The Better Man

by Len Webster

  But at least he still had his whiskey.

  Twenty-eight

  Savannah

  Savannah sat at her gate.

  She had yet to call Will. After she collected her jacket and purse, Savannah took a cab to the Four Seasons. Walter had booked the room after she had refused to stay at his apartment—insisting she deserved the best. She was much happier at a cheaper hotel, but Walter was persuasive as usual. His sweet talk had been her undoing once again. But when she said goodbye, she didn’t give him the chance to change her mind. To play on her past affections to win her back.

  Not this time.

  Savannah was better than that.

  Stronger than she used to be.

  She just needed to believe in herself. Want better for herself. She just needed to take what she wanted and leave the ones who continuously hurt her behind. After she had changed into a pair of skinny blue jeans and a plain white T-shirt, leaving the red dress on the bed for Walter, she realized that she needed to work on herself, too. She had once been so bright and confident.

  Savannah didn’t realize what loving Walter had done to her. He stripped her of her. And Savannah had found herself with Will. Found parts she was scared to hold onto and admit they were missing pieces in fear of the power Will had over her. The power he had to bring her back. The love he pulled from her chest for her to hold. And the untainted, no-strings love he proved she had always deserved.

  As Savannah watched the screen at her gate flash “NOW BOARDING,” she pulled her phone out from her jacket pocket to find Will’s messages. Every time she got an alert that he had texted, Savannah refrained from opening them.

  She needed a minute with her thoughts.

  She didn’t want to rush her heart as her head sorted through all the potential consequences that could come out of breaking Walter’s heart. Savannah could prepare for it, but she knew she would not come out of it unscathed. There was just no way. She had to hope that walking away was what he needed to open his eyes.

  To move on.

  To get better and seek help.

  All Savannah could do was wait.

  Live each day after him with the purpose of her own pursuit of happiness powering her heart’s beats and her lung’s inhales. Deciding she’d had enough time with her thoughts, she opened Will’s text messages and read them.

  Will: Savannah, please tell me you’re okay. I’m in my apartment, and I feel like I made a mistake. I should have been there with you. I should have supported you. I should have done things differently.

  Will: Please call me when you’re ready to talk. I know whatever you decided was not easy.

  Will: You deserve what and who makes you happy, sweetheart.

  His messages broke the gates of her guarded heart and closed and locked them behind him. It was the only way to describe how William Lawrence found his way into her heart. Where he would stay. That she was so sure of.

  Walking away from Walter gave her a fresh perspective on life. She had known a toxic relationship, and she wasn’t ready for another. She was ready for happiness. So she called Will and pressed her phone to her ear. It took three rings before he answered.

  “Savannah,” he breathed.

  She smiled as her heart fluttered at his voice and his relief. “Hey.”

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. She could tell him about her mother’s call and about Walter’s return to alcohol and his questions, but she didn’t. She only wanted to discuss him and them. “You said I deserve what and who makes me happy.”

  Silence fell to her ears as Will didn’t respond right away. After an agonizing few moments, he answered. “I did say that. And I do believe that you do.”

  “Good,” she said, biting her lip. “Because I choose you, Will. You’re who makes me happy.”

  “You make me so happy, Savannah,” he confessed as she heard a rattle of keys. “I’m coming to your hotel. I’ll take you to the airport.”

  “Will,” she whispered.

  “Which hotel—”

  “Will,” she repeated, interrupting him. “I’m already at the airport. I’m at my gate.”

  “Oh.”

  Savannah pressed her lips into a fine line. “I wanted someone for so long that I never prepared myself for this kind of disappointment. I loved him, but it wasn’t enough. He loved me, and it wasn’t enough. We couldn’t make each other happy, Will. I enabled him. I turned a blind eye just like my mother wanted me to do with Walter’s addiction. I walked away, Will. I had to.”

  “I know, sweetheart.”

  There it was again.

  Sweetheart.

  The sweetest endearment she had ever heard. And coming from Will’s lips only made her fall in love with him all over again.

  “I’m not walking away from you, Will,” she clarified as she heard the airline employee announce that Savannah’s boarding zone was ready to board. “You’re the last person I would ever walk away from.”

  She heard his inhale, as if her words touched him as his had with her. “I would never walk away from you, Savannah. I did once, and it’s my biggest regret. But a plane is going to take you away.”

  Savannah glanced out the window to see the American Airlines plane that would take her back to Vermont. Back to where her real life remained. “It has to.”

  Will sighed. “I know. So what happens now?”

  “I don’t know,” she honestly said as she lifted her suitcase’s handle up. She wrapped her fingers around it as she glanced down at her light blue luggage tag with her initials monogrammed on the artificial leather. She could stay in New York. She had worked a few overtime shifts and could afford to stay to be with him. But Monty entrusted her to return to Montpelier. It was nothing short of a miracle when Savannah asked for two days off. Monty only agreed if it meant Savannah could network.

  And Savannah had.

  She had met so many important people connected to the NBA and the sports industry. All those connections would be useful someday, but Savannah felt like a fraud. Though Walter hadn’t gone out and said that she was his girlfriend, she saw many assume. And it hurt her every time she would look over at Will, wanting him to be by her side instead of her ex.

