Sadie smiled.“I think you guys are perfect for each other.But what kind of roommate swap … oh!”Her eyes grew wide.“Tiffany’s Savannah’s roommate.”She turned to Harvey.“And am I right in guessing that this roommate swap is your idea?”She shot Jake a quick smile.“Don’t worry, I’m not upset about Josh needing to move out – more concerned thatsomeoneis meddling where they shouldn’t, right, Dad?”
Harvey chuckled.“I wouldn’t call it meddling, honey bun.I was only making a suggestion, and it seems like a pretty smart one to me.She’s a good girl, that Tiffany.”
“She is,” Sadie agreed.“But our opinions aren’t the ones that matter.It’ll be up to Josh what he wants to do – and Tiffany.I can’t see her taking too kindly to being told that she’s getting a different roommate.”
“You might have a point there,” Harvey agreed.“She’s feisty, that one.I doubt she’d be happy being told what to do in any sense.”He shrugged.“Like I said, I was only suggesting.”
Jake left them to it and went to join Jo and Savannah in the yard.He loved that the two of them were getting along so well.Jo had kids of her own, but she didn’t see much of them.Didn’t get along all that well with them from the impression he got.He’d asked his dad, and he wouldn’t say anything against them, but Dalton at the gym had told him that Jo’s daughter, Mallory, was disliked by all the staff at the restaurant and the lodge – after just one weekend visit.
He just hoped that Jo and Savannah might become friends, might even come to fill a role in each other’s lives that was empty otherwise.Just before he reached them, he inhaled sharply when the wordsmother-in-lawanddaughter-in-lawran through his mind.He hadn’t thought he wanted to get married any time soon.Not that he was against the idea, just that it was something for farther down the road.But …
His heart buzzed with happiness when Savannah saw him and a huge smile lit up her face.“Have you seen the bluebird boxes?”
He nodded happily, already thinking he’d have to make some for the yard at home for her.He might not be in any hurry to get married, but he was eager for her to move in with him, and he knew that when the time came Savannah was the only woman he wanted for his bride.
Chapter Twenty
Savannah opened her eyes and sat bolt upright in a panic.At least she had the presence of mind to check her watch before she jumped out of bed.Seeing that it was only eight-thirty was enough to calm her frazzled brain.
She reached for Jake’s pillow and hugged it to her chest.She’d told herself that this morning she was going to do her best to wake up before he left to go to work.She’d stayed here with him every night this week, and she loved falling asleep with him, and somehow being aware all night that he was there beside her.But she’d been working so hard at the restaurant that she didn’t manage to wake up when he got out of bed.She knew that he kissed her forehead when he came in and left her a mug of coffee on the nightstand.But it was only the mug still being there – full of cold coffee and untouched – when she finally did wake up that convinced her she hadn’t just dreamed him doing that.
She got out of bed and padded into the bathroom to take a shower.She needed to get started on the day, and she had a lot to do.She wanted to go over to the apartment to collect some more of her things.And more importantly, she wanted an hour with Tiffany.
Tiff had been cool about her spending so much time with Jake and not being at the apartment all week.They’d texted and talked on the phone when they could.Tiff had even joked that Savannah and Jake should send Josh over to the apartment if he needed some peace from the lovebirds.
When she went over there this morning, Savannah was going to check what she might think about Harvey’s crazy roommate-swap idea.She’d probably hate it, and Savannah wouldn’t blame her.But it did seem like such a neat solution that she couldn’t not ask.
When she was showered and ready, she headed for the kitchen in search of fresh coffee and something to eat.She hesitated in the doorway when she spotted Josh sitting at the table.He looked up and greeted her with a grin.
“Morning.Do you need a ride over to the restaurant today?I need to go over to Mom and Dom’s at some point, so I can drop you off if you like.”
“Aw, thanks.That’s sweet of you, but I don’t have to be there until the dinner service today.I finally get the afternoon off.”
Josh got up and went to pour himself more coffee.“You want one?”
“I’d love one, please.”
He poured two coffees and gestured toward the table with a sheepish smile.“There’s pancakes if you want some.Jake’s the pancake chef… but I liked the idea of having some this morning, and I made too many.”
She sat down across from him with a big smile.“Thanks.I love these things.But you guys really need to learn to make a protein of some kind to go with them.”
Josh rolled his eyes.“They’re fine just the way they are.”He forked one onto his plate before pushing them toward her.
She chuckled as she watched him pour far too much syrup on.He looked up and shrugged.“What do you want me to say?I love pancakes.”
“I remember when we were kids, your mom was convinced that you only saw pancakes as a transportation means for syrup.”
“And she was right.But they have added meaning now.”
“They do?”she asked.
“Yeah.Shit.I probably shouldn’t tell you if Jake hasn’t.”
A rush of warmth filled her chest.“Oh… you mean about family?”
“I do.”
Savannah looked down at the pancake on her own plate.
