by Len Webster
She ignored the way her heart squeezed when he said baby. Ignored the way it called to her. She also tried to ignore the way it broke and hurt her.
But before she could tell him to get professional help, he said, “Come to New York, Savannah. Please, come to New York.”
Fifteen
Will
It had been three days since Will last saw Savannah Peters. Three days since he lightly pressed his lips to hers. Just enough to feel but not enough to fall. God, Will was scared to fall further. To fall even deeper. There was no denying that weekend changed everything. The way warmth found its place in his chest and changed the way his cold heart beat. For a short time during that weekend, he felt their connection and believed in their attraction.
But the moment he pulled away from their brief kiss and he entered South Station, he knew it was over. Her silence was confirmation it was. Will got too involved.
The moment she revealed it was Walter Vidović, he should have stayed away. He shouldn’t have kissed her. But he did.
And now, three days later, he and Emerson were standing at the front door of an Upper East Side apartment. It was Thursday and already ten a.m., and Emerson was cursing under her breath as they waited for the door to open.
Chuckling, Will set his hand on her shoulder and craned his neck to face her. “Are you okay?”
Emerson scowled, her nostrils flaring with frustration and anger. “We had to cancel all our meetings for him because he’s back in New York … and he isn’t even opening the door! He’s lucky he makes millions; otherwise, I’d tear him a new—Hello, Mr. Vidović,” she said once they heard the door open.
“No, but I’ll …” He froze, knowing that voice anywhere. “Will?”
His heart dropped.
Actually, it cracked before it fell.
To shatter on the floor outside of the expensive apartment.
No.
No, no, no.
He closed his eyes for a moment, praying she wasn’t in New York. Praying she wasn’t at his apartment. When he finally removed his hand from Emerson’s shoulder, he turned to find the woman he had kissed outside of South Station, staring at him with wide eyes.
She’s here.
Savannah Peters was in New York, standing in the apartment owned by the man she loved. The same man who was Will’s client. The client he was visiting.
“You know her?” Emerson asked.
Will took her in. She was stunning. Her curls were brushed over one shoulder. Remove the shock on her face, and her blue eyes were bright with the sunlight glowing behind her. She was a sight. A vision at the worst possible time.
This wasn’t how he wanted to see her again. He thought he had more time. Their goddaughter’s birthday wasn’t for months. Evan and Miller were leaving for England tomorrow. When Will called, Evan hadn’t mentioned that Savannah was in New York visiting her ex. However, Will knew that Evan didn’t know about Walter and Savannah. Not many did. Will was the rare exception—all because she had said the team he played for. He had been shocked when he realized the man she was in love with was his client.
But he wasn’t as surprised as he was at this moment. His heart shattered into fragile pieces he was scared to pick up. Scared those pieces would break in his hand, cutting him once more.
Slowly, he nodded, not taking his eyes from Savannah. The fear in hers was hard to miss. She didn’t want Walter to know that they had shared something last weekend. He wondered if she was embarrassed about what happened in Massachusetts.
“We share a goddaughter,” Will revealed to Emerson.
That was it. That was all they shared. All they could have in common.
So to save Savannah from the embarrassment he saw on her cheeks, he pressed his lips into a fake smile and decided to give her what she wanted. To sever their connection.
After all, she did say she couldn’t have him.
So have him, she would not.
“Emerson Calvert, this is Savannah Peters, my cousin’s best friend.” Then he met Savannah’s hurt blue eyes. “Savannah, this is my partner at Coates and Jackson, Emerson Calvert.”
Savannah forced the smile on her face. It was so strained that it hurt to see. “Hello, Emerson. Will has told me many great things about you. He admires you.”
A smug expression filled Emerson’s face. “You do, huh?”
Will rolled his eyes. His professional stance slipped, but he straightened his posture. This wasn’t a friendly catch-up. This was work. He would have to ignore Savannah as best as he could.
It was clear as day. She’d picked Walter Vidović and came to New York to be with him. She had chosen the interesting NBA star the world was so fascinated with.
Will would respect her choice.
Clearing his throat, he tightened his grip on his briefcase’s handle. “Is Mr. Vidović home?”
He wished she wouldn’t look at him as though he hurt her. But it was the other way around. Savannah choosing Walter destroyed him.
“He’s still asleep.” She stepped away from the door. “I’ll go wake him. Why don’t y’all come in, and I’ll make some coffee.”
Are you with him? Did you go to him after I kissed you? I should have kissed you right. I should have kissed you properly.
His thoughts were loud. So loud that they deafened his heartbeats.
But he pushed them and his unanswered questions to the depths of where the pieces of him rested. In a shattered mess with only himself to blame.
As if Emerson understood that he was struggling, she said, “That would be great, Savannah,” and entered the apartment. Will followed and passed Savannah, smelling her familiar perfume. She smelled of flowers in the spring and sunlight. Sweet and alluring. It could bring men to their knees.
“Please call me Sav,” she said as he followed Emerson farther into the apartment. As always, Will was in awe of the view from Walter’s Upper East Side apartment. He saw the city. Vibrant and beautiful. Will had visited many countries and cities, but there wasn’t a city quite like New York City.
