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“That’s not what we are.” I shake my head at him.
“What wewere,” he corrects.
“You know, you can fuck me like a slut, you can avoid me, and you can play your twisted little games, but you can’t downplay this. Cole…” I take a deep breath before I throw all my pride out the fucking door. “I have never felt the way I do about you before. And yes, I had a boyfriend when I came here, yes, he asked me to marry him, but I never gave him an answer. I never gave him an answer because I knew that he wasn’t what I wanted.” I wait for Cole to say something back, but he just frowns at me like he expects more.
“I had the perfect life back at home, me and Dan had been together since High school, I’ve never had to worry or want for anything. But it never seemed like enough. It always felt like there was something missing. I thought I needed to see the world and have all these grand adventures before I could settle down and commit my life to him.”
“Well, ain’t that what Danny Boy’s offering ya?” He cocks his head to one side, proving that word spreads fast around here.
“Yeah, that’s what he’s offering, and that's how I know that he’s not the guy for me.” Cole shakes his head in confusion.
“The man I want wouldn’t have to offer me anything. He could be broke and on his knees. He could have a million fucked up thoughts in his head and another man’s blood on his hands but all that would matter was us being together.” I step into the small space that's between us. “I don’t need to travel the world, Cole. I found the adventure I want and it’s here with you.” I holdhis dark brown eyes with mine, ensuring that he hears what I’m saying.
“You don’t know what you're sayin’. You don’t know me. Savannah, I’ll only suck all the good outta ya.”
“No, you won’t. I’m not scared of you, Cole. I know the things you’ve done and that there will be more for you to do. I have faith in you, now all you gotta do is have faith in yourself.”
My heart is thudding in my chest while I wait for his response. My ass is vibrating, and when I realize it’s my phone I ignore it. Cole’s cell starts ringing and he frowns at me curiously when he lifts it out his pocket and sees Leia’s name flashing.
“Leia,” he answers, and although I can’t hear the words she’s saying, I pick up on the high-pitched desperation of her voice. Fear suddenly weighs down the tension in Cole’s face and his skin turns white.
“We have to go,” he tells me once he’s hung up. Then, without any explanation, he grabs my arm and starts dragging me toward the door.
“Go where? Cole, what’s happened?” I pull back to resist and he spins around with fury.
“Breanna’s not breathing, Mom and Dalton are on their way to the emergency room with her now.” His words make my legs feel like they’re gonna give in but we haven’t got time for that. I race toward his truck and hop in the passenger seat, praying to God that she’s gonna be okay.
“Sleep now, little ones.” I touch my hand over the chest of each of my grandsons before turning on the mobile that hangs over their crib, then lifting Breanna out from beside them, I take a seat in the rocking chair and snuggle her in my arms.
Garrett couldn’t have named her more perfectly. This beautiful little girl looks just like her aunt did at her age, and holding her in my arms feels like a brand new start for me. Back when my children were young, I never had the chance to be a proper mother to them. I was too busy being Bill Carson's wife.
What Garrett is doing right now, may be his worst nightmare but his father would have been in his element. Bill tried so hard to get some respect from this town. He would have done anything for the opportunity to be its mayor. For years I had to aid him in all his endeavors and behave in the right way. Attend the parties he convinced himself were gonna get him places.
That’s why I needed Hank so much. He brought me back to reality. He reminded me of how simple love could be when you take away all the complications around it. That affair cost Hank his life, and although Bill didn’t kill me, he took away mine too. The boys were past needing me by then, they didn’t need a mama to wipe their tears and clean the blood from the scrapes on their knees anymore. They were already learning tobe cowboys, even little Wade. But Breanna, she needed me. She was far too young to lose her mama.
I’d wanted a little girl for so long, and although he couldn't shout it out from the rooftops, I knew Hank wanted her too. Something softened in him every time he looked into her eyes and I felt so proud that I’d given that to him.
I stare at the baby girl in my arms and feel her little chest rise and fall against mine, the medicine I gave her twenty minutes ago will have kicked in by now. It won’t harm her, just make her drowsy enough not to stir while I go ahead with my plan.
“Are you ready for a new beginning, my love?” I kiss her forehead before taking a calming breath and going over the plan again in my head.
I have the bag with everything we’ll need, packed in the trunk. A baby seat that I got from a thrift store in Billing, already strapped in the back. And most importantly, I have the document we need to start our new life. Everything has been thought through to the last detail, nothing can go wrong. At least that's what I tell myself as I pick up a blanket and drape it around the precious little thing in my arms.
“You help Grandma out and stay quiet now, sweetheart,” I whisper, before opening in the door and clutching her tight to my chest.
“Help!” I scream at the top of my lungs as I race down the stairs.
Leia immediately stands on her feet looking panicked, while the half-wit, half-brother stares at me in shock.
“She’s not breathing. I need to get her to a hospital.” I rush toward the door and start searching for the keys to my car. I know they’re in my coat pocket, but people in a real panic forget these kinds of things. Small details count.
I feel Breanna wriggle a little against my chest and hold her tighter, hoping I gave her enough Chloral Hydrate to stop her from crying and keep her still.
“I’ll call an ambulance.” Leia leaps into action, grabbing her phone and I shake my head. “No time, I’ll drive her to the emergency room myself.” I snatch the keys out of my coat pocket and throw open the door. “You two stay here with the boys and call Garrett.”
“Teresa, you can’t drive. Someone’s got to hold her,” Leia calls after me.
“It’s fine, I have a seat in my car.” I wasn’t expecting any argument on the fucking matter, I was expecting pure inconsolable panic.
