He really didn’t know what he was doing as he slumped further into the driver’s side of his expensive car, just staring across the somewhat busy street toward the overpriced coffee shop. After all, it had been over two hours since he positioned Savannah comfortably in her seat and gave her a vote of confidence about the meeting. She said that she would most likely be calling him any moment, but those moments passed with a painstaking slowness that just seemed to make Howie’s heart ache further. He should have just driven away, knowing she’d decided to give AJ another chance. After all, Howie had given AJ the keys to Savannah heart. There was no doubt in his mind that his best friend would be forgiven. But, he waited nonetheless. Maybe it was just another hope upon hope that his phone would chirp and her melodious voice would beg him to rescue her away from the disaster…
Just a few more minutes…
She would need him…
However, the more he waited, the worse he seemed to feel about the situation. He now found himself to just be another sleaze. As if he was a tainted private eye attempting to score priceless photographs for a devious blackmailing plot. Exhaling loudly, Howie slipped all the way down into his seat to hide, though his windows were darkly tinted to prevent anyone from seeing inside. He was just trying to hide away from those taunting words in his heart - the words that seemed to replay during every passing moment of the day. The words that had attacked his heart when he lay curled next to a sweetly slumbering Savannah beneath her expensive comforter after an evening of movies:
You love her. There’s no way that you can possibly deny it. You’ve been with her for how many months and the feelings haven’t really changed. They’ve only gotten increasingly stronger. Why let AJ win? Are you that scared of your feelings? AJ can have any woman he wants and they’ll never be like Savannah. And he’ll never appreciate Savannah the way that you do. You know he’ll use her and abuse her heart. Never in your life would you think of doing those things. You just want to love her unconditionally, because, face it, she’s probably the only perfect match waiting for you in this world. Yet, you’re too scared to step up to the challenge. Too afraid that she’ll reject you for the bad boy... But if you feel so terribly inside, what could it hurt? After all, you love her—
Suddenly, there was an annoying chirp in his ear, causing him to spring to alarm. He jumped from his stooped position, only to connect his head with the top of the car hood. He hissed in pain, fumbling to reach for his small cell phone. Quickly, he flicked it open and peered out the window to catch a glimpse of Savannah.
“Hello?” Howie murmured softly, his heart seeming to pop as he caught Savannah and AJ outside the coffee shop. They were nestled into the little alcove, AJ’s arm wrapped delicately around her slim waist. He was holding her upright while she concentrated on the cell phone, never letting her injured leg even dare to touch the ground. And, she didn’t seem to be fighting the hold, allowing AJ to nibble privately on her neck while she communicated with her best friend. It looked like nothing had happened between them.
“Howie! Hey!”
“Hey, Savvy—”
“I just wanted to tell you that…” her voice trailed as she actually giggled softly. Howie squinted his eyes to find AJ working his ‘forgive me’ kisses up the side of her jaw. “…Tell you that AJ’s going to take me home.”
“Everything’s fixed then?”
“Yeah, thanks so much, Howie.”
“No problem, Savvy. I’m…” Howie swallowed the pain. “…Happy for you.”
“Me, too,” AJ’s raspy voice chuckled in the background, obviously listening in on the conversation.
“I guess I’ll see you around?” Savannah trailed.
“Yeah, I’m still your nurse, right?”
“The best nurse I’ve ever had,” Savannah agreed as AJ mumbled something against her neck, causing her to laugh again. “I better go. Thanks again, Howie. I love you!”
“Take care, Savvy,” Howie whispered, dropping his cell phone onto the leather seat. He watched with a heavy melancholy as AJ whisked Savannah into his arms, carrying her back to his car. And, instantly, Howie revved his engine. He had seen enough, knowing that the ‘I love you’ he dreamed about was nothing more than friendship. So, he sped down the small intersection, heading toward a place where he knew he’d be accepted. A place where he hopefully could get his mind off Savannah.
But he was wrong.
