11. Chapter 11
A girl.
Holy shit, Savannah is carrying a, well…a little Savannah. All sounds fade away as the doctor announces the gender. A little girl is growing inside her—a daughter. Her daughter. I’m not even the one who put her there, but somehow, I can’t breathe past the rush in my chest.
Savannah’s mouth hangs open in surprise, shock filling her face. Her hand rests protectively over her bump, and for a second, it’s like the whole room disappears except for her and that tiny flicker of something that keeps igniting between us.
Amber eyes stare at me, the gold flecks shining brighter with her unshed tears. With my hand still holding the back of her neck, my thumb tracing small circles, I smile down at her.
And without thinking, I lean in close, pressing my lips to hers.
The kiss is soft, instinctive. It’s not wild or heated.
It’s…reverent.
This moment felt monumental. Like I was witnessing the start of something bigger than both of us, and I couldn’t let it pass unmarked. When her world felt anything but safe, Savannah turned to me. She’s allowing me to be a part of something extraordinary in her world.
Her lips are warm, the opposite of the chill on her skin from the cold doctor’s office. She gasps a little into my mouth, either from surprise or something else; I’m not sure. The room has fallen deadly quiet, the only sound from the soft music playing over the speakers.
Pulling back, I stare down at her as the doctor clears her throat.
Savannah blinks at me, eyes wide. Her cheeks flush a pretty pink that makes me want to kiss her again. God, what is it about seeing her flush? And as much as I want to kiss her again, I don’t. Because, holy shit, what did I do?
“Sorry,” I mutter, rubbing the back of my neck. “Got caught up in the moment.”
Sav lets out a nervous laugh that sounds more like a cough. “It’s fine.”
Dr. Sinclair gives a knowing smirk as she scribbles something in Sav’s chart. She’s probably noting that she’s living with an unstable idiot who doesn’t use his brain. Within seconds, she’s finished and giving Savannah a few tips on what to expect in the coming weeks.
A few minutes later, we’re walking out of the building, and I’m thankful I took a rideshare to the doctor’s office so we can head home together.
Gripping her elbow, I help her into the passenger seat of my truck.
It’s a tall step, and she makes a noise halfway up like her entire spine is protesting.
Luckily, her car will be finished by the end of the week.
Since her cousin’s buddy was doing a favor, it got delayed for paying customers.
Maybe I should drive her to work until her car is finished so she doesn’t have to hoist herself into the truck alone.
You good?” I ask, with one hand bracing her back. Heat ignites at our contact, and I feel her body react. I swiftly pull my hand away, kicking myself for making things awkward.
She nods. “Just thirty-two weeks of gravity doing its worst,” she grumbles as she settles into the seat with a sigh.
I chuckle, shutting the door and jogging around to the driver’s side. In that brief time outside, sweat is already forming on my skin. The late summer heat is blazing.
With my seatbelt buckled, I press the button to start the ignition. Turning in my seat, I spare a glance at Savannah. Her brown hair is pulled into a high ponytail, cheeks full and glowing, eyes gazing out the window, completely lost in thought.
Once I’ve pulled out of the lot, I shift my arm until it’s draped over the steering wheel. “You working tonight?”
She startles in her seat as if she forgot I was next to her. “I was scheduled to,” she starts to say, biting her lip, “but I think I’m gonna call in. I’m feeling a bit emotional, and I think… I think I want to celebrate that I’m having a girl.”
Her voice breaks a little on the last word, and my heart twists. This woman is so brave. Doing all this alone—even though she has me—staying strong when the weight of the world feels like too much.
I reach for her hand without thinking and squeeze gently. Instead of pulling away like I anticipated, Savannah turns her hand over, threading her fingers through mine.
“You deserve to rest and take a night off to celebrate. Hell, I want to celebrate.” I pause, coming to a stop at a red light. Shifting my body in her direction, I can’t contain my smile. “That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever witnessed. Thank you for letting me be a part of it.”
Her shoulders relax as she smiles. “Thank you for showing up. I was surprised to see you.”
“I’m here for you, Peach. Just say the word.”
Our gazes linger for longer than necessary, but I can’t pull away. If not for the car honking behind me, jolting my attention back to the road, we might have stayed that way all day.
“Speaking of celebrating… Do you trust me?”
