CHAPTER SIX

 

Savannah strolled the hallway of city hall looking for the communications room, hoping she wasn’t late for the meeting. Upon Ralph’s request, she’d be attending a meeting today about Angela’s restaurant. The townspeople had banded together and were having a sit-down to see how they could help the restaurant owner in her time of need. She was insured and intended to rebuild, but that still meant she’d be out of business until the restaurant was up and running again.

When she went into work this morning, she hadn’t expected Ralph’s announcement that he’d be giving her more responsibilities, which included covering this strategy session. It could have been that he had more in faith in her after she’d turned in the interview on the fire. The article had garnered calls to the paper and some emails, praising her for her factual yet heartfelt approach to the harrowing event. After all, it wasn’t just a restaurant that had caught fire, it was a piece of Harper’s Grove that been destroyed.

She’d taken Austin’s advice about listening to the townspeople, and the more she asked for a soundbite about the restaurant, the more she began to realize how much the restaurant’s presence was more than a place to eat. It was a place where, for many, love had blossomed over a dish of family-style spaghetti, or a plate of oysters had jumped-started their love life again.

Her photo had been part of the byline and now everyone seemed to know her. She was greeted by store owners. People on the street gave her polite nods. After months of being almost invisible—only working on cleanup and editing at the newspaper without getting out to report on her own—she was front and center with the public. She may have come here to start a life with Levi, but fate had dealt her another hand. It wasn’t the nightly news in a big city, but maybe she was making a difference and finding her place within this community.

She wondered if Austin would be at the meeting. Her heart started beating faster. It wasn’t likely, but there was always the off chance. After all, he’d been right about her getting to know her community better to be a better reporter. She’d been thinking about him a lot since their dance at the Lazy L. She was in danger of being seduced by the man, and he’d barely laid a finger on her.

“Hi there, Savannah,” the mayor’s assistant said as she sifted through a box with tags on it.

Savannah scanned her memory for the woman’s name. Let’s see. The bubbly lady who worked for the mayor. She was the woman who brought the town events announcements to the office. It rhymed with chlorine. Ah! “Hi, Maureen. It’s good to see you again.”

“Same here, dear. I just want to say what a fine job you did on the fire article. It was a nice touch mentioning Angela’s was the staple for diehard romantics on Valentine’s Day. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her this year. The mister and I go there faithfully.”

“Well, hopefully we can do something about that. We’re here to brainstorm, after all,” she replied.

“Here’s your nametag. We have plenty of refreshments. Help yourself.”

“Thanks, Maureen.” She clipped the tag to her jacket and moved on.

She looked around the room for a familiar face. Barbara Jean said she would be stopping by. A moment later, she spotted her friend. She was in a group of people who looked vaguely familiar, but one person definitely stood out. Lucinda.

Lucinda was holding court as usual. Savannah did a slight turn to get away from them but it was too late. Barbara Jean waved her over.

“Savannah.” Barbara Jean smiled. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“A good reporter always goes where the people are.”

“Ladies, this is Savannah. She’s the newest reporter at the Gazette. I’m sure you read her touching article on the fire. It was brilliant.”

“Oh, stop it,” she said.

“Interesting take on the fire. I found it a bit schmaltzy,” Lucinda spat out, not bothering with pleasantries. “I felt like I was reading a short story, not an actual news event.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but closed it when someone else interjected.

“Well, I liked the short story feel. It was brilliant of you to weave Angela’s part of the romance in Harper’s Grove and make it the focal point. It leaped off the page.” The brunette woman wearing a pretty rainbow-colored dress radiated a warm smile that took the sting out of Lucinda’s criticism.

“Yes, it had a nice warm feeling to it,” another woman said. “It made me nostalgic. Rick and I had our first date there.”

“That’s so sweet,” Barbara Jean said.

“Remember that time Roberto and the busboys serenaded Maggie after that breakup with her boyfriend?”

“And how about that time Alex gave CPR to that tourist with the calamari stuck in his windpipe? That must have been a memorable night for you, eh Peyton?” Tracey, the resident real estate agent, said.

“It definitely made it into our top ten date nights,” Peyton, the woman in the colorful dress, replied.

So that was Peyton. She certainly was pretty. Savannah had heard a lot about her around town: the local artist who’d catapulted in the art world over the past few years. She was a great photographer. A few of her photos draped the walls of the newspaper. She also was said to be very close to Austin.

Lucinda tried to interject again, but the women were too busy recalling good times at the eating establishment. She also looked a little peeved that she was no longer guiding the conversation. Savannah hid a flash of annoyance. Everyone got it. Lucinda was the “media queen” of Harper’s Grove, and everyone tuned in every afternoon for her advice and commentary. But right now there was a question hanging in the air. Did she ever listen to her listeners?

“Guess what?” Barbara Jean said. “Savannah’s doing a follow-up story on Austin.”

The women in the crowd gave a collective gasp.

“Really? Should be interesting.” One of the women fanned herself. “I bet it’s going to be a page-turner. Hot, strong-yet-silent type cowboy raising his horses on his ranch.”

“Lucinda. Didn’t you try to figure out the riddle of the gorgeous, not-committing cowboy?” Tracey asked. “Maybe Savannah will have better luck with her coverage on him.”

Savannah could see the fire in Lucinda’s eyes.

