Page 64 of Bursting With Love
“Jack, listen to me. You gotta let your guilt go. People die every day. We’re all gonna go sometime. This woman, Savannah, she doesn’t need to live with Linda’s noose around your neck. Let yourself be happy. Linda would want that for you. You know she would.” He released Jack’s arm and settled back on the pillow, looking even more depleted than when Jack had arrived.
“Ralph, I’m so sorry for all that happened and for what you’re going through now.” Jack touched his arm.
Ralph’s eyes met his. “I know you are. Let it go,” he whispered.
“I love you, Ralph, and I’ll always love Linda.” Fresh tears pressed on Jack’s eyelids.
Ralph nodded. “She knows, Jack. She knows.”
An hour later, as Jack climbed back on his motorcycle and drove away, he finally felt as if he were moving forward instead of standing still.
Chapter Twenty-Six
AIDA BARGED THROUGH Savannah’s office door and closed it behind her. Her breasts were practically bursting the buttons of her blouse with every heavy breath as she pressed her back against the door.
Savannah startled. “What the hell? Is someone armed out there?”
“I ran from reception.”
“Why would you do that?” Savannah came around her desk and eyed Aida’s black pencil skirt and the four-inch heels on her Jimmy Choos. “How did you do that?”
“Are you kidding? I can run like a deer in these. I can pull my ankles behind my ears, too.” She winked.
“You’re so weird.”
“Remember that creepy client of Ed’s? He was out there when I was coming back from the ladies’ room.” Aida shivered. “God, he creeps me out.”
“You’re so dramatic.”
Aida grabbed Savannah’s hand and dragged her to the chairs in front of her desk. She sat down and pulled Savannah down to the chair across from her. “Enough about the creeper. I had the hottest date last night with that attorney from Greenberg’s office.”
“The blond guy?”
Aida rolled her eyes. “Yes, the blond guy. The man has a body that should be tattooed with too hot to touch.”
“Yeah? Did you have a good time? Was he nice?” Aida wasn’t known for a long track record of meaningful relationships. The other women in the office called her a man eater. She rarely went on a date with the same man more than three times.
She shrugged. “Eh. But he was incredibly talented in bed. Enough so that it might warrant a second time around. We’ll see.” Aida pursed her lips and ran her eyes up and down Savannah. “What’s up with the after-sex glow?”
Savannah waved her hand in front of her face and made a psht sound.
“You think I didn’t notice you humming in the meeting this morning? Hell, you might as well have worn a sign across your forehead that said, Recently fucked, and no, I cannot stop smiling.”
“You’re such a pig,” Savannah teased. “You always think you see something that has to do with sex.”
“So? Tell, tell.” Aida lifted her slim eyebrows in quick succession.
Savannah sat back and looked out the window, remembering the way her heart had stopped when she’d seen Jack in her doorway.
“Jack came over last night.”
Aida arched a brow. Savannah hadn’t thought twice about sharing all the dirty details of her affair with Connor. The good, the bad, and the embarrassing. But something about her relationship with Jack felt different. Private. More intimate.
“And?” Aida pushed.
“And we had a great night.” She pushed to her feet and circled the desk, then leaned over it and pretended to be looking for something.
“Yeah, that’s gonna work.” Aida followed Savannah’s path, shoved her body between the desk and Savannah and crossed her arms.
“Okay, fine.” She felt her cheeks flush.
“Wait a second.” She ran her eyes up and down Savannah. “Why all the deception? You’re blushing. Give me your hand.” She held her hand out.
Savannah put her hands behind her back.
“Mm-hmm. Clammy hands at the mention of him.” She narrowed her baby blues, scrutinizing Savannah’s every move. “Deception, embarrassment, humming. You like this guy. Like, really like this guy. Counselor, how do you plead?” She hiked herself up onto the desk and crossed her long legs.
“God, I hate you.” Savannah took a step toward the door, and Aida grabbed her wrist.
“Hey, you okay?”
Savannah covered her face with her hands and groaned. “Yes, I’m fine.” She lowered her hands and leaned in close to Aida. “You’re gonna think I’m crazy, but…” She slammed her eyes shut and whispered, “I think I love him.”
