The Cure (A Michigan Sweet Romance #1)

by Parker J Cole

  Wait a minute, Savvy. You don’t even know if he’s involved with anyone.

  The little voice put brakes on her musings. That was true. She released a breath she hadn’t been conscious of holding. No need to create an adversary where one didn’t exist.

  Adversary? What a strange way to describe another woman. She had no claim to Micah just as he had none to her. Her teeth bit down on her lips. Why didn’t that make her feel any better? It should. There wasn’t any lost love between them.

  Clearing her throat, she smoothed the fabric of her pants and got back to the business at hand. “Anyway, Micah, I mentioned my parents may be coming up today or tomorrow to visit. I don’t want my mom to know Snuffy got hurt while trying to save Markita. My mother is very sensitive.”

  “I understand.”

  “Thank you.”

  Savannah stood and walked toward the window. The bare branches of the trees bent under the harsh winter wind. Cars along the street moved slowly, the road still slicked with early morning ice. The scene before her brought back to mind an aspect of her life she had neglected for the past three days.

  Her business.

  Her mind whirled with its many thoughts. The past three days, she’d avoided her phone and emails in order to be here with Snuffy. Did she put the business on hold and tell her clients to be patient and understanding? What about the speaking engagements, articles, and presentations she had to execute at various places? Did she cancel them all?

  “What is it, Savannah?”

  He’d come to stand beside her.

  “I’m just thinking about my clients and other obligations.”

  “You don’t model anymore?”

  She lifted her eyes to him. “No, I don’t.”

  The air charged with a wealth of emotions. Micah had been supportive of Savannah’s desire to become a supermodel. Nascha’s influence had gone a long way to help her reach her goal. Yet, he hadn’t approved of the restrictions her work forced on her. Constant dieting and exercising. The perpetual demand to keep one’s looks as youthful and flawless as possible. The mind game modeling had on a person’s self-image. When she’d left the industry, Nascha hadn’t been pleased.

  That particular day made an imprint on her brain she wouldn’t soon forget. Perhaps because it was one of the last times she had seen her friend look normal. The woman had strolled into her apartment wearing a black and white kimono-styled dress which hugged her lithe, svelte figure in the all the right places. Her lips had a hard line to them and her rich, opal dark hair looked like silk under the flashes of sunlight that came through the window.

  “I pulled in a ton of favors for you to get you in front of the top executives in the world,” Nascha had yelled at her. “This is how you repay me?”

  “I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me Nascha. You know that,” Savannah tried to reason with her friend. “But I can’t deal with it anymore. I just can’t.”

  Those heavily fringed eyes of Nascha’s had hardened to the point they reminded Savannah of black ice. “The only thing a woman has is her looks. Forget that feminist bull.”

  Savannah had blinked. “That’s archaic, Nascha.”

  The other woman tossed her hair in a flippant manner. “Then why are women like you and me in business then? Why do these designers, fashion photographers, cosmetic producers,andwho knows who else want us? Because we’re beautiful women and beautiful women sell.”

  “Savannah?”

  She jumped slightly and refocused back on the conversation. “I have an image consulting business. When Fiona and Bart died, I moved it to Tawas so I could take care of Snuffy.”

  “What does an image consultant do?”

  An unexpected laugh bubbled from her mouth. “That’s like asking what does an administrative assistant do.”

  A twinkle appeared in his eyes. “Everything, I guess. What made you want to do that?”

  The mirth left. “I was volunteering at a homeless shelter in New York. I met a woman there who told me she’d once been a model but had ended her career when she married. Long story short, her husband was physically abusive to her and over time, she lost her looks. He kicked her out of his home, divorced her, and she had no one to turnto so she ended up on the streets.”

  “Some men are scum.” His lips twisted in distaste.

  Savannah nodded. “When she told me her story, I felt an idea bloom. There must be other women who have been abused or young girls bullied, and others who needed to know that true beauty isn’t perfection. I decided to start going around to homeless shelters and trying to coax some of the women to put on a fashion show. It was hard at first.”