Maureen approached and spoke before the fireworks could begin. “Lucinda, dear. Can I chat with you about tomorrow’s announcement?”

“Of course.” Lucinda plastered on her best PR smile as she walked off with Maureen.

“Tracey.” Barbara Jean said to the real estate agent. “You know that was like waving a red flag in front of a bull.”

“Serves her right for insinuating that I sold her a house with bad plumbing,” Tracey huffed. “She uses that mic to wreck lives, and she needs to be stopped. She barely mentioned the fire except to say that she and Austin both saw the flames. Like we’d think they were out together. He was outside the radio station waiting for Peyton.”

Peyton nodded. “We had plans that night.”

“Luckily, we have someone more respectful of the media platform in town.” Tracey looked at Savannah.

After that, most of the group soon disbanded. She and Peyton were left alone.

Savannah laughed. “It’s never dull around here.”

“I haven’t seen Lucinda that mad since the time they pre-empted her show to report an earthquake.” Peyton giggled. “I’m Peyton Colfax by the way.”

“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Same here. I hope Lucinda’s remark didn’t bother you. If she comes at you hard, it only means there’s something about you she finds intimidating.”

“Lucinda’s not original. She thinks she cornered the mean girl market, but I was raised in Southern California. My skin is thicker than that.”

“Good, because like every foul odor, she’ll be back.” Peyton waggled her eyebrows. “I hear you’ve made quite an impression on Austin.”

“Really?”

“He’s a pretty private guy, but here he’s gone and opened himself up to you for some in-depth interview.”

“Well, it’s for the article,” she said quickly. “I think he’s doing it for the town. Or at least for Grayson.”

Peyton looked as if she might say more, but right then Maureen’s voice cut across the chatter. “Ladies, let’s get started.”

Savannah took a seat next to Peyton and listened as the meeting began. Soon there were a flurry of ideas going around the room.

She raised her hand. “Excuse me. How about we stage Angela’s someplace like the high school gym with tables and nice decorations. Angela could still serve her delicious food and make a profit, and she doesn’t have to skip her annual Night of Romance event. We’d have to see if they’d let us have access to the kitchen, but it’s worth a try.”

Maureen seemed intrigued by the idea. “I’m sure the mayor could talk it over with the school board. It’s for a good cause.”

“That sounds like a fantastic idea,” Peyton chimed in. “I could help with the decorations.”

“I can rally up the volunteers we’ll need,” Maureen added. “Angela’s wait staff can work the gym like they do the restaurant.”

Barbara Jean was almost bouncing in her chair with excitement. “I don’t mind supplying the desserts and beverages. Angela and I collaborate on some of her desserts anyway. I wouldn’t mind pitching in that night. It’s for a great cause.”

“And I can plug it daily on my show,” Lucinda asserted. “So we know it will be a huge success.”

“We can just double check with Angela, and if she’s on board, we can start planning tomorrow.”

“Let’s start a committee,” Maureen said, raising her voice to be heard over the discussion. “I nominate Savannah to head it.”

Her eyes widened. “Me?”

“It’s your idea,” Maureen replied.

“I second it.” Peyton smiled, then said to her. “I can help if you need it.”

Savannah held her hands up. “I’m just here to cover the story.”

“Now you’re becoming part of it.” Barbara Jean smiled. “What do you say? It was your bright idea. Take it all the way to the end zone.”

“OK,” Savannah said. “I think we should talk to Angela, then the mayor, and get to planning once we have their buy-in.”

Peyton leaned closer to her. “You should ask Austin to pitch in. I’m sure he’d love to help.”

“I’d like to volunteer too.” Lucinda’s voice cracked like a whip through the room.

“Yes, you’re going to plug the event on your show.”

“I could be more active.” Lucinda played with the hem of her skirt. “I could, I don’t know. Help streamline the process. Get things organized.”

“Savannah’s been designated the chairwoman,” Peyton said.

“And Peyton’s my co-chair,” Savannah blurted out before Lucinda could assign herself the job. Barbara Jean mentioned her business ramped up the month of February, so there was no way she’d be able to help. And she hoped she hadn’t overstepped with Peyton. There was no way in hell she could work with Lucinda. “That is if Peyton doesn’t mind.”

“I’d love to,” Peyton replied.

“I’d still like to help,” Lucinda fired back.

“Great,” Savannah said through her teeth. She couldn’t help but feel the electric surge in the air of tension between the two of them.

Well, at least she knew she’d have plans for Valentine’s Day.

 

* * *

 

Austin tapped his fingers on the leather blotter on his desk, trying to decide what to do. Logan’s call giving him a head’s up about T.K.’s intention to ask him into the company business kept gnawing at him. He couldn’t think about it without stressing out and feeling his blood-pressure rise. He had his life here with his ranch. He didn’t want to abandon things to become some corporate suit.

It irritated him to no end. Yeah, Logan had found a mix of business and adventure in the football team and had fun with Seth to boot, but Logan didn’t have a successful ranch he’d built from the ground up either.

It simply wasn’t a good idea. He wanted T.K. to know that as soon as possible so he could put other measures in place for maintaining his empire after Austin turned him down.

He blew out a long breath and stared out the window, trying to find some inner peace. Inner peace that was definitely not coming to him. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to know what his dad wanted so he could turn him down and get back to living his own life.

