Page 16 of The Game Plan
“Savvy,” his hoarse voice calls out, softer than it was outside. There’s a protective tone, though, and questions continue to swirl in my head. Who the hell is this guy?
I scan the apartment. Small and worn, but she’s put her mark on it. A cream-colored kitchen sits off to the right, a coral vase with fresh flowers brightening the peninsula that separates it from the living room. Plants fill every flat surface—some hanging from a curtain rod. And there she is—curled up on the couch, knees tucked, wrapped in a blanket, holding a mug like it’s the only thing keeping her together.
Her eyes widen when she looks past the other guy. “Grant?”
I pause in the doorway. “I saw the news and came straight here.”
Her jaw drops in shock. “How did you know where I lived?”
The big stranger glares daggers in my direction, waiting for me to explain.
“I saw you getting off the bus one night while I was waiting for a Chinese order.” I shrug, sliding my hands in my pockets to keep from going to her. “Figured it out from there.”
The silence stretches as she chews on her nail. I’m seconds from breaking the silence when the other guy turns toward her.
“The bus?” he asks, eyes narrowed. “What the hell happened to your car?”
Savannah shifts in her seat. “It’s been acting up. There’s a weird noise, and I don’t have the extra money to take it to a garage.”
The guy swears under his breath as I watch the two, trying to figure out the connection. “You think riding the bus alone at night’s a better idea than asking for help? Shit, Savvy, I’ve got a buddy who could’ve taken a look at it.”
“I didn’t want to be a burden—”
He shakes his head, cutting her off. “There’s no amount of money I wouldn’t spend to keep you safe. I already hate you were alone last night when all this shit was happening.” I can see the frustration simmering beneath the surface as he runs a hand down his face.
A knot forms in my stomach as I watch the interaction. Glancing between them, I can tell the two are close from the way he talks to her. Almost as if he has every right to.
In the next breath, it hits me.
Ishethe father?
A fresh wave of nausea rolls through me, and I fight like hell to keep from showing it. Clearing my throat, I straighten my shoulders. “And where the hell were you?”
Eyes narrow back at me. “Excuse me?”
“You said she was alone last night. Sowhere.Were.You?” I bite out the words through a clenched jaw.
His gaze freezes over as it locks onto mine. “You got a problem, Campbell?”
I refuse to back down, even though everything in this guy’s body language tells me he could pummel me in seconds. “Yeah, maybe I’ve got a problem with a guy who leaves his girl and baby alone to deal with this shit.”
“Grant—” Savannah gasps.
I don’t acknowledge her. I just keep barreling ahead. I’ve had months of pent-up frustration, and this guy looks like the perfect verbal punching bag. “From where I’m standing, it looks like you bailed on her when she needed you most. What kind of dad do you plan to be?”
The guy tenses as anger overtakes his glare. Before he has a chance to respond—or from the way he’s eyeing me, to throw a punch in my direction—laughter fills the room. Loud, unexpected, and kind of pissed. Both of our heads whip in her direction.
“Oh my god,” she says, throwing her head back and letting out half a chuckle and half a groan. “Seriously?”
“What?” I ask, my head going back and forth between the two, trying to figure out what she saw in this guy.
Savannah looks at me like I’ve grown three heads, and the guy seems as confused as I feel. “You think the baby ishis?”
“Oh god, no,” the guy says, disgust lacing each word. “Do I look like I’m ready to trade my bike in for a minivan anytime soon?”
The new revelation leaves me even more lost. “Wait…you’re not—?”
“I’m her cousin, Campbell,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world as he shakes his head. He looks at her and hitches a thumb over his shoulder. “I thought you said the guy was smart.”
