Jax couldn’t help but feel there was way more to the story. It didn’t explain why Callie had left home or why she seemed to be brimming with disgust for her father.
“Care to tell me the rest of the story?” Jax asked.
The waitress came and plopped their beers down on the table. “The wings will be right up,” she said. “Need a few more minutes to look over the menu?” she asked, snapping her gum as she waited for their response.
“A few more minutes would be great,” Jax said with a nod.
Luke splayed his hands on the table. “This is Callie’s personal business. And Duvall family business. Anything I tell you has to be kept quiet. If this were to show up in the Savannah gossip rags it could really hurt my family.”
“Luke, I’ve known your family almost my entire life. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize it…or Callie.” Jax could hear the tenderness in his own voice when he said Callie’s name. Luke’s raised eyebrow indicated that he might have picked up on it as well.
“So, am I right in assuming that your interest in this is more than a casual one? For a while now I’ve wondered about your feelings for my sister.” Luke locked gazes with Jax. There was something in his friend’s eyes that let him know his secret would be safe with him. Jax let out the breath he’d been holding. It was becoming increasingly difficult to hide his larger-than-life feelings for Callie Duvall.
“I care about her…more than a friend, Luke. I always have.” Jax delivered his statement as matter-of-factly as he could. His feelings for Callie were way too strong to deny, especially to someone who loved Callie as much as he did. Their server walked up and placed their wings down on the table and quickly took their order.
Once the server walked away from the table, Luke quickly got down to business. “Are you in love with her?”
“I think so. I’ve never felt this way about anybody else. Ever since we were in high school these feelings have been brewing inside of me.” He let out a hollow laugh. “Who am I kidding? I think I fell for her back in grade school, although way back then it felt like a crush. Now it’s like I’m being crushed with all of these feelings weighing on me.”
Luke smirked. “Have you told her yet?”
Jax sat back in his chair and sighed. “Nope. Not a word, although I think she might know something is up. There’s this weird tension between us whenever we’re together.”
Luke raised an eyebrow. “So you think she might feel something in return?” Luke’s tone sounded a bit dubious.
“It could happen,” he said in a defensive tone.
Luke held up his hands. “No offense. It’s just that the two of you are always arguing about something or other. Matter of fact that sort of goes all the way back to childhood.”
Jax frowned. “I call it banter, not fighting. There’s a difference.” He picked up a wing and took a big bite. This was his first morsel of food since this morning’s eggs, grits and toast.
“Whatever it is, it’s pretty intense, which makes sense if the two of you are into each other,” Luke noted.
“I didn’t say Callie was into me. But I’m hoping she is.”
Luke took a swig of his beer. “You need to tell her how you feel. If your feelings are that intense, you need to lay them on the line.”
“You’re right,” Jax said with a nod. “Words left unspoken mean nothing in the end.” Jax leaned forward on his elbows. “So, are you going to tell me about her secret brother?”
Luke scowled at him. “I’m serious, Jax. You can’t say anything. Not a word.”
“I won’t. Southern gentleman code of honor.” Jax held out his hand and waited for Luke to shake hands with him.
Once they had done so, Luke began to talk. “The man you met, Mac Donahue showed up at the house a few weeks ago with his lady. He’s Callie’s biological brother from Massachusetts. He hired a private investigator to find her. It seems that he wasn’t dead like Dad told her. Mac and Callie were separated in the foster care system and my parents illegally adopted her.” Luke ran a shaky hand across his face. “It seems that they wanted Callie to sever all ties with her past, so Dad made sure she believed that her brother was dead.”
Jax was so shocked he almost couldn’t form words. “Dead? Callie was led to believe her brother was dead?”
“Until a few weeks ago, yes. So, as I’m sure you can understand, Callie is feeling very betrayed and emotional, yet thankful to be reunited with Mac. He seems like a really decent guy. He was raised in Cape Cod by a couple who adopted six other boys. They’re a really tight-knit family who has stood together through some rough times.”
