Jake loved the way Savannah kept her arm around his waist as they followed the cobbled walkway between the stores down toward the café at the center of the plaza.He loved the way she fit under his arm just right.He’d told himself that he shouldn’t get carried away, but he couldn’t help hoping that they were finally at the beginning of something special.He’d had a few relationships before, but he’d never considered where they might lead – not until Savannah.With her, he’d been wondering how she might fit into the rest of his life long before she’d agreed to go out with him.
When her stride faltered and she tensed beside him, he tightened his arm around her.
“What’s wrong?”
She let out a short laugh.“Nothing.Sorry.It’s not a problem.I just wondered who that was.I knew I recognized them, but it took me a moment before…”
He followed her gaze and smiled when he spotted Ivan and Abbie walking toward them.Ivan met his gaze and smiled, and Abbie grinned when she saw Savannah.
He was happy to see them.He’d gotten to know Ivan at the gym, and when he’d gone out with the whole gang, he’d liked what he’d seen of Abbie, too.But the way Savannah had reacted when she first saw them made him wonder.
“Are you okay with them?”he asked in a low voice.
He knew she’d been bullied at school and that she’d gone to school with Abbie, but…
He relaxed when she smiled up at him.“I am.Abbie was one of my best friends when I was a kid, and Ivan’s awesome.Do you know them?”
“A little.”
They didn’t get the chance to say anything else before the other couple reached them.
He wanted to laugh at the way Abbie kept glancing from Savannah to him and back again.From her expression, he guessed she was happy to see them together.
“Hey, Savvie.It’s good to see you out and about,” she said.
“And you.”Savannah smiled at her.
“I don’t want to put my foot in it, so I’ll just come right out and ask.Is this—” she waved her finger in a little circle between them “—is this new?Or is it a secret?Are we supposed to pretend we haven’t seen you together?”She grinned.“Or am I okay to just come right out and say this is awesome, you guys?”
Savannah laughed, and Ivan shook his head, giving Jake an apologetic smile.
Savannah looked up at Jake, and it took him a moment to realize she was checking in.Did she think he might want to keep them a secret?His arm tightened around her involuntarily.
“As far as I’m concerned, you can take out an advert in the local paper if you like.Make the announcement that I finally managed to talk Savannah into going out with me.”
Abbie grinned, Ivan gave him a slight nod, but what mattered most to Jake was that Savannah’s arm tightened around his waist and she leaned in a little closer as she grinned at the others.
“Oh, I love this,” Abbie said.“I’ve been rooting for you guys.”
“You have?”Savannah asked, sounding surprised.
“She has,” Ivan said with a rueful smile.“Ever since you came back from the city, Abbie and Elle are always talking about how to make sure you stay.They reached the conclusion – and I have to agree – that you guys getting together might go a long way toward making sure you don’t leave town again.”
Jake felt himself relax a little when Savannah said, “I’m not going anywhere.I tried life in the city, and it’s no good for me.”
“No, it isn’t.But this guyisgood for you, I can tell,” said Abbie.“You look way happier than I’ve seen you in… forever.Are you going to come out with everyone this weekend?”
“I can’t,” said Savannah.“I’m working tonight and tomorrow night.”
“What about next weekend, then?”Abbie asked.“In fact, that’ll be better.Clay’s singing, so everyone’s making sure they can come out.Elle’s mom and Cal are going to watch Skye so that she and Donovan can come.”
From the way Savannah looked up at him, he guessed she didn’t want him to feel like he was being put on the spot.He didn’t feel that way at all.Far from it — he was glad Abbie had made the suggestion.
He smiled down at her.“I’d love to take you, if you’re not working.”
“You should talk to Taryn, ask if you can schedule yourself off,” Abbie suggested.
“I’ll maybe talk to her,” said Savannah.“I’d love to go, don’t get me wrong, but I haven’t been working at the restaurant all that long, and I don’t feel like…”