“What are you doing here, Howie?” Rhiannon laughed in slight surprise, glancing up from her lunch to see him standing just beside her leather chair. She tossed her fork back into the somewhat fresh salad, standing to hug him gently. She had just gotten back into the swing of working, because she needed to scrounge the payments for the condo since Savannah was still on a limited disability check. Though, it seemed tight because Rhiannon had to take enough customers to insure an easy living, but still make enough time to take care of Savannah when the boys weren’t available. It seemed stressful until Kevin had stopped by earlier with her lunch and promises to meet her after work. Now she considered the day extra special because Howie had shown.
“Are you busy?” he questioned, glancing into her cinnamon eyes with a painful apprehension. He had driven like a banshee to her place of employment, hoping to escape from the heartache. But, glancing around her working area, he was brought instantly back into Savannah’s life. Dozens of pictures of the girls littered the cleanly area, many of Savannah in a skimpy bikini. She looked so radiant in each photograph, her somewhat long curls tossed into a messy bun, her perfectly toned and lithe body radiating from the limited amount of clothing as she made funny faces to cause Rhiannon’s pictures to tilt slightly with her laughter. It caused his heart to flip as his stomach knotted.
“No, it’s my lunch break. Need a haircut?”
“You—”
“It’s on the house,” Rhiannon quickly promised, picking up Howie’s need to speak. She found it easier for her clients to speak about intimate details when they were in her chair. Her focusing on their follicles gave them a chance to speak freely for some unknown reason. So, gently she pushed Howie into her chair, draping the necessary cloak over his good clothing. She ran her fingers through his growing locks, leaning down to smile at him in the mirror. She instantly remembered that Savannah loved his curls slightly shorter and tossed messily around with a touch of control gel. “You could use a quick trim to help those curls.”
“Help the curls?”
“Or help your heart, whichever you prefer,” Rhiannon suggested softly, reaching for the water bottle to layer Howie’s curls in a wet film for easier cutting.
“Did Savvy show you the ‘I’m sorry’ gift from J?”
“The Sorry game with all those sweet notes?”
“Yeah…” Howie trailed, jealous of the coo Rhiannon gave toward the mere mentioning of the gift. It was obvious that both girls were enchanted with AJ after his romantic gesture. More importantly, Howie’s romantic gesture. And, Howie couldn’t stand it anymore. He had to confess to someone. A somewhat neutral party. Rhiannon. “I gave him the idea for that.”
Rhiannon brushed away the trimmings from Howie’s shoulders, stopping when she realized the confession Howie made. She turned him away from the mirror to meet his smoldering gaze. In that instant, Rhiannon’s mind was overcome with a tidal wave of information. She suddenly realized why Howie had been so troubled over the passing months. Why he cringed any time anyone suggested the relationship between Savannah and AJ. Because Howie loved her first and put himself into an undoubtedly awkward situation. “Why did you do that?”
“He told me he loved her, Rhi,” Howie sighed, “How can I compete with that?”
Rhiannon stepped inside the sweetly cool condo with an anxious flitter in her step. After speaking with Howie at the salon, Rhiannon was absolutely aching to find her best friend. He had been so jaded that afternoon and Rhiannon felt somewhat helpless. Howie hadn’t said it in so many words, but it was obvious that he cared deeply for Savannah. A care in his golden heart that went far deeper than any friendship that Savannah spoke of. Yet, he was afraid to reveal his true feelings after AJ spoke to him about seeing Savannah. Howie believed he couldn’t compete with AJ for Savannah’s heart, which seemed to fall into an understanding that he believed he couldn’t ruin his friend with AJ nor was he good enough to win Savannah from AJ. He seemed to believe that AJ had far better qualities, but Rhiannon took an understanding that maybe Howie feared Savannah wouldn’t reciprocate his feelings. It was a twisted love circle, but what made it somewhat more amusing to Rhiannon was the fact that her gorgeous blonde friend was completely oblivious to any details.
So, Rhiannon was somewhat relieved to find Savannah dozing alone on the couch. Her right leg wrapped in a delicate sleeve to reduce swelling as several layered ice packs were propped from her thigh to her ankle. Since the accident, Savannah had refused to show anyone, except Howie, the extent of the damage ranging across her battered leg. After being able to remove the immobilizer, she constantly kept the sleeve and ace bandages wrapped to shield the damage. But, that thought was furthest from Rhiannon’s mind as she noted the bad leg propped straight on the couch while the rest of Savannah’s body was contorted into various positions. She actually looked to be resting peacefully for once, making Rhiannon feel guilty for wanting to rouse her.
