The Better Man

by Len Webster

  Thought about him working. Thought about him sleeping on his couch instead of his bed. She wondered if he slept in pjs and whether he was comfortable.

  All she could think about was him.

  And right now, as she glanced over at the closed bedroom door, she wondered if he was still asleep.

  “Savannah, are you still there?” her father asked, getting her attention.

  “I’m here, Daddy. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. It’s six a.m.,” he stated. “I checked the flights. I can’t get you on any until tomorrow morning. Or I can get you to Boston tonight and you can take the train to Vermont.”

  Sighing, Savannah grasped the blanket. Travel wise, she should take the direct flight tomorrow. A flight to Boston and then a train would take forever to get home. She wanted to say yes, but she couldn’t say yes without asking Will if it was okay to stay another night. She felt like such a burden. For her father and for Will. She shouldn’t have come to New York on the dire need to help a man who didn’t want her help.

  “Can I call you back? I’ll ask Will if it’s okay for me to stay another night.”

  “Of course. Call me back when you can. I’m just getting ready for work,” he informed.

  Savannah pulled back the blanket and swung her legs over the bed. As she got up, she swept her hair over her shoulder, and said, “I’m sorry you had to deal with this, Daddy. I know money’s tight, and I—”

  “Savannah,” he said in a low voice. “You’re my daughter. No amount of money will stop me from bringing you home. I love you.”

  Her eyes stung as she felt her chest tighten at her father’s love. “I love you, too. And thank you. I’ll call you in a minute. I’ll just ask Will real quick before he goes to work.”

  “All right. Bye, Savannah.”

  “Bye, Daddy,” she said, then hung up.

  Savannah inhaled a deep breath before she walked to the door. She had no idea what to expect on the other side, but there was no harm in asking. Will had been open to her staying. If he wasn’t, if he had other plans or even a date, Savannah would fly to Boston and take the train home. She would do whatever made Will’s life easier.

  With a nod to herself, Savannah turned the handle and carefully opened the door. She didn’t want to wake him up this early if he didn’t need to be awake. But Savannah froze at the sight of him.

  Shirtless.

  Folding a blanket in only his gray sweats.

  The dim lamp gave her enough light to see that nothing was boring about William Lawrence. He was toned, and as he turned to face her, she saw his abs and that damn V that poked out from his sweats that made women crazy. Savannah knew Will trained for marathons, but she had no idea that was the body he had underneath his suits and cool demeanor.

  She suddenly felt hot under his gaze as she tore her eyes from his body. She was staring at him as if he were a piece of meat. God, it had been a long time since she saw a half-naked man, and seeing a half-naked Will set her body on fire. The attraction she felt before ignited, consuming her as she took in that gentle smile.

  “Morning,” he said, setting the folded blanket on the couch.

  Savannah cleared her throat as she flicked her hair over her shoulders. “Morning.”

  “You okay?”

  Savannah nodded, gripping her phone tightly. “Yeah, I just spoke with my father.”

  Will’s smile dropped. “Oh. When’s your flight? I can take you to the airport.”

  “Actually,” she said as she watched him reach over and pick up a white T-shirt. “I have two options.”

  He put on his shirt, slowly hiding his body from her and corrected the hem as he tilted his head at her. “What are your options?”

  “I can take a flight tonight to Boston and then take the train …”

  “Boston?” he breathed.

  Savannah nodded. “Yeah, Boston.”

  He shook his head, not liking the Boston option. “What’s the other option?”

  “I fly out tomorrow morning.” He didn’t say anything as he blinked at her. Savannah realized that maybe she had outstayed her welcome. So she took a step back, ready to go back to his room, make his bed, and then pack. She’d take the flight to Boston and stop being an annoyance to him. “You’ve done enough. I don’t want to stay in New York and invade your life. It’s Friday, so you probably have plans … a date maybe.”