He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed. His father would either be at the ballpark for his baseball team, with the football team, or on his ranch. He took comfort in knowing the number of places his dad might be had narrowed over the last couple of years. He’d toned down the jet-setting lifestyle and had settled into…well, what a normal man of his age would be doing.

His father answered on the second ring. “T.K.”

“Hey, Daddy.”

“Austin, my boy. How goes it? How’s the ranch?”

“Sweet Sadie is getting over a respiratory infection. Sunrise is ready to give birth any day now, but she’s been lethargic lately, but everything else is fine. God’s Thunder is getting ready for another race. He’s shaping up to be a contender in the racing world.” He laughed to himself. He felt like he was talking about children the way he rattled on about them. Now he got how Savannah’s reference about Blue could be construed as a parent talking about a child.

“God’s Thunder’s stats have improved tremendously since his racing debut last year. I think you have a fine horse on your hands. A Kentucky Derby contender someday for sure.”

“T-thanks,” Austin stammered. T.K. must be getting ready to lay the schtick on him about joining the family business if he’d been following the performance of Austin’s racing horses. “I didn’t think you paid attention.”

“Of course I do. When my boys set out to do something, I always pay attention.”

“I remember that day you went ballistic when I told you I’d joined the Navy.”

“It was a bit of shock, but it was also a big reality check for me too.”

“That I was a grown man who could make my own decisions?”

“No. It was the first time I realized I could lose you. If you were home and carousing around, I could keep a better eye on you. I’m good at handling a lot of things, but I couldn’t manipulate a war to make sure my son was safe.”

Oh. “Things turned out well. I made it home.”

“I thank God every day for that.”

“So what are you up to today?” He glanced at the time on desk clock. He’d expected to be blitzed by his father’s full-force sales pitch on taking over the baseball team by now.

“I’m headed to Oklahoma to take your mother out to dinner.”

“Really? Where are you taking her?”

“She read up about some new trendy barbecue place. They have fancy tablecloths. Can you imagine that? Good barbecue comes from places that let you cook it yourself on the grill.”

“Momma has always been fancy.”

“Yes she has.” T.K. snickered. “She told me you don’t have to see sawdust when you’re eating a good piece of brisket. I beg to differ.”

“Well, if you want to have a pleasant evening, I wouldn’t open up that debate about who has the best brisket, Texas or Oklahoma.” Austin laughed. Plates and a few other things had been thrown around over that heated battle.

“I’ve given up arguing with that woman. It’s too much fun giving her what she wants.”

“You’re not driving are you? It’s getting pretty late.” He and Logan had talked about their father getting on in age, and they were going to talk to him about driving on his own. Especially at night.

“No, I’m being chauffeured by Regency in one of their vehicles. It’s a thing of beauty. It has all the bells and whistles for VIPs. The windows are tinted and bulletproof. There’s a controlled lock mechanism, and I’m pretty sure there are a few guns in the car. I mean, I don’t need the extras, but Rafe thinks it’s a good safety precaution.”

There was probably a convoy of security cars in front and behind his dad’s vehicle too. It sounded excessive, but he knew Rafe took his job very seriously. There was always a concern that someone would try to kidnap a billionaire, no matter how much his father thought he could handle himself.

“Rafe is right. Your safety is the priority. Momma was fussing about Regency agents hanging around her property.”

“They did before, but now they’re more visible,” T.K. replied. “She’ll get used to it.”

“How’s business with you? Logan says you were mulling over some things. Perhaps making some organizational changes.”

“The future son. I’m always thinking about the future.”

“You’ve always had a good eye for business.”

“Yeah, but now it’s time to focus on our family. I’ve been assessing the portfolio to see if it’s time to get rid of a few things. I’m meeting with my top men to see what’s going to be viable long-term. You know the world is always changing, and I have to change with it.”

“Wise decision.”

“What else is going on? You sound different.”

“Me?” Austin furrowed his eyebrows. That had been the perfect set up for his father to launch into his sales pitch, but he’d said nothing about the baseball team. Well, two could play at that game. “Nothing else is going on. Why do you ask?”

“That edge that’s usually in your voice is gone.” He chuckled to himself. “Ah, I get it now. So…what’s her name?”

“I don’t know what—”

“OK. You can tell me when you’re ready. She must be something special.”

He wanted to reply that Savannah was definitely something special, but he wanted some time to mull over his growing affection for her on his own before he started spouting off that he was falling for her. Falling for her? He meant thinking about her all the time. Which was different.

Suddenly he needed a drink.

He forced his attention back to his dad. It was obvious whatever Logan detected in his conversation with their father, T.K. didn’t want to talk about it. So Austin didn’t have to let his father down right now. Which was good, because they were having one of the most effortless conversations they’d ever had. He didn’t want to ruin it.

“Enjoy your brisket and give momma a kiss for me.”

“Will do. And good luck with your budding romance.”

“Goodnight, Daddy.”

Austin ended the call with a smile on his face. It was becoming less strange to know that his mother and father were spending time together and that they were enjoying each other after all these years apart. He still hoped they would be careful with each other. But since Savannah had come back into his life, he could relate to the vulnerability both his parents must have been feeling and their decision to give their relationship another chance.

 

* * *

 

As she made her way to one of the Southern Comfort Ranch corrals, Savannah looked down at the blouse she was wearing, hoping she’d made the right choice. Blue trotted along beside her, happily wagging his tail. Blue never cared how he looked. Meanwhile, Savannah had changed clothes three times before she left the house. She felt silly for wanting to dress fancy for what was supposed to be an interview, but she also knew that was a crock of bull. There was something brewing between her and Austin and she’d grown tired of resisting the notion.

