“What the devil are you doing?” If I’m the beast, Savannah is Snow White, communicating with the woodland creatures.
Have I hit my head?
Did I actually land in America several hours ago, or am I having the world’s most awful dream?
“Nutquacker sometimes forgets his place, and he’s ridiculous around strangers.” She shifts between me and the goose, playing the hero once again. “Are you okay? I should’ve seen Nutquacker coming. Or heard him. He’s hardly quiet. But I was—well, I was distracted.”
Her gaze drops as the goose quiets itself. “Can we please finish the treasure hunt, and then actually sit down and talk? I know nothing’s going exactly right, but I’m having a lovely time with you. And I can’t explain it—not fully—but I need to win this. My friend Olivia is always telling me to follow the signs, and the signs say that I have to do this. Those boys won’t be far behind us, even if Hope stalls them, and…”
I clear my throat and reach to adjust my tie, only to remember I’m not currently wearing a tie. My throat is tight for other reasons, ones only Savannah can resolve.
But I can wait to talk. Of course, I can. I can do whatever it takes to make her happy. “Let’s finish this, then,” I say, collecting my bike from the ground nearby.
Her smile returns. “Great. Thank you so much. And thank you, Nutquacker, for getting us back on track. Now, you can slow down the other hunters too, but do not hurt anyone. Understand?”
The goose gives her a menacing glare, then shakes its head and snort-honks.
“I mean it, Nutquacker.”
The damned bird flops to the ground and pouts like a child.
“Good boy,” Savannah says. “Colin, let’s go. The cemetery isn’t big, but there will be so many places to hide the next clue that we shouldn’t waste any time.”
I fear I’ve already wasted too much time with this woman. But if she’s willing to let me accompany her on this quest, and is committed to talking afterwards, then this is time well-spent.
All time with Savannah is well-spent.
Especially since she clearly intends on presenting me with a very large but when we’re finally able to discuss our situation and why mutual adoration might not be enough to ensure I leave Happy Cat with my family intact.
She’s a part of my family now, one I can’t bear to lose.
Chapter Eight
Savannah
When I was an actor, I was always able to tap into my emotions and funnel them into my work. It gave me a safe place for all those big feelings to come out and play.
There was a script, after all, and we had to stick to it, not to mention a director and a showrunner and tons of other people tasked with making sure we stayed safe on set. My emotions couldn’t hurt me back then. They were my tools, my talent, my superpower, what set me apart from other kids and made me a star.
When the show ended and my family returned to Happy Cat full time, those big feelings naturally found other outlets. I fell in and out of love with several local boys, launched a business I was passionate about, and eventually found Steve.
And then he broke my heart, and I realized just how dangerous real-life feelings could be. Real-life feelings weren’t controlled or scripted. They were painful, unpredictable, and they made me hurt so much that all I wanted to do was escape. I needed that escape so badly that I abandoned my biggest pet project, Sunshine Sex Toys, and left it to Cassie for her to pick up the pieces.
But then I found Beatrice and Colin, and those feelings slowly started working their way to the surface again. I threw myself into loving Bea—I couldn’t help myself, she’s such a sweet, special kid. I learned what she, as a child, needed from me, how to give her that safe space to feel but also how to work through hard feelings without running away. I was rewarded by watching her grow in confidence, self-love, and happiness, and sometime in the middle of it all, I realized that I deserve happiness too.
And that it’s okay for me to feel big things. And that I’m strong and brave enough to handle them, even when it’s hard.
But right now, I’m afraid of all the big things I feel for Colin. Especially now, as we prop our bikes against the wooden fence surrounding the cemetery.
“Quite lovely for a graveyard,” he says quietly.
“I used to be spooked by all the headstones,” I confess, my voice hushed too, “but then Olivia helped me to see that these are places of peace. Plus, the clue was right. These people might be resting, but look how many are resting with their soulmates. Love never dies.”
“It’s a lovely sentiment.”