Chapter Three
Savannah watched Riley as he leaned down to kiss Annie. “I told Cody the band would do a set at the Honky Tonk Angels bar tonight. How about I treat you ladies to a fine barbecue dinner beforehand?”
“You had me at ‘do a set’,” Annie replied and looked at Savannah. “You in?”
“Honky tonk, barbecue, and Riley Morgan singing? I think I could soldier through.”
Riley laughed, gave Annie another kiss, and straightened. “See you ladies later.”
“God, girl, how are you not in a constant state of hormone storm?” Savannah asked when Riley was safely out of the house.
“Who says I’m not?” Annie asked.
“I still have trouble calling him Riley. All I can see is Nate Bridges.” Savannah indulged in a moment of being a fan girl “Nate Bridges. Oh my God, you’re married to Nate Bridges.”
Annie laughed. “Listen, not a day goes by that I don’t pinch myself to make sure it’s real.”
“I’m so jealous I should be glowing green.”
“Oh yeah, like you’ve got so little to be happy about. Girl, you should be on top of the world. Your first books on the bestseller list, a film adaptation, you’ve already sold the television rights to the new series, and it hasn’t even released.”
“I know and don’t get me wrong, I’m really grateful, but it’s not much company when you’re alone in your bed, if you know what I mean.”
“So, I’m guessing you’ve decided that you’re definitely going through with the divorce?”
As much as Savannah hated that she’d failed at marriage, she accepted it. Hers was a marriage that had been doomed from the onset, and she’d finally come to terms with it. “Definitely. It’ll cost a fortune, but I’m buying Tim out. He gets the house, the cars—all of it, plus a lump sum settlement. I’m keeping the spas since I was the one to build up the franchise. And he can’t touch what I make on any future earnings. I’m just ready to have it done and be free.”
Annie reached out to put her hand on top of Savannah’s. “Are you doing this because you’re mad that he cheated on you or because you don’t want to be married to him?”
“At first I told myself it was the cheating.” Savannah stood and headed for the coffeepot, looking over her shoulder at Annie. “But the truth was, I don’t think I’d ever really been happy. I mean—God, it sounds awful to say, but Tim was my ‘safety net.’ I was nearing the end of my twenties and had no other prospects, so when he came along, I figured marrying him beat being alone.
“Only it didn’t beat anything. Six weeks after the wedding, he was already looking at me with a what the fuck have I done expression. And I wasn’t feeling much different, but I didn’t want to admit it. I wasn’t interested in anything aside from building up my chain of spas and starting a family, so I basically scheduled sex with him every time I was ovulating, which, let’s face it, isn’t very romantic or sexy.
“Still, it’s what I wanted more than anything, and he put up with it. So when I realized he was cheating, I guess I didn’t really care.”
“Why?” Annie asked as Savannah returned with the coffee carafe and refilled both of their cups. “I mean, surely you couldn’t have been happy?”
Savannah shrugged. “No. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t remember ever really being happy or unhappy. We got along okay. He pretty much did his thing and I did mine. Even with the cheating. It wasn’t like we fought or anything. And again, what I wanted more than a happy marriage was a child. I know that sounds horrible, but it’s the truth.”
“So what happened?”
Savannah looked away. She couldn’t bring herself to speak the entire truth, but gave what she could of it. “I had a series of miscarriages.”
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry.” Annie was quick to reach out and touch Savannah’s hand in a gesture of comfort. “But you still have plenty of time to—”
“No. I don’t. I can’t have children.”
“Savannah— I… I’m so sorry.”
“So am I.”
“How did Tim feel about that?”
“I don’t think it really mattered. He wasn’t that gung ho on having children anyway. It’s… it’s hard to explain. We made good friends and really had a decent life until the first book hit. Then it all started to unravel. Tim hated my success.
“At first he tried to make fun of it, put me down and make me feel that I’d earned this money by being some kind of joke or by doing something that was frivolous or inconsequential. Later, he just got mean about it.
“So, we started avoiding one another and over the course of a year or so, we became these strangers that skirted around one another, avoiding looking at or speaking to one another, and then my next book hit and he acted like it was a personal insult or something and just stopped talking to me at all. Two months later that rag mag published those photos of him and that girl and—and well, that was pretty much it.”
“I remember,” Annie said. “That was during the time we first started talking about doing the anthology.”
“Yeah, it’s part of the reason I came here. I mean, it’s a lot easier to work this way, being close, but I also had to get out of there.”
“What about your spas? You have, what, a dozen now?”
“Fourteen and I’m signing the papers this week to sell the franchise.”
“Seriously? Are you sure about that? I mean, haven’t you spent your entire adult life building that empire?”
“Yes, but I’m really ready to move on, and I got such a great offer. No matter what this writing thing does, I’ll be fine. And I’ve put in an offer on the spa in Cotton Creek that went belly up.”
“What makes you think you can make it work when they couldn’t? No offense intended, but I’m curious.”
“Because I know the business and what women want from a spa. They want a place they can relax, be pampered, and more importantly, be made to feel good about who they are rather than being told who or what they should be.”
“Well, amen to that. So it would be a women only place?”
“Oh no. Men are just as much in need as women.”
“And you can cater to both? So what would you do, exactly, just manage?”