  Savannah smiled softly at the memories of people thinking she was absolutely out of her mind to put on fashion shows highlighting homeless women and men. “People didn’t see the need for it. But when I just…pushed the door open and forced my way in, so to speak, people started to gravitate towards it.”

  She gave a tiny shrug. “The rest is history as they say. I’m gaining more popularity as an image consultant and speaker than I ever did as a supermodel. Life’s funny that way, isn’t it?”

  Micah gave her a smile which showed the brilliance of his white teeth. “I shouldn’t be surprised. You always want to help people. That’s an aspect of you I’ve always loved.”

  Just like that, the world retreated and only the two of them existed, locked in a capsule of time. His amber eyes held warmth. The bond between them pulsed with renewed energy. Savannah wondered wildly if it had ever gone away.

  He must have sensed it, too. Wonderingly, he raised his finger and reached out toward her hair. She knew what he’d do. He’d tug a strand of her hair and tuck it ever so carefully behind her ear. He’d always done so when they stood in close proximity to each other. She waited with anticipation.

  “Savvy, what’s going on here?”

  Tisha’s voice broke in on them like a police siren. Savannah felt heat rush her cheeks. Micah released her and they backed away from each other like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

  “Who is that?” Connie walked closer with a cautious tread. “That’s not who I think it is, is it?” Her face scrunched like a ball of paper.

  Tisha gasped. “It’s Micah. Micah Reddington.”

  “What in the world is he doing here?” Connie scowled.

  “Girls,” Savannah attempted to interject. They both felttheneed to protect her heart ever since Micahhad brokenit. They had been waiting for the chance to give him a piece of theirminds. She’d kept the fact that he was here from them, hoping to prepare them for his presence earlier, but now that plan was about to backfire.

  “You think you can waltz back here after three years and just pick up where you left off?” Tisha stepped aggressively up to Micah. “You have some nerve.”

  “Do you know how much pain you caused to Savvy? A lot! I don’t know what you think you’re doing here but you can go back to whatever rock you crawled from under.” Connie went around him and grabbed Savannah by the shoulders.

  “Connie, Tish—wait,” she tried again.

  “Don’t be fooled, Savvy. He’s just—”

  “Here at my request, Tish.”

  Pin drop silence followed her declaration. Tisha and Connie faced her, dismay marring their features. “You invited him here?” Tisha’s eyebrows perched in her hairline.

  Savannah swallowed. “Yes. I asked him to come.”

  “Why? You know what he did to Nascha,” Tisha accused, her dreadlocks swaying back and forth as she shook her head. “Why would you—”

  “Tisha, Connie.” Micah’s voice interrupted. They turned to look at him, belligerence evident in their stances. He took a step closer to them, looking down at them from his not inconsiderable height. “Let me start by saying it is good to see you again.” He sounded genial, but there was more to his tone than that. His next words proved it. “Let me finish by saying I’m here because Savannah invited me here. Despite what you thi
nk you may know about the situation with me and Nascha, you don’t. Kindly refrain from mentioning it again.”

  An implacable quality lent warning to his words. Drop it or else. Savannah bit her lip, struck to the core by the change in Micah. When they were engaged, he retained a ready smile, a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on. He’d never been the kind of man to exude that sort of intimidation. Yet, she felt it radiate from him, tangible as wind. Shehad never been subjected to this part of his personality.

  This new man held a different bearing. Leaner, and harder in attitude. Had public scrutiny done this to him then? Had it changed him so much? A moment ago, she thought she saw an old glimpse of the manshehad lovedwith her whole heart. Now in his place stood a person with whom one would have to tread lightly.

  The shock evident in her friends’faces showed they noticed it, too.

  Tisha tugged on her locks. “Fine. You don’t want to talk about Nascha. We’ll leave it in the past. But I don’t understand why you would still have him come here, Savvy.”

