She shifted from one foot to the other. “I heard about your Dad’s illness. I wanted to call or drop you a line, but I—”
“I understand. Everything got so complicated between us. Muddled.” He raked his hand through his dark head of hair. “One minute you were my friend, and the next I was leaning on you and dreaming of things that I knew couldn’t possibly be.”
“I know,” Fancy said. “It was like a tornado came and threw us around, chewed us up, then spit us out.” She let out a hollow-sounding laugh. “I always valued your friendship, Marc. And I never blamed you for what happened between Case and I. You were grieving for Gretchen, which complicated things for you.”
He made a low sound in the back of his throat. “I made so many mistakes, all due to selfishness. At some point I fell for you, Fancy. I stopped caring about what was right. I knew you were engaged. I knew that you were crossing lines you may have been unaware of. It was wrong of me to allow Case to think you returned my feelings. That day when he came to confront me I wasn’t ready for it, so I didn’t correct him when he said certain things about your feelings for me. I’m so sorry if my keeping quiet made everything worse.”
“It was a tough situation, Marc. But I really appreciate you coming clean with Case about it after all this time. I know it couldn’t have been easy to revisit the past.” She let out a deep breath. “For the record, I was the one who was engaged, Marc. I should have realized that I was leaning on you because I was feeling lonely. At times I used you as a substitute for Case. You were always there for me to talk to or go to the movies with or laugh with about something funny. By themselves those aren’t bad things, but when you take into consideration that Case had no idea I was spending so much time with you and the way you ended up feeling toward me, it looked pretty bad. I made myself look dishonest.”
“And you lost Case because of it,” Marc said, bowing his head down. “I’m so sorry things came to a head like that.”
“I never imagined things would get so crazy, but I should have. Case has so much pride. And I wounded him terribly. In the end, we couldn’t make it work.” She shrugged. “It’s unfair for you to blame yourself for that.”
“I’m back to stay, Fancy. I left as penance for what happened. I didn’t want to cause any more hurt or pain, so I took off. But now, with my father being so sick, I have to be here in Savannah.” He looked at her, his eyes full of a plea for understanding.
“I understand completely. I headed to New York to get away from the pain of losing Case, but in the end, Savannah called me home. I imagine it’s no different for you. Savannah is where you should be, Marc. Your heart wouldn’t be whole unless you stood by your family in their time of crisis.”
“I wish we were still friends, Fancy. And more than anything, I wish your heart hadn’t been broken. I’m not in love with you anymore, in case you were wondering.” Marc’s lips twitched. “I sort of think I transferred all my feelings for Gretchen to you, if that makes any sense. It felt so real at the time, but in the end, I was still mourning her death when I left Savannah.”
“You went through a traumatic time, Marc. Losing her was such a terrible blow. I can’t imagine how awful it must have been for you.” She looked at him, noticing for the first time the dark shadows underneath his eyes. “Please know that you’re in my thoughts and prayers. I want you to be happy.”
“I want that for you too, Fancy. Take care.” With a nod of his head, he was gone.
As Marc walked away, Fancy felt the full weight of everything that had transpired two years ago pressing against her chest. Marc had been branded as an evil manipulator by the Savannah gossips. It couldn’t have been further from the truth. He was a wonderful man.
For Fancy, he’d always been a fantastic friend. She’d never even considered him in any romantic way, although she’d crossed a line in the sand by going to his apartment, eating out with him and confiding in him about her relationship with Case. She’d complained about Case’s long work hours and his inattention to her. That had been disloyal. Those had been bad moves on her part and a reflection of her immaturity.
The days of her bashing herself for her youthful mistakes were over and done with. She couldn’t move forward if she kept focusing on past indiscretions.
If nothing else, she had grown and matured from enduring the very worst experience of her life. If things continued to go well between her and Case, she wouldn’t ever make the same mistakes. She would turn to him and tell him how she was feeling. She would be honest and open and vulnerable. She would try to be mature and understanding about his work commitments.
