Chapter 47 Lingering Echoes
Lingering Echoes
Savannah Monroe was already halfway through her glass of wine when Mallory walked through the door, shrugging off her jacket with an expression that screamed, “Buckle up—because, I have news!”
Savannah sat up straighter, her heart hammering before she could stop herself.
"What happened?" The words tumbled out before she could swallow them down. Too eager. Too desperate.
Mallory smirked, kicking off her shoes. “I talked to Chase.”
Savannah froze.
The room went silent. Her wine glass hovering mid-air. Breath caught in her throat. “You what?” She stuttered out.
Mallory tossed her jacket over the back of a chair. “Called him.”
Savannah blinked. “Out of nowhere?”
Mallory shrugged, like it was nothing. Like she hadn’t just dropped a live fucking grenade in the middle of Savannah’s world. “More like after weeks of debating. But yeah. I finally did it.”
Savannah exhaled sharply, setting her wine down. “And?”
Mallory arched a brow. “That’s it? No dramatic reaction? No ‘Why the hell would you do that, Mallory?’”
Savannah let out a forced laugh, but it came out brittle. “I mean—you do dumb shit all the time. Why should this be different?” She took a quick sip of wine, hoping Mallory didn’t notice how her fingers trembled.
Mallory smirked, sinking into the couch like this was any other night. “Okay then, I won’t say anything about it.” She picked up the remote, flipping through Netflix like she hadn’t just set Savannah’s entire nervous system on fire. “What are we watching?” She smirked.
Savannah’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?! Are you fucking serious right now?” She threw her arms in the air, nearly knocking over her wine.
“You just casually announce that you talked to my ex—the ex—and now you want to talk about Netflix?
No. No, no, no, Mallory, we are not doing this.
You are going to tell me every single detail, right now! "
Mallory laughed, shaking her head. “That’s what I thought.”
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “What do you want to know, Savannah?”
Savannah inhaled sharply, pretending she didn’t already have an entire list prepared. “Everything. What did he say when he answered? Did he sound surprised? Annoyed? Happy?”
“Well, first off, he answered on the second ring.”
Savannah’s heart skipped. Second ring. He didn’t let it go to voicemail.
Mallory gave her a knowing look. “Sounded like himself, which honestly threw me for a second.”
Savannah narrowed her eyes. “Like himself? What does that even mean? Was he relieved? Did he sound like he missed—" She paused, "like he wanted to talk?”
Mallory’s smirk deepened. “Not sad. Not overly eager. Just—like Chase.”
Savannah swallowed hard but said nothing.
For the past year, she had been convincing herself that Chase was fine. That he had moved on. That he had let her go. That her absence hadn’t wrecked him the way it had wrecked her. But hearing Mallory say that? That he was just now starting to feel like himself again?
It hurt.
Because she knew what that meant.
She had broken him. And he had just started putting the pieces back together.
Savannah swallowed past the lump in her throat. "What else did you guys talk about?"
Mallory hesitated. Like she was debating how much to tell her. But then she sighed, shaking her head. “Everything.”
Savannah’s jaw tightened. "Mallory—"
“He asked about you.” Mallory admitted.
Savannah’s breath hitched. Her world stilled. Those four words echoed in her head like a pulse. He asked about you. It had been a year. An entire fucking year. And he still asked about her?
Savannah’s fingers tightened around the pillow, gripping it like it was the only thing keeping her grounded. “What did he say?”
Mallory hesitated again, then exhaled. “At first, he just asked how you were doing. If you were okay.”
Savannah closed her eyes briefly, absorbing that.
But Mallory wasn’t done. “And then he said—” Her voice softened. “‘If it won’t hurt her, tell her I said hey, and I hope she’s doing good.’”
Savannah sucked in a sharp breath, her heart twisting in her chest. She hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear that until now.
He wasn’t bitter. He wasn’t angry. He still cared. Savannah opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Mallory watched her carefully. “I swear, it was like I was playing 21 Questions.”
Savannah let out a forced, half-smile. “What else did you ask him?”
Mallory, watching her carefully, continued. “Well, he’s not dating anyone.”
Savannah’s eyes snapped up to hers, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face. “What?”
Mallory smirked. “I asked him.” Shrugging her shoulders.
Savannah’s brows furrowed. “You asked him that?”
Mallory shrugged. “I may have phrased it as, ‘Are you seeing anyone?’ And, of course, in true Chase fashion, he gave me a vague-ass answer.”
Savannah’s pulse pounded. “Which was?”
Mallory grinned. “He said no.”
Savannah’s stomach flipped.
Mallory leaned in. “And then I said, ‘Let me rephrase. I know you don’t date, Montgomery.’”
Despite everything, Savannah let out a small breath of amusement.
Mallory continued, “He laughed. And then he said, ‘Mal—not that it’s your business, but…’” She hesitated.
“But what?” Savannah demanded.
Mallory exhaled. “He said that’s not true. He just hasn’t found his person. The person he wants to do life with.”
Savannah inhaled sharply. Because she knew. She knew that he had found his person.
It was her.
He had told her. And she still walked away.
Mallory softened. “Sav, it’s been a year. And he’s still checking in on you.”
Savannah looked away. “Is that all you guys talked about?”
Mallory hesitated again. Then—
“Oh, and one more thing.”
Savannah lifted her head, pulse hammering. “What?”
Mallory inhaled deeply. “He’s coming to Asheville next month.”
Savannah’s entire body locked up. Her stomach dropped. Her hands went cold.
"What?" she whispered, eyes wide in surprise mixed with panic.
"Work trip. He’ll be in town. I may or may not have suggested we grab drinks."
Savannah’s breath came fast. "Mallory—"
"Relax, I didn’t set anything up. But, Sav…” Mallory’s voice softened. "He’s not over you. And if you’re not over him either—" She tilted her head, watching her. “—maybe it’s time to figure out what you want.”
Savannah stared at her wine glass, pretending she wasn’t already thinking about what it would be like to see him again.
Because maybe—
Maybe it was time.