“It’s not your fault,” Skylar said. “There was no way for you to know what would happen that morning, Syd.”
Savanna expected to feel sobs from Sydney, she was so distraught, but there were no tears. She and Skylar relaxed their grip. Sydney’s cheeks were beet red, and there were faint gray circles under her eyes.
“She was much better at setting up our morning dates than I was. She was a much better friend than I was,” Sydney said quietly. “All I had to do was reach out. That’s it.”
“You did. I know you did. And Libby knew how much you cared about her. I think you know that,” Savanna said.
Willow startled them from the doorway. “I don’t mean to eavesdrop. But we only have two appointments left today. Why don’t you give yourself the afternoon off, boss? It’s what you’d tell me. You need it.”
The three of them looked at Willow, Sydney’s twenty-year-old assistant, whose brightly colored nails and multiple earrings matched her perpetually sunny demeanor.
“That’s a great idea.” Skylar buckled Hannah into her stroller. “All I’m doing today is working on motions. I can do that later tonight. What do you say, Syd? Let’s get some sun and go for a walk.”
The words brought Fonzie to life in an instant. He leaped up from under the table and sprinted toward his leash hanging by the door. Sydney laughed, and it was music to Savanna’s ears, so much better than how she’d sounded minutes ago. “Can we take your dog with us?”
Savanna clipped his leash on. “I think you have to.” She looked over her shoulder at Willow. “Thank you. You’re sure you’re okay on your own here?”
The young woman nodded. Sydney’s lack of protest told them how right Willow was—Sydney needed to relax.
Outside on the sidewalk, Savanna stopped her sisters before they headed in the opposite direction. “Wait. This is for you.” She handed Sydney a Kate’s Yoga flyer, the lotus flower logo at the top. Kate had pulled this together in less than two days when Savanna had told her she was worried about Sydney.
“I already got this month’s newsletter,” Sydney said.
“It’s an update.” Savanna pointed at today’s date in the corner. “Did you know Kate has a class called Stress Less Yoga?”
Sydney stared at her. “You don’t even believe in yoga.”
“What? I do! I’m just bad at it,” Savanna said. “But I believe it’s good for our minds and bodies. I’ve learned that from you.” She flipped to the back page of the pamphlet, turning it back toward her sister. “It ends with twenty minutes of Savasana yoga.”
Skylar peered over their shoulders. “I want to go. What’s Savasana yoga? Never mind, I don’t care. I want to go.”
“Savasana is a way to reach deep relaxation, the space between sleeping and wakefulness,” Savanna said. “Don’t look so surprised,” she chided Sydney. “I’ve done my research. Kate says these yoga sessions are meant to help the mind reach a state of peacefulness.”
Skylar took the pamphlet, turning it over and reading the sticker with class times. “We’re going. Tomorrow at four p.m., Syd. Me and you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Savanna was on her deck Wednesday evening, ready for Aidan to pick her up, when her phone buzzed with a video call from him. His handsome, scruffy face filled her screen. His lab coat collar and the V-neck of his blue scrubs told her why he was calling before he did.
She smiled involuntarily; it happened whenever she saw him. “Still at work?”
“I am. I’ve been trying to leave since four, but my post-op Triple A—sorry, aortic aneurysm—won’t stabilize.” He wore an aqua surgical cap that made his eyes look even bluer, and the phone jostled as he took off his lab coat. The screen lost him for a second and when he reappeared, he was sliding his arms into a surgical gown as someone else held the phone for him. “I’m so sorry, Savanna. I’m going to be here a while.”
“Don’t worry about it. Go save your patient.”
He nodded once. “I’ll call you later. Sorry.” He held her gaze a moment longer, then looked beyond the phone and said, “All right, let’s go.” The screen went black.
Savanna sighed. They hadn’t had anything big planned, just a picnic on the beach—the first of the season, as it was finally warm enough. Fonzie hopped up on the bench beside her and bumped her arm with his nose. She rested a hand on his back. “It’s okay. This is dating a surgeon. I get it,” she murmured. Aidan’s job wasn’t simply important, it was life or death. She hoped his patient would pull through. It was a little crazy that he’d called her as he was going to scrub in. Other guys might’ve not even bothered, or maybe sent a quick text. Aidan was certainly not like other guys.
