Chapter Six
Savannah
I sit twirling the stem of my wine glass between my fingers, watching the red wine rise up the sides then bleed back down. I hear the guys joking around while they clean up in the kitchen. Abigail is on the phone with her sister, excited about her coming for a visit soon. I push the sinking feeling away of when I’ll see my father next. I long to see him and Lynn.
“How do you like it here, Savannah?” Daniel’s question pulls me from my thoughts. He takes a seat next to me at the dinner table.
“It’s…” I take a deep breath, “all a little surreal. Don’t get me wrong—I’m incredibly thankful. It’s just that I went from my old life, to a prison, to this.” He nods. “I think I feel like I’m floating with no roots to hold me down. I’m not really sure where I belong.”
“Well,” he rubs his chin, “you’re not the first person to say that.” He gives me a reassuring smile. “Have you made any friends yet?”
“Umm, friends? Ah—well, Mark seems friendly enough.”
“Yes, Mark has been around for a long time. Good man. Anyone else?”
“I guess Paul, John, and Keith.” He nods, agreeing with me. “York is an interesting character.”
“Yes, York is something else.”
“I love Abigail. She’s like mother and sister all rolled into one.” I pause, knowing what he is waiting for.
“What about Cole? Has he been friendly?”
Oh, boy. I take a long drink of my wine to stall. Truthfully, I don’t really know how I feel about him. I know the stories I’ve heard scare me to no end, but he’s also the first man in twenty-seven years who makes my stomach bubble with warmth. I’ve had boyfriends in the past, but when my father became mayor, they seemed to enjoy the fame a lot more than I did.
I glance over at Cole in the kitchen. He is such a beautiful man. Once more I take in his tall, lean body, those eyes you could get lost in and never return. Why in the world he hasn’t been snatched up still baffles me. I blush when his father clears his throat. Clearly, I just got caught. He lets out a little chuckle.
“Cole’s been—”Caring, kind, respectful, understanding, yummy.Oh, Lord, Savi, get a handle on yourself!“Great,” I say, feeling like an ass. Such a lame answer. “He’s been very hospitable.” I shake my head as I fumble over my words. “I mean…he makes me feel welcome and secure for the first time in, well, a long time.” I shrug, trying to explain better. “I—I don’t even know what safe feels like anymore, but whatever he does, it’s nice.” He grins at me…oh, shit. “But that’s his job, so…yeah, I guess he does it well.”Oh, shoot me now!Why couldn’t I have said fine and leave it at that?
He chuckles again, and I close my eyes, mentally slapping my forehead. I’m such a moron!
“Yes, Cole has always been very good at what he does. His mother worries he’s a little too dedicated sometimes. She feels he’s hiding behind his work. He likes to keep people at arm’s length. You know this job can be hard on the head. He was born to be in the Special Forces, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t screw with you.” He stops himself. “I apologize. Forgive me. My mouth has run away with me.”
“No, it’s fine. Truthfully, it’s refreshing getting a little insight on these guys.” Cole, mainly, but I wasn’t about to say that.
“So, tell me, Savannah, what did you do for fun back in New York?”
“Fun?” I almost laugh. Fun isn’t a word I’ve used in a long time, even before my prison. “I guess that would be going to listen to live music at local pubs. I’m a sucker for the blues.”
“Oh, yeah?” His eyes light up. “You know, there’re a few places in town that have live music.”
“Town?” I look at him, puzzled. “I wasn’t aware we were close to a town.”
“Redstone. It’s about fifteen miles from here. You should check it out. One can go a bit stir crazy up here.” Huh.
“I guess one would go stir crazy if they were here long enough.” I watch his face, waiting for a sign, any indication that I’ll be here for a while. He takes a drink, but his face gives nothing away. “I feel like you’re telling me to set some roots here, make some friends, and check out the nightlife.”
His eyes flicker toward where Cole and Mark are talking.
“I won’t be going home for a while, will I, Daniel?”
He doesn’t look at me.
“That’s a question I can’t answer for you right now, Savannah.”
My stomach sinks.
“But you just did,” I whisper.