  A smile slowly crossed his lips. “I don’t have plans with anyone but you.” He said it so convincingly that she believed him. She had to extinguish her hopeful heart and pronto.

  “You have work—”

  “I called Emerson and took a sick day. Told her I’d work from home.”

  Savannah blinked in surprise. He took a sick day for her. “You did?”

  He nodded, proudly. “Take tomorrow’s flight. Spend the day with me in New York.”

  It didn’t take much. It didn’t take much at all for her heart and her head to agree.

  But there was little hesitation as she whispered, “Yes.”

  The most beautiful smile she had ever seen graced his face. “Okay. Let’s have some breakfast, and we’ll get ready for the day.”

  So Savannah followed Will to the kitchen, knowing that whatever they did together in New York would be a day she’d never forget.

  After they had breakfast, Will did some work while Savannah got ready. With it being so warm outside, she decided to wear a pair of denim shorts and a floral off-the-shoulder top. He had warned her they would be doing a lot of walking, so she had decided on tennis shoes. While Will finished working, she called her father to arrange her ticket back to Vermont before they left his apartment and walked the streets of Brooklyn.

  It was a side of New York she had never seen. The many times Savannah had visited the city, she usually stayed with Walter or, when she was younger, with her mother at the Four Seasons. Seeing the real New York had her smiling. It seemed that every store or restaurant they passed, the owners and staff knew Will. They all seemed so happy to see him, and it was proof that Will’s kindness had touched many in New York.

  Walking down another street, Savannah looked over at Will as more pedestrians headed their way. “Will, where are we going?”

  He glanced over at her as he stepped around more New Yorkers. Savannah tried to step out of the way of a deliveryman, but he knocked into her and caused Savannah to stumble back. Before she could fall over, Will grasped her hand and held her up. He pulled on her hand, bringing her close to his side. She thought he would then let go of her hand, but he tightened his grip as they walked down the sidewalk.

  “How do y’all walk without bumpin’ into each other?” Savannah wondered out loud, watching people swerve out of harm’s way.

  “Welcome to New York,” he teased, causing her to laugh. “You get used to it.” Then Will stopped, causing her to as well. They were outside an Italian restaurant. “We’re here.”

  Savannah glanced up and read the lit sign. “Home of Brooklyn’s most beloved pie.” She raised her brow. “We’re eating pizza? This is your idea of showing me New York?”

  Will released her hand and stood in front of her. “You’ve seen all the landmarks, right? You’ve seen the Statue of Liberty? The Empire State Building? Central Park? Times Square? Broadway?”

  Unable to help the smile on her face at his excitement, she laughed and nodded. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. I’ve seen them all.”

  “Then let me introduce you to the best food in New York.”

  “You’re going to give me a food tour of New York?”

  He grinned. “Yeah, and we’re gonna start with the best pizza in New York.”

  “Okay, let’s do it,” she said as Will grasped her hand and walked her inside. The restaurant was beautiful. Though it was darker than most, it gave it an ambiance of intimacy.

  “Ah, Mr. Lawrence, it’s so good to see you,” a man in a white business shirt and black slacks said as he stepped in front of them.

  “Hey,
Tony. It’s good to see you, too.”

  Tony glanced over at Savannah and smiled before he looked back at Will. “I see you’ve got yourself a beautiful date for lunch.”

  She had expected Will to correct him, but he didn’t, and that only made Savannah’s heart fill with joy and warmth. She was his lunch date … or at least he let people believe that she was. It didn’t matter about the technicalities; Savannah was happy to be with him.

  Will squeezed her hand in assurance. “Tony, this is Savannah. Savannah, this is Tony. His dad owned Tonio’s before he retired and passed it on.”

  Tony grinned proudly. “Nice to meet you, Savannah. Mr. Lawrence doesn’t bring his dates to his favorite restaurant, so you must be someone special.”

  Savannah wanted to clarify that she wasn’t special, but with Will, he made her feel like she was. She felt worthy and deserving of him … even if only for the day.

