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“Surprised? Maybe not. Disappointed? Yes. I did what you asked. You said you would be on my side then.”
“No. I said I wouldconsideritthen. Which I did. The thing you have to understand, though, is Iamon your side. I understand what you’re trying to do. I just think this is the wrong way to do it. You’re so bright. You’re so passionate. I’ve no doubt that you can come up with another idea. Just…don’t do it here in Autre.”
Okay, that hadn’t come out exactly right.
The flash of hurt in her eyes confirmed it.
“Savannah—”
“Right,” she said, waving her hand. “Because we’d hate to pierce this beautiful little bubble. Heaven forbid you have to think that anything new, or different, or challenging, right?”
“You think I don’t like new, or different, or challenging?”
“I know you don’t. You basically told me that last Friday. You like things right here, the way it’s always been.”
He leaned in until their noses were nearly touching. She couldn’t back up because the car was right behind her, but she leaned back as far as she could go.
“Well, City Girl, I likeyoua lot. And you are definitely new, and different, and challenging.”
She swallowed, staring up at him.
Then she wet her lips. “And I’m safe because I won’t be sticking around, right?” she asked softly. “You might be into new and fun things for the short term, but you wouldn’t want anything to shake up your world for anything lasting.”
His heart thumped hard against his ribs. “You offering to give me something lasting, Savannah?” His voice was low and gruff.
He shouldnotwant that. He should not believe it. She wasn’t going to stick around down here. Theybothneeded to remember that.
But something flickered in her eyes. Was it desire? Was it longing? Or was it just an urge to slap him hard across the face?
“You say you don’t want people coming down too deep into the trees with you, but I think it’s that you’re afraid of coming out of those trees for too long.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why would I be afraid of that?”
She studied him. “Because you might like it out here. Outside of Autre once in awhile. Outside of what you know. And that would shatter your whole worldview.”
Then she pushed him back, yanked her car door open, and slid behind the wheel.
Theo watched her drive off in her little white Audi before he turned and stomped to his truck.
Savannah may think that she’d just gotten the last word and that this was over.
And it should be. He should let her go now. It would be less painful than letting her go later.
If he was a smart man, he would let it be.
But, as Zander never hesitated to remind him, he wasn’t always as smart as he liked to pretend he was.
He didn’t feel like this was over at all.
twelve
“I can't believehe's making you work right before Christmas," Becca said as Ellie set drink refills down in front of her, Trudy, Rory, and Savannah.
The women were gathered for dinner as they tried to do once every couple of weeks.
Savannah shrugged. "Well, Christmas is the whole point of this one. And he hasn’tsaidthis is my last chance, but I’m starting to think it might be.”
“He’ll fire you if you don’t do this?” Trudy asked, reaching for her beer.