But she didn’t have to, because Savannah seemed to sense her presence. Slowly, she blinked to clear the sleepiness from her beautiful emerald eyes, glancing up at her friend leaning on the back of the couch. “How was work?”
“Interesting to say the least,” Rhiannon mused, smiling. “But how are you?”
“I’m okay…”
Rhiannon resisted the urge to frown, knowing that phrase had about a hundred different meanings when it came to Savannah. She hated to have anyone worrying about her, so she feigned perfection. It was a nasty habit, but Rhiannon had learned to maneuver around it. Somehow. So, gingerly, she sat herself on the couch as Savannah forced herself into a seated position. “Howie stopped by the salon today. He said you went to see AJ.”
“Yeah…” Savannah trailed with a silly smile that Rhiannon had never seen before. “He’s coming by later to pick me up.”
“You’re going out again?”
“Yeah, I think it’s better than staying home, otherwise I’d have to invest in some cases of duct tape.”
“That’s great, Sweetheart,” Rhiannon chuckled, chewing on her bottom lip in a soft contemplation. The entire day at the salon, Rhiannon had been thinking about the choice Savannah could possibly have to make before Howie sent himself into a deep depression. It was baffling to figure which man was better for her. If anything, with Savannah’s wild streaks of impishness and playfulness, Rhiannon would naturally lean to assuming AJ would make the perfect match. But then there was that unique quality of Savannah’s golden heart. She was so pure with a unique innocence and loving, making her further suited for Howie. It was baffling to say the least, but Savannah didn’t seem to have a care in the world.
“Yeah, I think I might love him—”
“Honey! I’m home!” Kevin called loudly with an interrupt, sauntering into the girls’ living room bearing an abundance of gifts. Leaning down, he kissed Rhiannon softly with a handsome smile. When Rhiannon giggled, he offered a thick bouquet of red roses, causing her heart to flutter. Red roses were Rhiannon’s absolute favorite flower.
“I’m very glad you’re home,” Rhiannon breathed with delight, bringing him back down for a lovely kiss. “And thank you.”
“You deserve the best, Rhi,” Kevin stated as Savannah snorted, causing him to arch his thick black brows in question.
“Do you remember what an asshole he was a few months ago? It’s just a complete three-sixty that I find hilarious,” Savannah attempted to explain, but she elicited no smiles from her friends. Pouting slightly, she batted her long, light brows. “I’m sorry?”
“Good thing, because I brought you this,” Kevin explained, pulling out a long rectangular sheet of blue plastic. Rhiannon immediately furled her brows in question as Savannah’s emerald eyes seemed to dance with relief. “I got this when I snapped my ACL and had to have it repaired. This ice pack is probably the best of the best. And, it’s long enough that you don’t have to strap twenty of them to that leg of yours.”
“How romantic,” Savannah breathed with delight, reaching to take the already icy item that Kevin had obviously frozen before coming. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Savvy,” Kevin laughed, pressing a quick kiss to the side of her face before seating himself to wrap his arms around Rhiannon. “And I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” Rhiannon was quick to agree, running her hand against his chest. She had already moved to place the roses in the elegant vase on their kitchen table. She thought they looked absolutely gorgeous with the light yellow tones of their kitchen. Of course, anything Kevin gave her would have been beautiful anywhere in the house.
“I brought good news though.”
“You had a vasectomy?” Savannah quipped. “Because you two populating would be—”
“Savannah Grace!” Rhiannon growled.
“I love you,” Savannah repeated, a smirk growing on her face as she quieted.
“The guys and I were talking about our tour—”
“You leaving is good news?” Rhiannon instantly frowned, the first since she had Kevin had committed to one another. She knew that they were working furious to launch their Never Gone Tour before the accident, but never realized that they’d continue once the girls were healed.
