12. Chapter Twelve | Savannah #2
“I know that, but did I miss something? Did I drop the ball at some point? Should I have started fighting for it before he walked away?” A marriage is two people, and even if I was standing alone in the end, at some point he took a small step without me noticing him moving away from me and our life together.
I don’t think he woke up one morning and decided to just walk away from our lives together.
I’m plenty angry at him for his actions and decisions, but at the end of the day, there’s a part of me that is also incredibly sad at the loss of what I thought our lives together would look like, both now and in our futures.
“Well, in order for that to have been possible, he would have had to communicate where he was emotionally or what he was struggling with. So, did he? Did he tell you he was questioning things? Did he open up the dialogue to give you an opportunity to talk through his struggles or issues? Did he say he was feeling disconnected in the marriage or wanting to spend more time just the two of you?” She narrows her eyes at me—she knows this answer all too well.
I slowly shake my head. “You know he didn’t.”
“That’s right. He didn’t. He didn’t do that, so you never even had an option to fight for your marriage, honey.
So, stop that train of thought. Your marriage is not the same as what our parents had, nor was my marriage to Trent.
We both know if I had found out about Trent’s affair, he still probably would have walked away from me and Eloise.
You can’t forgive and move on with someone who has no remorse for the situation they created. ”
“You’re right, I know you’re right. People just assume that a divorce is always the fault of both parties.” And I’m really good at blaming myself for well … everything. It’s exhausting to fall short of the standards and expectations I put on myself.
“Who assumes that? And if anyone has said anything to you, I will … I don’t know, I’ll have Liam hack their sprinkler system and run up their water bill.” Vivian’s idea of an evil deed makes me throw my head back in laughter.
“Oh no, not the sprinklers, ma’am!” I place my hand on my chest in mock horror.
She waves her hand in front of her face, dismissing my mockery. “It was the best I could come up with on the spot.”
“Sugar, no hacking. We talked about this.” Walker shuts the patio door and sits down, putting his arm around Vivian and pulling her to him. “They are absolutely not asleep, but they started a movie and are all at least in sleeping bags downstairs.”
I shrug. “Weekend; works for me. How many stories did you have to read?”
Walker gives me a look, both of us knowing those girls have him wrapped around their fingers. “Four.”
“Oh, Special Agent Man, you are such a softie. You cannot show weakness to them. They go for the jugular the second you do,” Vivian teases as she leans up and kisses him on the cheek.
“Speaking of going for the jugular, did you already gossip about the coffee date I crashed this morning?” Walker’s eyes twinkle with mischief .
Vivian’s head snaps to me as I gasp at Walker’s accusation.
“That was no date. I’m not dating him—or anyone else for that matter.
Theo is my lawyer’s brother, or technically, I think he might be one of my lawyers, I don’t know.
It’s not like that.” I mean, Theo is ridiculously attractive, but my love life is on indefinite hold—and maybe a permanent hold.
“Are you sure? And if so, does he know that? I don’t know, Savannah, the way he was looking at you, I don’t think he sees you in a strictly professional manner.
I’m pretty good at reading people, and I know what I saw.
My gut says there was more than a spark there on both ends.
He was looking at you like you were a tall glass of water and he’d been trudging through the desert for months. ”
“Months, huh?” Vivian wiggles her eyebrows at me. “He sounds thirsty, girl.”
“He was not. Don’t believe him, Viv.” I dismiss Walker’s claims.
“What?! I absolutely believe him, and I also love this so much!” Vivian claps her hands and squeals like a schoolgirl who just heard her crush checked yes on the note she passed him asking if he liked her.
I can’t help but wonder if Walker brought this up just to make her smile, and his smug smile and wink at me only confirms my suspicions.
“Look at what you did. You’re going to get her hopes up, Walker.
” I try to school my smile but fail. “It’s true that my sister and I both agree Theo is handsome.
” Walker snaps his head to my sister with a growl as she pats his knee.
Ha, two can play that game. “He has a very pretty smile and handsome face, but I am not going to fall for it. I bet he flirts with all the ladies, and I have zero interest in getting involved in whatever drama I’m sure would come with trying to get a place on his social calendar.
” Theo is insanely rich, intelligent, successful, and then he has to go and be irrationally handsome on top of all of that?
It’s borderline unfair, really. If he doesn’t already have a girlfriend, I’m sure he has several contenders for the position.
“He was just being nice to his sister’s client who has an asshole ex that he hates; that’s all it was, Walker. ”
Walker slowly smiles as he nods his head toward me. “Look at that, Viv.”
“What’s that, baby?”
“That right there is what denial looks like, and this is going to be fun to watch. Get your popcorn ready, Sugar.” Walker smirks at me like he won, which makes Vivian laugh even more.
He’s being ridiculous, but I don’t know what he is talking about, Theo was just being kind, there’s no way he was flirting with me.
The electric energy I feel around him is just basking in all that makes him—well, him.
I don’t need to spend any more time thinking about him or his very handsome smile, let alone his incredible Adonis-like physique.
Lord knows he isn’t wasting time thinking about me.