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“He was impressed with you. With what you were willing to do for me. And what you’ve already done for his company. Not to mention the fact that you’re carrying the first Abbott great-grandchild.” Her grandfather’s smile widened. “And my second.”
Savannah forced a smile in return, determined not to shed any more tears.
“Then they won’t press charges against me?”
Something Blake hadn’t bothered to tell her. Just as he hadn’t bothered to return the message she’d left confirming her pregnancy. A clear indication he wanted nothing to do with her or their child. It was a reality she needed to accept.
“Don’t worry about that anymore. As soon as I’m out of here, we can go back home to West Virginia, if that’s what you want.”
“Of course it is.” Pain stabbed her chest. Memories of the nights spent in Blake’s bed played in her head.
He nodded sadly. “All right then, Vanna. You go on home. Get some rest now that you know everything is okay. Come back and see me tomorrow, if you have time.”
She had nothing but time.
“See you tomorrow, Granddad.” She kissed the old man’s whiskered cheek before making her way to the cafeteria to find her sister.
I honestly, truly did it.
So why was she more miserable than she’d ever been?
Because Blake wouldn’t answer her calls or return her messages. But she wouldn’t leave town without thanking him and Joseph Abbott for what they’d done.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“Can I talk to you, son?” Iris Abbott stuck her head in Blake’s office.
“Sure. Come in.” He finished typing an email to a group of distributors before giving her his full attention. “What can I do for you, Mama?”
She fiddled with her scarf, her expression apologetic.
“Whatever it is, Mother, just spit it out.” He sat on the edge of his desk.
She paced the floor. “It’s about Savannah.”
“What about her? Is something wrong with her or the baby?”
“No, it’s nothing like that.”
Blake was still furious with Savannah. She’d lied to him. Gotten involved with him under false pretenses. Hid her pregnancy. Yet he couldn’t stop thinking of her. Wanting her.
“What is it, then?”
“Let’s just say she did too good of a job around here.” His mother sighed. “I’m plumb exhausted from trying to pick up where she left off.”
“I see.” Blake returned to his seat. “Ask Max to run the event manager ad again. Hopefully, we can find a replacement before you get too swamped. In the meantime, Zora and I will help however we can.”
“I suppose that’s one way to go.”
Blake put down his pen and cocked his head. “You’re not suggesting that we—”
“Who better to carry out these plans than the brilliant mind that devised them?” his mother interrupted. “Besides, the distributors liked working with her. I didn’t dare tell them she wasn’t here anymore. I said she was out for a few weeks on personal leave.”
“How could you even suggest we bring Savannah back?”
“Because she did exactly what we hired her to do and more. Did you know she’d already booked several corporate events and weddings at the old barn?” Iris wagged a finger. “We’ll need to hire permanent event staff out there just to keep up.”
The storage room at the barn. That was the last time he’d been with Savannah. His body hummed with electricity at the erotic memory.
He tried to push the sights and sounds of that night from his brain.
“So we’ll hire permanent staff for the space. But that doesn’t justify bringing back someone we can’t trust.”
“But I do trust her, honey. You’re right—she should’ve told us the truth. But she had free rein while she worked here. If she’d wanted to harm our company or sell our secrets, she could’ve. But she didn’t, because that was never her intention.”
“She’s a liar with a heart of gold, is that it?”
“Something like that.” His mother smiled sadly. “Did I ever tell you that when I was about ten years old a man came to town and swindled my daddy out of a good portion of his savings?”
“No.” Blake had learned more about his family’s financial past in the last week than he had in more than three decades.
“It nearly broke him, and to be honest, he was never quite the same after that. He felt he’d failed us. I guess in some ways he had, going for a get-rich-quick scheme like that.”
“Must’ve been tough for Grandpa Gus.”
