Monroe, Marla - Hot and Bothered (Siren Publishing Classic) (21 page)

“You need to eat something more than just a salad. You’ve lost weight. Your clothes are hanging off of you.”

“I think these are the same things I said to you a few weeks ago. Don’t throw them back in my face, Karen.”

“Honey, I’m just worried about you.” She reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

“I’m okay, really I am. It’s just going to take some time.” She huffed out a breath and continued. “So, tell me about work. Martin still keeping you in the dark on who you’re working on?”

“Yeah, for the most part. I do know he’s planning something, though. I overheard him talking to someone on the phone about some land that is up for sale. He said they could get it for next to nothing but there was already someone looking at it so they would have to act fast. I’m thinking he’s selling information to the highest bidder.” Karen leaned back in the booth.

“You’re kidding. He’s sabotaging his own business.” Savanna shook her head in amazement. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“I didn’t think so either, but I know what I heard.”

“There’s got to be something else motivating him besides the cash,” Savanna said.

“I don’t know what it is. I sure would like to find out, so I can use it on him when he gets out of control.”

“So, what about Ben? I know you talked with him some last week. What’s going on with you two now?” Savanna asked.

“I don’t know. We’ve been talking some. He’s hung up on me and Martin, though. Says as long as I’m working with him, he would always wonder what was going on. I can’t afford to quit. I need to be able to pay my bills, and even if Ben and I worked things out and I got married, I would still want to work.”

“Well, type up your resume and start looking for another job.” Savanna figured if she loved Ben, she should make some sacrifices.

“You may have to take something that pays less or isn’t exactly what you want, but it would be worth it, wouldn’t it?” Savanna asked.

“I guess. I’m afraid I’ll change jobs, and we still won’t be able to work it out.” Karen ran a hand over her face.

“Honey, you need to change jobs regardless. You’re never going to know where you stand with Martin, and as long as you work for him, he will always hold this over your head.”

“I know you’re right. I’m just scared. Scared of change and scared to fail.” Karen took a deep breath. “Let’s talk about you now.”

“Me? What for?” she asked.

“I think you should call him. You’re in love with him. Go ahead and admit it to yourself if not to me.”

“It won’t do any good to call him. He isn’t going to talk to me.” She bit her lip. “Besides, what am I supposed to say when I call him anyway?”

Karen rolled her eyes at her. “You tell him you love him and that you’re sorry.”

“Me? Why do I have to say I’m sorry? He’s the one who walked out.”

“Yeah, but you’re the one who wants him back.”

“I’ll think about it. I don’t know if I can handle his not having a job.”

“Honey, you own a business. You don’t need his money to survive. Let him work when he wants to and take care of you all the time. I’d love it if Ben didn’t work and just took care of me.” She grimaced. “Hell, I would love it if he’d just take me back.”

“Aw, Karen. Don’t give up. Ask him to help you type up your resume.”

“I said I’ll think about it.”

“Then so will I,” Savanna said.

Chapter Eleven

Savanna picked up the phone for the third time that afternoon only to replace it just like she had the other two times. Karen had been right. She was in love with Dustin, and no amount of denying it was going to help. She needed to talk to him. She needed to tell him that she didn’t care if he had a job. She just wanted a chance to see where things led. The problem was, she didn’t think she could stand it if he said no.

“How long are you going to keep playing with the phone?” Irene asked.

“Oh, stop it. I’m not playing with it.”

“Then why have you been walking around with it in your hand for the last twenty minutes?” Irene laughed. “Call him and get it over with. You know you’re going to do it.”

“It’s not that easy, Irene. I hurt his pride. You know how men are about their pride. They don’t forgive easily when it comes to that.” Savanna sighed. She knew Irene was right.

She walked back to her office and closed the door for privacy. Then she dialed Dustin’s cell phone number and waited while it rang. When he didn’t pick up on the third ring, she was tempted to just hang up. Then there was a muffled
hello
on the other end.

“Dustin?”

“Yeah, who is this?” the gruff voice on the other end asked.

“It’s Savanna. Did I call at a bad time?”

“Savanna?” His voice sounded a little clearer now.

“Um, yeah.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few precious seconds.

“What did you want, Savanna?” He sounded tired.

“I was hoping we could talk.”

“About what? I think we already said everything there was to say to each other.”

“I needed to tell you that I’m sorry for the way I treated you,” she whispered.

“You were honest. We didn’t see eye to eye on things is all,” he said.