  “Does it matter?” she fended off. She’d asked for his expertise with Liliana’s care, but she also thoroughly trusted the hospital’s staff. If she pondered the question too long, she was fearful of what the answer might be. “The only thing that matters is he’s here and helping me with Snuffy. That’s all that should matter to you, as well.”

  They looked at her as if she’d grown a third head. She couldn’t blame them. Her shoulders drooped with the weight of her problems. “I need you to support me, okay?”

  Connie and Tisha rushed to her, moaning apologies and hugging her close. “You’re absolutely right. We don’t have time for these shenanigans.”

  “Tish is right. Sorry for making things harder than they need to be.”

  They murmured some more, crowding around her. She accepted their embraces. No matter what, they wanted to help her.

  “Can we see Snuffy?” Tisha asked.

  “The nurse is going to let us see her when they finish changing her dressings, so give it like another fifteen or twenty minutes.”

  Shehad avoided Micah’s gaze while she talked to her friends. At one point, she hazarded a peek at him. An expression she couldn’t name dominated his features. She wished she could read him like she used to. But they couldn’t go back to that time again. The only connection they had was a little girl’s life hanging in the balance.

  ***

  If only you’d stood up to Nascha like you just did to Tisha and Connie, maybe we wouldn’t have broken up.

  Whenshetold him of how she began her business, it wasn’t a surprisethat shewould find a way to help people. She cared for random strangers as much as she cared for her family. It was an aspect of her that made her so likeable.

  Micah tried to squash the bitterness the thought brought with it. Along with her innate empathy she had for people, Savannah also had a weakness for her friends, one he had once found endearing - until it had ruined his life. He had no problems with Tisha and Connie. They shared a genuine friendship with each other. He’d always liked them.

  Nascha’s poison affected them, too, so he didn’t take their animosity personally. However, he didn’t have to stand for their scorn and aggression like he had with Nascha. Those days were long gone.

  Before they arrived, he’d been transported to an earlier time inSavannah and his relationship. He’d gazed into her eyes and saw a glimpse of what they once had. He’d almost let down his guard and dragged her into his arms. If they hadn’t showed up, maybe he would have.

  Nascha’s lovely face leapt in his mind again. He nearly snarled. Savannah had fallen for every lie she spurted. How could she have been so fooled by her? But he knew the answer to his own question. Nascha used whatever means at her disposal to tear them apart.

  “When are your parents coming?”

  Connie’s query to Savannah brought him out of his dark musings. The woman patted a seat next to her in the waiting room.

  Savannah walked over, her slim, long legs encased by a pair of tight-fitting black jeans and a large, bulky peach-colored sweater. Her slender hand with the mole on her ring finger pushed aside the long, luxurious black hair. Graceful. He wished he could look at her with indifference and not be aware of the picture of elegance and beauty she made. Yet, Micah couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  Savannah sat and sighed. “Mom is taking it hard. She barely made it the day before yesterday when she saw Snuffy. I think she’s going to come either today or tomorrow. She needed to recover first. She wants to be able to be here without upsetting Liliana.”

  Thinking of his would-have-been mother-in-law, made Micah grunt. “Maxine has always been sensitive tootherpeople’s pain. That’s why I liked her so much.” The same attitude reflected in her daughter. A vision of Maxine’s kind blue eyes came to mind. Savannah’s mother had made no bones about her joy at the idea ofhim becoming her son. Maxine had cried when they told her the news as if she were the one he proposed to.

  “Mom’s heart is made of gold,” Savannah agreed.

  Micah glanced outside. The snow had stopped falling, but the wind still blew. It sent gusts of snow everywhere. “Remember the time Lawrence and I were putting up shelves in her cabin?” He took his attention away from the window. “I’d stubbed my foot into the wall and my nail came off? You would have thought her nail was the injured one.”

  “I remember. That was a fun day.” A soft smile eased the strain on Savannah’s face.

