by Pratt, Lulu
Maybe Mom was right, I needed to take some time away from work if I didn’t want to become an old cat lady. Jude was fun, and going on another of his adventures felt like the right thing to do. I could use a mix-up in my boring routine.
I quickly called Dylan to check on Chris, who said my little boy was fast asleep and dreaming about what his uncle was getting him for Christmas.
Back at the front of the spa, I gathered the files, lifting heavy stacks into the office before closing and locking the door. Knowing the following morning would be a late start for me, I wanted to put everything away in case I didn’t make it back to the spa in the evening.
In the back of my mind, I was hoping Jude kept me out later than I anticipated, because when I was with him, time stood still. I was giddy as a teenager going on her first date as I busied myself with unnecessary tasks to make the minutes pass.
Before long, the front of the spa was more organized than ever, so I put on my coat and hat and let myself out, pulling the door to the spa closed behind me.
We’d decorated the front door with two large wreaths, and thick red ribbons of velvet draped the railings just like the hotel entrance. Standing back, I was proud of the new look of our family business. What often felt like an obligation — running the hotel and spa — was actually very dear to my heart.
I loved building a legacy that Chris may one day be able to take over, and knew that regardless of how bad I might talk about it, I loved Savannah and the life it had afforded me. Daydreams were nice, but I loved my real life with Chris just as it was.
Off in the distance, I could hear the roaring of Jude’s engine and knew that he would be there soon to take me off on an evening of fun, but glancing at the hotel that was like my second home, I was already certain I would be just fine when whatever it was that was happening with Jude came to an end in two weeks.
It was temporary, and all I had to do was keep a secret for two more weeks, and things would blow over. He’d go back to his life, and I would go back to mine.
Chapter Eight
JUDE
STUCK AT A stoplight, I glanced left to right, noticing an older couple walking their dog. They reminded me of my parents, and I wondered how many people had lived their entire lives in Savannah. Growing up, I always knew I had to leave the city that raised me, but now that I was older, I realized how good I always had it.
I loved my life in New York and my job, but Savannah had a hold on my heart that I could not shake.
Things were simple in the South in a way that you took for granted until you were living in a big city. But it was the evenings, when the city closed down as the sun set, when a young man could feel suffocated in a town so small.
It was nothing short of culture shock to come from New York, where you could literally get one-hour clothing alterations at two in the morning without batting an eye, to Savannah where restaurants closed at ten in the evening on weekends.
It was my mother who reminded me of my love for evening drives when she saw me staring into the wilderness from the back patio of my childhood home. The silence of Savannah was at times deafening, and I found myself in deep thought more than usual, distracted by the quiet that was usually filled with car horns and constant yelling in the city.
On a whim, I’d called Holly to invite her, but my thoughts had been dominated by her all day, and pulling into Savannah Serenity and Spa, I was glad I did. With her coat open, I could see she wore a figure-fitting sweater and a pair of jeans that hugged her ass. Her long hair was down her back, and a pink hat with a fluffy white ball sat on her head.
“You know, I could hear you a mile down the road,” she smiled, pointing at the hood of the car as she walked up to me.
“How are you?” I teased her for not greeting me first before wrapping my arms around her.
“Hi, Jude,” she smiled, but I noticed her glance over her shoulder to the hotel, and wondered if any of her family members were still working.
“Let’s get out of here,” I said, leading her to the car before holding the door open for her.
“Call me crazy, but I think we might get snow this year,” Holly smiled, rubbing her hands together as I sat in the driver’s seat.
“It’s not cold enough for it to stick, though,” I shrugged.
“It doesn’t have to stick. I just want it to fall on Christmas Day!” she said, beaming at the idea. She was so excited about Christmas, like a child, and then it hit me. She would have the joy of experiencing Christmas with a baby for the first time.
“This is Chris’ first Christmas, huh?” I asked, nodding as it all made sense to me.
“Yes. Well, he won’t remember it, but still I want that for him.”
It was obvious how much she loved the boy from the way she lit up whenever she spoke of him. While it was no shock, I was glad to see how well she had taken to motherhood. I still couldn’t believe that she had become a mother without my knowing, but I’d conceded that it must have been for the best. I felt bad that the baby’s dad wasn’t on the scene, but I decided that it was none of my business and I didn’t want the subject to cloud our time together, especially as it seems that she didn’t discuss the subject with Dylan either.
“So, where are you taking me?” she turned to me, her smile as bright as her smile.
“This is what I used to do when I couldn’t sleep,” I explained, putting the car in drive before exiting the small parking lot.
“It’s been a while. Do you think you remember the way?” she asked, her tone playful.
Everyone liked to pretend that since moving to New York, I’d forgotten everything I’d ever learned here. Always in fun, they liked to treat me as a visitor, which was ironic because it was how I felt most of the time.
“If I don’t, we’ll just be lost together,” I said, watching her cheeks redden.
Laughing, I couldn’t help but remember seeing her blush the same way years earlier. She’d always looked to me with a feeling I couldn’t quite identify but now I couldn’t unsee it.
