The Better Man

by Len Webster

  “We’re not together.”

  Walter stumbled back. “What? You came back to New York.”

  “As a friend,” she corrected.

  “I love you, Savannah.” He was hurt. She heard it in his tight voice.

  Savannah inhaled a short breath. “Are you saying it because you really do love me? Or because you think it’s what I want to hear so you can have me?”

  “I-I …” He hesitated.

  And his hesitation was enough for her.

  “Walt—” Lu, Walter’s agent, interrupted as he poked his head through the door. “The Knicks chairman wants to speak to you and take some pictures. The social media team wants to do some interviews for the fans. I’m sorry, Savannah, but I’m gonna have to take him for a while.”

  Savannah was relieved. She needed a minute away from Walter so she could breathe without the pressure. The entire night had been spent pretending for Walter, and she was tired. She couldn’t wait to go back to Vermont. She couldn’t wait to go back to work and not worry about her appearance for him.

  “That’s okay,” Savannah said, trying to hide her relief.

  Walter nodded. “I won’t be long, okay? Then we’ll talk.”

  She did want to talk, but she was just too tired tonight. Her emotions were a mess and weighed her down.

  “Okay,” Savannah said and followed Walter out of the hallway and back to the party. Walter promised he wouldn’t be long and then left her alone by the stage to find the camera crew and the chairman.

  Savannah was thankful for a moment alone, but what she really needed was air. Sweet air to ease the aches in her chest. Deciding it was the best time to get away, Savannah walked out of the function room’s entry doors. Once she was away from the party, she went down the hall and then out of the arena in a private outdoor area. The air was refreshing and needed as the wind cooled her heated skin. She noticed someone sitting on a bench, staring out at the New York night. Under the lights, with the sadness on his face, he was beautiful. Lost but beautiful. And for one night, he had been hers. She had a lot to apologize for, but she wanted his answers, too. His silence killed her, but as the days passed, she also understood why.

  So Savannah walked to the bench and sat next to him. She looked up at the stars and saw several twinkling against the dark night. She saw more stars in Vermont than she ever did in New York. She wondered if it was the light pollution that hid the beauty of the galaxy. Or maybe the brightest star in her universe was the man sitting next to her. For the longest time, they didn’t say anything as they stared up at the sky.

  Savannah wondered if Will thought she was with Walter. It sure did look like it. If she owed anyone answers tonight, it was Will. Savannah lowered her chin and turned her head to find him looking at her. It was so good to sit with him and look at his light brown eyes without all the people in their way. She missed him. Missed his touch, his smile, and his voice. But most of all, she missed the person she was when she was with him. The person who believed she deserved better and had better when she was with him.

  “Hi,” she said in a soft yet careful voice.

  She hoped he’d give her a chance to explain. She hoped all that he felt for her still remained. Somewhere, the love she was sure they had remained.

  “Hello, Savannah.”

  It was typical of William Lawrence to be professional, but she saw the fear and uncertainty flash in his eyes. He was worried, and Savannah knew that feeling all too well. There was one person she didn’t want to say goodbye to tonight, and it was this man.

  This gentle, forgiving man.

  This man whom she loved.

  It was too soon, but she knew what she felt for Will was stronger than what she had ever felt for another.

  “You left the party,” she pointed out.

  Will nodded, the guilt written on his face as his chin dipped. “I’m sorry, Savannah.”

  “Hey,” she whispered as she reached up and pressed her fingertips to his strong jaw. It felt so good to feel him again. To have him look at her as if she were the brightest star in the sky. “Don’t apologize. I’m sorry you heard that.”

  “He loves you.”

  She nodded. “He came to Vermont last week and told me.”

  His lips made a fine line as he nodded. “I’m glad you know that he does.”

  “Why?” she found herself asking.

  “You deserve the love you want.”

  Her thumb brushed against his cheek, not taking her eyes from his. “Will …”

  “Yes?”

  Her heart bled for him. Her body ached even more. She needed and wanted this man.

  “You never called me back.”

  He sighed as his hand gently found her thigh. “I know. I’m sorry. I …”

  She saw him struggle to tell her what she knew. What she had suspected the moment Walter was at her door. Seeing him walk away only confirmed what her heart and head knew.

  “Will …” Her thumb brushed against his bottom lip. Lips she dreamed of kissing every part of her as they had in his bed all those weeks ago. “Tell me what Walter said to you.”

  He flinched under her touch, proving just how right her suspicions had been. Walter had done something, though what, exactly, she didn’t know. She had spent the past few weeks trying to figure it out.

  “Savannah.” He was pleading for her to let it go, but she wasn’t going to give up. Not when it affected them both.

  She shook her head. “Will, did he threaten you?”

  His eyes widened. “What?”

  She almost whimpered at the burst of pain in her chest. How could Walter threaten Will? It didn’t make sense. He didn’t know about them. No one did.

  “He threatened you,” she said, coming to the conclusion.

  “How do you know?”