“Not in a million years, because I would miss you too much,” Kevin quickly explained, refusing to let her believe for a moment that he was disappearing. He brought her closer to his body, gently kissing her forehead. “I want you to come on tour with me. Technically, we need another stylist on staff to help with costume changes, but I just want my good luck charm near. So, it’s technically win-win situation for me.”
“Really?” Rhiannon breathed in disbelief.
“Is that a yes?”
“Oh my God, yes!” Rhiannon squealed, tackling him with excited kisses.
And, Savannah’s heart dramatically fell into the pit of her stomach as she watched the two fall into a romantic stir of lust over the news. It was already apparent that Savannah wouldn’t be joining them on the tour. And, not only would she be missing out on one of her biggest opportunities, but she would also be left behind by her best friend and lover. It killed her to know that another dancer had taken her place - a dancer that could never compare to her past dancing ability. But that was insignificant. After all, her doctor had given her a grim reality at the last appointment. He stated that when they started physical therapy that she shouldn’t be too hopeful of regaining her previous capacities. She might have a severe limp even with strenuous rehabilitation, maybe even need an assistive device to help her walk. But, they would do their best to help her into peak physical condition. No promises. But she didn’t reveal these likelihoods or secrets to anyone, however, fearing the worst as a bitter depression over never being able to dance seeped into her heart.
“Didn’t we already try the romantic beach date, J?” Savannah questioned softly as she wrapped her arms tightly around AJ’s neck, feeling his feet shift somewhat unstably on the cooling beach sand. After being depressed by Kevin’s news, Savannah hoped that AJ might be able to cheer her up. She did her best to push the tour from her mind, focusing her intention on the rapid beat of AJ’s heart against her own body. He had insisted on carrying her to their romantic setting and was extremely cautious about not hurting her leg. He seemed to be putting forth an abundant amount of effort to prove himself. But, for that moment, Savannah considered what happened in the past insignificant. Especially compared to her other woes. And, deep within her aching heart, Savannah hoped that he could make her pain cease.
“Savvs, haven’t you heard that second time’s a charm?” AJ retorted with a grin, gently easing her down onto the soft flannel blanket. He had taken the time to plan this romantic adventure after some coaxing from Howie. He nestled vanilla scent candles around the blanket, brought a CD player to play her favorite romantic country songs, and an extra tidbit that Howie forgot to mention. So, taking charge, he grasped the pillow he had brought and helped nestle it underneath her pained leg. Then, he leaned back on the blanket to snuggle close with her underneath the faint light of the moon and stars. She looked absolutely gorgeous in the light, not that she ever looked terrible in any type of lighting. But the moon’s soft glow seemed to enhance the pureness of her heart and soul, causing AJ’s heart to accelerate with several flutters.
“Yes…” she mused with a laugh, reaching to brush her fingers down his shaved head, enjoying the feel.
“Good, because if that didn’t work, I was going to argue and say that this is a romantic moonlit beach date!”
“You’re something else, JJ.”
“Does that mean I’m completely forgiven?”
“What do you think?”
“Well…” AJ trailed deciding to take his chances. It seemed impossible to stay close to her body without reaching to touch, hold, and caress her. The passion flowing from his body was unimaginable, but he knew he had to maintain his needs. He would allow her to follow through with her own wants. If she decided to press forward, then he would oblige. But, he needed her and couldn’t live without her. So, leaning, AJ cupped her face and gently started to work his kisses against her soft lips.
“Mmm…”
“Mmm?” AJ grinned.
“Never said you weren’t a great kisser,” Savannah tempted, leaning for another kiss in hopes to forget her pain.
“Wait!” AJ quickly interrupted, reaching into the backpack he brought. He rummaged through the various materials, finally retrieving the item of what he considered great importance.
“Should we have gone to a more public place?” Savannah quickly questioned, arching her light brows when she eyed the duct tape AJ had revealed.
“Don’t you trust me?”
“Should I trust you?”
“I think that’s why I brought the duct tape…”
“What the Hell are you talking about?”
“I figured we could duct tape my hands so I don’t get too eager when we do whatever you want to do. That way you’re in total control and—”
“You’re such an asshole,” Savannah laughed with amusement, bringing him close for a fiery kiss that would keep them warm throughout the nigh