There was something so different about her, in comparison to other women I’d entertained throughout my life. Holly knew me like I knew myself, possibly better. She knew the teenager in Savannah who wanted a big shot life, not just the man who lived in Manhattan, working at one of the most prestigious financial firms in the country.
“I think I’d like that, getting lost together,” Holly said after a breathless pause. I nodded, turning onto the two-lane highway that led to the next town.
It was a road I considered a refuge during my years in high school. Back when prom dances and the rivalry football game were my biggest concerns, I would drive the road until my mind cleared of the noise.
Moving from one button to the next, I worked with the touchscreen digital display on the console, manipulating the temperature in the car before turning on our seat warmers, Holly watching me with a skeptical smile. Next, I rolled the windows down, enjoying the shock on her face as she turned to me.
“It’s too cold!”
“Trust me. You’ve got your hat on. It’ll be fine,” I teased her. God, she was beautiful.
“If I get sick, you’re taking care of me,” she warned. I nodded in agreement as I increased the speed.
With my arm out the window, I felt the cold breeze against my palm, glancing over to see Holly’s hair blowing beautifully in the wind. With the heat blasting, it was still warm, a system I’d perfected as a teenager during those late-night drives.
“This is nice,” Holly said after a few minutes. I smiled, watching her survey the empty land. Outside of Savannah was nothing but one isolated town after another. Homes stood miles apart from neighbors, with yellowing pastures sitting between the two, waiting for warmer weather.
The stresses of my life felt nonexistent, riding down the roads that made me who I was. It was surreal in a way, finding just the comfort I’d thought I’d lost, but beside Holly, everything seemed to make sense.
“Ooh! That’s Pinky
’s!” Holly pointed to a bar far off in the distance. We had just reached the end of my usual route, and I was readying myself to make a U-turn.
“Pinky’s?” I repeated the word confused.
“It’s this bar that a guest told Dylan about. He asked if he’d ever heard of it. Apparently, it has great reviews online,” she shrugged, but I could see she wanted to go.
“You want to check it out?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“No, we don’t have to. It’s okay,” she blushed, and I felt my blood rushing south. She was sexy so effortlessly, the simplest things turned me on.
“Let’s go!”
Pressing the pedal down, I raced down the road, leaving dust in my trail with two hands on the steering wheel. Raising her hands in the hair, Holly screamed at the top of her lungs before breaking into a fit of laughter. I joined her, watching the smile cover her face as she glanced at me with sparkling eyes.
Pinky’s was more crowded than I expected. We had to circle around the small lot twice before finding a spot. Holly excitedly walked to the entrance as I raced to get to the door first.
The bar was loud enough for privacy, but low enough to encourage conversation. It was one of those places where everyone glanced up every time the door opened. Satisfied with our appearance, everyone returned to their business, leaving Holly and me to fend for ourselves.
“Let’s get a drink,” I suggested, walking to the bar.
“Just one because of Chris, but I heard the biscuits and gravy are amazing,” she leaned over to tell me as we settled in our bar stools.
“Here?” I asked, glancing around. It didn’t look like the type of place you’d order any type of food, let alone biscuits and gravy.
“I know, I know. But that’s what they say,” she argued, shrugging her shoulders.
“How ya’ll doing nah?” An older man approached us with a white towel thrown over his shoulder. His accent was thicker than someone from Savannah, and he looked like the type to be proud of that.
“Can we have two Bud Lights and an order of biscuits and gravy, please,” I ordered.
“Well, if ya gon’ git the biscuits, you got ta git the chicken!” he scoffed like I’d made a mistake.
“Fine, the chicken too,” I relented quickly, looking to Holly, who was smiling as she watched the interaction.
“Well, he gon’ have to fire up the grease! So, go on and play pool or something. I git ya beer,” the man waved us on like we were interrupting his evening.
“Well, that was interesting,” I said to Holly, draping my arm over her shoulder.
“I don’t even know how you understood him! I thought I might burst out laughing right there!”
“I thought you might too!” I laughed, pulling her closer to me. “So, you wanna play pool?” I asked, looking to the vacant pool table.
“Don’t laugh,” she turned to me, holding her hands in the air, “but I don’t know how to play.”
“Are you serious?” I gaped.
“I know, I know,” she started, but I grabbed her wrist, leading her to the table without further argument.
“You have to learn,” I demanded, taking two pool sticks from the wall.
After explaining the basic rules, which she already understood for the most part, Holly was ready to play. I’d given her the basic pointers on how to hit without being stereotypically touchy, despite my desires.
Watching her bend over the table, a few memories ran through my mind from our night together. I’d thought so long about what I’d do to her, I must have bent her in ten positions before the night was over. She was softer now, and I hardened just thinking about how amazing she felt.
“I did it! I did it! Look!” she jumped up and down before running up to me.
“What’d you knock in?” I asked, admitting to my lapse in attention.
“The black one!” she yelled excitedly. I laughed uncontrollably as Holly watched in confusion.