She would love with all her heart and soul. She would be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Fancy had changed. She was no longer the impulsive woman she’d once been. And she hoped and prayed that Case recognized it.
**
Case and Fancy continued to see each other over the next week on almost a daily basis. Although Case kept reminding himself to go slow, it seemed that his heart had no intention of listening. As the saying went, the heart wants what it wants. And he wanted Fancy in all her wondrous glory. He’d loved this woman for as long as he could remember, yet the present-day Fancy was a different woman than the one he had been engaged to. She was more grounded and wise.
Fancy cared less about appearances and more about substance. She listened more and seemed to be taking it all in.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly until rumblings of gossip began to circulate. Once again, there were whispers about Fancy and Marc. This time around, rumor had it that they were meeting up in secret and that Fancy was consoling him as he dealt with his father’s illness.
The chatter reached Case’s ears quickly, like out-of-control flames spreading like wildfire. All of a sudden it felt like two years ago when his whole world had imploded amidst gossip and lies and secret relationships. Back then, rumors had spread all over Savannah about Marc and Fancy and himself. It had been brutal and humiliating and deeply hurtful. The gist of it had been that Fancy and Marc had engaged in an affair behind his back. Then, when he’d broken off his engagement with Fancy, the rags had published stories about Fancy leaving him for Marc, followed by stories that he’d been ordered to break off his engagement by his family.
That particular rumor hadn’t been far from the truth. When the gossip had reached his father’s ears, the fallout had been immediate.
“How could you have allowed this to happen?” Lincoln Duvall had barked at him. “This scandal is dragging the Duvall name through the mud.”
“She’s my fiancée, Dad. I don’t own her. Nor do I control her,” he’d said in a defiant voice.
“Well, maybe you should, Case. This is humiliating. You know I hate to see the Duvall name dragged in the mud.”
“It hasn’t been pretty, but we’re trying to work through this. I love her.”
“Love is one thing, Case. Pride is another,” his father had snapped at him. “Do you want to be talked about behind your back for the rest of your life?”
Case had always craved his father’s respect, ever since he was a little boy. More times than not, he’d earned it. But going head to head with his father over Fancy hadn’t been pleasant. And although his decision to break off his engagement hadn’t been due to parental interference, it certainly hadn’t helped the situation.
Case shook off the memories from the past. He wanted nothing more than to move on from it and build a strong foundation for the future. But the sudden flurry of gossip involving Fancy concerned him. Where was it coming from? Was there the possibility that Fancy had met up with Marc? If so, could he even be upset about it when he didn’t have a claim on Fancy? Although they were seeing each other, neither one had mentioned anything about being exclusive.
He’d invited Fancy over to his townhouse this evening for an intimate dinner for two. Perhaps he could find a way to ask her about Marc without mentioning the gossip swirling around Savannah. The last thing he wanted to do was make her f
eel as if she was being examined under a magnifying glass.
Although he had been tempted to whip up a meal for Fancy, he still wasn’t confident about his cooking skills. He’d been taking cooking classes every Monday night for the last four months. So far he’d learned how to make a few dishes: salmon croquettes, Fettuccini Alfredo, shrimp and grits, as well as crab cakes. As soon as he perfected his culinary skills, he was going to surprise Fancy with an elaborate meal. But that day hadn’t arrived yet. No, it was far better to have the dinner catered by one of his favorite Savannah chefs. He grinned at the idea of hiding the evidence and making Fancy think he was a master chef. He let out a chuckle. That might be fun.
Hmm. He was starting to think long-term about Fancy. It had happened rather quickly. Or so it seemed to him. One minute he had decided to broker peace between himself and Fancy. The very next moment they’d been locking lips in the moonlight. All he knew for certain was that he’d never stopped loving this amazing woman. And from everything that he’d seen about the new and improved Fancy, he felt certain she’d grown and matured over the last few years. That growth was important to Case. He too had matured, both in his faith and in his temperament.
