Page 100 of All I Need (Hearts of the South)
What was he supposed to say to that? He’d heard variations on that theme all his life. Having a broken heart and knowing he had to attempt to forgive didn’t mean he wasn’t wary.
“I’m asking for your forgiveness, son.” The words cracked on a pulse of emotion.Thatwas new. “For a second chance to be what I should have been all along.”
Emmett expelled a long breath. He understood the concept of forgiving seven times seventy, but he didn’t have to like it. And if he was being brutally honest, he had to admit this really was time number one. He closed his eyes and took a step that felt more like a leap, like looking in Savannah’s eyes when she realized she loved him, like maybe letting himself believe she meant what she said when she said she’d never leave.
“Forgiveness is a process, Dad. It doesn’t happen overnight.” He clasped his hands between his knees and rotated his thumbs over one another in a slow circle. “And I don’t think I can do this without some boundaries.”
“I can understand that.” His father leaned back and rested his arm along the top of the sofa. “You tell me what you need, son.”
For you to stop calling me son. He swallowed the words simply because they felt hateful and vindictive. He didn’t want to be that person. “I don’t know that yet. We might have to do today, then tomorrow, then see where we are.”
His father nodded. “I can work with that.”
Silence descended between them. Emmett kept his gaze trained on the slow rotation of his thumbs.
“I’m sorry, Emmett.”
“Yeah, so am I.” He couldn’t do any more right now. He pushed to his feet, a slow movement designed to keep his torso from seizing up with pain. Through the open door to the fellowship hall, he caught a glimpse of Savannah, talking with several members of the old-lady brigade.
“We’ll talk later.” His father’s voice was rough with emotion, and Emmett allowed the older man to hug him.
Emmett walked away, toward all he really needed. She was there, and without knowing how, he knew with a sudden certainty that she always would be. Savannah rose from her chair at his approach, love and concern lighting her eyes. She wrapped her arm about his waist. “You look tired.”
“I am.” He hugged her to him and pressed a kiss to her temple. “A good tired, though.”
She caressed his side and tilted her head toward the door. “Let’s go home.”
Epilogue
Savannah let her fingers drift across the piano keys, the polished surfaces cool beneath her fingertips. She played quietly, coaxing the melody as softly as possible. She didn’t want to wake up everyone in the house. Unable to fall asleep again after being awakened by a dream, she’d slipped from under the relaxed weight of Emmett’s arm and found herself drawn to the piano in the living room.
In the past few months, she’d touched it sporadically when visiting her parents, and she’d fiddled once or twice with the upright in Clark’s living room. Playing was a little like riding a bike—she was wobbly and out of practice, but the basic skill was still there. She eyed the notes displayed on her tablet propped on the instrument’s music stand. Under her fingers, the ballad of intense love and need, the one she loved to hear Emmett sing, unfolded.
“What are you doing up?” His quiet voice startled her, and she fumbled a note and came to a stop.
“God, Em, don’t sneak up on me like that.” She brushed her hair behind her ear. “I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.”
“What are you playing?” He sat on the cushioned bench next to her. One hand curved around her hip, he swiped his other index finger up the tablet screen. One corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. “You’re obsessed with this song.”
She didn’t deny it, but placed her fingers on the keys again. “If I play, will you sing it for me?”
“Honey, every time I sing this one, it’s for you.”
He sang as quietly as she played, his smooth, even voice covering her out-of-practice shakiness. She drew the piece to a close, and he slid his hand from hip to waist, gently urging her into him, lowering his head to kiss her. With a sigh, she hooked her hand around his nape and opened her mouth beneath his.
Rubbing his thumb over the indentation of her waist, he drew back, lazy desire in his eyes. He smiled, his hand slipping back to her hip. “Don’t freak out.”
She laughed. “What have you done?”
“I kind of bought you something, but it doesn’t have to be anything more than you want it to be.” He dipped a hand into the pocket of his pajama pants.
“You are not making any sense…oh.” She stared at the glimmering opal set on a thin gold band.
“I don’t care what finger you wear it on.” The words spilled from him in a rush, a sure sign he was nervous. “I saw it at Hodges, it looked like you, and I wanted you to have it. It doesn’t matter if—”
She stopped the flow of words with a kiss. She drew away and touched her fingers to his stubbled jaw. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it.” His murmured words fluttered the hair at her temple.