“What? That’s not good? That’s the bad one?” she said, her mood dampening.
“I’m sorry, babe,” I blurted it out, a term of endearment I’d never used in my life, but with Holly it just felt right. I wanted to protect her from everything, make her life as carefree as possible. She felt like my responsibility as a man, one I was privileged to have.
The silence between us was all the proof I needed that she had heard me clearly, understanding its implications as much as mine. Rather than backing away, as I anticipated, she moved closer, our bodies slowly gravitating on a magnetic pull. Just as she was close enough to touch, my hand reaching out to grip her waist, a loud call from behind me caught my attention.
“Tha chicken ready!”
Chapter Nine
HOLLY
“CAN I TAKE you to see my parents?” Jude asked as I buckled my seatbelt.
“Now?” I asked.
“Well, my mom asked if I could bring you by, and I’m not ready to take you home yet,” he said, his head leaned against the headrest. He was a dream.
“That’s fine,” I managed, forcing my breathing to calm down. As if he could get any more romantic, Jude reached over to my lap, taking my hand in his before interlocking our fingers, bringing my hand to his mouth and kissing my knuckles.
All the feelings from the bar returned, and I felt robbed of finally feeling his lips against mine. He was so sexy — I’d never wanted a man the way I craved him, especially after Chris. But after not being with a man since that wild night to start the year, I was scared.
We drove in silence, our interlocked fingers resting in my lap as the quiet of the night filled the car. It was a beautiful soundtrack, with heated seats and cool wind ripping through my hair.
We were at the Hatch family home before I realized. It looked much like I remembered, though I hadn’t had a reason to visit in years. As a young girl, I thought their country home was a mansion, and even as an adult, it was quite a large home, but that didn’t take away from the breathtaking impression it left.
Surrounded by pastures, the Hatch home sat on over one hundred acres, with farmland, trails and even a small pond deep in the property. I’d always thought they had the ideal family home, and imagined it was those experiences that made Jude so adventurous and fearless.
“Oh my God! I was hoping you’d bring her by!” Mrs. Hatch called from the front porch. Anita was a traditional Southern belle, with a sweet drawl to prove it. Her red hair was curled and pinned behind her ears as her dimples pressed so deep into her cheeks I feared for her teeth.
“Mom, it’s too cold to be outside without shoes!” Jude reprimanded his mother, pulling her inside before I could get to her.
Mrs. Hatch wrapped me in a hug the moment I crossed into the house, her perfume still fresh so late in the evening, just as my mother’s would be.
“How are you, darling? You are just so pretty!” she clapped her hands with excitement before hugging me again.
Anita had been best friends with my mother long before I was born, but a rift in their friendship had caused a feud that severed the family connection. It was a year after my little sister died, when my mother was unlike herself. It always seemed that Mrs. Hatch still wanted the friendship to continue, that it was instead my mother who refused.
Though we never now spent holidays at each other’s homes, whenever I saw Anita, she was nothing but kind and friendly to me. She was like a long-lost aunt, and I found myself overjoyed to talk to her.
“So, I hear you’re opening another location. Tracy Newman went and got a facial and massage, and she was just raving about Savannah Serenity and Spa and how well you have improved everything! I was just so proud,” Mrs. Hatch said with her shoulders pushed back.
We had moved into a small sitting room off the back of the house. In the summer, they used to turn it into a kids’ play room, and in the cooler months, they used the fireplace to create a cozy space to talk.
Jude wandered from one room to the next, occasionally popping back in before his mo
ther drowned him out with her big personality. She was such a firecracker. Never taking a breath, she could talk for minutes without a break.
“I just know your mom must be over the moon with a grandbaby,” Mrs. Hatch said when Jude entered the room. She was speaking to me, but her eyes were on him.
“Yes, she is very happy. That’s her little man.” I pulled out my phone and showed her a picture of the five of us outside the hotel. I was holding Chris, who had been only days old at the time, while my family stood around us, all of us beaming happily.
“It’s such a selfless thing for you to do, Holly, really it is,” she said, again more to Jude than me.
“Oh, Mom, get over yourself!” he waved her off and we all laughed.
“No, really. I know she is. Was she worried at first? I know sometimes she gets all worked up about things, and then she’s always so great at everything!” She smiled, her eyes softening as she thought of my mother.
“Just like that!” I laughed, recalling how swiftly my mom’s attitude about becoming a grandmother shifted after she held Chris for the first time.
“Your mom is an incredible woman, Holly. You know, she was there, when I had Jessie,” she nodded, recalling the story.
“How is Jessie?” I asked, remembering Jude’s brilliant little sister who used to love tagging along with me. She was best friends with my sister Christina before she died, and before the family feud, she was like a sister to me too.
“She’s great! Getting set to graduate next spring from Georgia Tech!” she yelled excitedly as Jude walked out of the room, gone on another adventure.
“I know you’re happy she’s back for Christmas,” I smiled.
“You can’t even imagine! Now I’ve just got to get Jude out of that city living stuff he’s into,” she whispered, leaning across the coffee table as she spoke.
