Savannah Sweethearts

Ashley

The party was awful, and my date was a huge bore. My parents demanded that my brother and I come to present a united Gloss family for all their swanky business events and charities. My dress—gorgeous though it may be—could have purchased a month’s worth of food for one of the families this charity event is supposed to be supporting. My mother bought the dress and had it delivered to my studio apartment.

Evan Browning, my date, was about as exciting and appealing as a flea. He also kind of looked like one. He was a nice man, sure, but he was the same age as my father and spoke slower than a sloth. He kept putting his arm around me, and I had to keep shrugging him off.

I looked around, noting my brother and his wife laughing in the corner with people I didn’t know. My mother’s watchful gaze landed on me, and she nodded. I smiled back as expected. Evan excused himself to get a fresh drink without asking me if I needed one. I did. But I took a deep breath, glad he had stepped away. How I wished I was in sweats instead of sequins.

Laughter caught my attention a few tables down. At least someone was having a good time tonight at this charity event. I picked up my empty glass and meandered toward the group laughing. As I got a little closer, I could hear individual voices. One in particular jumped out to me, and my entire body broke into goosebumps.

It was a voice that called to me like a siren song. My heartbeat quickened; my palms began to sweat. It had been ten years since I had last heard Tyrell Harris’s voice. Ten years and we had not run into each other—until now. I had worked hard to move on, and I was sure he had as well. My body’s and mind’s reactions, however, did not care. They urged me to find him. Demanded it.

The drink in my hand suddenly weighed a ton, and I set it on the table in front of me. A quick glance showed my date chatting with someone I didn’t know, so I moved toward the voice that begged me to find it.

And then, there he was. He wore a navy blue suit that was perfectly tailored to fit over his shoulders. He stood with one hand in his pocket; the other held a glass as he laughed at someone else’s words.

The group around him was all men, and I wondered if he was here with a date or if he was married. For years, I had imagined what his life would be like without me—and if I talked to him now, I would find out.

For a moment, I could only stare at him. Tyrell was really here, twenty feet in front of me. My heart implored me to run to him, even all these years later, but my feet stayed planted where they were.

Then he looked up and saw me. The smile fell, and his eyes widened. My breath hitched as I watched recognition hit him. Without excusing himself from his friends, he walked toward me like a man on a mission.

“Ashley?” He asked as if he didn’t know who I was, as if we hadn’t been together every day for years as teenagers. His eyes searched me up and down as if looking for the teenager I once had been.

I swallowed hard, but my voice came out hoarse. “Tyrell. How are you?” I didn’t want to notice, but when I inhaled, he still smelled the same—like bergamot and pepper. It brought a smile to my lips. It was from an aftershave I had bought him as a high school graduation gift.

“It’s been a long time. I’m good. How are you? You look fabulous.” He stepped back and looked me over.

I wore a long, blue sheath dress that shimmered in the light. I had thought it was demure when I put it on, but now I felt wanton. Nothing was on display, but neither was my body hidden away; and with his eyes on me, I felt naked.

Nodding, I stepped closer to him. “I’m good. I’m surprised to see you here.” He hadn’t been one to mix with this crowd of people. In fact, that had been why we had broken up. We came from two extremely different worlds.

The left side of his mouth went up in a half-smile, and he gazed into my eyes. “I’m a producer now, so I’ve met a lot of people at places like this. I have wondered if I would ever run into you.”

At that moment, my date reappeared and stood at my elbow. Being the dutiful Savannah daughter I was, I made introductions. “Tyrell Harris, this is Evan Browning. Evan, Tyrell Harris.”

The look Evan gave Tyrell was pure disgust. Tyrell didn’t even register with him, since he clearly wasn’t old money. He put his arm around me as if to claim me as his, and I gently stepped out of his embrace.

Rolling his shoulders back, Evan stayed close to my side. “Ashley, are you about ready to go?”

In all honesty, I was ready to leave the party, but I did not want to leave with him. I looked to Tyrell and raised an eyebrow. Then I turned to Evan. “You know, why don’t you say goodbye to the Lambeths, and I’ll get my jacket.”

I had not brought a jacket, but Evan didn’t argue. He nodded and stepped away.

“Boyfriend?” Tyrell tried not to laugh. He hid his glorious smile behind his hand.

I stepped closer to him and tried to hide my own giggles. “Hardly. He was my mother’s pick. I’m sure you remember her preferred type.” I rolled my eyes and folded my arms. “I would love to leave, but not with him.”

