The Better Man

by Len Webster

  Or I can lie and tell her it’s for Miller.

  “Hey,” Savannah said in a small voice as she joined him in the hallway. Will turned to find the confusion on her face. “You’re leaving?”

  He should.

  He misread her.

  Took advantage of the situation.

  She was just being nice.

  If you took away Miller and his cousin, Will was sure they would have never met.

  “Ahh, no,” he finally said as she glanced down at the bag in his hands.

  “What is that?”

  Will turned and faced her. Embarrassment caused his anxiety to take over, and he was nervous once again. He was overthinking everything. He should just tell her the truth and go back to his hotel. Miller was asleep. There was no reason for him to stay.

  Tomorrow, he would return to New York, and God knows he wouldn’t see Savannah again for months. Will could get over whatever he was feeling, and at the next family event, he could face her and not be a complete fool.

  “It’s stupid.”

  Savannah stepped closer. “Stupid? Come on, Will. I doubt that. Did you get Miller something?” He shook his head. “You didn’t?”

  His heart raced as the curiosity gleamed in her vibrant blue eyes. “I got you something.”

  “Me?” She blinked at him, her lips parting in awe.

  He had nothing to lose. He had gotten the present on his way back to the hotel after he watched her follow the presenter’s show at the planetarium. If he was a fool, then so be it.

  Will handed Savannah the bag. “Yeah. You don’t have to keep it, though.”

  Her brow arched as she pulled out the large rectangular box. She handed him the bag and inspected the box. “A telescope?”

  “Yeah. It’s dumb, but when you were in the shower, Millie said you look at the same stars as her. I thought you might want to see them a little better. You know, see the constellations we saw today for yourself in Vermont. It’s stupid; you don’t—”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, lifting her blue eyes at him. They shone as if she were about to cry. “No one’s ever given me something this meaningful before.”

  He flinched, stunned that he was the first.

  “I mean, besides my dad, Alex and Evan, and even Noel and Clara. This is sweet, Will. I really appreciate it. I never really knew about stars until today. Is it crazy that I’ve been trying to learn as much about space as I can for Miller?”

  Will laughed. “No, not crazy. I’ve been doing the same thing. I make sure Alexandra keeps me up to date on all the things that interest her. Space seems to always be the constant.”

  “I hope she continues to like space.” Savannah tilted her head up at him. “Do you want to build this and test it out? We can finish off the wine as we do it.”

  Will should go back to his hotel. He should not drink with Savannah. He should not feel a sense of happiness envelop him at the hope that resonated in her blue eyes.

  But Will knew in his soul that he would never get the girl.

  He never did then, so why would he now?

  So he would be the friend Savannah Peters deserved, even if it hurt him just that little bit.

  Wine was a terrible idea.

  That was what Will got out of drinking and building a telescope with Savannah in the warm Boston night. With the baby monitor on, they finished the bottle not even halfway through the telescope instructions. Though, the wine did seem to affect Savannah more than it did him. When the bottle was finished, they chased the wine with the whiskey in the bar cabinet. That was an even worse decision. Will had one shot and called it quits. One of them had to be somewhat sober should Miller wake.

  As he screwed the last part in place, he stepped back and smiled at his handiwork. The telescope didn’t wobble, and he was sure it would stay upright. Savannah got up from the wicker chair and stood next to the telescope.

  “You did it!” she exclaimed, and her wide smile had him grinning with pride.

  “I guess so. Do you want to give it a try? There are not many stars out tonight, though.”

  Savannah stepped closer and leaned forward, looking through the small glass window of the telescope. He had positioned the telescope in the direction of the moon, and he hoped she could see it. Then she stood straight and stared at him with a blank expression on her face.

  Disappointment laced his next set of heartbeats. He didn’t get the telescope working. He reached down and picked up the instructions from the glass table, ready to flick through it again. “I must have missed a step. I’m sorry, I’ll try again.”

  “Why are you single?” Savannah asked, causing him to flinch with surprise.

  “What?”

  Savannah stepped around the telescope and stood in front of him. Her expression was taut as if she were serious about her question. Then she took the instruction manual from him and set it back on the table. “So why are you?”

  “Why am I single?” he asked slowly.

  She nodded.

  Will pressed his lips together and then shrugged. “I just am.”

  “I find that hard to believe. Tell me why.”

  To his surprise, Will laughed. “If I had the answer, I wouldn’t be single.”

  “Humor me. Tell me why you think you are.”

  Nervously, Will reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. He thought back to the times he was rejected at Berkley. Being a track star meant nothing if girls thought you were boring. And that was what they thought of William Lawrence. “I’m boring.”

  Savannah stumbled back, almost knocking the telescope over, but Will moved fast, grasping her arm in one hand and the telescope with the other. Realizing that he was touching her, he pulled back, not wanting to make her uncomfortable again. She stared at him as if she were bewildered by his thoughts of himself.

  “You’re not boring,” she defended.

  Will laughed. “It’s okay. You don’t have to stroke my ego, Savannah.”

  “But you’re not,” she reiterated. “You’re not boring, Will.”