As he took in the apartment, he was reminded of how much money Walter made. In fact, he had more money than most young NBA players. He came from a rich, societal New York family, so he’d always had money. Out of all his clients, Walter had made smart financial decisions. Will couldn’t take all the credit. Emerson had been pretty strong with her opinions and recommendations for Walter. It was why she was one of the best advisors in the company. Will had always worked hard, but Emerson worked even harder and always encouraged him to be a better advisor.
“I’ll go wake up Walter,” Savannah said in a small voice behind him.
He didn’t bother turning, worried to see the emotion on her face. Worried that he might have hurt her. When Will left her in Massachusetts, he had no idea she would go back to Walter, but a part of him should have known better. What he had with Savannah was a fleeting moment. What she had with Walter was stronger than anything they could have had.
“So how do you really know her?” Emerson asked next to him as she took in the beautiful New York morning.
Will sighed as he turned. In a low voice, he said, “I spent the weekend with her while we were in Boston.”
Emerson’s eyes widened, her lips parting. “Will, no,” she warned.
“I know.”
“Will, she’s our client’s—”
He nodded. “Yeah, she is.” He didn’t want to admit it out loud. Will had lost her before he even had a chance to prove his worth. “It was innocent, Emerson. Barely a kiss. We spent time taking care of Miller. That’s it.”
The disbelief was bright on his partner’s face. “I don’t believe you. You look so hurt right now. You feel something for her.”
“It doesn’t matter what I feel,” he said as he walked over to the glass dining table so they could get ready for their meeting.
He wasn’t here for Savannah. He was here for Walter, his client. A client he couldn’t lose.
Setting down h
is briefcase, he heard a door open and then close. He glanced up to find Savannah in the dining area. She had her arms crossed over her chest. “Walter’s in the shower. He shouldn’t be too long. I’ll make y’all some coffee.”
“Will can help,” Emerson offered.
He shot her a hard look just as Savannah turned and walked over to the kitchen. “What are you doing?” he hissed.
Emerson’s face was emotionless as she set her hand on his arm. “When he joins us, I want my partner with me, okay? Right now, go be the guy who’s hurting and who needs answers. Get it all out there with her before he comes out because I won’t hesitate to get you removed, Will. I won’t let you ruin your career. Okay?”
“Thanks, Emerson,” he said with a small smile before he abandoned his briefcase and headed over to the kitchen.
Savannah’s eyes were planted on the screen of the expensive coffee machine on the counter as she whispered, “I’m sorry, Will.”
The pain in her voice was agony to his chest. She meant it. She was sorry. But it didn’t explain why she had put them in this situation.
“I don’t understand,” Will admitted.
Her hands fell from the coffee machine before she faced him. “He asked me to come to New York last night, and I couldn’t say no.”
“Why couldn’t you?”
Savannah glanced over her shoulder and then stepped closer to Will. “He admitted he has a drinking problem, Will,” she said in a low voice. “I can’t turn my back on him when he’s finally reaching out for help. He said he needed me. He sounded sincere.”
Will could be the bad guy and tell her that most athletes were liars. But he couldn’t break his client’s trust, and he wouldn’t hurt Savannah. The belief in her eyes was mesmerizing. And from the sounds of it, maybe Walter Vidović had changed. Maybe he was willing to get help, and Will was being selfish.
“He knows I love him,” Savannah added.
His chest tightened. “You told him?”
She shook her head. “Apparently, when I was a freshman, I did one night when I was drunk. Last night, I was angry, and I told him I stood by him for so long because I did. He wanted to talk and promised he’d get help. I needed closure, so I told my boss the truth, and she let me come to New York.”
“And did you get closure?”
It wasn’t the question Will wanted to ask. He wanted to ask if they had spent the night together. If his kiss was replaced by another. If his touch was no longer the touch that made her breathless. But Will had no right, so he didn’t. It would be too painful for him to know the truth.
“I don’t know,” she said softly as she turned and focused back on the coffee machine. “Before you overthink it …” Her voice trailed as she peeked up at him.
“Yeah?”
“I haven’t slept with him.”
Relief medicated him in ways it had never done before. Maybe he still had a chance. Maybe he didn’t. But at that moment, a tiny ounce of hope burst in his chest, rippling through his body.
“You haven’t?”
She shook her head as she grasped the glasses on top of the machine. “No. That’s not why I came to New York. I might still love him, but …”
“But?”
Savannah set the glasses down on the counter. “But maybe I deserve better than drunk calls every night.”
Will turned and grasped her hand, squeezing it in reassurance. “You deserve so much more than that, Savannah.”
From the corner of his eye, a small smile curved at her lips before they heard, “Ah, Emerson, Will, you’re both here,” causing Will to pull his hand away.
Savannah deserved better, but this wasn’t it. Not when Will was Walter’s financial advisor. Turning around, he gave his client a smile. It was professional but forced, hoping he didn’t see Will’s discomfort at the situation he was in. Walter didn’t seem to notice as he entered the kitchen and set his palms on Savannah’s shoulders.
“Good morning, baby,” he whispered loud enough for Will to hear.