  It seemed time, miles, and states were against them. But she was committed, lost in everything Will could offer her and more.

  “Let’s not rush this,” Savannah finally said. “What I just walked away from was toxic. Years and years of toxicity. But when I’m with you, I forget all that and embrace the stars you give me. Will, you’re pure and loyal, and you see so much good in me when I don’t see any at all. You want better for me, and you desire my happiness. I’m going home, but I left my heart with you after our kiss tonight.” She let out a small laugh at her realization. “To be honest, I left my heart and soul in your bed. I just need some time.”

  “I know you do, sweetheart. I’ll give you time.”

  Her heart ached yet filled with so much warmth. He was giving her what she wanted. What she truly needed. Right now, Savannah wanted to prove her self-worth. She wanted to show that she was better than many gave her credit for. She might not be a leading physicist like her best friend or an industry leader like her boss, but Savannah Peters would be the best marketer she could be.

  Her focus was work.

  Her heart devoted to a brighter future.

  She had said goodbye to her trust funds that would have made her life easier. But that was the thing … that money wouldn’t have made her feel as if she deserved her degree. The degree with so many student loans tied to it. With each payment she made, she felt as if she deserved where she stood because of her hard work and no one else’s.

  “Will,” she said in a small voice as she began to line up to board her flight.

  She wanted to say it.

  Tell him she had fallen in love with him far too quickly and it was scary. But she bit her tongue. She was still going to give their someday a chance. It just needed a better foundation. It required
Savannah to love herself and find her happiness outside of him. To find better within her own thoughts.

  “Yes, Savannah?”

  She advanced in the line and held up her boarding pass to the airline employee who scanned it. Then she made her way down the tunnel toward the plane. “Please don’t shut me out for weeks. I know why you did it, but I can’t do it again. I don’t think you realized something.”

  “What’s that?”

  She smiled at the thought. “You became one of my best friends in a blink of an eye. And I missed you during those weeks.”

  “Savannah,” Will said, awe thick in his voice.

  “Yes, Will?”

  He let out a breathy sigh. “You became so much more than just my best friend. In Massachusetts, I started to fall, and I never stopped. I don’t think I’ll ever find a moment more beautiful than you at the planetarium with wonder in your eyes as you took in every constellation. They offered you the stars, and you took them and held them to your heart.”

  And that was it.

  The moment she was irreconcilably in love with him.

  Because one sentence gave her the happiness she never believed was possible. The happiness she never thought she was capable of experiencing by gentle hands. Will gave her words that made her feel deserving. The planetarium might have given her stars, but William Lawrence gave her the belief to settle in her heart. He gave her the love her heart would treasure. The love she would let consume her further than it already had.

  “Will …”

  I love you …

  But she couldn’t say it. Not yet.

  “Savannah.”

  He paused. As if his silence held secrets, too.

  “I have to board now. I’ll call you when I land?”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  She grinned like a foolish schoolgirl. “It’ll be late.”

  “Nothing is ever late when it comes to you, sweetheart. Have a safe flight.”

  Something was off. Like they were both missing words to complete them. But she wouldn’t dwell because for now, she had Will.

  She had the better man.

  Her better man.

  And she was going to keep him.

  Savannah was sure of it.

  Twenty-nine

  Will

  It was the day after Walter Vidović’s Knicks party, and Will was late for work. A fault in the subway line had caused a delay. Thankfully, he wasn’t the only one who was late. Many of his co-workers were, too. He was even more relieved when he heard that Coates and Jackson were in an important meeting, meaning Will could sneak into his office without being seen. Well, except for Emerson who was already sipping her morning coffee, her brow raised at him as Will shrugged out of his jacket. He wasn’t one to be late. In fact, he always beat Emerson to work.

  “We have a new client,” Emerson said as Will sat at his desk with a relieved sigh.

  He logged into his work computer so that he could get onto the server without having to take his laptop out of his briefcase. “We do?”

  She set her mug down and grasped the file from her tray. “Small company who wants our opinion on expanding out of New York in this market.”

  “Hmm …” Will liked small businesses. They were usually careful with their money and listened to his and Emerson’s recommendations. As he was about to tell Emerson to pass him the file, he heard what sounded like a bang. Then the whole office heard the muffled screaming that followed. Will looked over at the conference room to find the shades were drawn. He glanced over at his partner. “What’s going on in there?”

  She shrugged a shoulder as she handed him the file. “I’m not sure. Coates and Jackson were in there long before I got to work. I think a client is pissed.”

  Will snorted. “I think so.” He set their new client’s file on his desk and opened it. He picked up the report, ready to read.

  “So …”

  “So …” he said as he skimmed through the client file. Their client was a vegan fashion designer who designed and sold vegan friendly clothing. He glanced over to find the grin on Emerson’s face. “What?”

  “You left the party.”

  He nodded. “I did.”

  “Savannah left the party early last night, too …”

  “She went back to Vermont.”