  He let out a shaky breath. “I work as a financial advisor. That’s as boring as it comes. My sisters think I am, and the women I’ve dated all seem to think so. There’s nothing really interesting about me. I’m nothing special. I don’t see why someone like you would even think I am.”

  Savannah winced as if he had offended her. “Someone like me?”

  He felt small in her presence—which was unbelievable since he towered over her in height. But he did. In her gaze, she made him feel inferior.

  “Yes, you. Savannah, you’re radiant, and well … I’m not. I’m not interesting.” His posture weakened in defeat and acceptance.

  “Stop that!” Savannah raised her voice. “You—” She stepped closer and pressed her index finger to his chest. “—are interesting. Believe me, Will, you’re interesting.”

  He exhaled at her belief in him. “Savannah, I took you to the planetarium today. That’s boring.”

  She shook her head as she pressed her palm to his chest, no doubt feeling his fast heartbeat against her hand. “No, it wasn’t. You took me because you knew I would enjoy it and it would make Miller happy. I think you’re so interesting.”

  “You’re the only person who seems to think so. The women I dated—”

  “Were stupid,” she assured. She dropped her hand from his chest, and Will missed her touch instantly. “You’re interesting, but you’re not as interesting as Walt—” Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her palm. Her words quick to deliver their blows to his heart. The name of the man she loved sliced him deep.

  It felt like last time.

  The pain and the helplessness returned as his ex-girlfriend’s words came back to him. “God, Will, you don’t have a personality!”

  He remembered begging her to stay. “I can change, Bec. I can—”

  Rebecca’s bitter laugh boomed from his memories. “Stop. You can’t change. I’m sick of pretending that what you talk about
keeps me interested. I find myself not caring now that you’re not on the track team. At least with Ryan, football is exciting. You’re hot, but you’re boring, Will. I wish I could say I’m sorry for sleeping with him, but … I’m not. We’re over.”

  The memory of her slamming the door of his apartment after she walked away and Will reaching into his pocket for the promise ring he bought her was vivid.

  He had loved Rebecca and had seen a future with her after they graduated from college. But she had left him for the tight end. Left him for a man more interesting than him. The man she married. Will found himself in a sense of Deja vu. That agony of never feeling good enough lodged deep in his chest.

  He was foolish to think what he felt for Savannah Peters would be any different.

  I’m not as interesting as the man she’s in love with.

  It was true.

  Will knew that. He had always known that.

  He had hoped maybe he could be, that he somehow showed her, but she had just confirmed that he could never compete for her heart. Or her time. Not even her affections.

  Because he saw it in her eyes, the truth radiated bright and mirrored his ex-girlfriend’s as she tore his heart out.

  He wasn’t really interesting.

  Savannah was just saying so to make him feel better about himself. But he didn’t. If anything, Will felt inadequate. He felt worse.

  They were all right.

  Rebecca was right.

  William Lawrence was boring.

  Ten

  Savannah

  Oh, God.

  Oh, God.

  Why did I just say that?

  Savannah slowly lowered her hand from her mouth. “I can’t believe I just said that. Will, I’m sorry …”

  The horrified expression on Will’s face was so painful to see. Savannah wished she could take it back, but it had just escaped her. She shouldn’t have drunk so much. Was she even telling the truth? She had no idea. She did find William Lawrence interesting, and attentive, and incredible.

  But she had just told him he wasn’t as interesting as Walter Vidović.

  And the flash of pain in Will’s brown eyes was proof that she had hurt him.

  Will nodded. “I didn’t think I was,” he admitted in a small voice. Then he stepped around her and stood by the telescope. He let out a breath before he peered into the square glass box. He made an ah sound before he stood straight and faced her. “Your telescope works. You should be able to see the moon. Depending on the day and time, you should be able to see some of the planets and constellations we saw during the show at the planetarium.” He pressed his lips into a tight line. “It’s getting late.”

  Savannah watched as he pulled out his phone from his back pocket. Then he tapped on the screen several times. “Will,” she pleaded.

  “There’s a car a few streets away. I should get going.” Then he walked past her and headed to the house. Will grasped the back door handle and twisted it before he opened the door and walked inside.

  Savannah’s head spun as she glanced over at the telescope he had built for her. She hurt him. She saw it on his face, in his eyes, and the way he stood. Savannah hurt a kind man because it was all she could do.

  But she refused to continue.

  She ran into the house and chased after him. When she reached him, he was by the front door with his shoes on and ready to leave.

  “Will, please,” she begged.

  He let out a sigh before he spun around. His lips stretched into a tight, almost fake smile she hated to see. “It’s okay, Savannah. Really. It’s okay.”

  “It’s not. I hurt you. I’m so sorry.”

  Will’s shoulders sagged. “Don’t be.” He sighed once again. “So what’s he like?”

  Savannah blinked at him, confused. “Who?”

  “Walter,” he clarified. “What does he do?”

  She couldn’t breathe. It was as if Will had pulled the air from her lungs and dangled it above her so that it was out of reach. He was comparing himself to Walter, and it was all her fault. Her and her big mouth hurt a gentle man who had been nothing but nice to her. But she at least owed him the truth—even if it hurt them. So Savannah inhaled a deep breath and slowly exhaled, ready to share her secrets to a man who gave her the beauty and goodness of bright constellations.