Then he said three simple words that would stay with me forever. “Leave with me.” There was excitement in his eyes, like we were eighteen again and sneaking off before going to college.

My first instinct was to grab his hand and run. My second instinct was that Tyrell was here with other people, and I had my own date and family in the room as well. I needed to keep up appearances. Didn’t I? I had spent my whole life being the socialite my parents wanted me to be.

A raised eyebrow from Tyrell and a peek at his very bare left hand gave me my answer. I agreed, and without a backward glance, I took his hand, and we disappeared from the room. It was April in Savannah, so it was already warm and humid as we went through the door. We hid out away from the lamplight for a moment. The thrill I felt at not just running away but running away with Tyrell was euphoric.

“Now what?” I licked my lips, unsure what we would do now that we had escaped. I guessed he didn’t have a date, since he had suggested leaving together.

There was a sparkle in his eye. “Coffee? I’d love to catch up.” It was a grown-up answer from a now grown-up Tyrell.

I nodded, and he took my hand, leading me down the sidewalk. There was a coffee shop two blocks from where we were, and we headed toward it. His hand in mine felt warm and familiar, like a favorite sweater that’s both comfortable and sexy. The corners of my lips turned up, and I could feel the blush warm my cheeks.

My thoughts momentarily turned back to Evan. I wondered if he was now turning in circles looking for me, and I giggled. My parents would have a beratement for me in the morning, but for now, I didn’t care. Maybe I wouldn’t care at all anymore.

We slipped into the shop and picked a couch in the back. I sat—or, rather, fell—into the worn couch with a laugh. Tyrell perched on the edge.

“You want the usual? My treat.” His smile was warm and his eyes inviting. While he had certainly matured, he was still the same Tyrell I had known years ago.

“You remember?” We had started drinking coffee together, wanting to seem more grown-up. When he nodded, I agreed, and he went to the counter to order.

He returned with two mugs in hand and a cheese Danish to split. He knew my weakness for Danish. I picked it up and tore it in half, biting into a piece. It wasn’t until I was chewing that I realized he was just staring at me.

“So, Ashley Gloss, what are you up to these days?” He leaned away from me and folded his arms in front of him.

Sitting on the low couch was not the most flattering position, especially in a clingy dress. And especially when I was stuffing my face with pastry. “I’m a preschool teacher, and I live right near Baldwin Park. How about you?”

He laughed. “That’s it? No epic love story? No kids? No scientific breakthroughs?”

“Unfortunately, no. You know I was never much for science. I got my degree in early childhood education and started working. I love my school. It pays the bills.” I took a sip of coffee, realizing I hadn’t done a whole lot with my life thus far. “I have a cat. I try to do some philanthropy. But tell me about you.”

His smile fell, and I wondered if he had run into unfortunate circumstances since we had last seen each other. “Well, I’m a producer for Action News now, living here in the city, just a few blocks from Mom.” He hesitated and winced a little. “I have twin daughters, who are four. They are the light of my life.”

Oh. He had kids. The cozy atmosphere suddenly became suffocating—not that it had a reason. Tyrell was not mine to claim. At all. I had always thought he and I would end up together and have children one day. I wondered why he had left the party with me if he had a wife and children at home waiting for him.

I plastered a smile onto my face. “Oh my goodness, twins! That must be so much fun. I’m sure you and their mother are always on the go.” I stuffed another bite of Danish into my mouth to keep myself from breaking down.

He quickly stepped in to correct me. “No, no. We’re not together. We’ve never been together. She was a mistake. A complete, one-time mistake. But that gave me the biggest blessing of my life with the girls, so we share custody.”

He showed me a picture of two identical little girls with braided ponytails. They were precious and looked very much like Tyrell. I was relieved that he wasn’t with their mother, though I had no reason to be.

We chatted about his children and his mother. Then we talked about my parents and my brother with his new baby. Before we knew it, two hours had passed, and my sides hurt from laughing so much.

“I really should go. My classroom will be very lively in the morning.” I stifled a yawn.

“Where do you teach?”

“Lighthouse Preschool. It’s a great place.” I picked up my small purse and put it in my lap.

A knowing grin crossed his face. “I knew it. It had to be fate. The girls start there tomorrow. I’m transferring them to be closer to Mom.”

“That’s wild. I can’t wait to meet them. I guess I’ll see you around, then.” I stood, and he followed suit.

After a slightly awkward hug, we parted ways. I went home to my cat, and we curled up on the bed where I lay awake wondering what might have been. I fell asleep to dreams of the family that might have been mine if I had only ignored my father.