“It was really brave of him to hunt Callie down,” Jax said, feeling guilty about his negative reaction to Mac when he’d first seen him.
“It was,” Luke acknowledged. “It could have been a wild goose chase but he followed through.”
“So, after all these years of separation, they’re still close? They seemed like two peas in a pod. How do you feel about that?”
“Callie will always be my sister. I’m really happy for the two of them. After the childhood they had—”
“What was it like?” Jax interrupted. “Their childhood?” How foolish he had been to think that he knew everything about Callie
Luke shook his head. “Anything else you’re going to have to get from Callie. I’ve said enough.”
Jax felt as if he had a hundred or more additional questions to ask Luke, but he knew when not to push his friend past his limits. As it was, he had already told him plenty about Callie’s situation.
A slow fury began to build inside him. Lionel had used him in the worst way. He had sent him to the Duvall mansion in order to convince Callie not to move out. And he had withheld information from him—crucial details about the rift between him and his daughter. Lionel had deliberately chosen not to convey the truth to Jax. He had been sent on a fool’s errand.
As he ate in companionable silence with Luke, his mind swirled with a dozen thoughts or more. Callie—sweet, lovely Callie—had been hurt by her father’s deception about her brother. He couldn’t imagine how devastated she must have been to be blindsided by the truth.
All he wanted to do was go to her and try to comfort her. But he knew that he hadn’t yet earned a spot in Callie’s life where she would open up to him or accept his comforting arms. Jax let out a sigh. It was now his life’s mission to win the heart of Callie Duvall and show her that he was someone she could lean on during difficult times…and maybe, if he was the luckiest man in the world—love for a lifetime.
**
By the time tea was served and treats were eaten, Mac had been fully accepted by Miss Hattie. Callie and Mac had divulged the entire story of their chaotic childhood, separation and the reunion that had changed both their lives forever. Both of the older women had cried over the loss and pain and betrayal. Callie had felt better after sharing her story with beloved friends. It had been so difficult bottling everything up inside over the past few weeks. She had been very wary about sharing her story with anyone other than Olivia. She knew very well how the Savannah grapevine worked. Vicious gossip was passed around like watermelon at a picnic.
After all their tears were dried, they caught up over humorous stories and Mac entertained everyone with details about his life in Breeze Point and growing up as one of seven boys. It made Callie smile to see her brother getting along so famously with Miss Hattie and Pearl. They were both wonderful women. Pearl had worked for Miss Hattie ever since she was a young girl. She was equal parts cook, caretaker, accountant and wise sage. Even though Pearl was decades younger, she and Miss Hattie were the best of friends.
“Callie, the moving truck just pulled up. We should probably go help with getting the place situated,” Mac suggested.
Callie cast a quick glance at her watch. “Oh, I didn’t realize how late it was getting. I was having too much fun catching up with the two of you.”
“We had the place thoroughly cleaned for you, Callie,”
Pearl said. “It will be so nice to have you within shouting distance.”
“I promise not to get in your hair,” Callie said with a laugh.
Miss Hattie shook a finger at her. “You must promise to pop in here regularly. This place misses you.” She smiled over at Olivia. “Both of you. This place was at its best when the six of you girls were here adding joy and beauty to it.” She let out a ragged sigh. “It just became so hard to keep up with everything. It’s a shame I had to close Savannah House. My father is no doubt rocking in his grave.”
“You did your best,” Pearl said in a soothing voice as she patted her shoulder.
Callie bent down and pressed a kiss on Miss Hattie’s cheek. “Thanks for everything. I’m going to go move in and get situated.” Olivia and Mac both stood up. They each gave Miss Hattie an affectionate goodbye, then paused to give Pearl hugs and kisses.
As Pearl walked them to the door, Callie couldn’t help but look around her at the grand foyer and the sweeping staircase that resembled something out of an old movie. The place was huge, with over fifty guest rooms, a large dining room that sat over one hundred and fifty, a library, two parlors, a billiards room, a greenhouse, an inground pool out back and a state of the art kitchen.