  To her surprise, a small smile curved her lips as she dropped her hands from his face. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why you stopped calling me. It’s because of him. I know it. There is no way Walter would have come to me, sober, telling me he loves me. I’ve known him for years, and not once has he ever felt the need to declare his love. For him to sober up and tell me that he loves me required some persuasion. He was scared of actually losing me to someone better.” Her chest clenched with yearning as his hand left her thigh and grasped hers. “He only told me he loved me because he’s scared of losing me to you, Will.”

  “Sweetheart,” Will whispered, the hint of pain mixed with the desire she felt in her soul.

  Sweetheart.

  She was still his. He still used his endearment. He still wanted her as much as she wanted him.

  “Please tell me.”

  He sighed. “He could give you everything you need, Savannah.”

  She shook her head. “He can’t give me you. Only you can give me you, Will. Only you can give me what I want and need.” Her voice lowered. “And I want you. I only want you. I’m only here to support his sobriety and to be a friend.”

  Will pulled back slightly. “You’re not with him?”

  “Of course not,” she admitted, feeling relieved that she could admit it out loud. “He wasn’t supposed to introduce me to anyone or act as if I’m his. I was supposed to just stand in a corner. That’s it.”

  “You don’t belong in a corner, sweetheart,” Will said honestly as he scooted closer and cupped her cheek with his free hand.

  “And you don’t deserve to have witnessed all of that. I’m sorry,” she said as she pulled her hand free from his and pressed her palms to his neck. She tilted her head as her lips drew closer to his.

  “I shouldn’t kiss you, Savannah.”

  She swallowed hard as his gaze dropped to her lips. “I know.”

  “A better man would end this. A better man would let you go so you can be happy.”

  She shook her head. “You are the better man,” she whispered as she pressed her lips to his.

  Finally.

  Thank you, Baby Jesus.

  Savannah
wanted to cry as he kissed her. Slowly at first, as if to test her heart’s affections and see if it still remembered his kiss and his touch. Her heart could never forget him. Then he grasped her hips and brought her closer, their bodies touching, setting them alight.

  She missed him so much. Missed his touch. His kiss. The way she felt him love her like no other. This was home.

  This was where her heart wanted to remain …

  With William Lawrence.

  As he pressed one last kiss to her lips, he let out a sigh. Even after weeks apart, it was all still there. The passion. The desire. The need. The love.

  His chest heaved as he whispered, “I miss you.”

  “I miss you, too.” She took her first sweet breath of freedom, but she needed answers to justify it all. They couldn’t move on if they didn’t settle what kept them back. Brushing her thumb across his bottom lip, she was thankful he had no trace of her lipstick on his face, and whispered, “Please, Will. Please tell me what he did.”

  He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers. “He threatened Emerson’s and my jobs,” he finally admitted.

  Savannah pulled away in utter shock. She couldn’t believe Walter had done that. She thought maybe he’d had some words with Will, but she had no idea that he had threatened his and Emerson’s jobs. Savannah was horrified, embarrassed, and ashamed of Walter.

  “I’m sorry,” she uttered. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Will assured.

  But it was her fault. If it wasn’t for Savannah, they would be fine. Their jobs wouldn’t be threatened, and they wouldn’t have any fears.

  “Hey,” he said, getting her attention. “It’s okay.”

  She shook her head. Walter had never put her in this position before. In college, whenever she tried to move on, he let her, so why was he getting in the way when it came to Will? Savannah didn’t understand the kind of man Walter had become.

  “It’s not. I can’t believe he threatened you and your job. And Emerson’s, too?”

  Will tensed. “She doesn’t know. I kept it from her. Emerson wants to achieve some amazing things with the company, and I want her to keep focused on that.”

  Of course he did.

  Savannah’s heart warmed at his loyalty and belief in his partner. And it was Savannah’s responsibility to ensure that Walter never delivered on his threats. She wouldn’t let him, and she wouldn’t let him get away with his actions either. Savannah knew what she needed to do.

  Will had to leave the party.

  First, she just had to convince him to trust her.

  “Will,” she said as she pulled his hands from her waist. “You have to leave the party.”

  His brows furrowed. “What?”

  She let out a breath as she stood from the bench. “Please trust me.”

  “I do trust you,” he said, getting up and standing before her. “I don’t trust him.”

  “He won’t make a scene. Not here. Not in front of his teammates and coach. There are too many important people here for him to do anything but listen to me.”

  Will didn’t seem convinced as he mulled over her explanation. “Sweetheart—”

  She stepped closer and pressed her palms to his stomach. “Will, go home. Please. I’ll call you after I get my things from my hotel room and leave New York.”

  “You’re going back to Vermont?”

  “I am,” she confirmed with a small smile at the relief in his eyes. Savannah could tell he thought she was staying with Walter. “You have to trust me.”

  “I trust you.” His hands settled on her neck as he bent down, and whispered, “I do. I trust you.”

  Her heart raced with belief in him as she nodded. “Go home.”

  He nodded as he lowered his lips to seal over hers. It was soft. Worthy of claiming her heart over and over again. He kissed her gently and with the taste of love on his lips.

  They kissed under the stars they knew filled the sky but shied away. They kissed because they needed and wanted to. They kissed because it made as much sense as breathing.