  Emerson’s smile dipped. “Oh. So you two didn’t …?”

  Will shook his head as a knock came on the door. “No. We talked. We’ve been talking, but I’ll explain later.” Then he turned to find Mr. Coates’s executive assistant at their door. “Hey, Marleen.”

  She attempted a smile, but it was strained. Something was off because she was usually peppy in the morning. “Hey. Mr. Coates and Mr. Jackson want to see you in the conference room.”

  Emerson stood from the chair. “I’ll go. Keep reading the file—”

  “They want to see both of you,” Marleen clarified before she left their office.

  “Both of us?” Emerson asked. She was as bewildered as Will.

  Will set the folder down and got up from his seat. “Maybe they want us to take over whatever client they’re dealing with.”

  “Maybe,” his partner said in a low voice. Will followed her out of their office and headed across the floor toward the conference room. Once they reached the door, Emerson inhaled a deep breath. It had been a long time since they were both required in the presence of Mr. Coates and Mr. Jackson.

  Normally, it was one or the other. In fact, Mr. Jackson was hardly ever in New York. He was the silent partner at the firm and only ever at the office when there was bad news that could cripple the company’s reputation. Will gave Emerson a reassuring nod before he knocked on the door. The door opened to Mr. Coates’s tense expression. An expression that did not comfort Will at all.

  “Miss Calvert, Mr. Lawrence,” their boss said as he stepped aside. “Please come in.”

  Will let Emerson enter the conference room first and then followed her. He was confident they could calm down the unhappy client. He and Emerson made a great team. They always did. Then he watched Emerson stop and tense up. Had she worked with this difficult client before? It didn’t matter. Will would support her. But as he turned to greet the client, he, too, tensed.

  Walter Vidović stood at the other end of the room, furious.

  Will knew he was in trouble. Savannah had ended it with Walter at the party and begged Will not to join her. She didn’t want to make a scene. Will had thought Walter understood, but he could tell he hadn’t. The NBA star was angry. Savannah hadn’t told Will what was said between them, but he would face the consequences.

  The only issue, why Emerson was in the meeting with them?

  Before Will could even ask, Walter demanded, “I want them fired.”

  Them.

  He means Emerson, too.

  From the corner of his eye, he noticed Emerson’s balled fist. She was angry, and she had every right to be. Will had gotten her into this situation. Her career was on the line because of Will’s selfishness.

  “Now, Mr. Vidović,” Mr. Jackson said in a calm voice. Though he was stocky and brute, Mr. Jackson was a calm man who had graced many insider business magazines as a young millionaire just like Mr. Coates. Will now understood why his boss was at the office. To defuse the Knicks star’s fury. “I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding. Isn’t that right, Will and Emerson?”

  Neither said a word, and that was the confirmation Walter needed. “He slept with my girl, Jackson!”

  She told him the truth …

  For a moment, he was proud of Savannah. She hadn’t hid any part of their relationship, but her honesty meant his career would now be dealt a blow. Being a financial advisor was all about trust, and Will had broken his client’s. It didn’t matter if Walter was an alcoholic who never deserved Savannah or that he wrongfully believed that Savannah was his, Will still broke his trust. And trust was crucial in his line of work. There was no other way to put it. Will had behaved unethically. He sh
ould have put an end to his attraction to Savannah Peters the moment he found out she was in love with his client. Will should have been a better financial advisor.

  “And she knew!” Walter accused, pointing his finger at Emerson who inhaled sharply. “What kind of business are you two running?”

  Disappointment and embarrassment flashed on Mr. Jackson’s face. He was tanner than the last time he was in New York. He spent a lot of his time away from the firm in the Florida Keys, but that didn’t hide the shame that tainted his pink cheeks. He was not happy with his employees.

  “Mr. Vidović—” Mr. Coates said in a calming voice.

  Walter turned. “Your financial advisor slept with my girl! And his partner knew! I want them both fired. If you still want my business, or any other NBA player or team, you’ll fire them both.”

  “I think we should at least hear what Will and Emerson have to say,” Mr. Coates insisted.

  “Fine,” Walter spat out as he turned and directed his fury to Will. “Speak.”

  Will was not surprised that Walter had commanded him as if he were a dog. But he would listen. He had no choice. If he was going to save his and Emerson’s careers, he had to. “Yes,” he admitted. “I do have a relationship with Savannah Peters.”

  Horror consumed Mr. Coates’s and Mr. Jackson’s faces. As for Walter, Will could see the victory in his eyes. He had the ammunition he needed to have them fired.

  “But I can assure you, Mr. Coates and Mr. Jackson, I’ve known Savannah for years. Mr. Coates, at the party, Savannah told you we share a goddaughter. That’s true. She’s also my cousin’s best friend. What we have is not inappropriate. I had no idea she had been in a relationship with Mr. Vidović until recently.”

  Though his explanation seemed to satisfy his bosses, it was short-lived as Walter exploded once more. “She was at the party with me. You took her from me! And you—” He pointed at Emerson. “You knew who Savannah was. You and Will sat in my apartment, knowing she was with me, and you let him touch her.”