23 Savannah
Savannah whistled when Cora walked out of the bedroom dressed for the gala. “Look at you! Somebody is looking to turn some
heads tonight.”
Cora ignored the comment and strolled over to the table where Savannah was sitting, her stiletto heels clicking across the
tile floor. “You really think the crossbody bag is a no? It’s way more practical.” She held up the black bag she’d been carrying
most of the summer.
“If you suggest it again, I will burn it.” Savannah slid a new beaded clutch across the table.
“Thanks for driving me, by the way. I feel a little bit like I’m on my way to a junior high dance, but I figured it would
be easier to let Bianca and Lord Farquaad have access to a car.”
Savannah laughed. “That is the perfect name for him, but don’t ever say it to his face.”
“I’ll try to restrain myself.” Cora tossed a couple more things into the clutch, then looked over at Savannah with a more
serious expression. “Did y’all get a chance to talk?”
A wave of guilt rolled through her. “No.”
In fact, she was pretty sure Bianca had been avoiding her since their blowup the day before. It was the latest example of
Savannah’s failed attempt to fix what was broken. This summer was not going according to plan.
Savannah was just so tired, and nothing she did seemed to be good enough.
It felt like she was always racing at full speed just to keep up, and things kept falling behind.
There was always something else that she should be doing or something else that didn’t get done.
It was maddening and exhausting, and she felt guilty all the time.
“I just wanted the perfect night, you know. Where we could connect. Like we used to.”
“I know.”
“We used to love movie night.” Savannah let her mind drift back to the summer nights of their childhood.
“We used to love a lot of things. Like getting a soda where you mixed all the flavors.”
Just the thought of it pulled her mouth into an instant yuck face. “Fine. I wanted us to have an upgraded, grown-up version of the activity we used to love.” She motioned to the glass
jars half-full of what was left from the popcorn bar. “I did get the gourmet popcorn.”
“Which was a nice start,” Cora agreed. “That white chocolate popcorn is amazing.”
“Right?”
“Give her some time,” Cora said. “I think she’s dealing with some of her own stuff at the moment.”
“I can imagine.” Besides the surprise of Zander showing up, he wasn’t exactly the person they were expecting him to be. At
least he wasn’t who Savannah was expecting.
“Did you know there’s not even one Michelin star chef in the Florida Panhandle?” Cora reported.
“I did not. However have we survived all these years?”
Cora chuckled. “Miss Mary’s.”
Savannah nodded as if that were, indeed, the only reason they had survived eating at subpar restaurants their entire lives.
“Then it’s unfortunate he doesn’t eat sugar.”
“I think there are a lot of unfortunate things there,” Cora said.
“But in all seriousness, if he turns out to be her soulmate, I’ll learn to love him.” Which was what she should’ve said last
night.
“Agreed.” Cora nodded in solidarity. Then she closed her eyes and whispered, “Please don’t be her soulmate. Please don’t be
her soulmate. Please don’t be her soulmate.”
Savannah chuckled because it was exactly what she was thinking. “You can spy on them at the gala. See how it’s going and report back.”
“Will do. But are you sure you don’t want to go? You can spy on them yourself,” Cora said. “I’m sure Jax could get you a ticket.
I still have that second dress in the closet I was going to send back tomorrow. You could wear it.” She hitched her thumb
in the direction of her room.
“No, I’m fine. I’ll actually enjoy having a quiet night with the house all to myself. Maybe I’ll go for a sunset walk on the
beach. Read my book. Go to bed early. A few of my favorite things.”
Cora laughed. “If only Julie Andrews had sung about them in her song.”
“It’s the thirty-something, tired-mom version.” She smiled at Cora. “But I might string up those café lights over the back
deck. There was a ladder in the shed, wasn’t there?”
Cora nodded. “I think so. But be careful. Bianca and I can always help you do that tomorrow.”
“If she’s talking to me tomorrow.”
“She’ll come around. After all, who can stay mad after dancing all night in the arms of their fiancé?”
“Well, there is that.” She dangled the keys in front of Cora. “We should go before you turn back into a pumpkin. Your carriage
awaits.”