Savanna had an idea. She placed a quick call to Caroline Carson, packed the picnic dinner she’d prepared for herself and Aidan into a backpack, and headed down along the shoreline with Fonzie. The dog scampered ahead, pouncing on the tide. Twenty minutes later, they made their way through the sand dunes into Caroline Carson’s orchard. She hadn’t come through this way since she was a teenager. She guessed it was about a mile’s walk from her house, and the weather this evening was perfect for it. The town matriarch was standing at the railing of her large, wraparound porch waiting for them.
Savanna walked into Caroline’s open-armed hug, awed as always by the ninety-one-year-old woman’s verve and vigor. She let go, noting the cane in Caroline’s hand. The yellow scarf at her neck perfectly complemented the yellow-and-lavender linen pantsuit she wore today; her lipstick was perfectly applied and her white hair beautifully coiffed. “You look fabulous, as always,” Savanna told her. “I’m glad you were free!”
“I was about to fix myself some soup for dinner when you called. How are you? How are your parents?” Caroline went through the wide doors into the parlor, chatting as she walked. Her two little fluffy white poodles had found Fonzie and were already in the yard playing.
“We’re all doing well.” Savanna unshouldered her backpack. “I hope you like what I brought. We’ve got cold fried chicken from Happy Family, homemade potato salad, coleslaw, honeydew melon, and chocolate chip cookies from Main Street Sweets for dessert.”
“Oh, lovely! Much more palatable than my soup.” Caroline stopped in front of the floor-to-ceiling mural Savanna had painted for her when she’d first come home to Carson. Situated in Caroline’s parlor in plenty of natural light from the many windows, it was a depiction of Lake Michigan with the dunes and the wide, beautiful sky; Caroline’s late husband’s yacht sailed over the blue waves, among others. “What a wonderful gift you’ve given me. When I’m relaxing in my chair here every evening, your artwork provides me such a sense of tranquility and joy.”
“That’s the perfect compliment.” Savanna smiled warmly at her.
Caroline resumed walking. “Let’s eat in the shade outside the kitchen.”
Savanna served them each a plate and fetched two glasses of lemonade from the kitchen. Caroline had been like a grandmother to Savanna and her sisters ever since they were little. Long summer days spent on this very porch and races through the orchard to the dunes and the lake beyond had been staples of Savanna’s childhood. She’d seen her first real-life Claude Monet painting in this house, as Caroline’s late husband Everett had been an avid collector. When Savanna had discovered shortly after moving home from Chicago that someone was trying to kill the town matriarch, she, her sisters, and Aidan had become embroiled in the race to save the woman’s life.
“Tell me. To what do I owe this fun surprise?” Caroline asked.
“I’ve missed you! I’ve been meaning to come by. Plus,” Savanna added, wanting to be completely honest, “my plans tonight with Dr. Gallager fell through, and this seemed like a good backup plan. He had to go into an emergency surgery.”
“Life with a surgeon,” Caroline said. “I recall what that’s like. Have I told you my father was a surgeon? And my brother a
nd his daughter—my niece. Runs in the family.”
“I remember.” Savanna had missed Caroline, and she was glad she’d gotten to see her tonight.
“My mother would get so aggravated with my dad. He missed a lot. That’s the truth.”
Savanna nodded. “I’m sure. How did you feel about that?”
“It’s funny. I think kids take their cues from their parents. When I was small, I remember being constantly disappointed at missed school plays, birthdays, piano recitals, that sort of thing. But something shifted when I was eleven or twelve. I’ll never know what caused it, but my mother began planning around the likelihood he’d be called away. She’d have us perform our scene in the play in the living room for him when he’d trudge in the door late at night after an emergency surgery. She’d sit and eat a few bites with us when he missed dinner, and then take her dinner with him later on. She began explaining to us what a surgeon does, how they have a hand in saving lives. Maybe it simply took time for her to adjust. But I don’t recall ever feeling upset with him after that. He was always there when he could be. And when he was, he was one hundred percent there, invested, ours. It was enough.”