Was it possible that they could have a future together? Or was this a case of two people who couldn’t seem to let go of one another and move on with their lives? Even though he feared this might all lead to a dead-end, he couldn’t refuse to take the journey. What he felt for Fancy hadn’t faded with time. If anything, it had grown stronger.
Fancy arrived promptly at seven o’clock. As always, he found himself blown away by her beauty. Even dressed in a simple black dress, she looked gorgeous. Although her lips were painted red, she didn’t appear to have another shred of makeup on. Her amazing bone structure was all she needed to complete the overall look of a radiantly beautiful woman.
“You look stunning,” he said, suddenly wishing there was a new word in the English language he could use to compliment her. A word that could aptly describe her beauty. But he also knew that Fancy got tired of hearing about her physical attributes. There was so much more to her. Her spirit. Her kindness. It was clear her beauty radiated from deep inside her.
“Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself,” she said with an easy smile. “Here. I brought something for you.” She thrust a bouquet of tulips at him.
“Come on in,” he said, admiring the vibrantly colored bouquet in his hands. “Thanks for the flowers. I can’t think of the last time anyone thought to give me some.”
“Real men like flowers,” Fancy said with a smirk. “Or at least that’s what I’ve heard.”
“Absolutely. Miss Hattie taught me to appreciate flowers that day when I ruined hers. I’ve never quite forgotten that lesson,” Case said a wink. “Let me take your coat.”
Fancy shrugged out of her dark coat and handed it over to Case, who promptly hung it up in the hall closet, then turned back toward her. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I still have salad to prepare.”
“Let me help,” Fancy offered as she headed toward the kitchen right behind him.
**
Fancy looked around the townhouse as she made her way to Case’s all-white and chrome kitchen. Case, being a bit of a perfectionist, had purchased top-of-the-line items for his impeccably adorned kitchen. Microwave. Toaster oven. A special fridge for his wine. Copper pots. A stainless steel refrigerator. White backsplash behind the black and chrome stove. Beautiful track lighting. This kitchen had it all.
Fancy had always loved cooking in here with Case. Although neither of them were great cooks, there had always been an intimacy about it that she had always loved. It had allowed her mind to wander to thoughts of becoming Mrs. Case Duvall and preparing meals in this kitchen on a regular basis. She’d once felt as at-home here as in her own place.
Being here made her wonder how many women had been in this kitchen in the last few years. She rid her mind of the image of Case preparing a meal with another woman. It made her feel uncomfortable to imagine it. It created a little ache in her soul.
Case took out the lettuce, along with some tomatoes, cucumbers and feta cheese. He placed a big red bowl on the counter, along with a cutting board. Fancy busied herself cutting the cucumbers and tomatoes as Case checked on one of his dishes on the stove.
She wrinkled her nose in appreciation of the food. “Mmm. Something smells terrific.” She looked over at Case. She raised an eyebrow. “Did you cook this yourself?”
“I’m taking lessons,” Case boasted. “Once a week at the Bistro Savoir.”
“That’s wonderful. What smells so heavenly?” Fancy asked, reaching to lift the lid on the stove.
Case playfully slapped her hand away. “Nope. No peeking. No touching or tasting until it’s ready.”
“Give me a little preview, please. I’m practically drooling over here.” Fancy rubbed her stomach and made a face.
“Your favorite. Smothered pork chops, wild rice with black beans, a corn and red pepper medley and some cracklin’ cornbread.” He bent down and took out a bottle of white wine from his collection. “I think the Chardonnay will go with our meal nicely.”
Fancy let out a groan. “Oh my goodness. It sounds like you’ve really outdone yourself. I remember the days when you could barely cook a hot dog.”
Case pressed his hand against his chest. “Ouch. That hurt. You weren’t exactly Julia Child yourself. Remember that time you burned the greens? This place reeked of burnt vegetables for a week solid.”