She stepped inside one of the barns and asked a ranch hand where Austin was.

He tipped his hat. “Ms. Savannah, the boss is in building one.”

“Thanks.”

She walked into the stables and headed down the long corridor toward Austin’s office. She stopped short when she saw him coming from one of the stalls. His smile sent warm syrup melting through every inch of her body.

She smiled back and quickly gestured to her dog. “This is, Blue. Blue, this is Austin.” Her smile slipped a notch. Was it weird to introduce a man to a dog like that?

“Hello, Blue.” Austin stooped down and gave the dog a good rub. “You’re a good-looking pup. You taking good care of your momma?”

“He’s the best guard dog ever.”

“That’s good.” Austin gave him a pat on the head. “I have to cancel today. I’m really sorry. Things got so hectic around here I didn’t get a chance to call.”

“What’s going on?”

“Sunrise, one of my pregnant mares, is about to foal, but she isn’t feeling well. The vet is running some tests, but it’s going to be a long night. I’m going to stay and keep an eye on her in case there’s a difficult delivery.”

“Oh.” She saw the look of worry on his face. “We can totally do this another time. Can I get you anything?”

“No, thank you. Again, I apologize for not calling.”

“OK. Come on Blue.” She motioned for the dog to come to her. “Looks like we’re going to have an impromptu movie night on the couch while momma types up some notes on her laptop.”

A man came out of the stall. It was the Bobby the vet. His expression was grim as he caught Austin’s attention. “Can I see you for a moment?”

Austin nodded to him, then turned back to her. “I have to go.”

“I’ll call in a day or so to see how things are going.”

“I look forward to hearing from you.”

Savannah got Blue in the car and then settled behind the wheel, feeling disappointed. She’d been looking forward to spending time with him tonight. Blue had been excited when she’d told him they were headed to a spacious ranch. OK, Blue got excited about everything. They could continue another time, she was still on schedule with her article. It wasn’t the end of the world.

But the look on Austin’s face concerned her. He looked bewildered, and it was strange to see. He cared about all the horses just like she cared for Blue. She prayed Sunrise made a full recovery, the sooner the better.

She was off the ranch and down the road when she decided she had to do something to help. She made a U-turn and headed toward the highway. After all, she’d need some supplies if she was going to be on sick watch tonight.

 

* * *

 

Austin hadn’t wanted Savannah to go, but he knew he wouldn’t be very chatty tonight with Sunrise being sick. The vet said the next twenty-four hours would be critical, and he wanted to be there.

Sending her away had been tough however. She’d looked so stunning today in a pair of jeans and a pretty jade-colored blouse. Blue was as adorable as she’d described. Although, Blue looked more spoiled than ferocious, Austin liked knowing she had a guard dog of sorts watching over her.

Sunrise had finally simmered down, so he sent Bobby to the living quarters to get some rest. He’d tough it out in the office. There was always plenty of paperwork to do. Maybe he’d be able to catch up with Logan if he wasn’t busy. He hoped his little brother’s talk with Megan about moving in together went well. The football season was winding down and that meant his little brother was figuring out how to spend his downtime with Megan.

The sound of his stomach grumbling was loud enough to startle him. He’d planned on asking Savannah to have dinner with him at his house tonight, but now that was out of the question. He had two primo steaks marinating in his fridge for nothing. Perhaps there was something else in the fridge he could snack on instead. He walked over and opened the icebox to find a turkey sandwich. He heard a bark. He walked out of the stall to find Blue coming his way.

“Blue.” He gave him a good pat. “You’re back. Forget something?”

Savannah rounded the corner and smiled at him. “We talked it over and thought it would be in poor taste to let you suffer alone.”

“Well, Bobby and a few of the staff are still on duty.”

“Yeah? Did they bring you Chinese food?”

“No.” He grinned. “They did not.”

“Good.” She flashed a satisfied smile. “There’s no reason we can’t mix business with pleasure.”

“Pardon me?”

“We can chat while we keep an eye on S-sunrise,” she stammered.

“Let me get washed up. We can eat in my office.” He smiled at her falling over her words.

A half hour later, they were sitting on the couch sharing food and trading stories. He liked talking to her. She was witty, well-informed but didn’t take herself too seriously. She could rattle off sports statistics, postulate about scientific theories, but she wasn’t ashamed to admit some of her favorite shows were animated, sarcasm-laced adult cartoons.

He took another bit of lo mien. “So how’s the story going?”

“I’ve interviewed some people who all have nothing but good things to say about you. Well, the women anyway.” She put some mu shu pork into her mouth with her chopsticks.

“It goes without saying you are loved in this town. I’d still like to know more about you.” She paused, eyeing him curiously. “You’re very comfortable in this office. I bet I can tell a lot of things about you just by looking around this room.”

He was amused by her confidence. “Be my guest.”

She put her food container down and strolled around the room. “You have a wonderful relationship with your brother.”

“Lucky guess. Most siblings do.”

“Not true. I know some people who only see their siblings at weddings and funerals. I know I avoid my sister at all costs.”

“Tough break. I’ve always been close to Logan.”

She picked up a photo of Logan and Megan in the gold frame on his credenza. “He’s handsome.”

