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“I know she did in me,” Trace said solemnly, his gaze on Savannah.
Nate looked from him to Savannah, then stood up and began pulling on his jacket. “Think I’ll be going along now.”
Savannah whirled around at that. “I thought you might like to stay for dinner.”
“Not tonight,” Nate said, shooting a commiserating look toward Trace. “I’ll be around next time you’re interested in having company. Meantime, you two need anything, you give me a call. I’ll be happy to do what I can. You both meant a lot to Mae. I know she’d be happy that you’re here together for the holidays.”
Savannah regarded him with a disappointed expression. “Come by anytime,” she said, her voice husky, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I want to hear everything you can tell me about my aunt.”
Nate clasped her hand in his. “Come on now, girl. Don’t you be crying for your aunt. She’s at peace.”
“I know. I just wish I’d been here for her.”
“She understood why you couldn’t be here,” Nate assured her. “And I was here. She wasn’t alone.”
“Thank you for that,” Savannah said.
“No need to thank me. My place was by her side,” he said simply. “I only wish I’d been able to give her more. Now let me get out from underfoot, so you folks can have your dinner.” He regarded Trace with a stern expression. “And a nice long talk.”
Trace accepted the admonishment without comment. “I’ll walk you out,” he offered.
Nate shook his head. “No need. I know the way. Seems to me like you have better things to do,” he said, casting a pointed look at Savannah, who’d deliberately turned her back again.
“Yes,” Trace agreed.
He waited until he heard the front door close before attempting his apology. “Savannah?”
“What?”
“I’m sorry if I offended you earlier.”
“If?”she asked with a hint of disdain. She faced him, eyes flashing heatedly. “You all but propositioned me in front of my daughter!”
“I made sure that Hannah was out of earshot before I said a word,” he reminded her, but she didn’t seem the least bit pacified. She turned away and began stirring the spaghetti sauce with a vengeance. “Okay, I’m just plain sorry. I never meant to give the impression that I seriously thought you and I ought to be back here tumbling around in bed together.”
“Oh, really?” she asked skeptically. “Then exactly whatdidyou mean?”
“I was just teasing. Your cheeks get all flushed and your eyes sparkle when you get indignant. That was the only reaction I was going for. I was out of line.”
She turned slowly and studied him. “Apology accepted. I probably overreacted, anyway. It’s been a long time since I’ve flirted with a man.”
“You’ll get the hang of it again.” He reached for her hand and tugged lightly until she was standing directly in front of him. “I only think it’s fair to warn you, though.”
“Warn me? About what?”
“Next time I might not be teasing.”
She gulped visibly, then nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Is it all right if I stay here, or would you rather I go?”
She seemed startled—perhaps even dismayed—by his offer to leave. “Aunt Mae invited you here. I’m certainly not going to kick you out.”
“I know what Mae wanted,” Trace said. “What do you want?”
She drew in a deep, shuddering breath, then stiffened her shoulders as she looked straight into his eyes. “I want you to stay.”
The satisfaction that swept through Trace felt a lot like the exhilaration he felt when a difficult business negotiation ended well. “Then that’s what I’ll do,” he told her solemnly.