  Blushing, she shook her head. “That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

  “I’m sure that’s not true, bella,” Tony said with a smirk. “Let’s get you both a table.”

  After they followed Tony, they reached their table toward the back of the restaurant. It was intimate and secluded. Letting her hand go, Will stepped forward and pulled out her chair. Her heart lost strength, beating his name as she sat down. Then he walked around the table and sat across from her.

  The softness of his eyes was beautiful under the dim light. Savannah stared at him and wondered how she spent so many years not really looking at him. She was sure she was under the spell of him just being her best friend’s cousin. It took a weekend of taking care of their goddaughter together for her to see how warm and kind William Lawrence was.

  How caring.

  How supportive.

  He was one of the best men she had ever known.

  A man she trusted and respected.

  “So what can I get you both?” Tony asked.

  “Savannah, would you like to look at the menu?” Will offered.

  She shook her head. “I trust you.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes,” she said with a nod. “You said you were going to show me the best food in New York. So I’ll let you choose.”

  Will’s brown eyes gleamed as he glanced up at Tony. “The usual then please, Tony.”

  “Good choice, Mr. Lawrence,” Tony said. “I’ll get one of the waitresses to get you both some water, and I’ll be back with your pizza soon.”

  Savannah smiled before Tony left. Just as she looked over at Will, his phone rang. She watched him sigh and retrieve it from his pocket. He groaned as he gazed down at the screen, and then he shot her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Savannah. I have to take this.”

  “No, don’t be sorry. Go ahead.”

  “I won’t be long,” he promised as he stood and left their table, leaving Savannah alone.

  “The salami on the pizza is homemade. It’s what makes our pizzas the best in New York,” Tony said as he pointed at the salami slices.

  The pizza smelled and looked delicious as Savannah watched Tony point out some of the ingredients that were made at the restaurant. “It looks incredible, Tony.”

  He smiled, proudly. Then he glanced over at the restaurant’s entry. “Mr. Lawrence still not back yet?”

  Savannah shook her head. “No, not yet.”

  “You’ve been sitting here on your own for twenty minutes.”

  “I don’t mind. It seemed pretty important.”

  Tony’s smile deepened. “I’m happy Mr. Lawrence has found you.”

  Savannah glanced over her shoulder to see Will outside on the phone. She felt a twinge of guilt replace the warmth in her chest. Tony was happy that Will found her, but he had no idea he was babysitting a stranded woman. If anyone was happy, it was Savannah. She had no idea where she would be had she not found William Lawrence.

  “I’m glad he’s finally found someone,” Tony added, gaining her attention.

  “What do you mean?”

  Tony’s smile flattened as if he were hesitant to tell her. “I’ve known Will for years, so he’s like family. He had his heart broken while he was in college. A girl left him for the football star and told him he lacked personality.”

  “Oh,” Savannah breathed, realizing how deep her comments in Massachusetts would have hurt him.

  I called him boring …

  “I think he loved her,” Tony said in a small voice, “but he never smiled the way he does with you.”

  That gave her hope.

  That she was different to Will.

  “He didn’t?”

  Tony shook his head. “He didn’t. He’s a good man. Helped my family with the financial part of our restaurant. Loyal to his family and the Percontes. He even flew to LSU when his sister was a freshman and had a problem with a boy.” Concern replaced his smile on his lips. “He’s a great man who deserves a great woman.”

  Will deserves a great woman.

  Am I one, though?

  “I’m so sorry,” Will said as he returned to his seat. He looked at the pizza and grinned. “This looks great, Tony. Thank you.”

  “No problem. Let me know if either of you needs anything. And please let me know what you think of the salami, Savannah.”

  She smiled. “Of course.” She watched Tony walk to the front of the restaurant before she looked at Will, staring at her. The same way he gazed at her when she had pasta sauce on her face in Massachusetts. “Is there something on my face?”

  Will shook his head. “No, you’re perfect.”