“More handsome than me?”

“Now, now. You’re both pretty.” She bit back a smile. “Who’s the gorgeous woman with him?”

“That’s Megan. They’ve been together for a while. It’s getting serious. I think she’s my brother’s first adult relationship.”

“They make a great couple.” She put the photo back. “You have tons of pics of Logan over the years yet the pictures with you and your father are more recent.” She held up a mahogany-framed photo of him and T.K. at a Tomcats event. “Recently patched things up?”

“Still working on it. I told you before. My dad and I are complicated.”

“I can see that. Dueling proud, stubborn personalities.”

“Wow. You sound like my momma.” He threw a piece of chicken at Blue.

She found another framed photo and examined it. “Is this her? She’s beautiful. You have her eyes.”

“I’d like to believe I have everything of hers.”

She paced around a bit more. “Why did join the Navy?”

“I needed direction and discipline. It gave me something to do besides rail against my father.” He shrugged. “Why didn’t you follow in your mother’s footsteps? Being the daughter of Clare Brewster, renowned talk show host, must have been a unique experience for you too.”

He’d done some reading up on her too. The name search of her on the Internet yielded not only the articles she’d written in the past but a cache of information about her celebrity family. Her mother the talk show host. Her dad was a famous mystery writer, and her sister was a supermodel.

“Damn Internet.” She shook her head. “I hope you didn’t pull up anything with a dreadful photo. My mom and sister are very photogenic, but I look like a vampire in every photo.”

“You have a more natural beauty. The photos I saw looked like glamour shots.”

“They are always keeping themselves perfect for the camera. You never know when you’ll be asked to pose,” she said in a snarky tone. She shook her head and looked at him. “My situation is different. I suspect your competitiveness with your dad has something to do with legacies and him wanting a son in his own image to share his empire. My mom was disappointed in me the day I was born.”

“I doubt that.”

“You don’t know my mom. Clare Brewster’s image has been her stock and trade for eons. One day she decided she had everything, but she wanted love in her life. She tricked my dad, a budding mystery writer at the time, into believing he was the one for her, and they got married and had two kids. Ella is a perfect little princess, while I’m the outcast. My dad did his best but that fast-paced, cameras-flashing-in-your-face-at-all-times existence wasn’t for him.”

“The spotlight isn’t for everyone,” Austin agreed. “It may seem glamorous, but it’s a hard way to live. My dad loved having the cameras on him. I despised it.”

“Me too. I was the daughter of Ms. Perfect. She has a standard of living that I could never…live up to. Everything had to be perfect. She wanted photo ops to share with her legions of viewers about her perfect life, but I wouldn’t comply. I was always a chubby kid. I never fit that image she was trying to project. I’ve struggled with my weight all my life. But Ella didn’t.”

He raised his eyebrows, surprised by what she had revealed. She was a long way from whatever chubby kid she had been, but he supposed the shadow of it lingered.

She read his silent question and shrugged. “I decided to give myself a makeover after Levi and I broke up. The end result is what you see before you.”

“What I see is a beautiful, confident woman who’s comfortable with herself. Trust me, intelligence, wit, and confidence is sexy.”

She smirked. “Come on. I’ve seen the kind of women you date. Women like Lucinda.”

“I’ve dated all kinds of women. Lucinda isn’t some cookie-cutter example of my personal taste.”

“But you have to admit women like her turn more heads.”

“Women like Lucinda send out a homing beacon for a certain kind of man and a certain kind of relationship. She wants someone to worship her for her physical attributes but doesn’t want to put any energy into a real relationship. I knew immediately we weren’t going to hit it off in a meaningful way, but she was hell-bent on going full-throttle with a relationship. I want an equal partnership and someone who can bring more to the table than beauty. I won’t settle for anything less.”

She nodded slowly. “Levi’s incessant need for me to be perfect is what led to our parting ways. He didn’t want me. He wanted to be Clare Brewster’s son-in-law. She opened doors for him. Sometimes I think he wanted Ella from the get-go, but she was out of his league, so he settled for me.”

“I have to say that’s all a load of crap.” Austin walked over to her. “No one has the right to make you feel bad because they imposed some impossible expectations on you. If he was coveting your sister, it sounds like you dodged a bullet. He showed he had no integrity or respect for you or your relationship. He wasn’t the right man for you.”

“You can say that again.” She let out a dry laugh. “Now tell my mom.”

“Give me her number. I’m an old pro at putting overbearing parents in their place.”

Instead, she pointed to another photo. “T.K. doesn’t look too overbearing here.”

“The old man has been trying.”

“Trying is good. It means he loves you enough to meet you halfway.”

“I guess so.” He moved closer to her. “Savannah?”

“Yes?”

He caressed her cheek. “Levi was a damn fool to hurt you.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

She had the most beautiful brown eyes he’d ever seen. It was something about the sparkle in them that made him feel good. He slowly leaned in to kiss her, but there was a knock on the door and they both drew away.

“Austin?” Bobby called through the door. “I thought I’d check in on Sunrise again.”

“Sure thing, Bobby.” His heart was pounding, and he felt like a kid who had almost been caught making out. He might’ve laughed, but he was struggling too hard to keep his voice even. “I’ll be out there in a minute.”

Savannah waved him toward the door. “You go. I’ll clean up.”

“Save me a fortune cookie.”

