Chapter 9
NINE
DALTON
I coast the aisles of the local hardware store in a fog.
My head is so wrapped up in the last few days that saying I’m distracted would be the understatement of the damn century.
I’m completely fucking bewildered, unfocused, muddled.
Because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the words I whispered into Savanna’s ear four nights ago, and the rush of breath that left her mouth as her eyes glazed over—like she was replaying that exact moment between us in the Atlantic.
And the way her eyes seared into me last night from across the bar, when she heard me tell Hudson in innuendo that my type had always been—her—has my head fucking spinning.
I guess my kryptonite was finding out the girl I’ve been in love with my whole life isn’t dating, engaged, or married—throwing me into a goddamn tailspin this last week.
I chant faucet, white paint, and screws to myself when I step into the next aisle and become paralyzed.
I consider running out of the store, but my boots stay rooted in place.
Because there, kneeling in the middle of the aisle before me, is Savanna in her signature cut-off jean shorts and white Chuck Taylors.
She’s wearing an oversized Georgia Bulldogs baseball shirt and a twisted topknot at the top of her head, making herself look fucking edible.
I scratch my jaw as I openly gawk from a distance at the girl in front of me. She looks unsure at the shelf before her, biting her cheek, picking up items, and reading the instructions on the back. Shaking her head, she returns them to the shelf.
My eyes veer toward Drew, standing next to her.
Her white, blonde hair twirls as she spins around in Christmas pajamas that are tucked into hot pink, polka-dot rain boots.
It’s the middle of August, and there’s practically a damn heat wave outside, but this girl is wearing Christmas pajamas out in public with confidence, like she is about to convince everyone to say Feliz Navidad four months early.
Quick. Think Dalton.
Take two steps forward or take two steps back?
Drew stops spinning and makes eye contact with me.
Well, shit. I guess there’s no going back now.
“Hey, Mommy. It’s your friend,” Drew squeals, running toward me. Before I can think of what to do, her arms connect around my legs.
Has this girl ever heard of stranger danger?
“Hey, Miss Drew,” I reply, kneeling on one knee and wrapping her into a tight hug that rewards me with a soft giggle.
Savanna straightens, a look of horror on her face. “Dalton, what are you doing here?”
I let out a self-conscious laugh, gripping the back of my neck. “I could ask you the same thing, Savanna,” is all I can say, trying my best to sound as cool as possible.
Drew grabs my attention away from Savanna, her palms landing on my cheeks.
“Our water is freezing, Dalton,” Drew announces. She rubs her shoulders, shivering, while clacking her teeth together.
I chuckle.
This kid is something else.
“I’ve been stuck wearing these pajamas all day. I can’t take a bath because Mommy went to turn on the faucet and broke the hot water.”
Something inside tells me Drew would still be wearing Christmas pajamas—even if she didn’t have a hot water situation happening at home.
I decide to play along. “Oh, yeah?” I reply, quirking my eyebrow at Savanna.
Those same green, hesitant eyes from last night stare back at me.
Savanna shifts her weight to each leg, like she’s trying to find her balance.
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far, Drew,” she says, huffing out a breath.
“I’m pretty sure you would have still worn those pajamas regardless of our little circumstance at home. ”
I give Drew a side eye, and she shrugs.
I knew it.
This kid has a personality all on her own. She is sassy, spunky, and funny.
Three very admirable traits.
Just like her mother.
“So, you have no hot water at your house? Do you know exactly what’s wrong?” I interject, turning my attention to Savanna.
Savanna looks down, sighing. “I did a little bit of research online, and it says the thermostat in my water heater probably went out.” She glances at me sheepishly.
“So, I’ve been looking at thermostats, trying to figure out which one to buy.
But they all seem the same.” Her shoulders shrug in defeat.
I straighten, stepping toward Savanna, assessing the display of thermostats lining the shelves. Grabbing a few, I read their labels, trying desperately to focus despite Savanna’s coconut, vanilla scent penetrating my senses.
God, she always smelled like summer.
Thoughts of Savanna wrapped around my body at the bonfire six years ago take precedence in my mind. My mouth buried deep in the crevice of her neck as her signature scent consumed me.