It was really a shame that Savannah House was not operational at the moment. And despite its grandeur, certain aspects of the resort had suffered over the past few years. In its heyday it had always reeked of old fashioned luxury and charm. Savannah House had served a clientele that had been loyal to a fault and willing to pay top dollar for the southern getaway experience.
What could have been, Callie thought, as she sailed out the door and got back into her car to navigate down the road to the guest house.
**
“This is a great set-up,” Mac said as he stood in her living room, hands folded across his chest as he surveyed the place. Mac had pitched in with all his brute strength to help the movers transform the empty cottage into her new, fully-furnished home. Although she still needed a few more pieces to make the place complete, it looked spectacular from her point of view.
“It’s small, but cozy, right?” Callie asked. She could feel the huge smile overtaking her face. It felt amazing to be standing on her own two feet. At last!
“It’s amazing,” Olivia gushed. “It’s light and airy with a perfect view of the beach. How nice it will be to sit in your snug little kitchen with the sunlight streaming in.”
Callie reached out and hugged Olivia. “Thanks for the support and for helping me visualize everything. Don’t ever think I don’t know how blessed I am for our friendship.”
“Right back ‘atcha, my friend. I’ll always be here for you.”
Callie began to tear up. “Pinky swear,” she whispered.
“Pinky swear,” Olivia said, holding up her finger and linking it with Callie’s finger. Once, many years ago, there had been six of them reciting the pinky promise and vowing to be friends for a lifetime. Callie’s chest tightened as the knowledge swept over her that those promises had been broken years ago. She couldn’t think of the last time Charlotte had met up with them for lunch, even though she still lived right here in Savannah. Fancy hadn’t spoken to any of them for at least a year and a half. At the moment they didn’t even know where her modeling gigs had taken her. Paris? Milan? London? Morgan was overseas honing her culinary skills and ignoring their texts and phone calls. And Hope had been dealing with her own issues. Lord knew what those were.
“Hey, why do you look so sad?” Mac asked. “Turn that frown upside-down. You’ve got your own place. Your best friend and your brother are here. What else could you possibly need?” Callie giggled. Mac was right. Despite the sad state of affairs between herself and her parents and the rift with her childhood friends, she was one very fortunate woman.
The future stretched out before her, as bright and limitless as the heavens. She needed to dust off her resume and look for a job. Pronto. The inheritance she had received from her grandmother’s estate was at her disposal, but she truly wanted to try her best to make her way on her own steam. There would be no more accepting an allowance from her father or sending her bills to his financial advisor. Her life as a pampered socialite of Savannah society was over. That reality scared her, yet it invigorated her at the same time. A person never truly knew who they were until they stood on their own two feet.
“So, should we order pizza? I’m starving,” Mac said, rubbing his stomach and looking at her with puppy-dog eyes.
“You’re always hungry,” Callie said with a chuckle.
“I’m pretty starved too,” Olivia admitted, pulling out her phone from her purse. “Should I call Tony’s Pizza? They’re only five minutes away. We can either pick it up or have them deliver.”
“That sounds great. I’ll eat anything but anchovies,” Mac said, twisting up his face.
Olivia nodded with approval. “I like your style, Mac. I hate anchovies too.”
“One cheese and one pepperoni. Sound good?” Callie asked.
They both nodded and Olivia stepped aside to phone in the order.
Mac moved toward her couch and unfurled himself onto the cream-colored sofa. Callie walked over and joined him, plopping down beside him. “It’s fairly amazing to me that we’re sitting here together right now. Two months ago neither of us had a clue that we’d be reunited like this.” Her lips trembled with emotion. “Sometimes I wake up in the morning and for just a second I think I’ve dreamed all of this.”
Mac reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “It’s not a dream, Callie. This is our new normal. Us. You and me. That’s never going to change.”