Austin reluctantly walked out of the office with Blue trailing behind him. Apparently he’d just made a new friend for life, sharing his dinner with the pup. He’d learned a lot about her tonight. She came back to keep vigil with him and was genuinely concerned about Sunrise. That was tugging at his heart big time. Their conversation lingered in his mind. Imagine Savannah thinking she wasn’t beautiful enough. It was crazy.

It was even crazier that he was starting to suspect Savannah might just be the woman of his dreams.

 

* * *

 

Savannah stirred on the couch, yawned, stretched, and looked at her watch. She’d told Austin she wanted to go grab a cat nap and that had been three hours ago. She kicked off the blanket and went in search of Austin.

The stables were quiet. She walked down to the stable corridor to Sunrise’s stall only to find Austin asleep on a pile of hay with his hat covering his face. Blue was lying right beside him. But the bright spot was Sunrise standing there while her foal sucked milk from her udder. It had been quite an evening. Mother and child had made it through the birth and appeared to be OK. It was an amazing thing to witness a horse giving birth. It was exciting and nerve-racking.

She clapped quietly and smiled. She got why he loved these animals. Even though she’d been bitten by one when she was a kid, she still appreciated how majestic they were. She went back to the office and got the extra blanket that was on his sofa. She carefully covered him with it.

The moment was just too precious to pass up the photo op, so she pulled out her cell phone and snapped a photo. A cowboy tending to his mare and new her foal, with a dog nearby, all of them exhausted. It was one of those memorable scenes.

He was a dedicated man. She knew that about him very well by now. He gave his all to every endeavor he undertook, and he didn’t blanch away from hard work. He could’ve been the globe-trotting playboy son of a billionaire, but instead he wanted to find his own way and joined the Navy. Those things set him apart from the men she’d known in the past. They made him fascinating…and special.

She went back into his office and finished looking around. Her eyes settled on the photo of him, his father, and his brother. They were a handsome family. You could see the pride T.K. had in his eyes. He loved his boys. Austin may still have been wary of his father, but she could see the love in his eyes too.

She watched television for a bit, not really paying attention but just whiling away the time. Soon the sun was coming up, and the stables were coming to life. She put on her shawl and walked back over to Sunrise’s stall. Austin was awake and talking to the vet. They both had smiles on their faces.

“Mother and child look good,” Savannah said.

“Sunrise is a trooper. I knew she’d pull through.”

“What happens now?” She watched as Bobby went into the stall with his doctor’s bag.

“Bobby is going to give the foal a second neonatal exam to make sure everything’s OK. Sunrise passed her placenta without a problem, so she’s looking good too. I’m going to see if I can get her to eat something.”

“Would you mind if I fed Sunrise?” She had a ton of things to do at the office this morning but those things could wait. She wanted to remain part of the moment.

“Sure.”

Savannah couldn’t ignore the intimacy as she and Austin talked and she tried to feed the horse. It was a special thing sharing the bringing of a new life into the world. But it was more than that. She felt like she’d uncovered another facet to his persona. He was a nurturer. It was one of the reasons people were drawn to him. There was a comfort in his being that made you feel accepted and protected.

Too soon time was slipping away from her. She looked at her watch. She had to go.

“I have to get going. I have to be at the paper at eight. So I have to get home and change then drop Blue off at the sitter’s place.”

“Why don’t you leave him here? I’ll keep him with me and he can get the lay of the land. I promise he’ll get plenty of exercise and a decent meal.”

“Are you sure? He won’t be a problem?”

“He’ll be fine.”

“OK. I’m sure he’d love to go all free range.” She laughed and gave Blue a pat on the head. “Be a good boy. Play nice with the other animals. By the way, did you name the horse yet?”

Austin looked at her. “I’ve been thinking about it and decided on Savannah’s Heart.”

They walked together out of the stables and over to her car. The dawn air was cool, and the sunrise a splash of colors on the horizon. She stepped toward her car door, but Austin stopped her with a single word.

“Savannah?”

Savannah turned toward him, her heart speeding up when Austin stepped close to her and pulled her into his arms. She looked up into his eyes and could see the passion brewing. She met him halfway when he leaned in and covered her mouth with his. There was a tenderness at first in their connection, but then he deepened the kiss. It was raw, sensual and chemical. She reached up and put her hands on his neck and pulled him even closer.

“Thank you for being here,” he said, his lips close against hers.

“Any time.”

“What do you say we have a proper date?”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” She swallowed hard. “What about my journalistic integrity? If we see each other socially, people may think I did a buff piece on you.”

“Puff piece.” He grinned and kissed her again. “Who gives a damn what people think? I’m willing to take a chance on a scandal.”

“What would we do on our proper date?”

“Dinner. A movie. Those are traditional dating rituals, but I’m willing to forgo all that if you have something more scintillating in mind.” He winked.

“We’ll work out the details when I pick up Blue tonight.” She stumbled into her car door.

Austin opened it for her. “I have to go into town to have dinner with Alex and Grayson later. I can drop him by the newspaper if you’d like.”

“Sounds good, thanks. See you tonight.”

 

* * *

 

Austin tried not to feel uncomfortable when all eyes locked on him when he entered the newspaper bullpen. Everyone seemed to know he was an outsider…and they all seemed curious. Or maybe it was simply the fact that everyone loved Blue, who was practically dancing on the end of his leash with love and excitement.

