired of being her dirty little secret.
He and Savannah had spent lazy weekends getting to know each other better. They cooked together, ate together and spent their nights making love.
Bit by bit, he was falling for her, diving headfirst into emotions he’d spent the past two years actively avoiding.
“Women who maintain a sense of self make the best mates.” Iris squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Ask your father.”
They both chuckled and the tension in his shoulders eased. He squeezed his mother’s hand back, appreciative of her underlying message. She wouldn’t stand in the way of him being with Savannah.
Now if only he could convince Savannah it was time to take the next step.
“Can you believe this place?” Zora’s eyes danced with glee as she approached. “It’s incredible, and I’ve been dying for a good reason to dress up.”
Not many occasions in Magnolia Lake called for elegant attire. The typical town event required a well-worn pair of jeans and a sturdy pair of boots.
“Will Dallas be here tonight?” Iris elbowed Zora.
“Said he wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Zora’s eyes sparkled when she talked about Dallas Hamilton—her best friend since kindergarten. Though Dallas still had a home in Magnolia Lake, he and Zora didn’t see each other much.
Dallas’s hobby of building stunning handmade furniture pieces in his family’s run-down work shed had exploded into a multimillion-dollar business. He was frequently overseas attending trade shows, visiting with vendors and presiding over the setup of new retail stores in some of the world’s most glamorous cities.
Sometimes Blake envied the guy. He was a self-made millionaire who’d built an empire out of nothing with a vision and hard work.
“Make sure Dallas comes to see me as soon as he gets here.” Iris beamed. “There’s a spot in the entry hall just begging for one of his custom pieces.”
“Dal is here as our guest, Mother. Not to work. Let him enjoy himself, please,” Zora pleaded.
“That means she plans to keep Dallas to herself all night,” Iris whispered to Blake loudly, fully aware Zora could hear her.
His attention shifted to Savannah as she flitted about the space. Tonight she was simply stunning.
She wore a black one-shoulder blouse and a high-waisted, long, flowing gray skirt with a bow tie at the back of her waist.
He loved her enticing curves. Had memorized them. But tonight, the cut of the blouse emphasized her bustline. Not that he was complaining. The generous flow of the skirt made her curvy bottom seem fuller, too.
Her hair, swept to one side, fell on her creamy, bare shoulder in loose curls. Blake’s hand clenched at his side, his body tensing with the memory of combing his fingers through those soft curls as she lay naked in his bed.
“Seems your brother is more impressed with Ms. Carlisle than with what she’s done here tonight.”
Blake’s cheeks warmed. He shifted his gaze back to his mother and sister. Zora giggled, likely glad their mother was temporarily distracted from her attempts to pair her and Dallas.
“I’m monitoring how she handles herself under pressure.” Blake congratulated himself on his quick recovery. “Maybe you two haven’t noticed who Savannah is talking to.”
His mother and sister carefully assessed the tall, dark-haired man who hovered over Savannah.
“Wait a minute. Is that—”
“It’s Dade Willis,” Zora squealed. “I knew a couple B-and C-list Tennessee celebs had RSVP’d. I had no idea Dade Frickin’ Willis would be here.”
A tinge of jealousy gnawed at Blake as the man flirted with Savannah. The Tennessee native was country music’s latest phenom. His single had topped the country charts for the past ten weeks. That didn’t mean Blake wouldn’t rearrange his pretty, surgically-enhanced face if he didn’t back off Savannah.
“I’d better go greet our guest.” His mother hurried toward Dade.
“Not without me you aren’t.” Zora caught up to their mother.
Blake went to the bar to check on their stock for the event. As Savannah rushed past him holding a clipboard, Blake stopped her with a discreet hand on her hip.