Savanna sat still, processing her words. She might as well be describing Aidan. When he was present, he was the most amazing, attentive man she’d ever met. It was hard to imagine being angry or irritated with him when he was only doing his job.
“My brother’s a retired neurosurgeon. His story is different. He didn’t marry until he was nearly fifty. His wife is an accomplished cellist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and plenty busy herself. They only have the one daughter. Their relationship seems to work well.” She stopped, taking a drink of her lemonade, her gaze searching Savanna’s expression before she went on. “My niece has had a different path than both her father and grandfather. Her first marriage ended in divorce. She’d tell you herself it was because her husband was so unhappy with her unpredictable schedule. Her second husband became a stay-at-home father to their three children. They’ve always seemed happy to me.”
Savanna spoke. “Very interesting, all three relationships. It sounds like there’s not necessarily one right way to handle being with someone who isn’t always in control of their own time.”
“Exactly. I believe it works when both parties are willing to make it work. When it’s a burden, or the benefits aren’t worth the sacrifices, it doesn’t work.”
“That makes sense. For any relationship. You’re all kinds of wise, Caroline.”
The other woman shook her head, making a dismissive sound. “Not really. I only know what I know. I know you. You’ve got a lot on your mind.”
“Oh,” Savanna said. The woman was amazing. Perceptive, sharp, and concerned...no wonder she and her sisters always felt at home here. “I suppose I do. As I said, very wise of you.”
“Well, we’re skirting around the real issue, aren’t we? Have you put serious thought into how you feel about our Dr. Gallager, my dear?”
The question caught Savanna completely by surprise. They’d been speaking purely in generalities. She began to answer, and then stopped. She couldn’t. She knew, without question. She couldn’t tell Caroline Carson how she felt before she spoke the truth where it belonged. She was in love with Aidan Gallager.
On Thursday morning, Savanna was in the middle of demonstrating to her third graders how to piece together their felt cut-outs, pieces of fabric, and other items to create a friendly monster, Carson Elementary’s receptionist appeared at her door with an enormous bouquet of flowers in a glass vase. She only knew it was Karen because she recognized the receptionist’s trademark leopard print loafers at the end of a pair of legs coming out of the biggest collection of pink-and-red double peonies she’d ever seen.
Her students reacted before Savanna could—the classroom was filled with “Oooohs” and giggles rippling throughout the kids. She met Karen and took the bouquet, her eyes wide. “What in the world?”
“Aren’t they gorgeous? Smell them!”
Savanna did, closing her eyes and inhaling. “Oh, wow.” She opened the tiny envelope—which was already open—and read the card, what there was of it to read:
Sorry about last night. Raincheck Saturday?
Love, Aidan
“Are these from Dr. Gallager? What did he do? If it was me, I’d forgive him in a heartbeat,” Karen said in low tones, lifting her eyebrows. “Get it? A heartbeat.”
A nervous laugh escaped Savanna. “Ah, right, because he’s a heart surgeon—clever. Thanks for bringing these down, Karen.” She carried them to her desk; they were surprisingly heavy. She fussed with the arrangement, straightening a few stems in hopes the receptionist would take her cue and go, and she did. The bouquet was so beautiful. She only wished he’d sent it to her house. Jack’s words rang in her ears, advising her to fly under the radar. She couldn’t help wondering how many other staff had seen the woman carrying this bouquet fit for a queen down the main hallway.
Within seconds of her dismissing her class after the last bell, Jack poked his head around the corner into her classroom. His library was kitty-corner across the hall from her, where he taught computer classes. “Savanna and Aidan, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n—”
She aggressively shushed him and pulled him by the elbow into the room, shutting the door behind him. “Have you ever even seen such a gorgeous bouquet? I’ve never gotten flowers before at work. It’s so nice,” she said, hands clasped together in front of her. “But...”