He was running late, so he hoped Savannah wasn’t upset. Sunrise and Savannah’s Heart were doing well, but another of the horses had decided to go off on his own. It took some time to locate him, but Austin eventually found him drinking out of a water trough by the west gate. He wrangled him in easily and was then off to town to get the evening started. Tonight he’d catch up with the guys and see if Alex had made any progress with the tuxedos. He was looking forward to his friends’ wedding. It was sure to be a memorable occasion at the ranch.

Ralph, who was on his way to his office, gave him that same stiff military acknowledgement that he always gave from one military man to another. Ralph wasn’t a big talker, but they’d traded stories about their war experiences. Even though they’d fought in different eras, the stories of what they’d sacrificed for their country were the same. Bertha, the copy editor who was also old enough to be his mother, blew him a kiss. Francie, the business manager, gave him a shy smile when he said hello. He waved at Savannah, who was on the phone, and commanded Blue to take a seat.

Wayne appeared out of nowhere. “Austin. What can I do you for?”

“Hey, Wayne. I’m here to see Savannah.”

“Well, we’re wrapping up for the night, and she’s busy with a phone call. If you’ve come here to schedule interview time with her for your story, I can take a message.”

“Actually I’m here to drop off Blue. He spent the day with me.” He gave Wayne a quizzical look. Surely he noticed the dog.

“Oh.” Wayne looked over his shoulder at the dog. “He’s a fickle one. I don’t think he likes me.”

“He’s fine with me. Maybe it’s your cologne. Dogs can smell fear and overactive hormones.”

Wayne laughed. “You are such a comedian.”

Savannah had finished her phone call and was on her way over. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He moved in to kiss her before she could back away. “Sorry, I'm late.”

He could really grow used to kissing her anytime he wanted. Wayne, however, looked like he wanted to punch him. He slammed into the water cooler as he tried to get back to his desk.

“No worries.” She smiled, seeming to ignore Wayne and the water cooler collision. “Blue looks like he had a good time.”

“He’s a great ranch dog. I fed him, and he had plenty of exercise.”

“Sounds like we’re going to have a cozy night. He sleeps good when he’s tuckered out.”

“I could join you.”

“No you don’t. You’re meeting your friends, and I have some work to catch up on, and I’m making a lasagna for the next committee meeting. I spent my afternoon watching the high school basketball game and I need to have my column in to the sports editor by morning.”

“Nice.” He scratched at his temple. “You’re on the school sports beat now?”

“I’m a jack-of-all-trades.” She moved closer. “I think Ralph is testing me to see how I cover various topics.”

“I’ve been reading your work, and I am a very satisfied reader.”

“I’ll be sure to let him know. Have a good time with your friends.” She kissed him again.

“I’ll be thinking of you.”

“Of course.” She waved her fingers at him and went back to her desk.

A few minutes later, he was parking in the lot of the Green Olive. He spotted Alex and Grayson at a table with Marco. It was a nice surprise to see the vintner here for a visit.

“Austin, I was just about to call you. I thought maybe you’d forgotten about dinner,” Alex said as he approached the table.

“I had to drop Savannah’s dog Blue off to her at the newspaper.” He took a seat. “Where’s Hutch?” Hutch was the Harper’s Grove police chief and a poker buddy.

“He said he’d be a little late, but he’ll be here,” Alex said. “Hey, do you think you could free up some time on Saturday? I finally nailed down a store for the tuxedos. They can do fittings in the morning.”

“Sure thing.”

“Great. And thanks again for helping Peyton find her wedding dress. She’s been floating on cloud nine ever since the pressure of finding a dress was alleviated.”

“Happy to help.” Austin turned to Marco. “Marco, good to see you. How are things at the vineyard?”

“We’re still recovering from the fires. But even though they knocked us down a little, we’re going to be back on our feet in no time!”

“That’s the spirit. How’s your momma?”

“I sent her to stay with my aunt for a while. She needed a break from worrying.”

Alex nodded. “If there’s anything we can do, let us know.”

“You’ve already been great. The Friends of Napa wine and chocolate fundraising festival was a huge success.” Marco gave him a pat on the back. “Speaking of fires, I hear you battled one yourself.”

“It was nothing.”

Grayson grinned. “And he managed to snag himself a sexy reporter to boot. Savannah is hot enough to start her own fire. If you get my drift.”

“Easy Bennett. That’s my—” He cut off before he could say another word.

The guys stayed silent waiting for him to finish, but he wouldn’t continue. What was supposed to be at the end of that sentence anyway? He’d been thinking about it all day. She wasn’t just some random woman he was attracted to; she was special, and it was becoming more apparent each day.

“Ha! I told you he was into her.” Grayson cheered.

Alex pointed a chili cheese fry at Grayson. “For the record, Peyton told me first.”

Marco laughed. “I see I’ve been away too long. What happened to Lucinda? Do tell.”

Grayson continued. “Savannah is stunning. She’s got a figure that can stop cars, hell planes too.”

“I think Marco was talking to me.” Austin’s jaw ticked. “Lucinda and I crashed and burned before anything got started. Savannah and I have been spending time together, and it’s turning into something else.”

“Ah. It sounds like she’s captured your heart,” Marco said.

“It’s safe to say,” Alex chipped in, “no woman’s held his attention for long.”