“I know,” she said, wiping away a lone tear that had slid down her face. “I’m not crying because of what we lost, which is immeasurable. I’m happy because we have the rest of our lives to live out together. I want to throw rice at you and Delilah at your wedding and hold your newborn babies in my arms. And I want you to become friends with my brother, Luke, and I desperately want to meet your Donahue clan.” Her voice broke. “I’m just so grateful to God for lighting a path in the darkness and showing you how to find me.”
“God is good, Callie. All the time. Even when we were separated, He was looking out for us. Protecting us. And in the end, He guided me to Savannah…to you.”
Callie leaned in and laid her head on Mac’s shoulder. New beginnings were all around her. She was embarking on a whole new life filled with infinite possibilities. Yes, indeed. She was so very blessed.
**
Jax knew it had been a bad idea to head to Tybee Island. Ever since meeting up with Luke, all he could think about was Callie and her estrangement from her family. He knew how tight-knit the Duvall family had always been. Jax had always admired it, considering the frayed ties in his own family. Callie and her father had always shared a close bond, so he could only imagine how hurt she was by his deception. He had to admit that he felt badly for Lionel as well. His daughter was his sun, moon and stars. One only had to be in their presence to sense how deeply Lionel loved his only daughter. Jax had always heard whispers about a terrible family tragedy that had taken the life of the first-born Duvall daughter. It was considered a taboo topic by most, but a rumor had circulated that the daughter had drowned while the family was on vacation.
Now, as Jax idled his car outside the entrance to Savannah House, he was beginning to question his own sanity. Today Callie had moved in to the guesthouse. It was almost nine o’clock, technically too late to pop in on someone without calling. And what exactly would Callie have said to him if he had telephoned her? Go away Jax!
On impulse, he turned into the driveway and headed all the way down the lane—past the grand mansion—toward the nice-sized guesthouse. As kids they had often played in the guesthouse while their mothers were having tea parties at the resort. He chuckled at the memory of the first and only time he had ever kissed Callie. It had been at this very guesthouse. And she’d been spitting mad when he’d locked lips with her. He
seemed to recall getting socked in the eye. The next day a purplish bruise had popped up, scandalizing his mother who had wanted to know who had punched out her son. He’d never told her the truth about it being prim and proper Callie Duvall. As far as he had been concerned, it had been well worth the price of kissing Callie. Sweet, gorgeous Callie.
After counting to ten in his head he jumped out of the car and marched toward her door. A quick glance revealed no other cars in the drive. Most likely Olivia had already left and headed back to town. But where was Mac?
What in the world was he going to say to her to justify his sudden appearance on her doorstep?
The door swung open, bringing him swiftly out of his thoughts. A sigh slipped past his lips at the sight of her. Even though she was wearing a pink sweatshirt and a pair of simple black leggings, she looked elegant and stunning. Her red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, lending her a youthful appearance. His foolish heart wouldn’t stop thumping wildly in his chest.
She stood in the doorway, softly illuminated by an amber colored light from inside.
“Jax! What are you doing here?” she asked, her brows knitted together in a slight frown.
“I…um…Luke sent me. He knew I was going to be in the area and he wanted to make sure that you’d moved in okay and that everything was all right,” he fibbed, making a mental note to call Luke and tell him he’d used him as an excuse. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too annoyed with him.
“Luke? Why didn’t he just call me himself?” Callie sounded exasperated.
He shrugged, trying to keep his expression appearing innocent.
She waved him into the cottage. “Well, don’t just stand there. Come on in. That way you can give Luke a full report.”
Without hesitation, Jax crossed the threshold into Callie’s new digs. The first thing that struck him was that she had somehow made it her own within a matter of hours. The furniture was light and airy. Cream and crimson tones with accents of gold. Tiffany lamps glowed beautifully from the end tables. A small, ruby colored rug sat in front of the hearth. The splashes of color went nicely with the more understated cream hues. Framed pictures hung on the walls—pictures of Monet’s gardens at Giverny, a few landscapes and a beautiful sunflower.
Till The End Of Time (Secrets of Savannah Book 1) Page 4
