Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 132834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
“Griffen, I—” My voice locked in my throat, and I was appalled to feel wet heat hit my eyes. Was I going to cry in front of Griffen? I stared at the ceiling and blinked.
Griffen cleared his throat, his eyes also on the ceiling. “You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to, but I wanted to tell you—” Griffen swallowed. “I never understood it because Dad was such an ass, but Darcy loved him. She wore that ring with love. And she—”
He swallowed again, blinking hard. I raised the back of my hand to dash tears from my eyes. Fuck. But I couldn’t stop them.
“She loved wearing that ring,” Griffen continued. “She loved Dad, and she loved the hell out of you. And Parker, Quinn, and Brax. If you want it, and you think Savannah would like it, I think Darcy would have wanted her to wear that ring.”
I stared at the ring, trying as hard as I could to remember seeing it on my mother’s finger. I was ten when she died, old enough to have vivid memories of her, but none included her jewelry. Her smell, the bright joy of her laugh. Her smile when she saw me. Her patience. The strength of her arms when I wanted a hug. I could still remember the way she’d kissed my cheek and nuzzled the top of my head as Hope did with baby Stella. I remembered so many things about my mother, but I didn’t remember the ring.
That was okay.
“I think Savannah will love it,” I said, taking in the sparkle, the history, the grace, and the strength of the ring. “It suits her.”
“It does,” Griffen said, clearing his throat again. “And it’s your ring now. Yours and Savannah’s.”
“I just have to convince her to put it on,” I said with a smile, closing the box and shoving it in my pocket.
“She’s not on board with the engagement plan, I take it.”
“I’m working on it,” I said.
“You love her?” Griffen asked.
I didn’t mind saying it again, even though I’d told him downstairs. “I love her. And I love Nicky.”
Griffen nodded. “I can’t say I’m surprised. You’re not that subtle. She is, but I know her pretty well.” He closed and locked the safe, turning to leave the closet. He set a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “She’ll come around. You picked a good woman. And you’ll make a good husband and a great dad.”
I followed Griffen from the closet, temporarily struck mute by his confidence that I was doing the right thing. I’d expected Savannah’s pushback. I hadn’t expected everyone else’s happy acceptance, and I couldn’t deny it felt fucking good.
Just like we’d given Savannah an army to face Lydia, I liked knowing I had my own army at my back. Except my army wasn’t in opposition to Savannah. We were just going to help her figure out what she really wanted.
Me.
I hoped it was me.
Savannah was nowhere to be seen when I went back to the kitchens. I didn’t search her out, turning my attention to dinner. I still had a household to feed in a few hours. And a plan to make for later.
I was giving Savannah space to think, but I wouldn’t let her run.
Savannah showed up to dinner at the last possible second, sliding into her seat, her eyes on Nicky, avoiding mine. That was fine. I could be patient, and she had a lot to digest. I’d had time to think too. When I replayed our conversation in the kitchen, I realized Savannah never said she didn’t want to marry me. She’d questioned how committed I was. Wondered if I was messing with her. But she’d never said she didn’t want to marry me. I was taking that as a good sign.
Normally Savannah and Nicky lingered over their dinner. Not that night. Savannah finished before everyone else, popping up from the table and pulling Nicky from his dessert.
“Mom, I’m not done,” he said, a look of panic in his eyes. Like any other kid his age, Nicky liked his dessert. Savannah’s eyes popped from Nicky to me, then to the half-finished dessert.
“One sec,” I said, picking the dish up myself. “Hold on, Nicky. Your mom has some things to do. Let me get a storage container, and you can take it back to the cottage with you.”
I slid the brownie and melting scoop of ice cream into a small container and handed it to Savannah. “I’ll see you later,” I said.
Her eyes flared wide in alarm, but she didn’t tell me not to come. She just pulled Nicky out of the kitchen and escaped. I watched her flight with a grin, then looked back at Miss Martha.
She shook her head, smiling at me. “You have a plan?” she asked.
“Kind of,” I admitted. “I told her I love her, I love Nicky, and that I know she loves me. She just needs time to get used to the idea. And I have this.”