Page 9 of Best Kept Vows

“Need to get some food in my body,” I lied smoothly. “Alcohol on an empty stomach is never good.”

Ada laughed. “I think it’s going to be fun to see you tipsy today.”

The server took our order, and we steered clear of talking about things that made mesad.

“I’ll drop you home,” Ada insisted after lunch.

“No. It’s out of the way for you. Go back to Emory. I’ll Uber.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

I watched Ada leave, and instead of going home, I wandered through Savannah. It was a gorgeous May afternoon because the sun wasn’t as harsh as it would be in a month or so, and the breeze was cool. The familiar streets were lined with graceful oaks draped in moss. But even Savannah's gentle charm couldn't quiet my restive heart.

As I walked past quaint shops and historic buildings, each step echoed with memories of compromises and swallowed frustrations, I thought about the woman I was when I first arrived in this city—young, hopeful, and so deeply in love. I'd trusted Sebastian and believed his promises that we'd build our lives together, side by side. But somewhere along the way, side-by-side became him leading and me following quietly behind.

The breeze carried the scent of blooming jasmine as I settled on a bench in Forsyth Park. I watched couples stroll hand in hand, and it was bittersweet, a reminder of what my marriage once was. I was tired of convincing myself that scraps of Sebastian's attention were enough, tired of pretending that the loneliness didn’t ache deep within me.

My phone vibrated in my purse. Glancing down, I saw an unknown local number but answered anyway.

“Hello?”

"May I speak with Ophelia Boone?" a warm, confident voiceasked.

"This is she."

"Hi, Ophelia, or do you prefer Lia?”

“Ah, who are you?”

A husky laugh. “I’m sorry. I’m Rachel Burnside from Savannah Lace. I’m Nina Davenport’s executive assistant.”

“Hi, Rachel,” I managed to say with my throat all but closing. Just this morning, Betsy Rhodes had mentioned Nina Davenport and Savannah Lace, and they were calling me back so quickly.

“Betsy Rhodes recommended we speak to you, and I’d love to schedule an appointment for you to discuss a role at Savannah Lace."

My heart lifted instantly, hope breaking through the heaviness I'd carried all day.

"Absolutely," I said, surprised by the confidence in my voice. "I'd love to."

“How does tomorrow, four in the afternoon, sound?”

“Perfect.”

As Rachel finalized the details, I felt the shift deep within me—a sense of possibility, a spark of excitement I'd almost forgotten. When the call ended, I lounged back against the bench, a smile on my face. I felt lighter than I had in years. This was the light at the end of the long, dark tunnel that I’d been waiting for—my chance, another step toward becoming the woman I wanted to be.

CHAPTER 4

Sebastian

As we drove back to Savannah after finishing our meeting at the factory, I wondered why Jane had called me Seb.

Everyone knew I preferred to be called Sebastian and not Seb or Bastien or some other variation. Only Lia called Seb—when we made love. I grimaced. It had been months since I’d touched her. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to—I did, but I was always so tired that I just wanted to sleep. Lia had tried; I had to give her that, but I’d given her the male version ofI have a headache, and now she didn’t even try.

Jane prattled on about supply chain logistics while my head was with my family. The scene at the restaurant this afternoon had beenbrutal. I knew I had to do damage control, not just with Lia but with Ada and Tristan.

I hated being the bad guy, frustrated that they couldn’t see how hard I was working to save the family business.Sacrifices had to be made; that was how this worked. Lia understood, so why didn’t my kids?

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