“I don’t think I was, though, Dustin. Please, can we just talk? I can’t do this on the phone.”

“Savanna, I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see each other.”

“Just give me five minutes. That’s all I’m asking for.”

She heard him sigh over the phone. “Okay. I’ll come by your place around six, will that be okay?”

“Yes, I’ll be there. Thank you, Dustin.”

“Good-bye.” He hung up.

Savanna was left holding a phone with a dial tone on the other end. She drew in a deep breath and blew it out. She hung up the phone. She had her five minutes. So what was she going to say in five minutes to change his mind about them? The only thing she could say. That she loved him.

Savanna paced the living room floor, checking her watch every few seconds. The hands didn’t seem to be moving at all. She still had five minutes before he was due to arrive. She stopped and sipped a little of the wine she had poured. Her stomach was all tied in knots. She felt like there were a million butterflies fluttering around her heart. She glanced down at her watch again, four more minutes. The doorbell rang, and she jumped. He was early. Savanna raced to the door then hesitated. She could do this. She opened the door.

Dustin stood on the other side. His hair was a little longer, and his face looked a little more lived in, but there he stood, waiting on her.

“Come in. Sorry.” She closed the door behind him once he stood inside the foyer.

He didn’t say anything.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“I’m here like you asked. I don’t think you have time to fix me something to drink, Savanna. What did you want?”

She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She could do this.

“I was wrong about thinking you weren’t marriage material for me. I’ve spent these last few weeks paying for that. I’m sorry for how I treated you and for the assumptions I made.”

“Apology accepted. Is that all?” He turned toward the door.

“No!” she nearly yelled. “Wait. That’s not all.” She wet her lips again. “I’m trying to say—I love you.”

He stilled next to her. Nothing moved. He didn’t even breathe for a full sixty seconds.

“Why?” he asked.

“Why what?”

“Why now? Why do you love me now but not three weeks ago?”

“I didn’t realize I was in love with you back then. I’ve never been in love before, so I didn’t know what I was feeling.” Savanna hoped he would believe her.

“What if it’s too late?” he finally asked.

“Please don’t say it is. Just give me a chance to prove it.”

“How are you going to prove that you love me?”

“I don’t know, but give me a chance,” she nearly begged.

He ran a hand over his face and sighed. “Okay.”

Savanna wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “You said okay?”

“Yeah.”

She threw herself into his arms and hugged him to her. He didn’t do anything at first. Then he wrapped his arms around her and patted her back.

“Can we talk now? I mean really talk?” Savanna asked.

“We need to if I’m going to believe you love me,” he said.

“I think I was in love with you even before we fought about it. I just hadn’t realized what it was I was feeling.”

“And it doesn’t bother you anymore that I might not work full-time or be the stable man you were wanting?”

“I’m stable enough for both of us. We can work it out, Dustin. You don’t have to change.”

“Good, because I won’t change. I work hard when I work, Savanna. I just choose not to work all the time.”

“That’s fine. I don’t actually work at the spa either,” she said.

“You don’t? Where do you work then?” His voice had grown colder again.

“I don’t manage it. I own it.”

He didn’t say anything for a few minutes. She held her breath.

“Why did you let me think you just managed it?” He didn’t sound like he was angry about it.

“I didn’t realize until later that you thought I managed it. By then, we were so involved that I forgot you didn’t know. Then we had the fight.” She watched his face for any sign he was okay with what all she’d said to him.

He blew out a breath and nodded. “Okay. So what do we do now?”

“Start over?” she suggested.

Dustin’s jaw tightened for an instant then he held out his hand.

“Hi, I’m Dustin Liguori.”

Savanna, grasped his hand and shook it.

“I’m Savanna. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled for the first time in nearly a month.

* * * *

Dustin couldn’t believe it. She had really come to him and said she loved him. Could he believe her? She moved into his arms, and he hugged her. It felt as if a piece of him snapped back into place. He pulled her tighter against him and heard her squeak in protest.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“A little.”

“Good. You’ve lost weight. Let’s go get pizza.”

They went to his favorite pizza place, and he was relieved to find it wasn’t busy. In fact, they had almost half of it to themselves. There were only two other groups there, an older couple and a family of four. Dustin chose a booth in the far back, away from the others. They sat across from each other and gave the waitress their drink orders.

“Tell me why stability and my having a job is so important to you.” Dustin leaned back against the seat.