  Slowly, Will pulled away and removed his palms from her neck. “Call me as soon as you leave this party. I’ll come to your hotel room. I’ll take you to the airport myself.”

  God, she couldn’t love him more even if she tried.

  “Will—”

  “Actually, I’ll come with you to talk to him.”

  She quickly shook her head. “Absolutely not. Will, I—” Love. She wanted to say love, but it was too soon. She knew there would be a someday when it would fall from her lips, and he would accept it. Treasure her love. Now wasn’t the right time. “—can’t let you. If he sees you, he might break. He thinks you left. I promise I’ll call you the moment I leave this party.”

  “Okay,” he said in defeat as he brushed her hair behind her ear. “Call me.”

  A smile stretched across her lips. “You promise you’ll answer?”

  He nodded as the remorse flashed in his brown eyes. “I was giving you a chance with him because I know how much you love him.”

  “Loved,” she corrected in a low voice, shocking them both.

  It was the first time she admitted her love for Walter Vidović was now past tense—or was fast becoming past tense. She couldn’t love someone who threatened someone she cared about. She might not know Emerson well, but she respected her and admired her for wanting to be successful in the finance industry.

  Will’s face washed over with emotion Savannah had never seen before. He looked as if he were in awe, and he was as remarkable as he was beautiful.

  “Go,” she pleaded, not wanting to dwell on the fact that she admitted to falling out of love with Walter.

  Will listened to her with a nod. He stepped away, turned, and headed for the door. He had paused for a moment, as if he were going to turn and tell her something, but he didn’t. Instead, she watched his shoulders sag before he opened the door and walked into the arena. It didn’t take long for him to walk toward the exit and away from her sight.

  Savannah waited a moment.

  Inhaled what freedom felt like before she went into battle.

  She was determined to win the war Walter waged against her the moment he threatened the man she loved.

  The man she had always known to be the better man.

  By the time Savannah returned to the party, Walter was engrossed in interviews. He had a true smile on his face, and she wondered if it were worth confronting him. Then she saw the whiskey in his glass, and she was infuriated all over again.

  He lied to her.

  Again.

  If loving her meant never bettering himself, Savannah had no idea how to help him.

  He was toxic.

  Their relationship had always been.

  Fire could only burn for so long.

  Savannah needed out, and as she saw him wrap his arm around some random woman, she was determined to move on. Even if it meant she broke his heart just once. He would only ever have the privilege of once compared to the many breaks he’d inflicted on her. She couldn’t live with the guilt he hung over her. To use her love to manipulate her into thinking he would get help.

  If he was genuine about recovery, he would not have a drink in his hand. If he truly loved her, he would not have desire in his eye for another. If he wanted her forever, he would have stayed in love with her. He would have gotten it right the first time.

  But Savannah wasn’t worth it.

  Just as she was about to confront Walter, she felt her phone ring in her dress pocket. The pockets were the only reason she had chosen the red sparkly dress. It was a shame that the dress was so perfect; she would have loved to have kept it had Walter not paid for it. She would get it dry cleaned and send it back to him. She shouldn’t have accepted his invitation to his party. She shouldn’t have let him talk her into buying her a new dress. Savannah should have done a lot of things differently, but she would not regret what was to come.

  Shoving her hand in
her pocket, she pulled out her phone and saw the name that drew all the air from her lungs and set her organs alight. It had been a long time since her mother had called. She had tolerated her mother’s text messages but never her calls. Savannah had all but given up six months ago when she refused to visit Southport for a talk. Her mother’s talks always centered around Savannah returning to the South and marrying her ex-boyfriend. It wasn’t going to happen. As her best friend had said when they were in college, Savannah was now a New Englander. She called Vermont home. There was nothing for her back in North Carolina.

  Savannah stared at her screen. Her mother had continuously disappointed her since she was eighteen, but she had always hoped her mother would look past the family name and image and accept that Savannah had a mind of her own. She wanted to be like Monty. She wanted to be like Alex. Savannah wanted to be successful in her desired field just as the strong and accomplished women in her life were. And her mother had never thought much of her and was insulted when Savannah waved her Duke acceptance letter in her mother’s face. Going to college wasn’t a part of her mother’s grand plans.

  But her father always told her that someday her mother would come around, and a part of her hoped it was today. That her call was a silver lining. So she thought of her hopeful father as she spun around and walked out of the party and into the hallway. Once the door closed on the loud party, Savannah answered her mother’s call. Her heartbeat had picked up. She was nervous. Hopeful, even. The two made a terrible combination.

  “Momma,” Savannah said in a small, careful tone. She wouldn’t give her mother the satisfaction of hearing her relief.

  “Oh, Savannah May,” her mother said, sounding happy that Savannah had answered. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Savannah stilled. “Tell you what?”

  “I saw the pictures. You have a boyfriend!” her mother shrilled.

  Her heart died in her chest. She wasn’t prepared for the world to see pictures of her and Walter. She had no idea that pictures of them together would be shared so quickly.

  “Momma, it’s not what you think.”

  Her mother tsked. “Savannah May, I am so proud of you.”