Grayson peered at the bar. “Where are the tequila nachos I ordered? Can’t the mayor get his appetizer in a timely fashion?”

“He’s cranky,” Alex explained to him. “The department head meeting went a little longer than planned. We had a session with the new residents to see how they’re doing. One of our hotshots decided to give a long-winded speech on his position on the new call system we’re trying to put in place.”

“That little snot Levi is a boot-licking nightmare,” Grayson said.

“Who?”

“The doctor who treated you at the hospital the night of the fire.” Grayson rolled his eyes. “By the way, he’s Savannah’s ex.”

“What?” Austin said.

“Yeah. I got the skinny from one of the nurses. They moved here together with the intention of getting married when he settled in at the hospital. But instead he cheated on her when he became the hot new doctor in the ER. He’s an asshole for leaving someone like that.”

So the jerky ER doctor was the same jerk who’d broken Savannah’s heart.

Marco was watching him, sipping his bourbon. “The plot thickens. I guess you two haven’t discussed previous relationships yet?”

“No, we haven’t gotten that far. I had to do a whole lot of talking to convince her my brief relationship with Lucinda wasn’t the standard modus operandi. Lucinda still trashes me on the radio every chance she gets.”

“She hasn’t lately,” Alex said. “Maybe she’s hoping you two can get back together. You did say she stopped by the ranch to check on you when you were released.”

“Savannah seems like a nice woman. She sure didn’t deserve the crap she got from Levi.”

“I second that emotion, but I won’t lie and say I’m mad about it,” Austin replied.

“Levi’s loss is an opportunity for you,” Marco added.

They all nodded in agreement.

“Speak of the devil,” Grayson said as the waitress put the nachos on the table. “Here comes the good doctor now.”

Austin glanced over to see Levi approaching their table. Wonderful.

“Dr. Popovich. Dr, Bennett,” Levi called out. “What a coincidence. I guess great minds think alike.” Levi said as he approached the table.

“More like great stomachs,” Alex replied.

Levi glanced at Austin and snapped his fingers. “You’re the ranch hand I treated in the ER. I forget your name.”

“That’s ‘rancher,’ Leroy, not ‘ranch hand.’” It wasn’t his imagination. Dr. Levi was deliberately trying to piss him off.

“It’s Levi.” Levi squared his shoulders. “Ranch hand, rancher. What’s the difference?”

“Several million dollars,” Grayson huffed. “Austin Holbrook’s one of our biggest hospital donors.”

“You should read the donor dedication wall more closely in the hospital’s pavilion. His name is on one of those plaques,” Alex said in an authoritative tone. “My friend Marco here is a donor too. He’s the owner of Paloma Vineyards in Napa Valley.”

Levi’s eyes widened as he just realized he’d made a big mistake.

“So what brings you to the Green Olive?” Grayson said. “Other than insulting our hospital’s donors?”

“I’m on a date.” Levi cleared his throat. “Listen, we didn’t get a chance to talk after the meeting.”

Alex tapped his fork on the table. “You’re signing up to do a shift at the free health care clinic? We can use all the help we can get.”

“Uh no. I’m a bit short on time at the moment.” Levi cleared his throat again. “I have a few suggestions for the ER rotation. Do you think we could grab lunch next week?”

“Check with Stella,” Alex said. “But I have to warn you. I’m a bit short on time at the moment…”

“I better get back to my date. Any time you can give me would be greatly appreciated,” Levi said.

Alex’s jaw ticked. “Ditto on the help at the clinic.”

“Think of it as a character building experience, Levi,” Grayson added. “Good doctoring is about far more than seeing wealthy patients.”

“Right. Because you went into plastic surgery for all the poor people you could help get facelifts and breast augmentation.”

Austin popped a nacho in his mouth. This was getting interesting quickly.

Grayson sipped on his drink before replying. “I do it because I’m the best at what I do. I work at the clinic because it’s the right thing to do, and it’s a boost to the community morale and health awareness. You know, the kind of thing that gets you into heaven and into the paper.” He grinned. “Speaking of which, you may be asked for a sound bite from the local paper. The newspaper is doing an article on Austin’s daring rescue during a dangerous fire.” Grayson snapped his fingers. “Come to think of it, you two may have something in common.”

Levi looked dubious. “What’s that?”

Austin shot Grayson a look. He knew where this was going.

“Savannah Brewster.” Grayson turned to Austin with a wicked grin on his face. “Savannah’s been interviewing you, right?”

Austin looked Levi in the eyes. “Yep. She’s a great reporter.”

“She is, she is.” Grayson glanced at Levi and raised his eyebrows. “Hey, Levi, weren’t you and Savannah once an item?”

“We are. Were. It’s complicated.”

“Savannah isn’t the kind of woman who does complicated,” Austin drawled.

“How do you know what she likes?” Levi fired back.

“You’re not together anymore. I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

Alex pointed at a table across the restaurant. “I think your date is trying to get your attention.”

Levi locked eyes with Austin again before he finally retreated.

“Well, that was interesting.” Marco mused. “I think you just poked the bear.”

“That was some soap opera level tension,” Grayson said. He grinned at Austin. “Looks like you have a rival.”

“I can assure you all that I’m more than up to the challenge,” Austin said.

One thing was for sure, he was happy Levi was out of Savannah’s life. And he felt fortunate to have her in his life. He was looking forward to their first date. It was time to open his heart again after so many years of being closed off.