“But?” Jack leaned forward and smelled the flowers. “Mmm.”
“Well, I hope no one but Karen saw them come down the hall. Karen and you,” she corrected.
Jack’s expression was skeptical. “You do understand, if Karen knows, everyone knows, right?”
“Oy. I was worried about that.”
Jack leaned on her desk and crossed his khaki-clad legs at the ankles, laughing. “I’m a little surprised that he didn’t just send them to your house. I’d pegged him for the demonstrative but discreet type. But honestly, who cares? Half the teachers here probably wish their partners were as awesome as yours.”
“He remembered how much I love peonies,” Savanna said. “I just hope no one makes an issue of it.”
“Try not to worry. What are they for, anyway? I thought your birthday was last weekend.”
“It was. These are because Aidan had to cancel our date last night. He had an emergency surgery. They’re so unnecessary.”
“But very sweet,” Jack added.
“Yes, they are. You’re right, I should be happy he sent me flowers and quit stressing about breaking a rule we don’t even know for sure is real.”
The bouquet was seat-belted into the back seat beside Mollie on the way to dance Thursday after school. Savanna snapped off one pretty rose-pink bloom and stuck it into Mollie’s bun before they headed into Miss Priscilla’s. This would be the last time this year Savanna would be bringing the child to dance, since the dress rehearsal and recital would take place next week. She pulled out her knitting and worked on Hannah’s baby blanket while she waited, paying careful attention to the discussion topics in Priscilla’s lobby. She picked up no good gossip at all. All the parents were focused on the recital, what color tights they still had to buy, who’d correctly assembled which headpieces for various classes, and which classes their children were planning to take next fall. That long list of complaints between the Kents and the Blakes was still fresh in Savanna’s mind; they were all mean-spirited and petty. There was even one made by Libby and Anthony when the dance studio had erected an expensive new custom-made sign on their storefront. The Kents had dug up an odd, decades-old statute prohibiting the use of any type of sign with lighted red lettering, and the city council had forced Miss Priscilla to remove it. And yet they were surprised the dance school refused to use their florist services? Savanna didn’t like seeing this new side of her late frien
d.
Mollie’s grandma picked her up at the end of her ballet class, and Savanna walked next door to see if Uncle Max was ready to leave yet. She was having everyone over for dinner tonight to see the finished result of her, Harlan’s, and Uncle Freddie’s hard work on her house. She’d made a lasagna last night after walking home from Caroline’s, and she just had to put it in the oven for an hour when she got home. Aidan had already told her not to expect him, as Thursdays were his late days at the clinic. She’d called him on her lunch break and thanked him for the lovely flowers, taking Jack’s advice to try to stop worrying.
Uncle Max looked especially dapper today in a brown checkered linen suit and burgundy bow tie. “I’m just finishing up. You’re sure you don’t mind if Lady Bella comes along?”
“You know you don’t even need to ask,” she said.
“I wondered what you...” Max’s voice trailed off as he went into the office behind the counter.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Oh, my fault, love.” He leaned out of the office so she could hear him. “Come back here while I add today’s orders to the inventory log.”
Savanna felt strange going behind the flower shop’s counter without Anthony here, but she did. She stood just inside the door to the office. “You were saying?”
“Yes! What did you think of your flowers?”
“They’re so beautiful! Did you help him pick out what to send?”
“He didn’t need my help. He knew exactly what he wanted. He said evening delivery, but he apologized for putting in his order on short notice this morning, so I figured I’d get them out to you the moment I’d finished the arrangement.”
Now it all made sense. Savanna didn’t have the heart to tell her uncle he might have created a problem for her at work. She hoped she was wrong; she supposed she wouldn’t know for sure until tomorrow. “Thank you. I was so surprised.” She crouched down to pet Lady Bella, tipping her head sideways to read the titles on the bookshelf. That jarring sensation needled her again, same as the last time she’d been in here. The space was so meticulously neat, except...
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