Will focused forward, staring at Emerson who shook her head at him. It was another warning. A warning he would take heed of. It wasn’t just his career he could ruin but also Emerson’s.
“Morning,” Savannah said, her voice lifeless and not at all like her. She was uncomfortable, and he knew it.
“What are you doing?” Walter asked as Will stepped away from them, not wanting to be in their proximity. He returned to Emerson, who offered him a tight smile before he removed his laptop from his briefcase.
“I’m making y’all coffee.”
Walter laughed. “Baby, your Chino’s days are long over. I can get someone to get us coffee.”
“No, I want to do it. Go sit. Y’all have a meeting.”
Will set his laptop down as the smell of coffee enveloped the apartment. He craved the coffee she made in Boston. As he sat down at the table, he watched Walter nod.
“Join us.”
Savannah shook her head. “No, this is your meeting. You need to focus. I should call my dad.” Then Savannah turned and handed him a cup of coffee. Moments later, she approached the table and set two cups down for Emerson and Will. “I’m not sure how y’all like it so I just made them both black.”
Lie.
She knew exactly how he liked his.
Straight black.
As for Emerson, as long as there was about five teaspoons of sugar, she would consume the coffee. “Thanks, Sav,” Emerson said, bringing her coffee close to her.
Will nodded, hoping she understood that he was grateful. “Thank you.”
“Y’all have a good meeting,” Savannah said before she left the dining room. Will kept his eyes planted on his laptop.
“You ready to go over your investments, Mr. Vidović?” Emerson asked.
Walter nodded. “Yeah, give me a minute.” Then he turned around as they heard a door in the apartment close. Walter let out a sigh and opened a cabinet. Seconds later, he pulled out a bottle and spun around.
Will clenched his jaw as he watched Walter uncap the bottle of whiskey and pour it into the coffee Savannah had made him.
Anger boiled inside Will. He was furious. Walter wasn’t seeking help.
You lied to her.
You lied to her, and she believed you.
You’re a goddamn liar, Walter.
You don’t deserve her.
And the grin on Walter’s face was proof that he wasn’t going to get any better.
Sixteen
Savannah
New York was a mistake.
Getting on that flight was a regret.
Answering Walter’s call … she had no idea how to describe what a mistake that had been. As Savannah sat in the guest room she slept in last night, she couldn’t believe what a mess she had gotten herself into.
Again.
When Walter opened the door to his New York City penthouse apartment, she saw the regret simmer in his gray eyes. Once he pulled her inside, he wrapped his big, strong arms around her and whispered promises.
That he was going to get help. That he was going to treat her better. And Savannah believed him.
He had cleaned out his bar in front of her and thrown out all his expensive bottles of alcohol. She was proud of him. Yet when he asked her to come to bed, Savannah drew a line. She wanted to help Walter, help the man she loved, but she wasn’t ready to be that close to him. Savannah came to support him with seeking out professional help. She didn’t come to New York to sleep with him. Sex had complicated them for years. She wasn’t going to allow it to happen again.
“Savannah,” Walter said when he opened the door.
“Hey, how did the meeting go?”
Savannah had wanted to listen to Will’s voice and hear his recommendations. It had been days since she last spoke to him and just hearing his muffled voice was enough to plunge her back into longing and memories. Be reminded of how pure her weekend with him had been. But then she’d hear Walter’s voice, and she was slapped with
reality that she wasn’t here for Will but the struggling basketball star.
“Good. Want to grab some food?”
Savannah had a few days in New York. Her boss was understanding when she told her the truth about why she needed to go to New York. She was here to help him and not rekindle the pain she knew could start wars.
“Can we talk?” she suggested instead.
Walter’s gray eyes darkened as he walked toward the bed. He sat on the mattress and smiled at her. “What’s up?”
Savannah winced at the strong smell of his cologne. He had put on so much that she cringed. “You said you wanted to get help. I think we should talk to your family and then look at some rehabilitation programs—”
“Savannah.” He sighed.
“What?”
“Can’t it wait?”
She blinked at him in disbelief. “Wait? Walter, I flew all this way because you said you wanted help.”
“And I do,” he said, nonchalantly.
He was too calm. He wasn’t as passionate as he had been last night about his recovery.
Walter reached over and grasped her wrist, pulling it. “Let’s go get food.”
Savannah pulled her arm free. “I didn’t come all this way for food. Walter, I care about you. I care about you getting help. You told me last night that you have a drinking problem.”
He winced. “I know,” he said, sounding as tired as she felt. He leaned closer, Savannah smelling the minty toothpaste on his breath. “I thought we could discuss how to get me help over food. I haven’t eaten and neither have you. I thought I’d take you somewhere nice. Somewhere you deserve.”
“Oh,” she breathed, feeling foolish for doubting him.
But it’s Walter.
You should be doubting him, her thoughts whispered.
“Can I take you to get some food?”
To save herself from further embarrassment, she nodded. “Yes.”
The restaurant Walter had taken her to was one she was fond of. It held a lot of memories of the summers she’d spent visiting him in New York. Her visits meant she never made it to Boston to spend the summer with her best friend. Her summers with him were usually spent in his apartment and in his bed.