“Mostly yes, but I like to keep in practice so I’d take some clients.”
“For?”
“Massage. Certified masseuse here.” Savannah raised her hands and wiggled her fingers. “Swedish, aromatherapy, hot stone, deep tissue, shiatsu, Thai, pregnancy, reflexology, and sports massage. It’s how I worked my way through college and I just kept studying and doing internships and getting more certifications. When I graduated, I used an inheritance to open my first shop and… Well, that was the start.”
“I had no idea. That’s amazing. And Tim? What did he do?”
“Well, you know he’s a CPA so he took care of the finances.”
“And you’re one hundred percent sure you and he are done?”
“I am.”
“Okay then. I think if you want a divorce, you should get one. Start fresh here if your offer is accepted.”
“I think it will be and I made another offer as well. To Charli. I want to buy the lake house.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I love it, and I’m making friends here and that feels nice. Plus, I’m tired of city life. You know I grew up in Georgia, right?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yep. Named after the place I was born but grew up in a small town west of Savannah.”
“And you don’t want to go back?”
“No. I want to make my own place somewhere. Maybe here. Unless you don’t want me here?”
“Are you kidding? I love you being here. And not just because of the book.”
“Thanks. And speaking of books, my second book for the anthology is giving me a bit of a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Well, it’s the main characters. At first, he was going to be a guy who showed up in town, down on his luck and with no apparent skills. But then I changed it, thanks to Deanna Walters, you know the lady who runs the dry cleaners? She and I have gotten to be friends of sorts and she asked me to take a free dance class with her.”
“The ones Mason James is teaching at the American Legion?” Annie asked. “I would love to do that, but Riley gets this look on his face like a rabbit in the crosshairs of a rifle every time I suggest it. How was it?”
“Horrible. Apparently, I have no rhythm whatsoever. I spent the whole night stepping on Deanna’s feet. She was black and blue the next day.”
“But what about Mason?”
“Dear Lord.” Savannah had to look away, for fear that her feelings would show on her face. “I have never seen a man move like that—well not in person.”
“I’ve heard watching him dance is like taking a visual aphrodisiac.”
“It’s a religious experience.”
“As in, a lot of calling on God? Oh my God, oh my God?”
Savannah chuckled. “To say the least.”
“So, you have the hots for Mason.”
“I didn’t say that!”
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I didn’t. I said— Never mind what I said. The point is, I thought I’d model my hero after him—a guy who shows up or comes home and who charms the town’s women.”
“And a woman he can’t charm?” Annie asked.
“Maybe.”
“It could work.”
“I think so. The problem is, I have to watch him work, during classes and at rehearsal, but I don’t want him to think I’m stalking him, so I left him a note at the leather shop and asked if I could pay to interview and observe him.”
“Oh, please tell me you didn’t.”
“I did. What’s wrong with that?”
“Well, now he’ll think you’re only interested because of the book.”
“Which is exactly what I want him to think.”
“But why?”
Savannah would not have been honest six months ago, but a lot had changed in her life, including having friends who were trustworthy, so she didn’t even think about lying.
“Because he makes me think about things I only write about.”
Annie looked surprised. “But you were married so you must have—”
“I was, and we did, but honestly it never did all that much for me. Tim always said I had no sex drive, and should get shots or something. I mean, sometimes… Well, sometimes I’d have an orgasm, but mostly not, so I just figured I was one of those women whose sexual peak was more like a sexual bump. You know, about a foot high? Just enough to trip over and fall flat on your face?”
Savannah tossed her napkin at Annie who was giggling. “It’s not funny.”
“Well, it is a little. But also kind of sad. So, Mason makes you want to try things that you never tried with your husband?”
“Girl, he makes me want to try all of it. I— God, this is humiliating, but when I watch him dance, I feel like…like…like the ugly girl at school who never had a date and goes to all the football practices just to see the quarterback. It’s embarrassing and awful.”
“Why? I mean, why would you feel that way?”
Not even her newfound trust would goad her into answering that question with total honesty, so she skirted it as best she could. “Why? How can you ask that? Have you seen him?
“Yeah, he’s fine, but you’re gorgeous, Savannah.”
“I’m okay, but he’s got women all over him all the time. Young women. Younger than I am. And ones who can dance.”
“Oh come on, you can dance.”
“No, I can’t.”
“Sure you can.”
“No, I’m serious, I can’t.”
Annie got up and left the room. A few moments later, the sound of a sexy tune filled the house. Annie danced back into the room, took Savannah’s hand, and pulled her to her feet.
“Come on, I know you can dance. Just try.”
“Okay, but seriously, I can’t.”
Five seconds later, Annie’s smile faded and her body stilled. Savannah stopped moving as well. “See?”
“Yeah. You know what this means, don’t you?”
“No, what?”
“Private lessons.”
Her first inclination was to protest, but then it hit her. How better to spend time around Mason James?
She might not be the woman of his dreams, or even a woman he wanted to have dinner with, but he would work with a paying customer.
If nothing else, it would be valuable research for her book. And a secret fantasy for her. After all, this wasn’t like his theatre performance. Good girls like her who always did what was right and proper didn’t end up with guys like him.
Except in the tale she was now eager to write.