Page 40 of All I Need (Hearts of the South)
“Yeah.” He frowned. Something was off in her tone. “You’re sure this is okay?”
“Of course. Go see your mom. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Savannah—”
“Hey, I’ve got to go. The ambulance is headed into the bay.” She sounded harried. “Call me tomorrow. Bye.”
The call dropped and he stared at the phone. Man, he didn’t know what to make of her sometimes, and this was definitely one of those moments. He ran a hand through his hair. Surely, going to dinner with his mama couldn’t come back to bite him on the ass.
* * * * *
Plastic bag bearing a quart each of chicken salad, pimiento cheese, and the Bistro’s incredible pasta salad looped over her wrist, Savannah let herself into Amy and Rob’s side door. She stowed the bag in the refrigerator and paused, listening to the silent house. She really wanted to announce herself, but that silence might mean Hamilton was asleep.
And if the house was silent because Hamilton was asleep, that could mean a couple of things—Rob and Amy were taking advantage of that to catch a nap.
Or they were taking advantage of that to engage in other more amorous activities, which weren’t always limited to their bedroom. Savannah seriously didn’t want to walk in on that.
Babies complicated everything.
She plopped her leather bag on the counter and pulled her phone from her pocket to tap out a text.In the kitchen. Where r u?
Nursery.
Okay, so she probably didn’t need to worry about walking into anything, er, sticky there. She walked through the dining and living rooms and down the hall to the small bedroom adjacent to Amy and Rob’s. Over the last five days, Amy had transformed the space into a simple, elegant nursery in white with hints of pale pink. Her sister had been scrupulous about buying only essentials, so baby clutter wasn’t taking over the house or this room.
Amy sat cross-legged on the floor by the dresser, folding and putting away impossibly small clothes. Savannah peeked into the crib at a sleeping Hamilton, clad in a lilac sleeper. “Hey.”
“You don’t have to whisper.” Amy shot her a cheeky grin. “We figured out two days ago you can have a conversation in a normal tone around her when she’s sleeping and she snoozes right through it.”
“Where’s Rob?”
“In the office, reading forensics reports. He’s still obsessed with this sniper case.” Amy slid the drawer shut and rose. “What are you doing here? I thought you had plans with Emmett.”
“I did.” The ridiculous pique that had been nudging her all day lifted its head again. “He’s having dinner with his mom.”
“Oh, that’s sweet.” Amy glanced in the crib and motioned toward the door.
It was sweet. And normal. And totally not something he had to include Savannah in. She didn’t expect him to. The fact her feelings were a little dented that he hadn’t annoyed the heck out of her.
Because that communicated something about her emotions that she didn’t want to look at too closely.
“So why are you put out about it?”
Savannah injected the right amount of scoffing into her light laugh. “I’m not.”
“Sure you are.” Amy settled on one end of the plush couch. “I can hear it in your voice.”
“I am not bothered that he’s having dinner with his mom.” Savannah took the other end of the sofa and leaned her head back, gaze on the ceiling. She frowned. “I’m bothered that it bothers me that he didn’t ask me along, which is totally ridiculous.”
“It really is.” Amy’s voice held wry humor.
“You’re not helping.”
Amy leaned over to poke Savannah’s shoulder, harder than necessary. “You want to be his girlfriend.”
“That is so not what I want.” She brushed her sister’s hand aside. “Why do I talk to you?”
“Then what do you want?”