  “He played basketball for the Milwaukee Bucks,” she revealed in a small voice, and Will’s eyes widened.

  “You mean, Walter Vidović?” He paused, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe it. “The Walter Vidović who is all over the news?”

  Savannah nodded her head. Walter was all over the news. She gave Will no reason to believe her Walter was the Walter who was having a very public breakdown.

  The Walter Vidović who turned his back on the Bucks.

  The very Walter Vidović who haunted her dreams and her reality.

  And the Walter Vidović she forgot whenever she was with William Lawrence.

  You helped me forget him.

  “You’re in love with Walter Vidović,” he accused.

  “I don’t … I don’t know anymore.” She let out a shaky breath. Her emotions were a mess. She couldn’t think straight. God, she wished she hadn’t had so much to drink. They could have avoided all of this. “I used to be.”

  Will’s eyes were so big as he uttered, “Savannah …”

  “No, Will, you’re so much more interesting and sweeter than him. He’s—”

  Then Will said the four words that changed everything …

  “Savannah, he’s my client.”

  Eleven

  Walter

  Junior year of college

  “She’s just some girl,” Walter exasperated. He’d had enough of his best friend and teammate, Landon Carmichael, going on about some girl he met at last weekend’s Sigma Nu frat party.

  Apparently, she had rejected him and left an impression on her way out of the party. Walter had never seen Landon so hung up on a girl whose name he never got. Walter wasn’t sure what was so special about her. There was obviously nothing if she wasn’t on her knees for a Blue Devil. Any girl who wasn’t was a waste of his time.

  “Trust me, she’s not, Walt. I asked around, and nobody seems to know who she is. She must be a freshman,” Landon said, bouncing the ball.

  Walter bent down and began to tie his laces. “You’re really going to chase after some freshman pussy? Landon, we’re juniors now. Come on. Innocent gets boring after a while.”

  “You don’t get it. There was something between us.”

  He laughed at his best friend. “Whatever you say, man. You wanna stop by Chino’s after? Bryant says they have new baristas. Who knows, you might discover your dream girl is actually a coffee wench.”

  “You’re such a douche. Hurry up and tie those laces so we can practice. God knows you need it,” Landon teased.

  “Whatever you say, Carmichael. We all know I make you look good on the court during every game.”

  Practice was grueling.

  Zane, their captain, drilled them for even going to the Sigma Nu party. He yelled at the juniors and seniors on the team to be better. If they were going to be national champions, they had to act like it. Zane wanted to leave a legacy, and he was leaving Duke with one stuck up their asses. Not that Zane wasn’t a great guy or captain, he just took things too seriously. Add the fact Landon wanted to be captain next year, and Walter was suffocating from all their rules and expectations. He lived life his way. If he wanted to go to frat parties, he was going. They might have their rules, but they all shared the same desires.

  And that was to win another national championship.

  Walter knew what he was capable of. Duke wouldn’t have recruited him if he hadn’t been one of the top defenders in high school basketball. The Blue Devils needed him. He knew they let him get away with his drinking and partying. So long as he was sober come game day, he was sure everyone was happy.

  Bryant, his teammate, recommended they check out Chi
no’s on East campus. He said they had stepped up their muffin game, and Walter needed a sugar fix after the practice they just had. Landon had stayed back to work with Zane and Chase, but Walter couldn’t wait to get the fuck out of there. He had a class later this afternoon and wanted to unwind, maybe see if any of the girls in his cell phone were up for a quickie.

  “If these muffins aren’t better than sex, I’m going to punch you,” Walter threatened as they entered the coffee shop.

  It was crowded. Chino’s was never crowded. He remembered when he was a freshman, and it was dead.

  It was big news on Duke’s social media when Chino’s was sold to a new owner. And it already looked as if the new owner had made some much-needed changes in order to lure in more students and faculty.

  “Jesus,” muttered Bryant, who was just featured as one of America’s top black college athletes of the year and who didn’t let you forget it, as they took their place in line. “Word’s gotten out.”

  “Yeah, no kidding.”

  Normally, they were able to bypass lines, but according to their coaches and captain, that had to stop. They had to be on their best behavior and be role models. So they were good boys and waited in the slow line.

  How can a muffin be worth this goddamn line?

  When the girls in front of them moved away from the counter, Walter came to a stop at the blonde with the bluest eyes he had ever seen. She smiled flawlessly, which he thought was crazy. She brushed her loose curl behind her ear.

  “What can I get y’all?”

  Fuck.

  Me.

  She has a Southern accent.

  Southern girls were his kryptonite. He chose Duke not to just play for one of the best college basketball schools in the country but also to get away from New York. He wanted to be a national champion, and Duke would help him become one. The Southern girls were a bonus every night.

  “Don’t.” Bryant elbowed Walter’s rib before he turned and glared at him. Then, under his breath, he hissed, “Don’t fuck where I eat my blueberry muffins.”