Page 47 of Soaring Free
“I will let you know if I receive any more flower deliveries.” I raise an eyebrow and wait for her to continue. “And if anythingelse strange happens, okay?” She reaches over and lightly squeezes my hand. This is one of the first times she has initiated physical contact between us, and while I wish it was a different conversation that caused it, I will take what I can get.
“Thank you, I appreciate that.” And I will also be letting her brothers know about this recent bullshit. I’m sure they are unaware of any of it because I’m positive it would’ve come up at poker last week. But they are going to hear about it now and Shane better realize that not only is The Cavalry behind her—but I will not stand by and let him fuck with her.
Chapter twenty-seven
I tear the corner of my napkin as the droplets of condensation run down the side of my iced latte. I knew the recent strange events around the house weren’t typical, but did I downplay them? When someone tells you that you’re a certain thing over and over, it’s easy to believe it after a while. I’ve been accused of being too dramatic or too intense or too much most of my life. I prefer to think that I’m passionate and have big feelings, even if that caused more than one disagreement in my marriage over the years. Maybe there was a small part of me that was afraid of my concerns being dismissed—but Theo is doing the complete opposite of that. If anything, he almost looks … pissed that I didn’t tell him. That’s interesting, and a small voice in my heart hopes that it means more than just being his sister’s client or a woman going through a divorce.
That small voice hopes that it means Theo sees—and even wants—me. I can’t listen to that voice quite yet, but it’s not wrong.
“Hey, where did you go?” Theo asks softly while crossing his arms and leaning his elbows on the table.
“Sorry, I was just thinking that maybe I should’ve said something or made a bigger deal about the flowers and weird things around my house before now.”Theo scowls. “What other weird things?”
I shrug slightly, not wanting to overreact. “Just things feeling off or even being misplaced around the house. I didn’t want to be accused of being dramatic or making things up.”
“Well, are you?” Theo tilts his head as he studies me.
“Am I what?”
“Are you making things up and being dramatic?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m not.”
“Okay, then no need to worry about that anymore, alright? I believe you, and your brothers will too.”
I look down at my hands and roll my lips. I already know the answer to this question before I ask it. “So, you are planning on telling my brothers about this?”
“Absolutely, and I think you know they will believe you.”
“Yeah, they will, it’s just that they can sometimes be … overzealous.”
“I think the world needs more zealous if I’m being honest,” he admits with a grin that I can’t help but mirror.
“That statement doesn’t even make sense!” I can’t help the laugh that escapes. I didn’t want to talk about depressing and serious things, and yet Theo still made me smile even though that’s exactly where the conversation ended up.
“Maybe not, but I wasn’t trying to make sense. I was trying to make you smile.”
This man.
“Mission accomplished,friend.” My emphasis on the word friend causes his eyes to sparkle.
I’m glad that I took him up on his offer to meet for coffee, and sitting here feels like I thought it would—right. I don’t know what will happen between us, but I know that I’ve never had a friend like Theo, and I’ve never smiled so much on a Friday morning.
Chapter twenty-eight
When Walker moved to Forrest Falls earlier this month, the timing couldn’t have been more kismet for my sister. That same morning, she investigated a hunch she had and found out they were going to have a baby. Her announcement was promptly followed by Walker dropping to his knee—he had her engagement ring in his pocket and was planning on proposing that evening but couldn’t wait once Vivian shared the exciting news.
Except the surprises didn’t stop there.
“I knew I felt worse this pregnancy, but I just can’t believe it. Savannah … what am I going to do with twins?” My sister is wide eyed and still swimming in shock from her early ultrasound this afternoon. Walker took over our little girl gang after dinner so I could talk to my sister for a little bit, just the two of us. I would have expected Walker to seem a little overwhelmed by the discovery that they’re having identical twins in the spring, but the man hasn’t stopped grinning. It’s almost unnerving for someone that is usually so collected, he is damn right giddy. Walker loves Eloise as his own, but he wasn’t around yet when she was a baby, so this will be his first time experiencing that stage. I would have expected nerves from him about that, especially doubled with twins, but instead, the man is oozing joy. I know Vivian is elated at the news, and for the babies, but I also know my sister and she needs to process this a bit before she can fully embrace the joy.
“What do you mean? You love them, just like you love Eloise.” I put my arm around her and tug her into a side hug on the outdoor couch.
“I can’t do this, Savannah. How am I going to do this?”
“Well, it’s simple, you don’t.” I wink at my sister.
“What?!” Vivian jerks away from me like I’m a crazy person.