Fancy covered her mouth and giggled. “Oh that was terrible. I was trying so hard to impress you that night with my down home cooking. I put those greens on the stove and then forgot about them. Thank goodness for the smoke alarms. Trust me. Living on my own in New York taught me Cooking 101 in no time flat. It was either that or break the bank eating out. Or starving. At least I have a few skills now.”
Case motioned for Fancy to sit down at the table. She grabbed the salad and placed it down on the table before taking a seat. Case placed the covered dishes on the table and the loaf of sliced cornbread. He sat down across from Fancy. After saying the blessing, they dug in to the food.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Case,” Fancy gushed. “Maybe I should sign up for some classes there myself.”
“All right. It’s confession time,” Case said with a grin. “I didn’t really make this meal. I ordered the food from the Harbor side Grill.”
Fancy looked at Case across the table. “So you lied about it?”
Case looked startled. “I’m sorry. It was meant to be a joke. Something light-hearted that we could laugh about.”
Suddenly, Fancy couldn’t keep a straight face. She burst out laughing. “I’m just kidding. I’ve known the whole time that you didn’t cook the food.”
Case sputtered. “How? Am I that bad of a cook that you knew it wasn’t possible?”
“The moment I stepped into the kitchen I spotted the containers from the Harbor side in your trash bin. They don’t call me Nancy Drew for nothing.”
“I forgot to hide the evidence.” He slapped his palm against his forehead.“Either way, are you enjoying the food?”
“It’s delicious. Nothing can compare to the restaurants here in Savannah, not even New York City.” Hometown pride rang out in her voice.
“How was New York? It must have been so different from Savannah.” For so long he’d been curious about Fancy’s life in the Big Apple. Because of their estrangement, he hadn’t been able to ask her any questions about life in such a bustling, immense city. And whenever Charlotte had brought up Fancy, he had avoided the subject like the plague. He had always acted indifferent, but his sister had always been able to see his truths. Charlotte had always known that he had never gotten over the love of his life.
Fancy’s expression was thoughtful. “New York City was fine. For a while. I went there to reinvent myself and to pursue modeling opportunities.” She shrugged. “It was lonely though. A big city with concrete and skyscrapers. It rea
lly makes you feel insignificant in the scheme of things.”
“I can’t imagine you ever feeling that way, Fancy. You stand out no matter where you are. I’m sure you left your mark in the Big Apple.”
“I think New York didn’t quite know what to make of me,” she said with a laugh. “And that’s okay, because it wasn’t my destiny. New York is a wonderful city, but I truly feel that Savannah is where I’m meant to be. And I’m never going to run away from Savannah. Not ever again.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Case said, locking eyes with her. “I missed you. Even when I was angry and disenchanted and distancing myself from you, there was always a part of me that felt empty. There was a void where you should have been.”
She looked across the table at him, feeling a huge groundswell of emotion for this amazing, soulful man who had captured her heart for all eternity. She’d missed him terribly after she’d moved to New York. Living in Savannah after their broken engagement would have gutted her. And with all the rumors swirling about her and Marc, there had been no place for her in Savannah. She would always be grateful to New York City for being her haven during a time when she was lost—emotionally and spiritually. But for now and always, Savannah would be home.
**
All day he’d been bracing himself for this awkward conversation with Fancy. He hated the idea of even speaking Marc’s name, but he knew it was necessary. Case had no intention of dredging up everything from the past. To do so would be extremely dangerous for their present relationship. Everything between them was so new and fresh. Talking about past mistakes would be walking a slippery slope.
After dinner he was standing next to Fancy as they loaded the dishwasher with the supper plates and utensils. Before he’d completely figured out how to phrase his question, words came flying out of his mouth. “So have you seen Marc since he’s been back in town?”
Case tried to throw out the question in an unassuming way, but it felt like he’d just tossed a live grenade at her.
Fancy’s eyes widened to the point where she resembled a startled deer. “I-I ran into him at the market.”
The Last Kiss (Secrets of Savannah Book 3) Page 13
