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Once upon a time Case had loved her to distraction. There hadn’t been a single thing in the world that he wouldn’t have done for her. And he had done so many wonderful things. Romantic gestures that had let Fancy know exactly what she meant to him. A hot air balloon ride on her birthday. A room full of roses on their anniversary. A moonlit carriage ride through downtown Savannah. She raised her hand to her chest as pain sliced through her. Those days were gone, and now she was left with nothing but memories. And even though sweet, tender memories should make her feel better, all they were doing at the moment was serving as a reminder of loss. Huge, crushing loss.
Suddenly, it was becoming way too much to bear. On this night of all nights she had been determined to shine and smile and show all of Savannah that she was a survivor. But after seeing Meryl, she felt like a deflated balloon. Tears stung her eyes and she sniffed them away. It killed her to know that Meryl had taken her place in Case’s life.
“Hey, are you okay?” Olivia was standing beside her, staring at her with clear concern. Her warm brown eyes radiated compassion.
“I’ll be fine,” she said in a shaky voice. “Just feeling a bit overwhelmed. I’m going to go out back and get some fresh air.”
“Do you want some company?” Olivia asked. “You can lean on my shoulders anytime.”
Fancy reached out and squeezed her friend’s hand. “Thanks for the offer, but I need to clear my head.” She smiled at Olivia, trying not to fall apart before she headed outside. There was no need to put a damper on Olivia’s night simply because she was feeling out of sorts.
Olivia studied her carefully. “If you’re sure,” she hedged.
“I’m sure,” Fancy said. She made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go back to the festivities. This place is beginning to fill up.”
“Don’t stay outside too long. We’re going to do our welcome speech in a half hour or so and we need you there.”
Fancy made her way through the hall, managing to put on a brave face as she greeted old friends and members of Savannah society. She prayed that she wouldn’t lay eyes on Case and Meryl. It would be devastating to her if she did. At this moment she needed to go outside in the cool night air and gather strength. If she was going to have to face them as a couple this evening, she needed her wits about her.
As soon as she pushed open the back door lead
ing to the gardens, she felt an immense sense of relief. The fall night air swept across her body, making her shiver slightly. She’d been in such a hurry to leave the party that she’d forgotten her wrap inside. Oh well, she thought with a sigh. There was no way she was going back inside for it. Better to be chilly than to risk coming face-to-face with Meryl before she’d prepared herself. There had been such a look of triumph stamped on Meryl’s face. She couldn’t help but think that her childhood foe was still trying to one-up her. It was clear that she hadn’t changed at all since they were kids.
Lord, please wrap your arms around me tonight. I need You. I need strength. I need to face whatever is happening between Case and Meryl. I can’t stick my head in the sand and pretend that he hasn’t moved on. Please give me the grace and courage to let go of him and not give in to bitterness. Let me face my enemy with class and not stoop to her level.
Tears ran down her face and she allowed herself to sob quietly. The gardens had come a long way in the past few months. They were no longer full of weeds and out of control. Hope had been working hard on this project, and she had managed to beautify the property in so many ways. The romantic white trellis and arbor had been repainted by Hope so that it now had a fresh, new glow. With the help of gardeners, Hope had come up with the idea to create a small maze to add a bit of glamour to the garden. In springtime, roses would be in full bloom, along with an assortment of other flowers. It was truly stunning.
“Fancy. What are you doing out here when the celebration is inside?” The richly textured male voice came out of nowhere. It crackled in the night air like electricity. It was a voice she knew as well as her own.
Fancy whirled around. How had Case known she was out here? She quickly swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to get rid of the tell-tale evidence. By the way Case was staring at her, he knew she’d been crying. His brows were drawn together in a fierce frown.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice ripe with tenderness. His gray-blue eyes narrowed as he looked at her.
“I’m fine,” she said, her voice trembling.
He easily swallowed up the existing space between them. “Looks like you’ve been crying.” He reached out and brushed his thumb under her eye, wiping away the last traces of moisture. “I hate seeing you so torn apart.”
“Don’t you dare feel sorry for me, Case Duvall. I won’t be able to bear it.” She willed her lips not to tremble so violently. And why did her voice sound so strained? She was mere seconds away from crumbling right before Case’s probing gaze.
“How could I feel sorry for the most magnificent woman here tonight?” he asked, his voice sounding husky and rugged to her ears.
She raised her head up to look at him. Sincerity was emanating from his eyes. He was gazing at her with a look of male appreciation. Oh my goodness. It had been a long time since she’d seen Case looking at her as if he saw her. Truly saw her! For the most part he’d been looking straight through her for the last few years. She felt a sudden chill sweep through her that had nothing to do with the night air.
“Thank you,” she whispered, hoping not to break this wonderful spell by speaking. If she pinched herself, would she awaken from a lovely dream?
“You look utterly radiant. Blue and gold always did look amazing on you.” Case’s eyes traveled down the length of her. He let out a sigh of satisfaction. “This dress was made for you.”
Blue and gold. Her two favorite colors. Not many people knew that. But Case did. He’d known everything about her right down to the freckle on her left ear.
Could it be? Was it possible?
“You!” Fancy said in a shocked tone. “It was you.”
“Me what?” Case said, eyes twinkling. She could tell he was trying to keep his expression shuttered, but he couldn’t manage to control his facial expressions. An impish grin lit up his face. He was totally giving himself away.
“You bought this gown for me. Didn’t you?” she asked as her heart pounded like a jackhammer inside her chest. She felt as if everything in her world hung in the balance. If her hunch was correct, it changed everything. “It was hand delivered at the house by Lily. She wouldn’t say who had purchased it for me, only that it was someone who knew how lovely I would look in blue and gold.”
He went silent for a moment. She could see the wheels turning in his head. After a few beats he answered her. “Yes, I did. I overheard you and Charlotte talking the other day at Savannah House. You were both lamenting the fact that you couldn’t purchase this one-of-a-kind gown. Once I saw it, I knew it was meant for you. No question.”