  “It sure was. A week later I’d—”

  Micah stopped talking. A week later, sore toe and all, he’d gotten on one knee and proposed to Savannah in the rain outside her door. A knife twisted his insides as the memory played out. He’d been nervous but also excited. He’d bounced back and forth between knowing she’d say yes and hopeful she’d say yes.

  When he removed the ring from its small velvet box, the look on her face was one he’d immortalized in his head. Droplets of tears or rain, he never knew which, hung from her long eyelashes like tiny crystals. Her blue and brown eyes had turned into gems. When he reached for her hand, he’d bent his head to place a kiss on top of the flat mole before he took the band of gold with its one carat diamond and slid it over her finger.

  That day, he saw paradise in her eyes.

  He ground his teeth. From the way Savannah’s smile melted away he knew she’d been reliving the same moment as he. They understood each other so well. After the love had gone, their bond remained.

  The air sank into melancholy. The sour, acrid taste of resentment burned the back of his throat and he turned back around to fix his eyes on the white covered scenery.

  An uneasy hush, turbulent with bottled-up emotions, surrounded their group for long moments. He didn’t look at Savannah. He’d spent the last three years trying to forget her. His peace of mind depended on getting her out of his system.

  His phone buzzed in his pocket. “Hello?”

  “How are things?”

  Donald. Micah strolled a little away from the women. “They’re okay. But why did you tell my mom I was here?”

  “Micah, she needed to know, being your mother and all. Besides, I don’t live that far from her.”

  “I would have told her. You didn’t have to open your big mouth.”

  “You probably wouldn’t have said anything.”

  The truth of those words agitated him. “Regardless—”

  “How’s the little girl?” Donald interrupted.

  Micah breathed harshly through his nostrils. Getting upset with Donald wouldn’t change anything. “She’s in stable condition. Right now, we’re waiting to hear back from the attending doctor.”

  “How have things been between you and Savannah?”

  He stiffened at the question. “I’m not going to talk about that now.”

  “Oh, she must be right there. Are her friends with her, too?”

  “Of course,” Micah answered derisively. Savannah’s friends were always a part of her life.

  �
��Connie and Tisha? Tell them I said hello.”

  “You’re joking, right? If I had allowed it, those two would have bit my head off just now.”

  Donald snorted. “You know how women are. Cliquish, clannish, and catty. They’ve probablywanted to chew you out for some time now.”

  “What do you want?” Donald could talk for hours if given the choice.

  “Nothing.” His best friend’s voice carried that placid tone. Nothing ever riled Donald. Call him handsome, call him stupid, he wouldn’t bat an eye. “I called to see how things were.”

  “Well, thanks.”

  “Call me when you get a chance. I’d love to come up there and visit whenever you give the word.”

  “You just want to see Savannah.”

  “Well, yeah. I like Savannah even if you don’t anymore.”

  Micah ended the call without saying goodbye. Donald’s words scratched at his brain and he went backtoSavannah and the others in time to see a nurse arrive to take them to see Liliana. En route, Savannah spoke up.

  “Dr. Yamaguchi thought it would be a good idea for Liliana and Markita to see each other. She believes it’ll be a good remedy for both of them.”

  Micah’s respect for Dr. Yamaguchi grew. “It’s a good call. There are cases showing the effects of close siblings, particularly twins, whose presence assisted in their healing. The girls don’t share a familial bond but I don’t see why they wouldn’t benefit from each other’s presence.”

  “She said as much.” Savannah avoided his eye. Tisha and Connie stood guard on either side of her like police officers. “Markita’s mom agreed, so she should be there as well.”

  They entered the room. A pretty, tall, dark woman with an afro talked quietly with one of the nurses. At Savannah’s entrance, she ceased her conversation and walked over, where she enveloped the smaller woman in a hug. The women held each other for a long time, their eyes closed and their embrace tight and snug. Tears collected in the corners of their eyes, but Micah sensed they drew strength from each other. Something inside of him winced with regret. He should be the one she held close. Once upon a time, he longed to be the pillar in the middle of any storm in Savannah’s life. He had no right to that now.