With a random thermostat in my hand, I shudder at the memory.
Keep it in your pants, Dalton.
I cough into my fist, trying to create a distraction from the need rising in me. “I think this one should work on your water heater. It’s a universal thermostat, so it should be able to replace the one you have.”
Savanna takes the thermostat from my hand wearily. Her fingertips brushing against mine send a jolt of electricity coursing through me. “Oh, great…thanks, Dalton.”
She turns toward Drew. “You ready? I think Dalton helped us find the right thermostat. Now, let’s go home and figure out how to replace it, so your stinky little butt can take a bath,” she teases, poking Drew’s belly.
Drew lets out a fit of laughter, and it thaws something within me.
Before I can think better of it, I turn toward Savanna. “Do you need help putting the thermostat in? You know I’m pretty handy, and that sounds like a straightforward job for me. I wouldn’t mind helping you ladies out.” I wink down at Drew.
What am I doing? And why the hell did I wink?
Do I really want a front row ticket into the life I was supposed to be a part of? A reminder that Savanna moved on without me?
“Oh, no…that’s okay, Dalton. I’ll just have Hudson help me,” Savanna replies, digging through her purse in search of something.
“Well, that might be a hard one since Hudson mentioned the varsity football game was going to be rescheduled for tonight.”
Savanna stops digging through her purse and looks up. A flush of redness overtakes her neck. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot he mentioned that last night,” she exhales, clearly defeated.
I push my hands deep into my pockets, rocking on my heels.
“Well, my offer still stands. I’d love to help if you need it.
I really don’t mind. Let me just run this material to my mom’s, and then I’ll head your way if that works.
” I arch a brow, waiting for her response.
It feels like minutes pass as her eyes bounce from me toward Drew and back.
Drew’s eyes light up as she jumps up and down, her rain boots echoing around us.
“Please. Please. Please, Mom! Can Dalton come over?” Her hands squeeze together like she’s making a wish.
Savanna’s expression softens as she takes a deep breath, her gaze finding mine—a mix of both defeat and gratitude peeking through. “Okay. Okay, Drew. Dalton can come over this afternoon to help fix the water heater.”
Internally, I do a mental fist bump. Excitement and anticipation coursing through my veins, knowing I get to be her knight in shining armor today. Drew squeals, squeezing my legs in a hug.
Savanna peels Drew off my legs, tossing her onto her back for a piggyback ride. “Okay, you. Let's go.” Drew threads her arms around Savanna’s neck, her towheaded hair falling around Savanna’s shoulders.
“Thanks, Dalton. Will you meet me at my house in an hour?”
“Absolutely.” I choke out, staring at Savanna in awe. I’m completely taken aback by this woman’s beauty, because shower or no shower today—this girl is damn gorgeous.
She walks away, weaving through the aisles as she makes her way up toward the register. Meanwhile, I’m stuck frozen in place, unable to move, thinking about all that's transpired in the last ten minutes. If this isn’t the universe trying to intervene, I don’t know what the hell this is.
What am I going to do? It’s clear that I’m in trouble.
After all these years, it’s obvious that Savanna still has me in a chokehold.
It's that thought alone that has me reeling, my legs moving quickly through the store.
Thinking about all the time I’ve lost with her, and the limited time I have left with her—suddenly sets my body on fire.
I pay for my supplies at the register, omitting small talk with the cashier.
Rushing to my truck, I drive like a bat out of hell to drop off my purchases.
I quickly shower off the Georgia humidity that’s sticking to my body and hop back in my truck, putting it in drive as I try my best to maintain the thirty-five-mph speed limit on the island.
The feelings of hope and purpose overwhelm me as I drive toward Savanna’s.
Once I pull up to her raised bungalow, I see Savanna and Drew dancing and twirling around through the front window. Both of their heads are thrown back in a fit of laughter that I can practically hear from where I am watching through the windshield.
There’s a longing I’ve never felt before—alarm bells ringing in my head as I watch them. My heart pounds with the sudden realization as I hurry out of my truck.
I’m about to walk back into Savanna’s life, and I think I’m never going to want to leave.