Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
SAVANNAH HOLLINGSWORTH
I scoop a bite of my scrambled eggs, ignoring the looks that Levi is shooting me across the table. His depression didn’t last long. Today, he’s back to his lighthearted self, grinning at me like the Cheshire Cat.
“Noah and I used to play hide and seek,” Levi announces to the table. “I haven’t ever hidden under my covers, though.”
Heat rises to my cheeks, and I pick up my toast. Noah kicks him under the table.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Micah asks.
Levi shrugs. “Nothing. Just thought I’d mention it.”
Micah shoots him a weird look. “Okay,” he says, stretching out the word. He turns to Kiera, sitting beside him. “I wrote a new song last night.”
Cricket perks up across the table. “I want to hear it.”
Micah nods at her. “Sure.” He turns back to Kiera. “I’ll grab my guitar after breakfast.”
I glance between the three of them, and my heart goes out to Cricket, who obviously likes Micah. He seems clueless, and quite a bit into Kiera. Poor Cricket.
“I didn’t know you had ninja moves, Savannah,” Levi says, a smirk on his face. “I had no idea a person could move that fast. Before breakfast, even.”
“Levi,” Noah says, a warning tone to his voice. I’m sure my face is the color of tomato sauce now.
“What are you talking about?” Tobias asks as his fork clinks loudly against his plate, not hiding his annoyance at Levi’s vague comments.
“Let me see your ring again, Kiki,” Violet asks, leaning across the table. I silently thank Violet for the change of subject, and I make a note to kill Levi later.
Kiki stretches her hand out, and Violet takes her fingers, turning her hand this way and that so the light catches the stone. “Oh, that’s really nice.” She turns to Tobias and pats his hand. “You did good.”
Violet’s been working for the Barrett family ever since I met Noah, and it’s obvious she’s become part of the family. She reminds me of Dorothy, from Golden Girls. A sweet woman, but with a streak of sass to her.
“Can I have more toast?” Skyler asks.
“Sure, darlin’,” Kiki says.
Everyone turns to stare, and Tobias nudges her shoulder. “You sounded like a southern woman just there.”
After a laugh, the table splits into several conversations, and I’m glad the attention isn’t on me. I turn to Noah. “What are we going to do today?”
Noah and I told Tobias we’d take Skyler for the day so he and Kiki can have a romantic afternoon alone on the island. But I was busy decorating the ship and making the video, so Noah’s job was to plan our day on Blue Harbor Island. Noah picks up a slice of bacon. “I thought we could take Skyler to tour the lighthouse. She might like that.”
“Good idea.”
“Then I thought we could play in the park, get some lunch, and find some ice cream.” He stresses the last two words.
Skyler jerks her head toward Noah. “Ice cream? I want some ice cream!”
“Good. Because Savannah and I are going to take you to get some. Sound good?” Noah raises his eyebrows at her.
“Yes!” Skyler says.
We finish breakfast, and Noah and I take Skyler off the ship. The lighthouse is several blocks away, and we start heading toward it with Skyler between us. Skyler grabs my hand.
“Savannah, will you go on the swings with me?” She looks up at me like I’m one of the cool kids, and my heart warms.
I smile down at her. “I’d love to. The swings were my favorite as a kid.”
We get to the lighthouse and a woman ushers us to some benches to wait for the next tour. A small group gathers to wait. At the fifteen-minute mark, the tour guide starts by bringing us into the keeper’s house, where the keeper lived when the lighthouse was in operation. Everything is set up as if someone still lived there today.
After that, she takes us into the lighthouse itself, and we start climbing the stairs. Noah lifts Skyler up in his arms, and she giggles. The guide talks about the history of the island, shows us the unique design features of the lighthouse, and even tells a ghost story about a woman who haunts the shoreline, looking for her lost husband at sea.
When we’re done with the lighthouse tour, I grab Skyler’s hand. “Are you ready to eat lunch and go to the park?”
Her eyes widen. “And then can we get ice cream?”
Noah chuckles and pats her head. “Yes. Then we can get ice cream.”
We walk to a burger joint that sits across the street from the park. It’s a typical fast-food vibe, with red vinyl booths and Formica tables. We order burgers, fries, and sodas.
As Skyler eats her food, Noah nudges my elbow. “Remember that time we wanted to test your theory that our remote control would work on other TV’s as long it was the same brand, so we snuck around at night, looking in people’s windows trying to change their TV channels?”
I slap my hand over my mouth because I’d forgotten all about that. “Oh, my gosh! Poor Mr. Edwards. We made him think his TV was possessed.”
Noah’s warm laugh echoes through the restaurant. “That was so funny. I thought you were going to die laughing.”
“I couldn’t breathe, I was laughing so hard.” I also remember running when Mr. Edwards looked out his window at us. We ended up running until we reached the cemetery, and we collapsed on the grass. It was the first time I’d entertained the thought that I could be falling in love with Noah.
I allow my gaze to travel over his features as my pulse races. I was in love with him back then, but it was a childish love. Puppy love. So, what am I’m feeling right now?
“Good memories,” he says as he picks up a French fry.
I grab a fry as well and dip it in the catsup and mayonnaise mix that Noah made for me. I can’t be in love with Noah. We’re not even really dating.
“Were you a bookworm when you were a kid?” I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that, and I cringe after I realize what I’m asking.
Noah’s gaze snaps to mine. He swallows, then puts the French fry into his mouth. After a moment, he nods. “Yeah. I used to read a lot.”
I lay my hand on his. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to?—”
“Can I have more fries?” Skyler asks, oblivious to our conversation.
“Sure, honey.” I grab some of mine and put them on her tray.
“It’s okay,” Noah says. “I don’t mind talking about it.”
“Really? Because I don’t want to bring up painful things.” Guilt slides through me for asking.
He gives me a small smile. “No, it’s okay. I did love books. Mostly mysteries and crime novels. The kind you have to puzzle out who’s the murderer.”
“I can see you liking that.”
“I just haven’t read them in a long time. It reminds me too much of that day.” He shakes his head. “Stupid, huh?”
I touch his arm. “No. It’s not stupid.”
When we’re done eating, we go next door to the ice cream shop and get cones. We eat the ice cream as we walk across the street to the park. Skyler ends up with mint chocolate chip all over her face, but Noah grabs a napkin from his back pocket and gently cleans her face. I love the way he is with her. So different from my own father, which causes a pang in my chest.
“Can we swing now, Savannah?” Skyler grabs my hand and tugs me toward the swings before I have a chance to answer.
“Sure,” I say, laughing.
I haven’t been on a swing in forever, but it feels good to let go and act like a kid again. Skyler tries to swing higher than me, and I let her just to hear her squeals of laughter. Noah stands a few feet away, leaning against a tree. He’s smiling, and his dimple is showing. Be still my heart.
Skyler jumps down from the swings. “I’m going on the slide.”
I watch as she runs off toward the slide. She gets going too fast and trips and falls on the cement. Cries of pain come from her as I run to her. “Are you okay, sweetie?”
She shows me her knee, scraped up by the pavement.
“Oh, darlin’.” I pick her up and hold her to me. “It’s okay. Let’s clean it and make it better.”
Noah rushes to me and Skyler. “Bring her to the water fountain.”
He tenderly scoops water onto her knee and uses a clean napkin to dab at the blood. My heart melts as I watch him gently administer to her needs. He’s so good with children. I look at his face, his eyebrows knit together in concentration, and a wave of emotion crashes through me.
Noah is a good man. He’s loyal, and protective, and so kind to others. And I have no idea how I’m going to keep spending time with him without falling completely in love with him.