  I’m perfect.

  Besides her father, no other man thought she was. So to sit in front of a man who thought so definitely made Savannah fall further. It was scary, but as she looked in Will’s eyes, she decided to let that fear go. To stop denying herself this man and his thoughts of her.

  “I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to you,” he said, his voice full of guilt.

  “Don’t apologize,” she insisted as she watched Will pick up the stainless steel pizza lifter.

  He shoved the tool under the pizza and lifted a piece from the tray and held it toward her. Savannah picked up her plate and held it high as Will placed the slice on the plate for her. “I hope Tony was nice to you.”

  Savannah laughed as she set the plate down on the clothed table. “He was lovely. But he did mention something …”

  Before her, Will’s brown eyes darkened. She wanted to ask him about his ex, the one who left him, but she didn’t want to dampen their good moods or their day. His ex didn’t matter right now, so Savannah inquired about another topic instead.

  “What did he mention?” Will asked as he grabbed himself a slice and set the lifter on the tray.

  Picking up her pizza, Savannah took a bite. The moment the rich sauce hit her tongue, she let out a soft moan. It was incredible. Then she tasted the salami and cheese, and she swore she had gone to heaven. She swallowed down the bite in disbelief over how, during her many trips to New York, she had missed a pizza like the one she was currently eating.

  “This is incredible. I haven’t tasted a pizza like this,” she said in awe.

  The pride on Will’s face had her rolling her eyes. “I told you. The best pizza in New York. So … what did Tony tell you?”

  Savannah took another bite of pizza, set her slice down, and then picked up her napkin to wipe the sauce from her fingers. “He says you’re loyal to the Percontes. Who are the Percontes?”

  Will set down his slice, grabbed his glass of water that a waitress had placed on the table while he was on the phone, and sipped some water. When he set the glass down, his shoulders fell. “They’re some of the best people I know.”

  “Oh?”

  His eyes glimmered. “They’re an Italian family my mother knew when she grew up in Brooklyn.”

  “Your mom grew up in Brooklyn?”

  He nodded. “She did. She had a best friend. His name was Joseph Guglielmo Perconte. They grew up together since the
ir fathers were both firefighters. Joe’s dad ended up being the fire chief at one of Brooklyn’s fire stations.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. It runs in the Perconte family. So Joe became a firefighter and spent years being in love with my mom.”

  Savannah was unsure of how this story would unfold. She knew for certain that Will’s father’s name was Alexander Lawrence, and he was an Australian accountant for one of the country’s finest accounting firms. But she didn’t and wouldn’t interrupt him. She would listen as Will opened himself up to her.

  “So in love that one day he proposed, and my mom said yes. Somehow, they made it work while my mom was at Syracuse University. Then, during her senior year, they got an apartment together. A place of their own when my mom was home from college. Joe worked as many shifts as possible to save up for their wedding. One night, he was on his way home when he got called to an apartment building fire a few blocks from where I live. He called my mom and told her he loved her and it was nothing they couldn’t handle.” Will paused. “Sorry, this must be boring for you.”

  She shook her head, abandoning the pizza to give him her full attention. “Keep going,” she encouraged.

  A smile peeked at his lips. “If it gets boring, tell me to stop, okay?”

  “Okay.” But she wouldn’t. There was nothing boring about William Lawrence. And hearing about his life was exciting in its own right.

  “So Joe went to the station, got geared up, and joined his fellow firefighters. Everything was textbook, but then the building’s structure began to collapse …”

  “Oh, no,” she gasped.

  “They managed to get all the civilians out, but Joe was the last one when the building gave way. A beam fell on him, and his brothers came back to get him. They couldn’t get the beam off, and he told them to get out before they all died. He forced them out, saving their lives. He told another firefighter, his older brother, to tell my mom he loved her. That he would have married her in a heartbeat, and that he’d see her again.” Will paused and reached over and grabbed her hand. “It’s okay, Savannah.”