“Of course, Sunshine,” she answers without hesitation.
I nod, a cocky smirk sliding onto my lips.
God, I love it when she calls me Sunshine.
“As much as I trust you, and as much as I’m here for whatever you have in mind, can we not go out to eat?
I forgot to pack some Tums, and heartburn has been hitting me more often. ”
“Not a problem. Stretchy pants and dinner at home with Tums as dessert,” I say with a chuckle. “I like the way celebrating looks now. Tums instead of tequila shots.”
She bursts out laughing, a wide grin spreading across her face. I wonder if we’re both remembering the same thing.
We were halfway through a bottle of cheap gold tequila when Brynn shouted, “hide-and-seek” and declared I was ‘it.’ I hated gold tequila, but of course, Brynn was the one to scrounge it up. Queen of tequila and bad decisions, as always.
Before I could agree to the game, Savannah was running barefoot, buzzed, radiant. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She paused at the front door and whispered, “Come get me, Sunshine.”
I gave everyone a five-minute head start—not my rules—before I was tearing through the door of the Football House, desperate to find Savannah Holycross.
The moon and streetlamps were the only light as I navigated the path to campus. Savannah had a favorite spot, just outside the main quad, where she’d sit on a bench and stare at the reflection pond. And that’s exactly where I headed.
Smiling, I crouched behind her and crept on quiet feet. She was low behind an overgrown bush, trying not to giggle. I snuck up, grabbed her sides, and she yelped, swatting me with a beaming smile.
“I’ll always find you, Peach,” I whispered, still holding her.
“Not fair, Grant. You know me too well,” she said with mock annoyance.
Bright blue eyes glistened in the moonlight as Sav licked her bottom lip.
Without hesitation, my lips were on hers.
A small gasp escaped, and I plunged my tongue deep inside her mouth.
She gripped the back of my neck, pulling me closer as my fingers tangled in her long, blonde hair.
It wasn’t the first time we shared a kiss like that, but I felt the same excitement every damn time.
While everyone else was running around campus, I was exactly where I wanted to be.
Our kiss heated as she guided me to the ground. My body on top of hers, we familiarized ourselves with each other, drunk on tequila as her warm lips and peach scent flooded my senses.
Her expression turns thoughtful as she brushes a loose strand of hair behind her ear. A beat passes, and I give her a minute to be in the moment.
“A girl,” she whispers.
I glance at her again as we stop for another red light. We’ve hit every red light on this side of town.
“How do you feel about that?” I ask softly.
She shrugs, shaking her head in disbelief.
“Relieved. Scared. Happy.” She lets out a watery laugh, like she’s holding back a sob.
“I always pictured having a boy first. I don’t know why.
Maybe it’s the challenge of taking care of the opposite gender, and for some reason, I feel like boys are harder .
And even though Ridge is younger than me, he’s always been my protector.
I guess I thought having a boy first would mean a built-in protector for any other children I had.
But knowing it’s a girl…” She pauses, taking a deep breath.
“My mind is picturing pink everything. And lots of bows. I’m having a daughter ! ”
The light turns green, and I don’t answer right away. I’m still holding her hand, my throat tightening with emotion.
“You’re going to be amazing,” I say finally. “She’s lucky to have you.”
She squeezes my hand back and flashes me a warm smile.
“I’ve got one more stop,” I tell her, flipping my turn signal on and easing into the Target parking lot.
Her head tilts curiously. “You need something?”
Smirking, I pull into an empty spot and shift the truck into park. “Yeah, I need razor blades.”
She blinks at me, genuinely caught off guard. Her mouth starts to open, but I’m jumping out of my truck and rounding the front to her door.
Opening her door, I place my hand out for her to take. “Come on, Peach.”
Inside, the air’s crisp and filled with the hum of a new pop song and the sound of cart wheels squeaking against tile. I grab a red cart, holding it steady as she steps beside me. As we move deeper into the store, Sav’s hand on my forearm has me looking down at her.
“You have a beard. What do you need razors for?”
With a wink, I nudge my head forward. “Trust me?”
Her eyes narrow, but she doesn’t say anything, just follows beside me.
Pushing the cart, I nudge her shoulder. She nudges me back, smiling up at me. As we pass by the baby section, I pull the cart into the girl aisle.
“Grant?”
“Let’s pick out some clothes for our girl.”